H2@Scale in Texas: Laying the Foundation for Expanding Hydrogen’s Role in Decarbonizing Texas
This article was conceived with input from GTI Energy experts and project leads, Brian Weeks, Ted Barnes, and Nico Bouwkamp.
The work to scale and deploy hydrogen as an energy transition solution is well underway. Historic federal investments and expected tax incentives in the U.S. have led to increased innovation and a push to adopt hydrogen technologies rapidly. Fortunately, GTI Energy is already deeply involved.
Our experience with advancing the hydrogen economy through expansive networks of participants across the value chain started with a collaborative research effort between GTI Energy, our subsidiary, Frontier Energy, the University of Texas at Austin, and over 20 industry stakeholders and sponsors in a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project called H2@Scale in Texas and Beyond.
H2@Scale is an integrated renewable hydrogen demonstration that serves as a precursor to hydrogen hub development. This micro-hydrogen ecosystem lays the foundation for expanding hydrogen’s role in decarbonizing Texas through the use of multiple technologies, such as hydrogen production from renewables, on-site storage, and end-use in various applications.
H2@Scale at a Glance
The project will demonstrate how hydrogen can be used across Texas and showcase its potential for application in other regions. While H2@Scale may be a small system, there is nothing like it in the U.S. yet. Per its namesake, it’s been designed as an accessible way to explore how hydrogen can be deployed on a larger scale.
Two Tracks to Success
The project has two research tracks. The first is to demonstrate renewable hydrogen production options, storage, and end use. The second is aimed at developing actionable plans and identifying near-term applications for deploying hydrogen in Texas, Port Houston, and the Gulf Coast region.
The end goal of Track 1 is to showcase nearly 100% clean, renewable hydrogen generation and low-cost hydrogen for vehicle fueling. By balancing solar, wind, and renewable natural gas resources, the proto-hub will use multiple clean hydrogen production technologies in an integrated system to achieve this goal.
A portion of the hydrogen will come from renewable natural gas, which will be processed through the on-site steam methane reformer system designed and built by GTI Energy. The rest will come from electrolysis powered by emulated solar and wind power from the UT Austin microgrid.
The goal of Track 2 is to develop a hydrogen framework for the state, quantifying potential pathways for the growth of the Texas Gulf Coast hydrogen economy and modeling the future supply, distribution, and demand of hydrogen in the region. The team assessed techno-economics, policies, and regulations to pave the way for successful implementation.
A major piece of this track involved running the Hydrogen Optimization with Deployment of Infrastructure Model. This UT Austin model determines cost-optimal hydrogen infrastructure across Texas and identifies the locations for new hydrogen production technologies as the hub expands to maximize impact.
What does H2@Scale Mean for the Hydrogen Economy?
This H2@Scale project aims to benefit various industries and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating benefits for communities. Hydrogen produced will be utilized in transportation and commercial applications, including UT Austin’s data center, fuel cell drones, and a fleet of Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). This project breaks new ground by connecting various sources of clean hydrogen production with diverse applications, all in one place.
By showcasing the use of these vehicles, H2@Scale will raise regional awareness of hydrogen as a clean energy source and encourage the adoption of alternative mobility solutions to reduce air pollution and improve public health and the environment.
Likewise, a new study, “A Framework for Hydrogen in Texas,” was also recently released under the H2@Scale project to further highlight Texas’s ideal conditions for clean hydrogen production and how its existing infrastructure and abundant wind and solar resources make the state well-suited to meet global hydrogen demand.
The field of hydrogen technology and research is constantly evolving. Change presents an opportunity for growth, and we are optimistic about the positive impact our work will have. GTI Energy places great importance on engaging with stakeholders transparently to ensure equitable and wide-reaching benefits for communities.
The Grand Opening
The H2@Scale proto-hub grand opening was a culmination of years of hard work for our entire team. Hearing fellow leaders from GTI Energy, Frontier Energy, UT Austin, and key figures like Texas State Representative Drew Darby, and Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright speak so highly of the project was incredibly rewarding.
We offered facility tours and interactive demonstrations — including test rides in the facility’s fleet of hydrogen-fueled Toyota Mirai FCEVs. There was a real sense of accomplishment in the air, and it was an honor to share the moment with everyone who contributed to making our vision a reality.
Scaling Hydrogen for Texas and Beyond
Everything may be bigger in Texas, but starting at a small scale with the H2@Scale proto-hub is key to unlocking low-carbon, usable hydrogen energy on a large scale as we inch closer to a quarter century.
We’re proud to have been selected by DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to establish a regional clean hydrogen ecosystem at scale in Texas and Southwest Louisiana through the Gulf Coast HyVelocity Hub. The H2@Scale project serves as a valuable resource for participants in the HyVelocity Hub. The project’s learnings will be instrumental in shaping the development of a comprehensive hydrogen network for the region and delivering energy and economic benefits to surrounding communities.
GTI Energy is also a key participant in the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2) hub and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), lending five decades of hydrogen technology experience to each of the hub teams and helping to bring jobs and other economic benefits to the surrounding communities.
Through the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs and H2@Scale, GTI Energy continues our dual imperative to provide wider access to safe, affordable, low-carbon energy and decarbonizing our global economies and distributing the resulting benefits to those who need it most.
