Casper Area Chamber Of Commerce: BLACK HILLS ENERGY NAMED A FINALIST FOR HYDROGEN PILOT PROJECT WITH THE WYOMING ENERGY AUTHORITY

Press release from the Casper Area Chamber of Commerce:

July 13, 2021

BLACK HILLS ENERGY NAMED A FINALIST FOR HYDROGEN PILOT PROJECT WITH THE WYOMING ENERGY AUTHORITY
Pilot project will evaluate opportunities to improve sustainability of natural gas-fired generation
 
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – July 13, 2021 – Black Hills Energy, in partnership with a team of industry-leading experts, has been named a finalist by the Wyoming Energy Authority to receive funding for a hydrogen demonstration pilot project at its Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station (CPGS), a 132-megawatt combined cycle natural gas-fired power generation facility located in Cheyenne. The funding is subject to final approval by the University of Wyoming’s Energy Resources Council later this month. 
 
As proposed, Black Hills Energy will lead a team of experts from General Electric (GE), Black & Veatch, and Tallgrass Energy, LP, in the development of a feasibility study and estimate for a hydrogen use demonstration project for the Wyoming Energy Authority. The project will consider natural gas-fed blue hydrogen as well as green hydrogen fed with renewable energy and water. Additionally, the project will include conceptual engineering for equipment modifications of an existing CPGS turbine to accommodate a blended mix of hydrogen and methane. 
 
“This pilot project at the Cheyenne Prairie Generating Station is an important first step to demonstrate the viability of hydrogen-fueled power generation in Wyoming,” said Jason Hartman, Black Hills Energy’s director of power delivery and generation engineering services. “Through this project, and in partnership with forward-thinking industry leaders that bring significant technological expertise, we hope to help catalyze the development of large-scale hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure. We have a long-standing history of serving Wyoming and surrounding areas by tapping into the state’s diverse resources, and we see this as an excellent opportunity to be part of the state’s energy future.”
 
With final approval by the Energy Resources Council, Black Hills Energy and its partners would begin the project in Fall 2021 and issue a final report by early 2022.  If the project is determined to be feasible, a second phase would commence in 2023 and include a hydrogen fuel cofiring demonstration using one of Black Hills Energy’s GE LM6000 turbines.
 
“Black Hills Energy has proudly served Wyoming customers since the turn of the 19th century,” continued Hartman. “We are committed to providing safe, reliable energy into the next century by devising new approaches, like the use of Wyoming hydrogen generation, to drive into the future.”
 

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About Black Hills Energy
Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) is a customer focused, growth-oriented utility company with a tradition of improving life with energy and a vision to be the energy partner of choice. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, the company serves 1.3 million natural gas and electric utility customers in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com and www.blackhillsenergy.com.

This press release was produced by the Casper Area Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.