One quick glance at deserts and one would think there’s not much to miss, as they mostly seem desolate and empty. However, they play a crucial role in forming Earth’s climate and weather patterns. In addition, one desert in particular has 300 GWh of potential energy, and it’s all buried under this American state. Not quite so desolate and empty as one would think after all.
This American state has been digging a little deeper
A joint venture between Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc., Magnum Development, and Haddington Ventures has the world abuzz. What’s more, Chevron U.S.A., thanks to its Chevron New Energies department, purchased 100% of Magnum Development, and thus purchased a majority interest in the venture. And yes, news travels fast, so it’s best to pay attention.
The venture obtained a $504.4 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy in June 2022 to finance a facility called Advanced Clean Energy Storage (ACES). The facility would be a clean hydrogen and energy storage facility with the capability of supplying sustained, seasonal energy storage. And this facility will be located in the West Desert, more specifically, Delta, Utah. The facility will reportedly integrate 220 MW of alkaline electrolysis with two gigantic 4.5 million barrel salt caverns, which will store the clean hydrogen.
The goal of ACES Phase 1 will be to seize excess renewable energy during its most abundant state, store it as hydrogen, and offer support to the Intermountain Power Agency’s (IPA) IPP Renewed Project as a fuel. The IPA IPP Renewed Project will be a hydrogen-capable gas turbine combined cycle power plant that will be fueled by only clean hydrogen by 2045.
So much energy all buried in the desert
The desert region’s site will be supplying a full end-to-end solution to generate, store, and change clean hydrogen to provide zero-carbon, uninterrupted electricity for the western parts of the US. Initially, ACES will convert more than 220 MW of clean energy into 100 metric tonnes of clean hydrogen daily. According to the site’s official website, the clean hydrogen will be stored in the two gigantic salt caverns, which from the start will be able to store over 300 GWh of dispatchable energy.
Now, hydrogen may be a valuable renewable energy source, but it is also one of the world’s most mysterious sources. It is important to understand when it is polluting and when it is not is a vital concept to understand. Luckily, ACES is committed to storing green (clean) hydrogen. And it has many advantages beyond its eco-friendly power.
It will deliver so much more than just power
The ACES facility could potentially stabilize the grid and decrease the shrinkage of renewable energy by utilizing hydrogen as a long-term storage solution. The hybrid 840 MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant that will be fueled by the hydrogen storage will reportedly replace an old 1,800 MW coal-fired power plant – another win for the climate!
Additional benefits of ACES
- Creation of up to 400 construction job opportunities
- Creation of up to 25 operations job opportunities
- Will prevent approximately 126,517 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually
- $100 million will be used to benefit Utah schools
- $180 million in state property taxes will be generated
The ACES facility will play a significant role in the global transition to renewable energies to accomplish the global mission of achieving zero carbon by 2050. The venture itself proves that pushing the boundaries of renewable energy is possible, and in many cases vital. First, the western parts of the US will be powered by safe, reliable, and affordable clean energy, but soon the world could be as well. The sooner clean hydrogen can be implemented as a power solution, the better.
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