HYDROGEN: The Future Gas Energy Network

摘要

Delta, Utah, population 3,436, located about 100 miles (161 km) southwest of Salt Lake City, is not a place one would normally look for cutting-edge energy technology. It is the largest town in Millard County in the west-central part of the state and not far from the Topaz Relocation Center that interred Japanese-Americans during World War II. Delta has long been known for the Intermountain Power Project (IPP), a massive municipal coal-fired generation plant that is being transformed into a 21st century energy project involving hydrogen and natural gas. While sitting quietly over a massive salt dome cavern, IPP's coal plant, whose largest customer is the city of Los Angeles, is taking on global interest these days as hydrogen is being considered more seriously as a partner in a decarbonized U.S. energy economy. Hydrogen can be derived by splitting the simple, abundant element from water (H2O) or methane (CH4). The state-affiliated Independent Power Agency (IPA), electricity provider for 21 small municipal utilities in Utah, historically has supplied the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), which operated the IPP coal-fired plant and a 488-mile (785-km) direct current (DC) transmission line from Delta to Los Angeles.