Louisiana Governor Edwards and the USA’s leading gas and chemicals provider, Air Products, in the latest announcement disclosed their plan to build a blue hydrogen clean energy complex worth USD 4.5 billion in Ascension Parish near Burnside. The mega project will facilitate the production of 750 million standard cubic feet per day of blue hydrogen by permanently sequestering the associated carbon dioxide emissions.

The project, scheduled to reach completion by 2026, will be boasting the world’s largest permanent carbon dioxide sequestration infrastructure that will be capturing and cloistering 95% of the facility’s carbon dioxide emissions amounting to a volume of 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. This project is part of Louisiana’s long-term goal of achieving zero greenhouse gases emissions by 2050.

Hydrogen is termed as “blue” when it is produced from fossil fuels like natural gas with simultaneous capturing and storing of the carbon dioxide released from the process. This technique is highly beneficial in reducing the global carbon footprint. Combustion of hydrogen results in zero-carbon emissions making it an ideal alternative for conventionally used fuels in the transportation sector. It is also used in various end-user industries for petroleum refining, producing fertilizers, food processing and metal treatment.

As per ChemAnalyst, the construction of a blue hydrogen production facility in Louisiana is a well-planned strategy towards enhancing Louisiana’s production base and establishing competitiveness in the sustainable energy market while reducing the environmental impact at the same time. The project will also get support from Louisiana’s geology which is compatible with building permanent sequestration sites. The commencement of this facility will improve the hydrogen supplies to the downstream market and may cause a lowering of hydrogen price trends in the country.