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Hydrogen Energy California Power Plant Licensing Case
Docket Number:
08-AFC-8
(Application For Certification)
Committee Overseeing This Case:
(To be assigned)
Presiding Member
(To be assigned)
Associate Member
Hearing Officer: Raoul Renaud
Key Dates
- 7/31/2008 - Original Application for Certification (AFC) filed
- 5/28/2009 - Revised Application for Certification (AFC) filed
- 8/26/2009 - Commission accepts AFC as "data adequate."
General Description of Project
On July 31, 2008, Hydrogen Energy International, LLC filed an Application for Certification (08-AFC-8) for an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power generating facility called Hydrogen Energy California (HECA) in Kern County, California. Because of problems with habitat for endangered species in the original location for the project, the company retracted the original AFC. The company filed a revised application on May 28, 2009, for the same project to be built at a different location.
The project would gasify petroleum coke (or blends of petroleum coke and coal, as needed) to produce hydrogen to fuel a combustion turbine operating in combined cycle mode. The gasification component would produce 180 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of hydrogen to feed a 390 megawatt (MW) gross combined cycle plant providing California with low-carbon baseload power to the grid. The gasification component would also capture approximately 130 MMSCFD of carbon dioxide (or approximately 90 percent at steady-state operation) which would be transported and used for enhanced oil recovery and sequestration (storage) in the Elk Hills Oil Field Unit.
Energy Commission Facility Certification Process
The California Energy Commission is the lead agency (for licensing thermal power plants 50 megawatts and larger) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has a certified regulatory program under CEQA. Under its certified program, the Energy Commission is exempt from having to prepare an environmental impact report. Its certified program, however, does require environmental analysis of the project, including an analysis of alternatives and mitigation measures to minimize any significant adverse effect the project may have on the environment.
For Questions About This Siting Case Contact:
For Questions About Participation In Siting Cases Contact:
Public Adviser
California Energy Commission
1516 Ninth Street, MS-12 Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-654-4489
Toll-Free in California: 1-800-822-6228
E-mail: PublicAdviser@energy.state.ca.us
News Media Please Contact:
Media & Public Communications Office
Phone: 916-654-4989
E-mail: mediaoffice@energy.state.ca.us