CAT Working With Energy Co. to Demo Hydrogen-fueled Combined Heat, Power System

As  part of its effort to increase its sustainability practices, Caterpillar has embarked on a three-year energy project in Minnesota. CAT is partnering with District Energy St. Paul to test and demonstrate a hydrogen-fueled combined heat and power (CHP) system. Eventually, that partnership could lead to new hydrogen fuel options for energy-efficient engines. 

"Caterpillar is focused on supporting our customers with reliable, sustainable power solutions," said Joe Creed, Caterpillar group president of Energy and Transportation. "This hydrogen demonstration project will enable us to evaluate additional hydrogen fuel options for an existing energy-efficient engine, providing even more possibilities for helping our customers meet their climate-related goals and objectives."

According to CAT, CHP systems provide both electricity and heat simultaneously, increasing overall efficiency and reducing exhaust emissions. To assess the potential of a hydrogen-fueled CHP system under real-world operating conditions, power and heat from the demonstration project will integrate into District Energy St. Paul's electrical and thermal infrastructure. District Energy St. Paul distributes chilled water and hot water to heat and cool buildings and single-family homes in downtown St. Paul, Minn., and adjacent areas.

The project, scheduled to begin next year, is supported and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and backed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. CAT offers a 1250 kW generator set capable of operating on 100% hydrogen, including renewable green hydrogen, on a designed-to-order basis, as well as commercially available power generation solutions from 400 kW to 4.5 MW that can be configured to operate on natural gas blended with up to 25% hydrogen.