The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is partnering with utilities on four hydrogen demonstration projects at U.S. nuclear power plants.
Hydrogen would be produced at the nuclear plants through high- or low-temperature electrolysis, a process of splitting water into pure hydrogen and oxygen. High-temperature electrolyzers use both heat and electricity to split water and are more efficient.
Many believe nuclear is a tool to produce clean hydrogen, which is seen as an important path to drive decarbonization – including in hard-to-abate sectors. In power generation, hydrogen is one of the leading options for storing renewable energy and can be used in gas turbines to increase power system flexibility.