GHD has been informed that Northern California Power Agency’s (NCPA) Lodi Energy Center’s Hydrogen Project was included in California’s successful Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub application to the US Department of Energy (DOE). GHD originally assisted NCPA with preliminary engineering and design studies for the Lodi project which is now positioned to become a key hydrogen production facility as part of California’s $1.2 billion award announced by President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
GHD’s work on California’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub with NCPA will be in partnership with ARCHES (Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems), a public-private partnership created to establish a sustainable statewide clean hydrogen hub and to accelerate renewable hydrogen projects and the necessary infrastructure, while prioritizing environmental and energy justice, equity, and improved quality of life for California communities.
According to Ryan Doyle, GHD project manager:
“I am proud to pass the baton and support Michael Collins as Ontario’s new Transportation Market Lead for GHD. Mike’s depth and years of experience leading our Key Client programs for several regional municipalities, including the Region of Durham and his deep understanding of the Ministry of Transportation Ontario, make him the perfect person for this role. Over five years ago, GHD began this journey in Ontario and Mike is the ideal person to continue the leadership for the Transportation Market.”
Richard Moore, Ontario Region Markets Lead, GHD
Randy S. Howard, general manager of NCPA, added, “The US DOE’s selection of California’s application for hydrogen hub funding as submitted by the ARCHES organization means that the environmental and economic promise of the Bilateral Infrastructure Law (BIL) will be realized across our state. GHD’s partnership in the development of our Lodi Energy Center Hydrogen Project helped us establish a multifaceted proposal that is included among Tier 1 projects for federal funding from California’s hydrogen hub application. Going forward, this partnership will help make it possible for us to advance the hydrogen transition for both power generation and transportation from the Lodi Energy Center and be part of the effort to reduce carbon emissions using hydrogen across the country and around the world.”
The California hub is one of seven regional hubs that will launch with $7 billion in BIL funding — with the goal of accelerating the U.S. market for low-cost, clean hydrogen. The state estimates 220,000 new jobs will be created by the California hub, including 130,000 in construction.
The hubs are part of the goal to achieve a net-zero carbon economy in the U.S. by 2045. Final hubs are estimated to take from eight to 12 years to complete and must provide at least 50% of total project cost. Still to be finalized are full details about engineering design, site access, labor agreements, permitting, and community engagement. GHD has long been invested in hydrogen space in California. GHD announced a partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) in 2022 to provide engineering design services for its groundbreaking hydrogen/natural gas blending project, named Hydrogen to Infinity (H2∞). The GHD and PG&E partnership represents the nation’s most comprehensive end-to-end hydrogen feasibility pilot, which will advance studies of hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel and renewable energy source for not only PG&E customers, but the global natural gas industry.
