Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and its H2 Hydrogen Home have been named one of Fast Company’s World-Changing Ideas in the North America category. The award honours products, concepts, companies, policies, and designs that are pursuing innovation for the good of society and the planet. Entries are judged on impact, design, scalability, and ingenuity. SoCalGas’ H2 Hydrogen Home is the first project of its kind in the US aiming to show how carbon-free gas made from renewable electricity can be used in pure form or as a blend to fuel clean energy systems of the future. SoCalGas’ H2 Hydrogen Home and 17 other projects were selected among thousands of submissions considered for the honour by Fast Company.
“Our H2 Hydrogen Home demonstrates the important role of hydrogen in helping the state achieve its carbon neutrality goals,” says Scott Drury, SoCalGas CEO. “As we lean into our mission to build the cleanest, safest, and most innovative energy company in America, we are proud that Fast Company agrees this project is a world-changing idea.”
“Innovative projects like SoCalGas’ H2 Hydrogen Home help demonstrate how hydrogen can play an important role in California’s clean energy future,” says California State Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera). “We congratulate SoCalGas for this recognition.”
The H2 Hydrogen Home, which will be built later this year in the city of Downey, is the first fully integrated demonstration project with solar panels, a battery, and electrolyser to convert solar energy to hydrogen and a fuel cell to supply electricity for the home. Hydrogen will also be blended with natural gas and used in the home’s heat pump HVAC unit, water heater, clothes dryer, and gas stove. The home will function and feel exactly like a regular home but use reliable and clean energy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
