January 18, 2022. The promise of a hydrogen economy and a clean energy future is taking a step forward with an innovative project that will take shape at GlobalFoundries (GF), thanks to a partnership with Vermont Gas Systems, Inc. (VGS) and the University of Vermont.
The pilot project will allow GF to reduce its carbon emissions even further by introducing the use of green hydrogen, which will be produced on-site at its Fab 9 campus in Essex Junction, Vermont. Devices known as electrolyzers, powered with electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar, will extract hydrogen from water without producing new carbon emissions. The company will blend the extracted hydrogen into Fab 9’s gas lines and thereby reduce carbon emissions through reduced consumption of natural gas.
GF will introduce green hydrogen into the natural gas lines used for heating Fab 9. If the pilot is successful, the hydrogen produced on-site could be used to support the chip manufacturing process, which currently uses a type of hydrogen that is known as “gray” because it is extracted from fossil fuels instead of water and additional greenhouse gas emissions are generated during its production process.
For VGS, green hydrogen is an important strategic innovation to displace fossil gas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in support of Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). Green hydrogen can be blended with natural gas and used directly in boilers, furnaces, and other appliances. For the pilot project, green hydrogen will be blended only into GF’s on-site systems in Essex Junction.
“This collaboration between GF, VGS and UVM represents an important step forward as we work to reduce emissions, support our economy and support innovation,” said Governor Scott. “I’m encouraged to see three Vermont institutions work together to make critical progress towards goals we all share.”
The project, known as the Vermont Green Hydrogen Partnership, is the first initiative from the Vermont Clean and Resilient Energy Consortium (VCREC)—a statewide group of Vermont utilities and related industries that have partnered with UVM to advance the state’s clean energy goals through use-inspired research. The group combines the research expertise of UVM faculty with the on-the-ground perspective of Vermont stakeholders to tackle real-world problems facing Vermont now and in the future.
GF and VGS also will be considering the use of green hydrogen in future stages of the project to power vehicles for which water is the only emission.