Duke Energy Florida Launches DeBary Green Hydrogen System

Duke Energy Florida recently unveiled its DeBary Hydrogen Production Storage System in Volusia County, the United States’ first demonstration project that uses an end-to-end system to produce, store, and combust up to 100% green hydrogen. The overall system and site’s reliability enable the integration of more renewable, intermittent energy sources like solar, displacing fuel costs for customers while meeting higher demand.

“Diverse generation is strong, reliable generation,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida State President. “The DeBary hydrogen project underscores Duke Energy Florida’s deep understanding of that notion and our commitment to making strategic infrastructure investments that will allow us to continue providing value for our customers while meeting their rapidly increasing demand for energy.”

The system begins at Duke Energy Florida’s DeBary solar site, which generates and transmits energy to two electrolyzer units that separate water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen atoms. Oxygen is then emitted into the atmosphere and green hydrogen is transported to reinforced containers for safe storage and eventual usage upon peak energy demand.

“The DeBary system allows for safe, reliable generation and storage of clean energy,” said Reggie Anderson, Duke Energy Florida Vice President of Regulated and Renewable Energy. “Duke Energy Florida is proud of this successful project and the lasting impact it will have on our industry, our company and, most importantly, our customers.”

When energy demand is highest, the system transports stored green hydrogen to an existing, upgraded combustion turbine equipped with GE Vernova’s hydrogen co-firing technology. The GE Vernova upgrade allows the turbine to burn a natural gas-hydrogen blend or up to 100% hydrogen. This co-firing capability makes natural gas turbines more flexible and diversifies Duke Energy Florida’s power generation fleet to support expanding renewable energy.

Green hydrogen is an on-demand energy source, so the turbines may be started or stopped at any point—it is completely independent of the time or weather. Duke Energy Florida owns 12,300 MW of energy capacity and supplies electricity for two million residential, commercial, and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

GE Vernova Partnership

In late April 2025, Duke Energy partnered with GE Vernova to accelerate the company’s unspecified power projects across six states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. This agreement arrives in the wake of increasing advanced manufacturing, data centers, and population growth.

GE Vernova will deliver 11 7HA gas turbines and related equipment to Duke Energy, adding to the eight 7HA turbines provided in an earlier contract. Aligning with Duke Energy’s integrated resources initiatives, these onsite assets allow the company to leverage existing infrastructure and transmission lines to lower electricity costs and accelerate production-to-grid timelines. Generating and delivering reliable, low-cost energy enables Duke Energy to accommodate customers within its service area and address emerging growth opportunities in the power landscape.

Bad Creek Pumped Hydro

In August 2025, Duke Energy submitted its last license application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and, if approved, the Bad Creek Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Station will continue operation for 50 years. Bad Creek, near Salem, SC, features four upgraded units that generate 1,680 MW of carbon-free energy for about 860,000 consumers, serving as Duke Energy’s largest battery since 1991.