Chile begins replacing natural gas with hydrogen to reduce pollutant emissions

In October, Chilean gas utility Gasvalpo will launch a project to inject hydrogen into its natural gas distribution networks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The plan, titled Project H2GN, will be implemented through the Energas brand in 1,800 homes in La Serena and Coquimbo.

Coquimbo is home to the hydrogen production plant, which the University of La Serena manages.

The project is part of the National Strategy for Green Hydrogen, launched a few months ago by the Chilean Ministry of Energy and Mines.

“This is a unique initiative in the country, where green hydrogen is injected into natural gas networks, bringing significant environmental benefits without users noticing any difference in usage. This can be replicated in the rest of the country, contributing to the decarbonization goals Chile has set for itself,” said Luis Kipreos, general director of Gasvalpo, in a press release.

The so-called green hydrogen is an energy source that can be obtained from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy. It serves as a fuel but does not produce CO2.

Specifically, the hydrogen used for this pioneering project in Latin America is obtained through a process known as electrolysis, which splits the water molecule without producing carbon dioxide and then mixes it with natural gas for various applications.

In the first phase, 5 percent of the natural gas supplied will be replaced with hydrogen, but the goal is to replace 20 percent. “Under the H2GN project, green hydrogen will only be partially injected into the natural gas supply so that you will find a mixture of natural gas and a smaller proportion of green hydrogen (maximum 20%) at home,” the initiative’s website states.

“In this way, the switch should be practically invisible to users and should not require appliance adjustments or changes. In addition, their monthly bill will not change, as the company will fully cover the cost of the project,” it says in a letter to households participating in the project, which will take effect in October.