“Our DeBary Hydrogen Production and Storage System reflects the innovative spirit of our employees and our focus on delivering real value to Floridians,” said Harry Sideris, president and CEO of Duke Energy. “We are putting innovation to work in Florida to expand fuel diversity, support a growing state, and help keep energy costs as low as possible. This work strengthens reliability when demand is highest, supports continued economic growth, and helps position Florida as a leader in building a more flexible, resilient, and innovative energy system.” 

Duke Energy’s DeBary Hydrogen Production and Storage System is the nation’s first end-to-end facility capable of producing, storing, and combusting up to 100 percent green hydrogen generated from solar energy. 

The system increases the flexibility of natural gas turbines and diversifies Duke Energy Florida’s generation mix to support the expansion of renewable energy. Because green hydrogen is an on-demand energy source, turbines can be turned on and off as needed, independent of time of day or weather conditions. This reliability enables greater integration of intermittent renewable resources, like solar, helping reduce fuel costs for customers while meeting growing energy demand. 

In December, DeBary set a world record by generating 50 megawatts using 100 percent green hydrogen combustion—demonstrating the technical feasibility of this approach and establishing a new benchmark for the industry. 

Read more about this year’s Edison Award winner and finalists at ElectricPerspectives.com.