NextEra plans USD-65m green hydrogen pilot in Florida

NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:NEE) plans to propose a USD-65-million (EUR 55.6m) green hydrogen pilot project in Florida, the energy company’s finance head announced on Friday.

NextEra’s principal power utility subsidiary, Florida Power & Light Co, intends to build a site where solar power that would have otherwise been clipped would be used to produce 100% green hydrogen via a 20-MW electrolysis system.

The project is subject to clearance by the Florida Public Service Commission and is seen to be completed by 2023. The hydrogen produced at the site will be used to replace some of the natural gas consumed by one of the three gas turbines at the Okeechobee Clean Energy Center.

“Based on our ongoing analysis of the long-term potential of low-cost renewables, we remain as confident as ever that wind, solar and battery storage will be hugely disruptive to the country’s existing generation fleet, while reducing costs for customers and helping achieve future CO2 emissions reductions. However, to achieve an emissions-free future, we believe other technologies will be necessary, and we are particularly excited about the long-term potential of hydrogen,” CFO Rebecca Kujawa commented.

She added that the company continues to evaluate other potential hydrogen opportunities as well.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.855)

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!