Duke Energy Florida has introduced the DeBary Hydrogen Production Storage System in Volusia County, which is the first demonstration project in the United States to use an integrated system for producing, storing, and combusting up to 100% green hydrogen.
The new system starts with energy from Duke Energy Florida’s existing DeBary solar site. This energy powers two electrolyzer units that split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere, while the hydrogen is stored in reinforced containers.
When energy demand increases, the stored green hydrogen is delivered to a combustion turbine at the site. This turbine has been upgraded with GE Vernova technology so it can run on a blend of natural gas and hydrogen or operate using only hydrogen.
This approach makes Duke Energy Florida’s natural gas turbines more flexible and helps diversify its generation fleet as renewable energy expands. Since green hydrogen can be used whenever needed, it provides a reliable source of power regardless of weather or time of day. The system also supports increased use of intermittent renewable sources like solar power by providing backup when those sources are unavailable.
“Diverse generation is strong, reliable generation,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “The DeBary hydrogen project underscores Duke Energy Florida’s deep understanding of that notion and our commitment to making strategic infrastructure investments that will allow us to continue providing value for our customers while meeting their rapidly increasing demand for energy.”
“The DeBary system allows for safe, reliable generation and storage of clean energy,” said Reggie Anderson, Duke Energy Florida vice president of regulated and renewable energy. “Duke Energy Florida is proud of this successful innovation and the lasting impact it will have on our industry, our company and, most importantly, our customers.”
Duke Energy Florida supplies electricity to 2 million customers across a 13,000-square-mile area in Florida with 12,300 megawatts of capacity. Its parent company, Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), serves 8.4 million electric utility customers across six states and owns 54,800 megawatts of capacity nationwide.
The company continues to invest in upgrades to its electric grid and cleaner forms of generation such as natural gas, nuclear power, renewables, and energy storage as part of its broader transition toward a smarter energy future.
More information about these initiatives can be found at duke-energy.com and through various social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, as well as the Duke Energy News Center.
