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Electric mobility seems to be everywhere these days, but does availability equal accessibility? Here at EWEB we’ve determined that the answer is ‘no’ and are working to bridge that gap through EV car shares, community grants and electric bike rebates.
Find Out MoreIn Eugene, we take pride in knowing we have one of the cleanest power portfolios in the nation. Roughly 90% of Eugene's power comes from carbon-free hydroelectric energy. And EWEB has a long history offering robust conversation programs. But we wanted to do more, so we launched Lead Green, a suite of programs for climate innovators looking to support renewable energy and take action on climate change. In the year since Lead Green was launched, we've accomplished a lot we can be proud of.
Find Out MoreLearn some of the many ways EWEB customers support local schools and help inspire kids to explore the wonders of watershed health and clean energy resources.
Find Out MoreOur skilled journeymen are experts in their field, with thousands of training hours and real-world experiences.
Find Out MoreBy upgrading substations – key nodes in the electric grid – EWEB is investing today in a resilient electric grid for the future.
Find Out MoreSeventh graders in the Bethel School District put their handmade wind turbines to the test in a wind power challenge supported by EWEB grants last week.
Find Out MoreThe application period is now open for the Electric Mobility Community Grants. Mobility Grants of up to $25,000 will be awared to five nonprofits, schools and academic intitutions, government and other public agencies to cover costs associated with their electric mobility projects.
Find Out MoreEWEB's Greenpower subscribers voted to award this year's Greenpower Grant to Friends of Trees, a local nonprofit that brings trees to areas of Eugene and Springfield with low tree equity.
Find Out MoreFollow along as the Currin Substation, the first of 10 substations in 10 years, is rebuilt from the ground up as part of EWEB's Capital Improvement Plan for major infrastructure investments to rehabilitate, replace, and install new infrastructure.
Find Out MoreToday and every day, we celebrate and honor the hard work, innovation and dedication of electrical line workers.
Find Out MoreIt’s spring-- the time of year when birds are nesting in our trees. EWEB crews take special care to avoid disrupting birds when they’re trimming trees. But tree trimming is a necessary part of delivering safe and reliable power. We went out with a crew to find out how it's done.
Find Out MoreEWEB is excited to announce the eligible candidates for the 2023 Greenpower Grant! The winner of the Greenpower Grant will be voted on by Greenpower subscribers. Learn more about each origanization and their proposal before casting your vote.
Find Out MoreCrews are identifying and addressing equipment failures before wildfire season and doing so mitigates risk of fire ignition.
Find Out MoreCarbon is everywhere. But do we really understand what it is and what is being referred to when people mention it? We are taking it back to the basics in this article that breaks down carbon and explains what it is at it's most basic element and why we need to pay attention to it.
Find Out MoreEWEB customers use more than twice as much water in the hot, dry summer months, compared to the cold, rainy winter months. The higher summer water use can almost assuredly be attributed to customers watering their lawns and gardens.
Find Out MoreOctober 08, 2020
A team of Pacific Northwest public and private organizations have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the development of what would be one of the largest renewable hydrogen production facilities in North America.
The partners in the hydrogen production and carbon-reduction initiative include EWEB, NW Natural and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
"We're very excited to be part of this unique and innovative partnership that looks at energy issues holistically and includes organizations across the energy spectrum with complementary interests," said Frank Lawson, general manager at EWEB. "This is a good example of another step we can take to explore and develop sustainable and practical climate solutions for our region."
The hydrogen production facility will demonstrate how renewable and low-carbon electricity can be transformed into "green" hydrogen, through a process called "power-to-gas" and used to decarbonize the region's space heating and transportation sectors. Plans include the potential for a facility in Eugene that could range in size from 2 megawatts up to 10 megawatts.
Power-to-gas produces hydrogen from water by running electricity through a piece of equipment called an "electrolyzer." The device separates water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen that are then captured for storage and use. Using electricity sourced from hydro, wind, solar or other low-carbon sources, this process creates a renewable form of hydrogen ("green" hydrogen.)
Today, most hydrogen for industrial uses is made using fossil fuels through the steam reformation process. This project will instead look to renewable zero-emissions production sources.
Green hydrogen will be critical to the long-term decarbonization of the world's energy systems, including transportation, heating, manufacturing and other processes. It's the most versatile energy source available. The team also recognizes these opportunities in other sectors, like buses using fuel-cells, and are looking for additional partners to work with on the potential development.
Hydrogen can be blended with natural gas in small amounts (less than 10%) for delivery and used in existing appliances and equipment. It can also be combined with carbon dioxide to make a form of renewable natural gas through a process called methanation that can then be stored or delivered along with or in place of conventional natural gas supplies.
"By combining new technologies with renewables developed for the pipeline network and lower use through energy efficiency, we see no technical barrier to a carbon-neutral natural gas system. It's a strategy already emerging in Europe, and it's our vision forward," said David Anderson, NW Natural president and CEO.
The group will look to recreate existing models of successful power-to-gas installations, which can be found in Europe, South Korea and elsewhere. It will also explore the utilization of some of the hydrogen directly in fuel cells for backup electricity generation.
"In addition to helping the region reach its carbon-reduction goals with this project, fuel cell technology would allow us to keep our backup systems operating for several weeks, well beyond the range of diesel generators in the event of a regional emergency that affected the electric grid," EWEB's Lawson said. "These fuel cells can be used to both 'black start' power plants following a major disruption and provide stability for local power grids."
With the growth of wind and solar generation, on top of existing hydroelectric generation, there is periodically an abundance of renewable electricity available in the Pacific Northwest throughout the year. By converting some of this excess electricity into hydrogen through the power-to-gas method, utilities can store the hydrogen for months or even years.
"Now that wind and solar are the cheapest sources of new electricity, renewably produced hydrogen can couple a clean electricity system to other hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as transportation, fertilizer production, and steel refining," said Evan Ramsey, senior director of the Renewable Energy Group at Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
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