power to gas ( also power-to-gas ) ( often abbreviated p2g ) is a technology that converts electrical power to a gas fuel .

when using surplus power from wind generation , the concept is sometimes called windgas .

there are currently three methods in use ; all use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen by means of electrolysis .

in the first method , the resulting hydrogen is injected into the natural gas grid or is used in transport or industry .

the second method is to combine the hydrogen with carbon dioxide and convert the two gases to methane ( see natural gas ) using a methanation reaction such as the sabatier reaction , or biological methanation resulting in an extra energy conversion loss of 8 % .

the methane / sng may then be fed into the natural gas grid or further converted in to lpg by synthesising sng with partial reverse hydrogenation at high pressure and low temperature .

lpg in turn can be converted into alkylate which is a premium gasoline blending stock because it has exceptional antiknock properties and gives clean burning .

the third method uses the output gas of a wood gas generator or a biogas plant , after the biogas upgrader is mixed with the produced hydrogen from the electrolyzer , to upgrade the quality of the biogas .

impurities , such as carbon dioxide , water , hydrogen sulfide , and particulates , must be removed from the biogas if the gas is used for pipeline storage to prevent damage .

power to gas

power to gas uses existing infrastructure , e . g . natural gas network , natural gas storage facilities and power generation facilities
essentially , power - to - gas is about making the most of renewable energy .
regatec brings the biogas , gasification and power - to - gas communities together and highlight the latest advances and development within biogas upgrading , gas cleaning , liquefaction , gasification / methanation and power - to - gas .
earlier this year a european consortium established the north sea power to gas platform , to further develop the concept of power - to - gas for the conversion of renewable electrical power into a gaseous energy carrier like hydrogen or methane .
minnesota power and wisconsin’s dairyland power cooperative announced plans to co - develop a combined cycle natural gas–fired power plant , a 550 - mw facility designed to provide backup power for the utilities’ efforts to expand their use of renewable energy sources .
power - to - gas is what it’s called , and it’s way ahead of schedule .
potenzialatlas power to gas . klimaschutz umsetzen , erneuerbare energien integrieren , regionale wertschöpfung . . .
assessing the methane emissions from natural gas - fired power plants and oil refineries .
the dena power to gas strategy platform has published a roadmap as a pathway towards market integration .
the intermittent nature of renewable energy makes storage vital . power - to - gas technology promises a solution to surges in power supply that would otherwise be wasted
the hydrogen would be burnt alongside the natural gas molecules in the pipeline system — in gas power plants , homes and businesses .
an experimental power - to - gas plant in stuttgart uses electricity to create methane from water and carbon dioxide .
high electrical efficiency compared to other power generation technology ( i . e . steam or gas turbines )
what is the average price of natural gas for u . s . electric power producers ?
power to gas is a process by which renewable energy is used to produce hydrogen or methane . as a cross - sectoral system solution , power to gas can make a substantial contribution towards integrating renewable energy into various energy consumption sectors . for example , the gases produced through power to gas can replace fossil fuel sources in industry , transport and heating . furthermore , power to gas enables the use of the natural gas network’s vast capacity for the storage of electricity which is generated from renewable energy sources but which cannot be integrated into the grid . power to gas has the potential to ensure long - term storage by using the natural gas network .
biogas and wastewater treatment plants could then supply power when needed . when there is excess power in the grid , it would make sense to save biogas or sewage gas and use the natural gas grid as intermittent storage . the entire system would become more responsive to actual demand if there was a power - to - gas plant set up next to the biogas or sewage gas one – similar to today’s installation of combined heat and power plants . when there is a power surplus , the power - to - gas plant would use the electricity to create hydrogen through electrolysis and bring the biogas or sewage gas up to natural gas quality as well as feed it into the gas network . this example also shows the growing link between the power and gas sector . for that to happen , additional investments will have to be made , according to schmack . “on the other hand , our method does away with the process of having to prepare the gas . ”
the german natural gas grid has immense storage capacities . this means that the production of synthetic methane from excess wind or solar power with the help of power - to - gas technology now presents real opportunities .
“it is an option , therefore , to turn that power into gas and carry it down pipes instead . ”
the newly built power - to - gas plant by viessmann , which has been feeding into the public gas grid in allendorf since the middle of last march .
` ` the nigerian gas company would be providing gas transportation to the power plant using the 50 km stretch of the escravos lagos pipeline spectrum ’’ she said .
assessing the methane emissions from natural gas - fired power plants and oil refineries . - pubmed - ncbi
itm power , the leading electrolyser company in the uk , says its power - to - gas product is now half the price it was just a few years ago .
above all , power to gas is an exceptional lever for the energy transition , encouraging development of renewable energy sources .
chancen , herausforderungen und stellschrauben auf dem weg zur marktreife . die idee von power to gas ist , . . .
in a process known as power - to - gas ( p2g ) , surplus energy from wind and solar farms is used to separate hydrogen from water through electrolysis . it can then be blended with natural gas and injected into existing gas pipelines and used to drive power stations or stored as a renewable fuel .
the grhyd demonstrator makes it possible to valorize the enr ( green electricity not finding an outlet on the electricity network ) in the form of hydrogen gas distributed in the natural gas network , by implementing the power - to - gas concept .
however , applying ccs to natural gas facilities as well will be increasingly important as the use of natural gas grows .
the nemadji trail energy center , along the nemadji river in superior , wis . , will be co - developed by dairyland power cooperative and minnesota power . source : minnesota power
excess power is converted into methane using electrolysis and co2 . the methane can be transported and stored in the gas grid , and can be converted into power as required .
simon bourne , chief engineer of itm power , checks a proton exchange membrane electrolyser , the centre piece of a power to gas demonstration plant in frankfurt . photograph : arne dedert / dpa
mrs . alison - madueke noted that azura - edo power plant gas transaction is a pioneer in the two tier gas pricing arrangement as proposed in the gas master plan which envisions a willing buyer - willing seller pricing .
brouwer points to the site at which renewable hydrogen gas is injected into uci’s natural gas supply line . steve zylius / uci
converting into hydrogen and green gas makes it possible to store green current in the gas network , after which it goes to households , transport and gas - fired power plants , for example . power - to - gas could thus eventually present a solution for the storage of electricity produced by wind turbines and solar panels that cannot be used by consumers as soon as it is produced .
power to gas energy storage is rapidly growing in significance in germany and this deployment with thüga - group is the largest ever pem electrolyser deployment in a power - to - gas application to date . pem electrolysers are able to respond rapidly to fluctuating renewable inputs and so are able to store renewable energy as hydrogen for injection into the gas grid . the itm power technology is unique since it can respond in one second and is self - pressurising up to 80bar , permitting direct injection into the german gas grid .
e . on recently inaugurated its first power - to - gas unit in falkenhagen [ pdf ] in eastern germany , injecting hydrogen into the regional natural gas transmission system on an industrial scale . that p2g unit also uses wind power to run electrolysis equipment supplied by hydrogenics , to produce hydrogen from water for injection into the gas grid .
the dena power to gas strategy platform has published the policy paper
advanced , renewable biofuels in the european union transport sector
.
the power - to - gas facility , which will be feeding hydrogen received from wind energy into the hamburg natural gas network , will be thus brought to operation in 2014 , e . on hanse said .
syngas represents a substantial step in improving the sustainability of the chemical industry . the power - to - gas technology also presents a solution for the storage of temporary surpluses of wind and solar power .
the minister pledged to sustain the existing unprecedented synergy among the ministry of petroleum resources , power and the central bank of nigeria in ensuring a strong alignment in power outputs and the requisite gas supply .
dairyland power cooperative distributes power from several facilities , including three landfill gas - to - energy ( lge ) plants—two in wisconsin and one in iowa . it also has an animal waste - to - energy facility in wisconsin and purchases power from wind farms in iowa and wisconsin .
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the saskatoon solar power demonstration site is a collaboration between saskatoon light & power , the ses solar co - operative , saskatchewan polytechnic , and the saskatchewan environmental society . the solar power demonstration site is located at the landfill gas power generation facility , immediately west of the valley road interchange with circle drive south .
more data : monthly u . s . dry natural gas production and monthly average natural gas spot prices . the natural gas weekly update is a source of information on the factors that affected natural gas prices during each report week .
syngas , also known as synthesis gas , synthetic gas or producer gas , can be produced from a variety of different materials that contain carbon . these can include biomass ( wood gas ) , plastics , coal , municipal waste or similar materials . historically town gas was used to provide a gas supply to many residences in europe and other industrialised countries in the 20th century . gas engines utilising syngas as a fuel can be configured in a combined heat and power configuration in order to maximise the efficiency of the system .
the minister who recently announced the n213bn inter - agency initiative to facilitate the liquidation of legacy gas debts in the power sector stated that the nigerian national petroleum corporation alongside its joint venture partners are determined to surpass its mandate of providing the required fuel gas as well as gas infrastructure for the smooth operation of power plants in the country .
the members of the power - to - gas cluster are companies active in renewable energy production , hydrogen technology , electricity and gas grid operations and applications based on hydrogen ( transport and industry ) .
she further stated that azura and seplat exemplify the success stories of this administration in the power and oil and gas sectors .
energy from renewable sources offers many benefits . nevertheless , its intermittent availability complicates the process of balancing supply with demand . power - to - gas offers a real solution for power supply system backup going forward .
despite the improvements made by players like itm , there remains a couple of potentially insurmountable issues with the whole power - to - gas thing .
also , similar to any industrial facility that processes or uses a combustible gas , the power generation facility was designed to include combustible gas detection instruments that shut down equipment if elevated concentrations of combustible gas are detected . all equipment in the vacuum compressor building was also designed to meet canadian electrical code requirements .
the power - to - gas principle is based on storing surplus energy from renewable sources by converting it to hydrogen or methane syngas . the existing natural gas pipeline networks can also carry the resulting hydrogen and / or methane , facilitating the storage and transportation of these gases , which can then be blended with natural gas . “power - to - gas” exists at the intersection between many different engie areas of expertise in energy and services :
the system consists of two facilities that work in conjunction to produce electricity from the city ' s landfill gas : the collection facility and the power generation facility . the collection facility is made up of vertical wells drilled into the waste in the landfill , and underground piping connected to a vacuum compressor to collect the gas that is produced . the landfill gas is then piped to the power generation facility where the gas is combusted in engine - generators sets to generate electricity .
most of the natural gas consumed in the united states comes from domestic production . u . s . dry natural gas production
power - to - gas energy offers an enormous tank that we can store renewable power in , and it ' s called the gas grid
, says graham cooley , ceo of itm power . his
electolyzer
has been up and running since 2013 in frankfurt as part of the government - backed thüga group . other companies are beginning to move into this field too . the energiepark mainz in the german city of mainz also houses a power - to - gas electrolysis scheme backed by the federal government , gas firm linde and siemens , able to produce up to 200 tonnes of hydrogen per year .
among dena’s recommendations is that power - to - gas plants stop imposing charges on the end user when buying electricity , because electricity is not consumed through power to gas , but converted , stored and made available for other uses , thereby serving as a means of energy storage . these changes would be possible under the new electricity market act . without charging the end user , the cost balance sheet of power - to - gas plants would improve significantly .
power to gas provides many advantages for local authorities : gas production stimulates the implementation of infrastructure and industrial equipment in the departments , thus leading to production of industrial facilities , which in turn create activities and jobs in the areas concerned .
the power - to - gas strategy platform supports the further development of the power - to - gas system solution . it is being implemented by dena , along with 37 partners from industry , research and associations . further information on the strategy platform and its partners is available at www . powertogas . info .
the peterhead ccs project is an important first step toward ensuring that the natural gas power plants being built today are part of the solution to climate change .
power to gas is a particularly promising system solution . the idea behind power to gas is to convert renewable electricity to hydrogen or methane , store it in the gas infrastructure and then use it in a variety of consumption areas . hydrogen and methane from renewable electricity can be used equally in mobility , industrial , heat supply and electricity generation applications . that makes power to gas a multi - system solution which supports the integration of renewable energy into the energy system and also contributes to reaching the ambitious goals of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and the sustainability goals in all areas of consumption .
— like all intermittent sources of power it’s hard to store for long periods of time .
minnesota power spokeswoman amy rutledge said the superior site’s access to existing natural gas and electric transmission lines made it a logical choice for the utilities . the area is served by multiple natural gas lines , including from northern natural gas , great lakes gas transmission , and anr pipeline , according to analysts rocco canonica and richard frey of s & p global and platts analytics .
high summer temperatures can have direct and indirect effects on natural gas prices . warm temperatures increase the demand for air conditioning , which generally increases the power sector ' s demand for natural gas . during high demand periods , natural gas prices on the spot market may increase sharply if natural gas supply sources are relatively low or constrained . increases in natural gas consumption by the electric power sector during the summer may lead to smaller - than - normal injections of natural gas into storage and to lower available storage volumes in the winter , which could have an effect on prices .
of course storing power is what batteries do right now , and more efficiently , with roughly 25 % of power lost in the electrolysis process .
power - to - gas brings a new focus to the issue of energy storage from renewable sources - today in energy - u . s . energy information administration ( eia )
a 20 - year economic analysis indicates it is more advantageous to sell the electricity from the landfill gas collection system to saskpower , than to interconnect with saskatoon light & power ' s distribution system .
carbotech makes a vital contribution to the development of sustainable energy systems with its operationally reliable and environmentally responsible plants for the upgrading and gas to grid injection of biomethane gas .
the project store & go will demonstrate three innovative power - to - gas ( ptg ) storage concepts at locations in germany , switzerland and italy . . .
agn chief executive officer ben wilson said australia ' s gas infrastructure could eventually store enough hydrogen to provide as much power as six billion household lithium ion batteries .
the technique relies on an electrolyser , provided by gas generation company proton onsite , which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen . the system expels oxygen into the atmosphere , while the trapped hydrogen is compressed and funneled along 60 feet of pencil - thin steel tubing to an injection point along uci’s gas pipeline , where it mixes with the natural gas inside . from there it is burned to drive the campus’s gas turbine power plant , generating heat and power .
a wide range of hydrogen gases can be used in gas engines . however as with all engine fuels , there are specific limits to different components the input fuel gas . gas contaminants in syngas , most notably tar and humidity , are a key technical challenge to the utilisation of synthetic gases . please request the special gas technical instruction for fuel gas quality for more information .
about 20 flemish companies have gathered in an innovative company cluster in order to collaborate actively in the field of power - to - gas , through development and realisation of demonstration projects .
the minister of petroleum resources , mrs . diezani alison - madueke has committed to an aggressive and robust implementation of the various initiatives designed to accelerate the provision of adequate gas supply for power generation in line with the federal government’s aspiration for the power sector .
i spoke with tom cummins , the ceo of american power and gas , to get his thoughts on the impact of renewable energy sources , and his drive to make renewable energy accessible to more americans .
in order to further develop power to gas in the key regions , cooperation between the various stakeholders at national , state and local level , and in industry and research , will need to be strengthened .
in the power to gas potentiality atlas , dena and its partners carried out investigations to determine which applications and which regions in germany provided the best preconditions for market development , and what will have to be done to improve conditions generally . for the analysis , experts from politics , businesses , associations and research were consulted , and numerous studies were evaluated . the atlas should make it easier for businesses to find suitable locations for power - to - gas plants . using the information , political decision makers can better assess the regional opportunities for the introduction of power to gas .
sumitomo corporation and itm power plc are pleased to announce a strategic partnership agreement for the development of multi - megawatt projects in japan based exclusively on itm power’s electrolyser products .
he said the australian - first trial of so - called
power - to - gas
technology could complement other forms of storage like batteries and pumped hydro .
the landfill gas collection & power generation system began operation in 2014 , and is operated by the city of saskatoon . the key benefits provided to the city include :
project to integrate power - to - gas technology into the future european energy system . the project is funded by the european union ' s
horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
.
in the united states , increasing supplies of natural gas – especially unconventional natural gas produced from shale through hydraulic fracturing – have encouraged some power companies to switch from coal . that has helped reduce total u . s . greenhouse gas emissions to the levels of the mid - 1990s . however , recent increases in natural gas prices mean that coal - fired generation and emissions are again ticking upward .
the nemadji plant is one part of minnesota power’s energyforward initiative , designed to enhance the competitiveness and reliability of the company’s energy supply in its service territory in northeastern minnesota . minnesota power , the utility division of duluth , minn . - based allete inc . , also has asked state regulators for approval to add 250 mw of wind power capacity and 10 mw of solar power . the company already has 620 mw of wind power in its portfolio ; the new solar power would double its solar generation .
i want to put forward the view that there is only one way to deal with this problem . when power is in surplus , it needs to be turned into natural gas . this will reduce the amount of excess electricity and provide renewable gas for burning in power stations when renewables are in short supply . ‘power - to - gas’ is the critical remaining ingredient of the energy transition . can i put this as strongly as i can ? without a rapid and whole - hearted commitment to this technology , the renewables revolution may ultimately fail .
leveraging expertise to develop hydrogen - fuel approaches and improve the efficiency of natural gas engines .
four regions in germany are particularly suitable as locations for the conversion of renewable energy to gas ( power to gas ) : unterelbe - weser - ems , mitteldeutschland - berlin - brandenburg , neckar and rhein - main - ruhr . this comes from a potentiality atlas created by the power to gas strategy platform of the german energy agency ( dena ) , german energy agency . however , in order to promote market development , legal frameworks need to be improved in several areas .
hydrogenics has installed the 1 mw power - to - gas ( p2g ) system inside a newly constructed building . the unit produces 210 nm 3 / h of hydrogen .
it’s widely understood to refer to power generated by renewables like wind and solar , and so electrolysers have been designed especially to handle the intermittency .
surplus renewable energy could soon be converted to hydrogen and injected into australia ' s gas networks to help decarbonise the nation ' s gas supply , if a trial in adelaide proves successful .
there would need to be the same sort of momentum that there was when we moved from town gas to natural gas , which basically means replacing consumer goods that would use that fuel .
the first power to gas project linked to the french gas transmission network , called jupiter 1000 , will be put up at fos - sur - mer ( bouches - du - rhône , 13 ) . the demonstration plant is scheduled to come into service in 2018 with a power rating of 1 mwe . it will be the first installation on that scale in france .
the city of saskatoon has a long rich history of generating electricity . the municipal electric utility was started in 1906 , with a small generating plant of 225 kilowatts located on the riverbank at avenue h and 11th street . by 1911 , the city started its second plant on avenue a south of 19th street . in 1928 , the city sold its power assets to the saskatchewan power commission , ending electricity generation by the city , until 2014 when the city opened the landfill gas collection & power generation system . the landfill gas power generation facility is the first power generation facility to be built by the city in over 100 years . saskatoon light & power is committed to returning to our generation roots , developing and implementing new ways of generating power that provide benefits to our customers , the environment , and the city .
power thus becomes the primary energy and can be used nationwide to generate heat , or can be converted back to electricity as required , via combined heat and power stations . this link between the electricity grid and natural gas grids is an important condition for the successful transition from conventional to renewable fuels .
phil doran , md of itm power gmbh commented : “itm power is delighted to have performed the first ever injection of hydrogen into the german gas grid using our pem electrolyser with our partners in the thüga group , and look forward to the official commissioning early next year . ”
the ‘power’ is electricity that’s not yet used to light up homes , the ‘gas’ is hydrogen and the process is simple electrolysis : separating the h2 and o components of water .
to develop and deliver gas to the project , the minister said the joint venture would be investing approximately $ 200m .
kit coordinates helmeth eu project in the amount of eur 3 . 8 million for more efficient methane gas production from regenerative power by thermal interlinkage of chemical processes
an ambitious plan to slash greenhouse - gas emissions must clear some high technical and economic hurdles .
the increased availability of natural gas is leading to its expanded use worldwide . substituting natural gas for coal as a fuel for generating electricity helps reduce the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change because burning natural gas emits only about half as much carbon as burning coal .
the current plant size is 200 kilowatts , which corresponds to a converted power of 100 kilowatts of methane gas . performance is planned to be increased step by step to 400 kw , a move which has already been approved by the grid operator . “we are very satisfied with how the process has developed so far , ” says schmack . the future would bring power - to - gas plants of between two and five megawatts , although plants with even more power would be quite rare .
because there is no storage solution , the units are shut down , or the electricity is lost to avoid saturating the networks . the technological innovation featured in the power to gas demonstration plant provides a solution for storing and using the surplus electricity , by transforming it into gas .
accurate information regarding the uncertainty of short - term forecast for aggregate wind power is a key to efficient and cost effective integration of wind farms into power systems . this paper presents a methodology for producing wind power forecast scenarios . using historical wind power time series data and the kernel density estimator ( kde ) , probabilistic wind power forecast scenarios were generated according to a rolling process . the improvement achieved in the accuracy of forecasts through frequent updating of the forecasts taking into account the latest realized wind power was quantified . the forecast scenarios produced by the proposed method were used as inputs to a unit commitment and optimal dispatch model in order to investigate how the uncertainty in wind forecast affect the operation of power system and in particular gas - fired generators .
some large - volume fuel consumers such as electricity producers and iron , steel , and paper mills can switch between natural gas , coal , and petroleum , depending on the cost of each fuel . when the cost of the other fuels fall , demand for natural gas may decrease , which may reduce natural gas prices . when the cost of competing fuels rise relative to the cost of natural gas , switching from those fuels to natural gas may increase natural gas demand and prices . in 2016 , more electricity was generated from natural gas than coal for the first time on record , and natural gas was the largest source of overall electricity generation .
of course most business do not buy power through a wholesale market , and almost everybody has to pay grid distribution charges . so the logical place to put these electrolysers is next to wind farms or solar parks which can use power at no direct cost . when these entities are expecting to get very low power prices they will swing over to making hydrogen instead .
several p2g systems are in operation across europe and canada , but the uci project is a smaller , proof - of - concept design , funded by local utility southern california gas co . and installed at the campus gas power plant .
the intermittent nature of renewable power generation has long been a potential barrier to a low - carbon future .
once p2g plants work out such issues , they could scale up , and synthetic gas could go directly into the network of pipelines and storage tanks currently used for natural gas . it could then be burned in power plants to produce electricity ; by some estimates , this technology will be able to store up to 500 , 000 gigawatt - hours of electricity , enough to power germany for more than six months .
the gas collection facility is a fenced area and includes a 2 , 400 square foot building located at the entrance to the landfill . the gas flare stands 40 feet high .
storing large quantities of renewable electricity in hydrogen ( power - to - gas ) is a solution to balance the electricity infrastructure . the hydrogen can be used for various applications or re - converted into electricity .
this is exactly what power - to - gas needs if it wants to be a partner technology for volatile power generation from sun and wind . the utility association thüga estimates that the relevant storage demand will already be at around 17 terawatt - hours in 2020 and at 50 twh in 2050 .
for example , china is planning to reduce its reliance on coal by doubling the use of natural gas from 2011 levels by 2015 . most of this natural gas will be imported , although the government hopes to increase domestic production through shale gas . south africa is also looking to make natural gas an alternative to coal , mostly through imports of conventional supplies , but also by increasing domestic shale production .
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power ; hydrogen4 standard ﬂeet version : blue curves ; ‘‘techdemo’’ system : green curves .
repowering south mississippi electric power association’s j . t . dudley , sr . generation complex
all us gas must have 10 % ethanol . this whole story is a farce by numbers al ninetynine on why ethanol free gas is more popular than e85
using a conversion process known as “power - to - gas” , electrochaea has developed a commercially viable and disruptive solution for utility - scale energy storage , grid balancing , and carbon reuse .
supporting the development and deployment of new fuels and engines to reduce greenhouse gas ( ghg ) emissions .
to learn more about the project and to see live energy production from the site , please visit the solar power demonstration site page .
by helping to supply ngv with a neutral carbon footprint , power to gas makes an efficient contribution to the energy transition . the green gas thus produced , which emits lower levels of co 2 and particulates than petrol or diesel fuel , also constitutes a viable alternative to fossil fuels for transport , with the effect of reducing air pollution levels .
what is the net impact of this transformation of electricity to natural gas ? first , the surplus of electricity is reduced . second , the energy in the electricity is largely transferred to the energy in methane . this methane can be indefinitely kept in natural gas networks , which generally have a capacity for storage vastly greater than the batteries are ever likely to possess . although britain has relatively little gas storage , other countries often have months of capacity . they can make gas when electricity is abundant and then use that gas to generate power when the wind and sun are not available .
is landfill gas harmful to the environment ? as landfill waste decomposes , a type of gas , called ' landfill gas ' ( lfg ) , is produced and emitted into the atmosphere . landfill gas contains almost equal parts of methane and carbon dioxide . methane is about 25 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide . the larger the landfill is , the more gas is produced . while emissions decline year after year after a landfill is no longer in use , they continue to emit gas into the atmosphere for as long as 100 years .
green gases and power - to - gas are key elements for a viable and sustainable energy mix of the future . this concludes a report released in february 2018 by the dutch consultancy trinomics .
micro - organisms provide more flexibility than common catalysts , and the methane produced by them is relatively pure . additionally , the investment costs for power - to - gas systems can be lowered by using transformers and power as well as gas network connections of already existing biogas and wastewater treatment plants . this field of study , however , still requires more research to be done , even for
the impact of the wind uncertainty on the operation of gas plants was investigated .
“storage capacities of the natural gas network correspond to the pow - er produced from the wind and sun over several months , ” explains dimosthenis trimis , kit , coordinator of the helmeth eu project . “what we need are the technologies to change among energy carriers , if necessary . ” research into the connection of the power grid with the natural gas network is conducted under the heading of power to gas ( ptg ) . ptg might be one element of a transformed energy system in germany .
hydrogen has long been produced through energy - intensive electrolysis ( the other equally unsustainable method being to extract it from natural gas ) . however uk firm itm power has pioneered a new system of electrolysis which can connect to the grid and work instantaneously with surges in power supply that would otherwise be wasted , creating high - pressure hydrogen as a fuel or injecting it directly from the electricity to the gas grid .
we really need this to happen . first , it means we can happily heat buildings with low carbon electricity , even without the advantages of heat pumps . more important , it means that instead of using fossil natural gas for power and heat generation , we can use renewable natural gas instead , particularly when power is costly because of lack of wind and sun .
the central component of the process is the electrolyzer , which takes in water and uses excess clean electricity to power an electrochemical reaction that splits it into hydrogen and oxygen . the latter is released into the atmosphere , and the hydrogen is compressed and sent about 60 feet through a pencil - thin , stainless steel tube to an injection point in uci’s natural gas pipeline . the hydrogen is mixed with natural gas and burned in the gas turbine power plant to generate electricity and heat for the campus .
why not use the sun to create energy for the grid and use it to power evs and use the leftover hydrocarbons for aviation fuel .
this is one of the main arguments used by proponents of nuclear power , for example .
“it needs the right environment to make the conversion of power to methane gas an economically viable option , ” explains schmack . it will require excess power from renewable energies , which one could get free of charge under the best circumstances . “today , we are obligated to pay the eeg charge on the power used , whose feed - in would otherwise be restricted , ” explains schmack , and he adds : “this is unacceptable . ”
there are several options to reduce power ( w ) including optimizing solution temperature , cell dimensions , and solution conductivity .
the commercial use of power - to - gas technology is primarily being considered in europe , where it is being reviewed by the european gas research group , as well as the energy departments of several nations . in germany alone there are 18 different experimental programs being conducted . power - to - gas conversion is also being evaluated for commercial application in the united states by the southern california gas company , in conjunction with the u . s . department of energy ' s national renewable energy laboratory and the national fuel cell research center at the university of california , irvine .
“we’ve shown you need not halt renewable power generation when demand is low . instead , the excess electricity can be used to make hydrogen that can be easily integrated into existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure . ”
germany is not the only country in which power - to - gas is currently trending . the markets in scandinavia and california are growing as well . schmack has already received several requests for project specifications .
that’s why it’s important to note the recent announcement in the united kingdom of the next step in building the first full - scale commercial natural gas power plant using carbon capture and storage ( ccs ) .
‘power to gas is a key technology for climate protection and the energy transition , ’ says andreas kuhlmann , dena’s chief executive . ‘everyone says how important it is to harness renewable energy in all sectors – not only in the electricity sector , but also in mobility , industry and in buildings . linking sectors is the key term and , for that , power to gas is a good solution that is available on an industrial scale . in our potentiality atlas we are offering political and economic decision makers an important basis for information . ultimately , to enable a quick and significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions , market access to power to gas must be made easier . there are promising initiatives in many regions . however , in national legislation there are still some obstacles that need to be removed . ’
whether countries are replacing old coal power plants or meeting new energy needs , these new natural gas - fueled assets will be around for decades to come . while the difference in emissions between combusted coal and natural gas is significant , that reduction alone is not enough to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change .
at present , minnesota power operates 10 hydro plants , two biomass and coal plants , two wind farms , two coal plants , and one natural gas–fired plant . the company has already met or exceeded state standards for renewable power , along with energy conservation and carbon emissions , through a fleet transition of smaller coal units and its increasing use of wind and solar power .
jack brouwer , uci associate professor of mechanical & aerospace engineering and civil & environmental engineering , explains the workings of an electrolyzer , a key component of the power - to - gas system . the device uses renewable electricity to split water into oxygen and hydrogen . the oxygen is released into the atmosphere , and the hydrogen is injected into the natural gas supply line for uci’s power plant . steve zylius / uci
terranova solar , which is the largest solar plant in the benelux , is currently exploring innovative energy storage solutions based on batteries and hydrogen and is an active member of our power - to - gas cluster .
editors ' corner | wind power costs in u . s . are six times higher than claimed
find all of your industry - related resources in one spot . visit the power store now .
about five million tonnes of municipal waste are now in place at the saskatoon landfill . as organic waste decomposes , it produces landfill gas that contains almost equal parts methane and carbon dioxide . if this gas is not collected , it is emitted into the atmosphere and adds to the overall greenhouse gas emissions in our community . methane gas is about 25 times more harmful to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide .
clarke energy has comprehensive experience with gas engine technology and has a large reservoir of knowledge with respect to handling tricky gases such as syngas . about 30 ge jenbacher gas engines now run on either coke gas or ld converter gas . underscoring ge’s technical expertise , these units recently reached a combined total of more than 1 million operating hours . in addition , by utilising these ‘free’ waste gases compared to using natural gas for power generation , the ge jenbacher technology - equipped sites have achieved co 2 savings of about 2 million tonnes since commissioning . if you would like to find out more about how clarke energy can help you develop your landfill gas project , please contact your local office for more details .
itm power ( aim : itm ) , the energy storage and clean fuel company , is pleased to announce that it has won a competitive tender process , based on both price and performance , for a thüga group project , to supply a 360kw power - to - gas energy storage plant . this is itm power’s first major commercial sale in germany of a large hydrogen production unit based on its unique design of a self - pressurising rapid response pem electrolyser . the unit produces 125kg / day of hydrogen gas and incorporates aeg power electronics . it will be situated at a mainova ag site in the schielestraße , frankfurt in the state of hessen .
25 . the method of claim 18 , wherein when current is applied to the electrochemical cell to generate hydrogen gas , this current produces the protons at the mesh anode that lower the ph of the alkaline water to produce carbon dioxide with no additional current or power .
“uci’s power - to - gas project is showing that there are technologies in development today that offer ways to drastically increase the use of environmentally sensitive wind and solar resources in both power generation and delivery , ” said scott samuelsen , apep director and professor of mechanical & aerospace engineering . “it’s particularly rewarding to see this exciting technology being implemented and evaluated right here . ”
the present invention relates generally to recovery of carbon from alkaline water sources and , more specifically , to recovering carbon while simultaneously producing hydrogen gas .
but mr frischknecht warned australia ' s gas pipelines and appliances would need significant modification if the system was to shift to high penetrations of hydrogen .
7 . the electrochemical cell of claim 1 , wherein when current is applied to the electrochemical cell to generate hydrogen gas , this current produces the protons at the mesh anode that lower the ph of the alkaline water to produce carbon dioxide with no additional current or power .
16 . the electrochemical cell of claim 9 , wherein when current is applied to the electrochemical cell to generate hydrogen gas , this current produces the protons at the mesh anode that lower the ph of the alkaline water to produce carbon dioxide with no additional current or power .
the practice – known as blending – does however provide an opportunity for power - to - gasers like itm to make their electrolysers cheaper and more efficient .
some natural gas plants can produce electricity without steam . they use turbines very much like those on jet - aircraft . instead of burning jet - fuel and producing thrust , however , these units burn natural gas and power a generator . gas - turbine generators have been popular for many years because they can be started quickly in response to temporary demand surges for electricity . a newer twist is the
combined - cycle
plant which uses gas - turbines in this fashion , but then channels the hot exhaust gas to a boiler , which makes steam to turn another rotor . this substantially improves the overall efficiency of the generating plant .
please try out our program for calculating the gas phase equilibrium state . more . . .
it also has a significant and growing involvement in natural gas gathering and midstream businesses , and an increasing involvement in power transmission and has interests in close to 1 , 000 megawatts of renewable and alternative energy generating capacity .
using seawater in the cathode compartment will reduce the resistance of the module and lower the power consumption .
in much the same way as the soda mixer , it is possible to mix hydrogen into the natural gas pipeline network . this is a way to absorb excess solar and wind energy : surplus renewable electricity is put into an electrolyzer to create hydrogen , which is temporarily stored in buffer tanks , and then injected into a natural gas pipeline’s flow of gas .
the collection process involves covering or
capping
a section of the landfill with clay , drilling vertical wells into the waste and connecting them with underground piping . vacuum compressors then capture the gas and pipe it to a blower / flare station , where it is either piped to the power generation facility or combusted in a flare . during the combustion process the methane is converted to carbon dioxide , a less harmful gas . while effective at reducing methane gas emissions , ending the process at this point makes no use of the heat energy that is produced during the conversion . after the gas is collected , it is piped to a power generation facility and combusted in two engine - generator sets to generate electricity .
during cold months , natural gas demand for heating by residential and commercial consumers generally increases overall natural gas demand and can put upward pressure on prices . if unexpected cold or severe weather occurs , the effect on prices intensifies because supply is often unable to react quickly to short - term increases in demand . the effect of weather on natural gas prices may be greater if the natural gas transportation ( pipeline ) system is already operating at full capacity . natural gas supplies in storage may help to cushion the impact of high demand during cold weather .
after the demonstration plant was now disassembled and reassembled at viessmann’s headquarters in allendorf , the hydrogen produced on - site by microbial methanation is fed through the available biogas plant into the natural gas grid . the required co2 is either taken from the gas processing plant or the raw biogas is used directly , including its inherent co2 . in this case , the power - to - gas also prepares the raw biogas .
there are a many ways to produce electricity . electrons can flow between certain different materials providing a current , as in a common battery . while reliable and portable , chemical batteries run down quickly . to provide the large amounts of steady power demanded by modern societies , large power plants have been built . most power plants make electricity with a machine called a generator .
the use of existing biogas and wastewater treatment plants could lower the costs for power - to - gas installations , because both the transformers and the power as well as gas grid connections will already be in place . another advantage : the reaction only takes seconds and the produced methane is relatively pure . common processes wash out the co2 from biogas production . in the future , hydrogen will be added to the biogas or sewage gas , and the micro - organisms will get to work on converting the co2 in it into ch4 . this results in a synthesized gas that can be fed into the grid and a methane content that is almost doubled from a good 50 to between 95 and 100 percent .
we employ a patented biocatalyst to convert low - cost and stranded electricity and carbon dioxide into pipeline - grade renewable gas .
the main change is changing the burners , but at some point you also have to upgrade the gas lines .
listen to 60 + leading experts presenting the latest advances within biogas upgrading , gasification / methanation and power - to - gas . the conference will be opened by the head of research and development of consorzio italiano biogas e gassificazione and the eurogas policy advisor .


the clipper card is a reloadable contactless smart card used for electronic transit fare payment in the san francisco bay area .

first introduced as translink in 2002 by the metropolitan transportation commission ( mtc ) as a pilot program , it was rebranded in its current form on 16 june 2010 .

clipper card

to get your rtc card , please visit : urltoken . for a general overview of the clipper card and rtc , please visit : rtc clipper card
clipper : use clipper to get a discount . a clipper card may not be used for group travel - each traveler needs his / her own card .
clipper® card : clipper is the all - in - one transit card for the bay area . use your clipper card on all bay area transit systems , including muni . learn more .
50 % off adult cash fare with a senior clipper card , identification card from another california transit service , or medicare card .
clipper offers a card for adults , discount cards for youth and seniors , and a rtc clipper card for customers with disabilities .
when you request a smartpass clipper card , a clipper with its serial number will be assigned to your name and tower card .
i have been using an adult clipper card but now have a youth / senior card . can i transfer my cash balance from my adult card to my discount card ?
no . you need to register a card you receive from ford gobike on the clipper website to benefit from clipper card and balance protection .
a new adult clipper card costs $ 3 . clipper will waive the fee if you order your card online and sign up for autoload . learn how to get a clipper card here or order one today !
where can i get a good case for my clipper card ? how can i avoid losing clipper cards .
the rtc clipper card is a version of clipper created for passengers under 65 * with qualifying disabilities . all disabled customers who wish to receive transit discounts ( passes , cash value fares ) must have an rtc clipper card . the rtc clipper card is a photo identification card . you must apply for an rtc clipper card in person at a participating transit agency .
50 % off adult cash fare with dmv disabled placard id card , rtc discount card ( see note below ) , medicare card , rtc / clipper card , or identification card for persons with disabilities from another transit service .
regional clipper card clipper is a regional smart card that works on most bay area transit operators . it ' s managed by the metropolitan transportation commission .
vta bus - when boarding a bus , tag your smartpass clipper on the clipper card reader and show your tower card id to the bus driver .
you can use your transit benefit debit card to set up autoload on your clipper card , but you should also set up a regular credit card as a backup payment card in your account . that way , if your clipper card needs reloading at a time when funds are not available on your transit benefit card , clipper will charge the entire order to your backup card , ensuring you receive your order and your clipper card is not blocked due to insufficient funds on your transit benefit card .
clipper - when using clipper on vta light rail , customers only need to tap their card on the platform .
if your autoload purchase gets declined by the credit / debit card company or the card expired , your clipper card could be blocked from further usage because you have a debt owed to clipper .
contact clipper customer service if you have a problem with your clipper card . a customer service representative will assist you in either resolving the problem or replacing your card . read the questions about card problems for more information about resolving problems with your card .
a clipper card costs $ 5 , but for now you can have that $ 5 added as value on the actual card .
this video demonstrates how to add value to your clipper card at a bart ticket vending machine using a credit or debit card .
almex m self cancelling ticket ( clipper card ) machine . courtesy d . boothman .
to get a card immediately , apply in person at a clipper customer service center .
see note below about ferry tickets . read more about obtaining a senior clipper card .
see note below about ferry tickets . read more about obtaining a youth clipper card .
50 % off full adult fare when using a ferry ticket or rtc clipper card . proper identification ( dmv disabled placard id card , rtc discount card , medicare card , or id card from another transit service ) may need to be presented at the faregate .
as displayed on the vta clipper card readers , all current smartpass clipper cards will expire on december 31 , 2019 until reprogrammed .
how do i stop the automatic withdrawals from my bank account or my credit card , which are now being posted to clipper ? to cancel autoload on your clipper card , go to urltoken and log in to your registered card account , choose “check card value” located next to your card details , and from the card value page , select “edit autoload . ”
if you are setting up autoload for cash value or bart high value discount tickets , clipper won ' t charge your credit card or bank account until you tag your clipper card to a card reader and load the value .
if the card has cash value , clipper will automatically begin charging you the adult fare .
visit urltoken to learn about ford gobike and how to use it with your clipper card .
50 % off adult cash fare available when paying cash or using a youth clipper card .
do not alter your clipper card in any way . punching holes in the card , bending it or otherwise altering it could damage the small antenna used to send information between the card and the card reader . if the antenna is damaged , the card will not function properly .
regional transit connection ( rtc ) clipper card : the rtc clipper card is a version of clipper created for passengers under 65 * with qualifying disabilities . all disabled customers who wish to receive transit discounts ( monthly passes , ride books , tickets , cash value fares ) must have rtc clipper card . the rtc clipper card is a photo identification card . you must apply for an rtc clipper card in person at a participating transit agency . the nearest east bay clipper customer service center is located at 1600 franklin st . oakland and is open monday – friday from 8 am – 5 pm .
these fares represent a 20 % discount off the adult cash fare for intercounty travel when using a clipper card or a 10 % discount when traveling within marin using a clipper card . clipper is the all - in - one transit card useable on golden gate buses and ferries and on most other bay area transit agencies . visit the clipper card website for more information .
if your card is registered with the clipper customer service center , your balance is secure . you can report your card lost or stolen by :
clipper worked with paragon solutions to rebrand the c - store image from on the run , circle m , and clipper express to “clipper” .
you will receive only one smartpass clipper card . the card ' s serial number is linked to your name and tower card . the smartpass will be renewed every semester for as long as you take classes or employed at sjsu . with your smartpass clipper card you ' ll also have the ability to add other passes and fare from other bay area transit agencies onto one convenient card . just load the clipper card with additional funds . the pre - loaded smartpass on clipper card is valid only on vta bus and light rail lines .
i imagine the clipper card contains an application that uses some sort of encryption to enable secure communications between the gate reader and your clipper card . otherwise , the clipper system would be easily hacked with fradulent cards , on phone or otherwise .
you can now use your clipper card on all major bay area transit systems . currently , clipper is functional for thirteen bay area transit agencies :
transit riders can use the rtc clipper card to pay their fares on any transit services that accept clipper . click here for a current list .
it is correct , but you need to follow the
read more
link provided and , well , read more . by doing so you ' ll find that the rtc clipper card is a regional transit connection clipper card , a specialty variant of the clipper card for senior citizens and persons with disabilities . you can read more about who qualifies for a rtc clipper card here urltoken .
when riding golden gate ferry , you only need to tag your card to a card reader once .
i have a clipper card with a monthly pass loaded on it . can i use a transit check card to purchase monthly parking at caltrain stations ?
youth and senior clipper cards are free . rtc clipper cards are priced in accordance with rtc program policies . visit clipper discounts for more information .
autoload is the fastest and easiest way to ensure you ' ll always have value on your clipper card . link your card to a credit card , transit benefit debit card or bank account , and clipper will automatically reload your card with the pre - set value whenever your cash balance falls below $ 10 or your pass expires . set up autoload .
clipper is the all - in - one transit card for the bay area . click here for a current list of the systems that accept clipper .
how much does a clipper card cost ? adult clipper cards cost $ 3 . the fee is waived if you sign - up for autoload and obtain the card at the same time online . there is no fee for youth and senior clipper cards .
if the card reader says
blocked bad debt
, it means clipper could not process your autoload payment , and we have blocked your pass / ticket or , in the case of cash value , your entire clipper card . to unblock your card :
please note : do not punch holes , bend , cut or mishandle that can cause damage to the clipper card . it will render the card void .
when boarding a cable car , simply hand your clipper card to the conductor , who will use a handheld card reader to deduct the correct fare from your card or confirm that you have a valid pass .
ages 65 and older are eligible for a free senior clipper card . senior clipper cards allow seniors to receive discounts on monthly passes , ride books , tickets , cash value fares and transfers . to demonstrate your eligibility for a senior clipper card you will need one of the following : birth certificate or passport , state - issued identification , permanent resident card , medical benefit card with date of birth , military dependent card with date of birth . to apply for a card ,
caltrain conductors carry handheld card readers that can confirm that you have valid fare . please show your clipper card to the conductor when asked for proof of payment .
when you add value to your clipper card either online or over the phone , your value will not be available immediately . once the value is available , you must tag your card to a card reader to load the value . your card balance will not be updated until you have tagged your card and loaded the value .
for more about passes and discounted fares on clipper , including details about the rtc card , visit urltoken .
passes for seniors are available on the senior clipper card . passes for persons with disabilities , and for seniors who require an attendant on transit , are available on the regional transit connection ( rtc ) clipper card .
see notes below about ferry tickets and rtc discount cards . read more about obtaining a rtc clipper card .
golden gate ferry ticket machines only sell adult clipper cards . you must apply for a youth , senior or rtc clipper card to receive applicable discounts on fares .
the process is completed when you
deactivate
autoload by tagging your card to a card reader or fare gate . clipper will continue to autoload your card according to your account settings until you complete the cancellation process .
if you do get a replacement card , you must update your clipper card information in your ford gobike account . this information is not transferred automatically to ford gobike .
when you add value to your clipper card either online or over the phone , your value will not be available immediately . once the value is available , you must tag your card to a card reader in order to load the value . your card balance will not be updated until you have tagged your card and loaded the value .
using the clipper card app , be able to add card value or buy passes using a linked credit card with instant available use , without the horrible five day waiting period currently in use for people who buy online for their plastic card . read about the five day rule here .
use your clipper card on all major bay area transit systems . to learn more about using clipper on a specific transit provider , please click on the links below .
please note : the replacement fee is not refundable if the original clipper card is found . the smartpass is deactivated in the clipper cards that are lost or stolen .
1 ) are clipper card for locals ? tourist can buy ? thought of getting one when i am there .
ts will cancel all the smartpass clipper card requests that have not been issued at the end of each semester .
your smartpass clipper card access will be frozen and you will no longer be eligible to participate in the program .
mtc commission chair scott haggerty announcing the launch of the clipper card . photos : matthew roth . the metropolitan transportation commission , which sets the bay area’s regional transportation and land use policies , officially announced the transition from the translink card to the newly branded clipper smart card for transit trips today . the new blue card with eight [ … ]
if you want to cancel your online request for the smartpass clipper card , stop by transportation solutions office with your tower card and the ts staff will void your request .
yes , as long as your ford gobike is in good standing , you can continue to use your clipper card to unlock bikes . ford gobike simply recognizes that the serial number of the card you use to unlock a bike is associated with a valid bike share account . however , if you need to replace your clipper card , you’ll want to give ford gobike your new clipper card serial number .
same for the city buses ( muni ) - but you will need a special clipper card to pay 75 cents per ride instead of $ 2 . if you are a senior , that $ 5 clipper card will be free for you ( the card itself , not the bus ride )
clipper makes it easy to ride transit in the bay area . watch this instructional video , featuring clip , the clipper card . clip asks : where shall we go ?
you can have multiple adult cards associated with a single account . if you log into your account and order a card , clipper will automatically register your new card to your existing account . if you get another card in person , log in to your account , and click on
register a card
to associate the new card with your account .
if you suspect your card to be defective , you will need to return your card by mail with a completed clipper defective card form to the clipper customer service center to be examined . if your card is found to be defective through no fault of your own and you have had it for less than a year , we will replace the defective card and restore your balance free of charge . if your card is damaged , however , you are responsible for the fees associated with a replacement card and restoration of your balance .
50 % off full adult fare when using a ferry ticket ( see notes below ) or senior clipper card . proper identification ( id card from another ca transit service , medicare card ) may need to be presented at the faregate .
please note : in october 2016 , the metropolitan transportation commission that oversees the clipper card program in bay area stopped waiving the $ 3 clipper fee for vta smartpasses . the assocaited students general services will charge $ 3 ( in cash ) for the cost of every smartpass clipper card dispensed .
the card reader may not have recognized your card for one of several reasons . try tagging your card again by holding it flat against the clipper logo on the card reader until you hear it beep . if your card is stored in your wallet or near chip - based cards that use radio frequency information , please remove it and tag it separately to the card reader . if you do not hear any beeps or see any lights , your card may be defective or damaged . you can mail your card to our customer service center along with a completed clipper defective card form for the card to be tested , or you can visit one of our walk - up customer service centers . find locations here .
you can apply for a youth or senior clipper card by mail , email or fax , or you can apply for a card in person . visit urltoken for more information .
if you would like to replace your card more quickly , first call the clipper customer service number to report your card lost / stolen . then visit a clipper customer service center location the next business day to pick up a replacement card . visit customer support for information about locations and hours .
my transit benefit program told me they sent you the money . why isn ' t it on my clipper card ?
this is a manchester bus service clipper card from 1991 , which was launched in december 1979 by greater manchester transport .
i am a tourist . would i be able to ride the bus in the bay area without a clipper card ?
card can purchase one monthly parking permit per month at caltrain station ticket machines by entering their unique 10 - digit clipper card number , located on the lower - left back of the card . monthly parking permits may be purchased between the 21
if you are new to ford gobike , simply provide your clipper card serial number when you become a ford gobike member . if you already are a ford gobike member , log into that account and add your clipper card serial number . your clipper card serial number is located on the back of your card . you ' ll need to provide your credit card information to ford gobike or go to a ford gobike cash payment location , which can be found on fordgobike . com .
access card account information can be found here . funding your access card is easy , just click here to learn more !
add value to your card by signing in to your clipper account . if you are not a registered cardholder , create a new account or add value without registering your card below .
clipper direct is a transit benefit program offered exclusively by clipper . clipper direct makes it easy for employees to manage their transit benefits conveniently online . visit urltoken for more information .
you can use monthly passes or cash value on a clipper card . for a complete list of fares , visit vta .
> * - adding money to a clipper card from the website takes several days before th . . . | hacker news
adult clipper cards cost $ 3 . clipper waives this fee if you sign up for autoload when you purchase your card online . if you buy a card at a muni metro or golden gate ferry ticket machine , you must add a minimum value to your card . otherwise , no minimum value is required .
s * for k - 12 education . wu was poking around on the website for clipper card , the bay area’s contact - less universal transit card launched in 2010 that works much like
clipper youth and senior cards are specially encoded , so the system automatically gives you the discounted fare if appropriate . clipper also recognizes when your card is eligible for discounted passes offered by transit agencies ; you can purchase them via the clipper website , over the phone , at a ticket or add value machine or in person at a clipper retailer or transit agency ticket office if you have an eligible clipper youth or senior card .
you can get basic information about your card simply by entering the clipper card serial number on the back of your card when prompted . you can get information about your pending orders or check your cash value and bart hvd balances and pass expiration dates .
a new adult clipper card costs $ 3 . click here for details . get your adult clipper card at the ac transit & clipper customer service center ( downtown oakland at 1600 franklin ) or other participating transit agency sales offices ; any clipper retail location , including most walgreens stores ; purchase and load value online ; or by phone ( 877 ) 878 - 8883 .
to receive a smartpass clipper card , you must put in a request online at transportation solutions website . then , you can pick up a clipper card pre - loaded with the vta smartpass at the associated students transportation solutions - general services center immediately after the online request . sjsu tower card must be accompanied with smartpass clipper to ride on vta buses and light rail lines .
where can i buy a clipper card ? clipper cards can be purchased at the caltrain administrative office in san carlos between 8 a . m . – 5 : 30 p . m . , at participating clipper retail locations such as walgreens and online at urltoken youth ( ages 5 - 18 ) and senior ( ages 65 and older ) customers must fill out an application to obtain a clipper card . disabled fare customers must have a regional transit connection clipper card . for more information , click here
if you add value to your card at a retailer , clipper customer service center , ticket office , ticket machine or clipper add value machine , your value is immediately available to use .
clipper ® is a reloadable fare payment card that ' s used to store a caltrain monthly pass and / or cash . using clipper on caltrain saves you money compared to buying a one - way ticket from the station ticket machines . and , you double that savings with clipper if you ' re buying a paper day pass and just taking a round trip . fares are listed here . the card reader at caltrain stations reads the clipper card to see if you have a current monthly pass , or deducts the cost of a trip or ride from your card . clipper card also is accepted on various transit agencies in the san francisco bay area . for the latest list , click here . clipper cards can be purchased at urltoken , one of clipper ' s retailers such as walgreens or at the caltrain office in san carlos . adult cards cost $ 3 . youth and senior cards are free . if you are purchasing a youth or senior clipper card , you must complete an application to obtain a clipper card . customers with disabilities applying for a regional transit connection discount card need to complete an application and come to a transit office to have their photo taken . download the clipper on caltrain brochure here ( pdf , 2mb ) monthly parking for clipper card frequently asked questions for more information on clipper , visit urltoken
you may notice upon tagging your card that your new cash balance or pass was loaded , but when the reader communicates the new autoload transaction to the clipper server and the server finds out you have a bad credit / debit card , clipper ' s server will send a new message to all clipper readers upon their next update to block your clipper card from further usage . when you tag your card to a reader with the update to red flag your card , your card is re - written stating your clipper card is banned from further usage until you resolve your problems with customer service . once customer service resolves it and they tell the server to remove the blockage , you could wait up to five days for the server to communicate to the readers that the blockage is to be removed from your card ' s memory chip . when you tag your card to a reader with the command to remove the blockage , and your card is re - written to say your card is in good standing ; but if the next transit vehicle says you still have a blockage ( didn ' t get updated ) , the card reader will honor the latest update as noted on your clipper card ' s memory chip .
i got my youth clipper card from ac transit , and it had my photo on it . do i need to go to ac transit to have another photo taken for a replacement card ?
if you are experiencing validation defect or other problems with your smartpass clipper card , do not discard the card , bring it to the as transportation solutions - general services center for a replacement .
i feel this may be an opportunity for clipper to work with apple and google to allow clipper card users to get an app that utilizes a plastic clipper card and an nfc capable phone to let people scan their card to read their ride history and review their balances on their card ( currently , the farebot 3rd party app for android can do this ) . this may also be an opportunity for people to order their passes , add cash value , etc . on their phone , and tag their card to their phone to update the card ' s data with the new information so people can instantly use the card with the new information .
ages 5 and older are eligible for a free youth clipper card . youth clipper cards allow youth to receive discounts on monthly passes , ride books , tickets , cash value fares and transfers . the maximum age to qualify for discounted fares varies by transit agency . to demonstrate your eligibility for a youth clipper card you will need one of the following : birth certificate or passport , state - issued identification , permanent resident card , student id with date of birth , medical benefit card with date of birth , military dependent card with date of birth . to apply for a card ,
for information on how to obtain a youth , senior or regional transit connection ( rtc ) discount card , visit clipper discounts .
you can also have staff at a transit agency ticket office or clipper customer service center tag your card to update its status .
for immediate replacement of non - personalized cards , you may bring your damaged or defective clipper card to a clipper customer service center . visit customer support for information about locations and hours . you must have your card with you when you request a replacement .
no . you will pay for your bike share membership through ford gobike . your clipper card simply acts as an access key .
how do i locate the clipper reader if i am visually impaired ? to assists passengers with visual impairments , caltrain has introduced new tone locators to clipper card machine readers . the readers will emit a beeping sound every 15 seconds , which can alert passengers with visual impairments to where they can tag their clipper card . the locater noise produced by the clipper card readers will have a lower decibel level and tone than the sounds that indicate whether a person has tagged on or off at the card - reading machines .
clipper card has received 3 . 68 out of 5 stars based on 4 customer reviews and a bbb rating of a + .
clipper customer service will mail your card directly to the address you provide on your application . cards typically arrive within seven days .
in other words , do not buy a clipper card . buy a muni passport for the number of days you need it .
the sfmta is developing a new fare card system for when the city’s contract with clipper ends in 2019 . [ ingleside light ]
when riding golden gate transit buses , clipper deducts the maximum fare from your starting zone and then refunds the difference when you tag your card to the card reader upon exiting . this means you must tag your card to the card reader upon entering and exiting the bus to ensure you ' re only charged for the distance you travel and that clipper applies any appropriate discounted fares and transfers .
if you get a new clipper card , you must update the clipper card serial number in your account with your transit benefit provider when you place your next order . if you get a new or replacement card after the deadline for modifying your transit benefit order , please contact clipper customer service at 877 . 878 . 8883 ( tdd / tty 711 or 800 . 735 . 2929 ) .
( previous name of the current clipper card system ) , and that any purchases for the smart card system that is done by phone or online can take up to three days to be available .
adult clipper cards cost $ 3 . clipper waives this fee if you set up autoload when you order your card online . if you buy a card at a muni metro or golden gate ferry ticket machine or a smart fare machine , you must add a minimum value to your card . otherwise , no minimum value is required .
we will automatically send an email with the subject
declined clipper autoload payment
to the email address in your clipper account .
when you receive your card , call clipper customer service at 877 . 878 . 8883 to set up an online account . this also will enable clipper customer service to answer questions about your account .
on the light rail train , be prepared to show your smartpass clipper and sjsu tower card id to the fare inspector upon request .
my card / value was blocked due to an expired credit card . why wasn ' t i given advance notice that this would happen ?
products / cash may also be loaded through the clipper web site or over the phone with the clipper customer service bureau , but the product / cash may take up to five days to be loaded onto the card . clipper also offers autoload where your card is reloaded each month automatically . for more information , visit urltoken or call the clipper customer service bureau at 1 - 877 - 878 - 8883 .
find additional information on how to use clipper and ways to add value . clipper also works with a variety of transit benefits programs .
how can i use commuter checks ? most clipper retailers accept commuter checks . for retail locations , call clipper or go to urltoken .
if i load a monthly passt on my clipper card , am i good to go ? no . on caltrain , you must also have a minimum of $ 1 . 25 in cash on your card .
if you prefer using a senior / disabled monthly pass sticker , they are available at many retailers . the sticker is placed directly on the face of the rtc clipper card , and is valid only when affixed to the card . to use it on the bus , simply show the driver your card rather than tagging it on the clipper device .
we will block your card from further use and mail you a new card with your balance restored . replacement cards are typically ready to be shipped within 2 business days of the card being reported lost or stolen .
if your card is registered , you can take advantage of more self - serve features , including listening to or getting a copy of your recent transactions , adding value to your card or ordering a replacement card .
you can purchase a new adult clipper card and add value to any clipper card at the sausalito , larkspur and san francisco ferry building terminals . customers who take the ferry from tiburon can purchase clipper cards and value , as well as limited - use tickets , at the ticket machine located in the paid area of the san francisco ferry building terminal . learn more about ways to get a card and add value .
no , each customer must have his or her own clipper card to pay the fare on both golden gate transit and golden gate ferry .
clipper always checks first to see if your card has a valid pass or transfer , ensuring you are always charged the lowest possible fare .
no , if two or more people are traveling together and want to use clipper , each needs to have his or her own card .
my spouse , relative , or close friend needs help managing their registered clipper card . how can i manage the account on their behalf ?
got the clipper card blues ? we have the 411 on when you should pay , and when you should try to protest your ticket .
no more carrying a plastic clipper card in your wallet . just put your phone to the reader to handle your fare / pass transaction .
to use your clipper card on most muni services , locate a card reader on the vehicle or fare gate . tag your card by holding it flat against the clipper logo on the reader , and wait for the beep and green light . the card reader will verify your monthly pass or passport , and display the expiration date . or it will deduct the cash fare , and show your remaining balance and transfer time .
card registration gives you the security of balance protection if your card is lost , stolen or damaged . registration is required to set up autoload .
you can link your clipper card to a ford gobike bike share account . this allows you to use your card like an access key to unlock bikes you wish to use . however , payment for bike share will come out of your ford gobike account , not your clipper account .
clipper automatically calculates free or discounted transfers when you transfer between golden gate transit , golden gate ferry and other transit services that accept clipper .
no refunds will be granted for costs resulting from blocked clipper cards . please manage your clipper account to prepare for these upcoming fare increases .
if we block your card value , allow at least 1 day for your card to be unblocked , and then you will need to tag your card to a card reader or ticket machine to activate the unblock . this process may take up to 5 days if you are tagging only on a bus or light - rail vehicle . shorten the time it takes to unblock your clipper card to as little as 1 day by tagging a :
in addition , a new smartphone app , called farebot , allows anyone to scan a clipper card and find out where the owner has been .
vta or as will confiscate the smartpass clipper card and report the violation to the sjsu office of student conduct & ethical development and the university authorities . vta or sjsu will pursue claims or demands against , or seek prosecution of , anyone who commits unauthorized use of the smartpass clipper card .
registered clipper customers can request a card transaction history . card transaction histories are available in pdf . simply log in to your account and request a 30 - or 60 - day report for any card listed on your account . you also can contact clipper customer service at 877 . 878 . 8883 ( tdd / tty 711 or 800 . 735 . 2929 ) .
the cards are stored - value - meaning that the card actually stores how much money it is worth . for cost saving and legacy reasons , most clipper readers are offline and simply read and update the card value .
also , there could be an option for people to not use a clipper card , and instead use a registered credit / debit card to make their one - time transit fare payment . it might be a cool perk for those with pre - tax commuter benefit debit cards to simply tap their phone and just deduct the balance from the card ; no more need to load the money to a clipper card , just touch and pay .
bring some form of valid photo identification with you , such as a driver ' s license , california identification card , passport or alien registration card .
the hours during which you can apply for a rtc clipper card at the ac transit & clipper customer service center are monday – friday , 8 : 00 a . m . – 5 : 00 p . m .
to assist passengers with visual impairments , caltrain has introduced tone locators to the clipper card readers . the readers will emit a beeping sound every 15 seconds , which can alert passengers with visual impairments to where they can tag their clipper card . the locator beeps will have a lower decibel level and tone than the beeps that indicate whether a person has tagged on or off at the clipper card reader . listen to a sample of the tone .
if you are setting up autoload for a transit pass for the first time , clipper will charge your credit card or bank account before making the pass available for you to pick up . after that , clipper will not charge you until after you tag your card and load your pass on it .
short of taping the clipper card to the back of your phone - - no . card emulation mode for phones is a bit of a cluster f * * * . there have been some apps that have done a good job of hacking what ' s inside the card ( farebot comes to mind ) , but nothing reproduces it ' s functionality . one other thing . . . the clipper card contains a uuid just as any nfc tag does . some startups have hacked things so that they use the clipper card as your identification mechanism . that ' s an unrelated but cool fact . . .
currently farebot can parse and display balance and trip history information from seattle’s orca card , and can dump raw data from any other mifare desfire card including san francisco’s clipper card . farebot is open - source and designed to be flexible so that hopefully other developers will add support for other types of cards .
to avoid your card being blocked in the future , you may want to add a backup credit card for your autoload purchases . if your primary autoload funding source is declined , your order will be charged to your backup card . log in to urltoken and select payment information to add a backup credit card .
when adding value to your clipper card , choose the combination of passes , tickets , or clipper cash that suits your needs . to find out which passes , tickets and ride books are available by individual transit provider , click
are fare credits on samtrans and vta still available with clipper ? yes . customers with a two - zone or greater monthly pass loaded on their clipper card receive a local fare credit when they tag on samtrans and vta .
like i explained earlier , purchasing it in - person means you get to use the funds immediately . vendors have credit card style terminals fitted with a special clipper read / write device that can update your card immediately . automated machines can update the card immediately because it validates the cash you fed it , or getting approval from your credit / debit card company to make the purchase .
a new adult clipper card costs $ 3 . clipper will waive this fee if you purchase your card online and sign up for autoload at the time of purchase only . if you purchase a card at a muni metro or golden gate ferry ticket machine or a smart fare machine , you will need to load a minimum amount of value to your new card . at other locations and on clippercard . com , no minimum value is required for new cards .
if you are paying for your ride with cash value , you must have a minimum balance of $ 2 on an adult clipper card or $ 1 . 25 on a senior , youth or rtc clipper card . no minimum cash value balance is required if you are using a monthly pass or passport .
each youth and senior card is automatically registered by the clipper customer service center and therefore will have its own account . you can manage that account online using the same credit card that you use for any other clipper cards ; however , you will have to use a separate login to access the account .
if you lose your smartpass clipper card or it gets stolen , contact transportation solutions immediately by phone ( 408 . 924 . 7433 ) , email ( transportation @ sjsu . edu ) or stop by the ts center and report the loss . make sure you provide your name and tower card number . to replace your tower card id , go to the student services center on 9th & san fernando streets , tower card window , and apply for a new tower card .
note : youth , senior & rtc clipper cards are available in - person with approved id . visit the clipper website for complete details and locations .
here are the details : students : click the smartpass clipper card request link and fill out the short form . read and check the smartpass usage terms & conditions , then submit your request . then , pick up your card at the as transportation solutions - general services center . sjsu tower card is required . after receiving your smartpass clipper card , the smartpass will remain active for as long as you are enrolled as a regular student at sjsu . the extended studies ' students must pay the associated students ' fee . employees : first , submit a request online in the smartpass clipper card request link . then , pick up your smartpass clipper at the as transportation solutions - general services center located in student union , east wing ( on 9th street plaza ) , room 1800 . sjsu tower card is required . the fee is $ 25 per semester ( 6 months ) plus $ 3 for the cost of a clipper card .
i don ' t think it would be all that hard to get a clipper card if you wanted one since they are sold at most walgreens locations .
to replace your smartpass clipper card visit transportation solutions center located in the east wing of student union building on 9th street plaza by the atm ' s .
to use clipper on ac transit , locate the clipper card reader on the bus , either attached to the pole on your left as you board or near the fare box . tag your card by holding it flat against the clipper logo on the reader , and wait for the beep and green light . the card reader either will verify that you have a valid pass and display the expiration date or will deduct the cash value fare and show your remaining balance .
when you tag your card to an updated reader , your new value will be added to your card , while at the same time , handle your transaction to pay your fare or validate your transit pass . if your card has the newly updated balance , but the second card reader you use doesn ' t have the update , it will honor the most recent information that is stored in your card .
no , ac transit no longer requires youth to have a photo on their clipper cards , so you do not have to go in person to have a photo taken . you can report your card lost or stolen and pay the $ 5 card replacement fee by logging into your clipper account and clicking on
report lost , stolen or damaged card
or by calling clipper customer service at 877 . 878 . 8883 ( tdd / tty 711 or 800 . 735 . 2929 ) . you will receive a replacement card without a photo in the mail .
once clipper has fully processed the transaction and updated its database , the purchase has to be pushed out to your card . this is done via a sync process between clipper ' s database and all the tag devices in the system .
also , using the clipper card app , people can also purchase day passes like for muni . muni does sell the passports for clipper , but people still prefer the scratch - off ones or buying it from the cable car conductor .
one - third of riders use paper tickets , so bart hopes the 50 - cent surcharge per trip will get them to switch to clipper cards . it will add clipper card vending machines to every station as part of the change .
transit riders can remain anonymous if they pay for a clipper card in cash and do not register it , he noted . people who don’t register stand to lose any money on their card if it is lost , stolen or stops working .
if your next order will cause your clipper card to exceed the $ 300 maximum balance , clipper cannot load the funds to your card . you have up to 6 months to spend down your balance , so you can load the funds . if you haven ' t reduced your balance by that time , the order will expire , and clipper will return the value to your transit benefit provider .
clipper is an all - in - one transit card that keeps track of any passes and cash value that you load onto it , while applying all applicable fares , discounts and transfer rules . this lets you customize your card for your own transit needs . a clipper card makes boarding faster , eliminates the need to carry exact change , and can be registered for added protection in case it’s lost .
the clipper privacy policy is the primary document through which the clipper program communicates our commitment to protect a customer ' s personally identifiable information ( pii ) .
why are you required to have a cash balance of $ 1 . 25 on your clipper card if you have a caltrain monthly or 8 - ride pass ?