Mayor R. Rex Parris hosted Japanese government officials on Nov. 6 to discuss pairing Lancaster with a “smart” city in Japan which is equally devoted to integrating hydrogen into its power grid, fuel distribution, storage, and use.
Parris committed to a hydrogen transition at previous City Council meetings and challenged other cities around the world to choose hydrogen as well. He is confident that Japan may be the first stop on a pathway for cities around the world to shift into using hydrogen.
Parris developed a vision for hydrogen as a new way to further decarbonize the city – a mission he embarked on over a decade ago. He attracted companies that have already built innovative hydrogen projects and are being developed with major companies like Hitachi Zosen Inova. He then developed a comprehensive plan for Lancaster to achieve its hydrogen goals, announcing it publicly at City Council meetings to involve local residents and educate the public on the benefits of hydrogen to Lancaster.
Hydrogen has wide-reaching benefits, including improving the air quality, providing a secure and reliable energy source, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating highly skilled jobs. Hydrogen is abundant in the environment. It can be produced from diverse domestic resources with the potential of near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen as an alternative fuel stems from its ability to power fuel cells with domestic production, fast fueling times, and high efficiency. About half of the US population lives in areas where air pollution levels are high enough to negatively impact public health and the environment.
“Hydrogen is the future, it is the decarbonization strategy of the future, and we will lead the effort with other cities following in Lancaster’s footsteps,” Parris told the delegation from Japan, which included Mr. Imai, Consul of the Consulate General of Japan and Mr. Saeki, Executive Director of the Japan External Trade Organization.
Lancaster is beginning sister-city type relationships with other cities seeking to emulate Lancaster’s strategy, sharing a roadmap.
“The transition to hydrogen does not have to be limited to the world’s most famous large cities. In fact, cities our size can do some things they can’t,” Parris said. “Current plans include building out hydrogen fueling stations for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. We support the state’s goals for GHG reductions and hydrogen is a great way to get there faster.”
SGH2 is bringing a green hydrogen production facility to Lancaster. The plant will gasify recycled mixed paper waste to produce green hydrogen that reduces carbon emissions by two to three times more than green hydrogen produced using electrolysis and renewable energy, and is five to seven times cheaper. Developed by NASA scientist Dr. Salvador Camacho and SGH2 CEO Dr. Robert T. Do, a biophysicist, and physician, the city of Lancaster will host and co-own the green hydrogen production facility,
“The world needs some good news right now, and we have it. Affordable, mass-produced, reliable green hydrogen is the missing link needed to decarbonize the world,” Dr. Do said.
Other projects in Lancaster include a gasification plant and Hitachi Zosen Inova’s $100 million anaerobic digestion plant which generates renewable natural gas (RNG) from organic waste for conversion to clean hydrogen.
“Hydrogen is the future and we invite other cities to join us on the path to decarbonization as a way to tackle Climate Change,” Parris said.
For other cities interested in pursuing hydrogen as a path to deep decarbonization, Parris suggests the following path:
- Choose an effective advocate to lead the hydrogen effort and build a team.
- Conduct a review of the city’s gas and electricity load, delineating any renewable energy assets.
- Prepare a comprehensive hydrogen uptake plan for the city.
- Communicate the plan broadly, develop consensus, and go through your City Council process.
- Work closely with the city and other economic development resources to attract hydrogen company investment.
- Reach out to other cities like Lancaster that have been through this process to learn best practices and how to execute on a citywide hydrogen strategy.
“We invite all cities, small and large, to accept our challenge to become a hydrogen-powered city and to join us on the path to a clean energy future,” Parris said. “We will be pleased to assist you.”
[Information via news release from the city of Lancaster.]
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lk-fss.ru says
Consulate-General of Japan?, Koji Imai; Executive Director of JETRO, Norihiko Saeki; City of Lancaster Mayor, R. Rex Parris.
Van Dammit says
I wonder if Imai or Saeki did a simple Google search to see what they are dealing with in dealing with Parris. I would hesitate to enter any agreement with a man who thinks bird sounds lower crime, black paint fixes roads, a Cessna spy plane makes you safer, Bangladesh is going to disappear in his lifetime, or it’s ok to shoot homeless people who try to rob you.
Or maybe they know and figure they’re working with someone who isn’t the brightest and will fall for whatever shiny object is put in front of him.
Good luck to the good people of Lancaster. In the meantime, our homeless problem, crime, cronyism, bad roads, and lack of attention to the East Side continue.
East Lancaster says
So Rex wants to make Lancaster a hydrogen city? I applaud him for such an ambitious goal.
Since that is going to be something that will happen down the road, how about having Rex focus on some immediate needs. Like making Lancaster a City Where Homeless Don’t Roam the BLVD? Or a City That Just Doesn’t Paint Roads With Black Paint But Fixes Them? Or a City That Stops Wasting $10 Million Dollars on an Impotent Eye in the Sky? Or a City That Doesn’t Have a Bully Mayor or Vice Mayor? How about a City Where Crime is as Low or Lower Than Our Neighboring Cities?
Just a few things that many of us would like to see.
Van Dammit says
Yes! Yes! Yes! Please worry about all the crime and panhandling. Living with Covid is bad enough but having to deal with all the panhandlers and homeless who have no place to go since Rex shut down the shelter makes everything worse. Driving around town is no day at the beach either. For Pete’s sake please do something about our many here and now problems.
tsparky says
Nothing on the CGH2 website explains where the carbon goes when the cellulose (formula (C6H10O5)n ) is heated with a plasma torch. Either it gets turned into CO2 or pure carbon (think charcoal), it has to go somewhere. The only hydrogen from a non-CO2 producing process is electrolysis using nuclear, wind, or solar.
PLETHORA says
You are a PLETHORA of knowledge! THANK YOU
Laughing says
Why do you think they let the forest burn down?
Now we can plant lots of new trees and shrubs which require lots of carbon gas to grow!
See… it is all coming together.
wondering says
When you look at the formula you show for cellulose vs that of so called “gray” hydrogen from natural gas or methane – – the ratio of hydrogen to carbon is much higher.
Cellulose: 3/5 C/H ratio
vs
methane: 1/4 C/H ratio
It looks like using hydrogen from methane – or just using methane or CNG is less carbon producing than processing cellulose.
surfside 6 says
Hydrogen will be an excellent city symbol. But of course coyote packs and panhandlers would both be nice too!
Vic says
Too bad he won’t focus on the immediate needs of panhandlers, crime, drug use, cronyism, wasted money on pet projects like LEAPs and TractionSeal. We need a leader who will address the current problems facing us.