Chevron Building Solar-to-Hydrogen Project in California’s Central Valley

Chevron U.S.A. division Chevron New Energies has announced it is developing a 5 MW hydrogen production project in California’s Central Valley.

The project aims to create lower carbon energy by utilizing solar power, land and non-potable produced water from Chevron’s existing assets at the Lost Hills Oil Field in Kern County, Calif. 

The company says this low carbon intensity (LCI) electrolytic hydrogen will be produced through electrolysis.

The facility is designed to produce two tons of LCI hydrogen daily.

“Hydrogen can play a vital role in our journey toward a lower carbon future,” says Austin Knight, vice president for hydrogen at Chevron New Energies. 

“Chevron already offers lower carbon fuels like sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel and others, and this project is expected to expand the portfolio of solutions Chevron could supply to the region. I’m excited about the scalability of this solution. However, our ability to meet growing hydrogen demand and help build hydrogen fueling infrastructure in California to a commercial scale with more widespread adoption will be strongly led by state and federal energy policies that promote new lower carbon energy solutions.”

Project development is expected to take multiple years, with the start of commercial operations depending on several factors, including final engineering design, timely permitting and obtaining necessary materials.