UW Team receives WIP funding for new Blue Hydrogen Project

The University of Wyoming will receive $693,514 in support of creating a new hydrogen economy from the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP).

According to UW, the project, “Advancing Blue Hydrogen Production and Transport Infrastructure in Wyoming,” examines the technical, economic, environmental, social and policy issues related to nuclear-powered hydrogen produced from conventional and renewable gas resources in Wyoming.

The project phase will be completed at the end of a 12-month period and is led by faculty and researchers in UW’s Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management and the School of Energy Resources (SER), and in collaboration with Western Wyoming Community College (Western), the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services and Idaho National Laboratory.

Haibo Zhai, a UW professor and the Roy and Caryl Cline Distinguished Chair in Engineering, who leads the project said investment in clean hydrogen has potential to foster new technological and business developments and create job opportunities in the clean energy industry.

In addition to Zhai, co-principal investigators on the team include Michael Urynowicz, a professor in UW’s Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management; Xiang Zhang, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Eugene Holubnyak, director of UW’s Hydrogen Energy Research Center; Selena Gerace, an associate research scientist in SER’s Center for Economic Geology Research; Amy Murphy, dean of outreach and workforce education at Western; and Richard Boardman, laboratory relationship manager of Idaho National Laboratory’s Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Office.

“The diverse backgrounds and expertise represented in this group are extremely advantageous as we advance this project,” Zhai said. “In order for there to be any kind of success for a new hydrogen economy, we must simultaneously address the social impacts and educational infrastructure at all levels as we continue to develop the technology. This team is well positioned to address the training needs essential to putting Wyoming on the leading edge of this energy sector.” 

The University leadership states that while a major focal point of the project is to explore the potential for the sustainable development of a hydrogen hub in Wyoming, emphasis is placed on developing an educational and workforce training program to accompany a hydrogen industry.

“Embracing the hydrogen future is not just a shift in the energy sector but a leap toward sustainability and potential prosperity for Wyoming,” Holubnyak said. “As we unlock the potential of hydrogen, it becomes imperative to invest in education and empower our workforce to navigate this transformative era.”

The project launched in September. Should it be successful, the team will look to advance the project toward the implementation of longer-term, transformational strategies to help Wyoming.

For more information on the blue hydrogen project, email Zhai at hzhai@uwyo.edu.