To Infinity and Beyond! The First Element Takes Center Stage at State Capitol

By Melissa Subbotin 

SACRAMENTO -- The halls of California’s State Capitol are usually pretty busy this time of year, but if you listened closely on March 5, you’d have overheard most conversations centering on one topic, the first and most abundant element, Hydrogen. And if you were talking to someone from PG&E that day, you’d have likely learned about the Hydrogen to Infinity project and heard about important legislation that can help support PG&E’s transition to a carbon free energy future.  

Eight PG&E coworkers joined the California Hydrogen Business Council’s “Lobby Day” at the state capitol, meeting with 59 legislative offices, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development and multiple industry participants also working to advance the hydrogen ecosystem in California.  

“It was an exciting couple of days for us. We were able to engage in really important conversations with policy makers and stakeholders whose partnership and support will be important as we continue to explore the feasibility of hydrogen as a safe, reliable and clean source of energy for our customers,” said Jamie Randolph, Strategic Analyst, Decarbonization Strategy. 

For PG&E, the conversations focused on the role that hydrogen will play in the goal to achieve a net-zero energy system by 2040. This included advocacy for policies that will advance the study and application of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. Including the establishment of infrastructure to support production, midstream and end-use of hydrogen with a large focus on repurposing existing pipelines to understand the feasibility of hydrogen blended in PG&E’s system.  

After a full day inside the capitol complex, PG&E’s team staffed a booth at the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership’s Hydrogen Village, held outside on the capitol grounds.  

The PG&E booth enabled those touring the Hydrogen Village to learn more about the work PG&E is doing related to hydrogen. The team provided information about PG&E’s Hydrogen to Infinity project, a full-scale demonstration project where hydrogen will be blended with natural gas in a closed-loop pipeline in the City of Lodi, and the Calistoga Microgrid where diesel generators are being replaced with a utility-scale battery plus green hydrogen long-duration energy storage system. Hydrogen is making its mark as one pathway to reach net-zero.