Duke Energy Florida has introduced the DeBary Hydrogen Production Storage System in Volusia County, marking the first demonstration project in the United States that can produce, store, and combust up to 100% green hydrogen using a fully integrated system.
The new facility utilizes energy from Duke Energy Florida’s existing DeBary solar site to power two electrolyzer units. These units split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen atoms. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere, while the green hydrogen is stored in reinforced containers for later use.
When energy demand peaks, the stored hydrogen is supplied to a combustion turbine at the site. This turbine has been upgraded with GE Vernova technology and can operate on a blend of natural gas and hydrogen or solely on hydrogen.
According to Duke Energy Florida, this process enhances the flexibility of its natural gas turbines and supports a more diverse generation fleet as renewable energy expands. The ability to store and deploy green hydrogen on demand means that energy production is not limited by time of day or weather conditions. This reliability allows for increased integration of intermittent renewable sources such as solar power while helping control fuel costs for customers.
“Diverse generation is strong, reliable generation,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “The DeBary hydrogen project underscores Duke Energy Florida’s deep understanding of that notion and our commitment to making strategic infrastructure investments that will allow us to continue providing value for our customers while meeting their rapidly increasing demand for energy.”
“The DeBary system allows for safe, reliable generation and storage of clean energy,” said Reggie Anderson, Duke Energy Florida vice president of regulated and renewable energy. “Duke Energy Florida is proud of this successful innovation and the lasting impact it will have on our industry, our company and, most importantly, our customers.”
Duke Energy Florida supplies electricity across a 13,000-square-mile area in Florida with an energy capacity of 12,300 megawatts serving approximately 2 million customers.
Its parent company, Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), based in Charlotte, North Carolina, serves 8.4 million electric utility customers across six states and owns 54,800 megawatts of capacity. Its natural gas services reach 1.7 million customers in five states.
Duke Energy continues its transition toward cleaner energy by investing in grid upgrades and new forms of generation including renewables like solar as well as nuclear power and storage solutions.
More information about Duke Energy can be found at duke-energy.com or through their News Center.
