The past few years have seen a number of business leaders talk about blending hydrogen into natural gas infrastructure.
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A host of solutions — including blending hydrogen into natural gas infrastructure — will be needed to meet decarbonization goals, according to the CEO of Italgas.
“Recently, there has been a little bit of change in the view of the future of the energy transition,” Paolo Gallo told CNBC last week.
Referencing Covid and the war in Ukraine, the CEO of the Italian natural gas distribution company said people were realizing “that we need everything” in order to reach the target of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
“It’s extremely important that all the levers that you have are used,” Gallo told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe.”
He stressed that using pre-existing natural gas infrastructure was “essential” in this.
“Today we are moving around natural gas, but tomorrow we will have biomethane [and] clean hydrogen that will be used to decarbonize the system,” he added.
“So it’s extremely important that the infrastructures are ready to accept different kinds of gases in [a] blending situation.”
‘Green’ hydrogen
Described by the International Energy Agency as a “versatile energy carrier,” hydrogen has a diverse range of applications and is deployed in sectors such as industry and transport.
It can be produced in a number of ways. One method includes using electrolysis, with an electric current splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. If the electricity used in this process comes from a renewable source such as wind or solar then it is known as “green” or “renewable hydrogen.”
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Currently, the vast majority of hydrogen generation is based on fossil fuels, and green hydrogen is expensive to produce.
CEOs weigh in
Gallo is not the first business leader to speak about blending hydrogen into natural gas infrastructure.
During a panel discussion moderated by CNBC’s Joumanna Bercetche earlier this year, the CEO of U.S. energy firm AES offered up his take on how hydrogen and natural gas could potentially dovetail with one another going forward.
“I feel very confident in saying that, for the next 20 years, we need natural gas,” Andrés Gluski said. “Now, what we can start to do today is … start to blend it with green hydrogen,” he added.
“So we’re running tests that you can blend it up to, say 20%, in existing turbines, and new turbines are coming out that can burn … much higher percentages,” Gluski said.
“But it’s just difficult to see that you’re going to have enough green hydrogen to substitute it like, in the next 10 years.”
Advocating the continued use of fossil fuel infrastructure is likely to spark debate and criticism, not least because of the huge impact fossil fuels have on the environment.
For his part, Italgas CEO Gallo indicated that using current natural gas infrastructure would be helpful as more renewable energy sources come online.
“In particular, you need infrastructures that are able to balance the rigidity of … renewables,” he said.
“The more renewables you put in the system, and the more [the] system is becoming rigid, you need something else to give the flexibility back to the system, to match demand and offer,” Gallo added.
Climate XChange’s Annual EV Raffle is back for the 10th year running – and for the first time ever, Climate XChange has two raffle options on the table! The nonprofit has helped lucky winners custom-order their ideal EVs for the past decade. Now you have the chance to kick off your holiday season with a brand new EV for as little as $100.
About half of the raffle tickets have been sold so far for each of the raffles – you can see the live ticket count on Climate XChange’s homepage – so your odds of winning are better than ever.
But don’t wait – raffle ticket sales end on December 8!
Climate XChange is working hard to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. Every ticket you buy supports this mission while giving you a chance to drive home your dream EV.
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Here’s how Climate XChange’s 10th Annual Raffle works:
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The Luxury Raffle
Grand Prize: The winner can choose any EV on the market, fully customized up to $120,000. This year, you can split the prize between two EVs if the total is $120,000 or less.
Taxes covered: This raffle comes with no strings – Climate XChange also pays all of the taxes.
Runner-up prizes: Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance at the 2nd prize of $12,500 and the 3rd prize of $7,500.
Ticket price: $250.
Grand Prize Drawing: December 12, 2025.
Only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle.
The Mini Raffle (New for 2025)
Grand Prize: Choose any EV on the market, fully customized, up to $45,000. This is the perfect raffle if you’re ready to make the switch to an EV but aren’t in the market for a luxury model.
Taxes covered: Climate XChange pays all the taxes on the Mini Raffle, too.
Ticket price: $100.
Only 3,500 tickets will be sold for the Mini Raffle.
Why it’s worth entering
For a decade, Climate XChange has run a raffle that’s fair, transparent, and exciting. Every ticket stub is printed, and the entire drawing is live-streamed, including the loading of the raffle drum. Independent auditors also oversee the process.
Plus, your odds on the Luxury and Mini Raffles are far better than most car raffles, and they’re even better if you enter both.
Remember that only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle and only 3,500 for the Mini Raffle, and around half of the available tickets have been sold so far, so don’t miss your shot at your dream EV!
Climate XChange personally works with the winners to help them build and order their dream EVs. The winner of the Ninth Annual EV Raffle built a gorgeous storm blue Rivian R1T.
How to enter
Go to CarbonRaffle.org/Electrekbefore December 8 to buy your ticket. Start dreaming up your perfect EV – and know that no matter what, you’re helping accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Who is Climate XChange?
Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies because they’re critical in accelerating the transition to a zero-emissions economy. CXC advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) – a community of more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers – and its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.
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The CSC Monterey – one of the most charming little electric scooters on the US market – has dropped to a shockingly low $1,699, down from its original $2,899 MSRP. That’s nearly half off for a full-size, street-legal electric scooter that channels major Honda Super Cub energy, but without the gas, noise, or maintenance of the original.
CSC Motorcycles, based in Azusa, California, has a long history of importing and supporting small-format electric and gas bikes, but the Monterey has always stood out as the brand’s “fun vibes first” model. With its step-through frame, big retro headlight, slim bodywork, and upright seating position, it looks like something from a 1960s postcard – just brought into the modern era with lithium batteries and a brushless hub motor.
I had my first experience on one of these scooters back in 2021, when I reviewed the then-new model here on Electrek. I instantly fell in love with it and even got one for my dad. It now lives at his place and I think he gets just as much joy from looking at it in his garage as riding it.
You can see my review video below.
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The performance is solidly moped-class, which is exactly what it’s designed for. A 2,400W rear hub motor pushes the Monterey up to a claimed 30 mph or 48 km/h (I found it really topped out at closer to 32 mph or 51 km/h), making it perfect for city streets, beach towns, and lower-speed suburban routes.
A 60V, roughly 1.6 kWh removable battery offers around 30–40 miles (48-64 km) of real-world range, depending on how aggressively you twist the throttle. It’s commuter-ready, grocery-run-ready, and campus-ready right out of the crate.
It’s also remarkably approachable. At around 181 pounds (82 kg), the Monterey is light for a sit-down scooter, making it easy to maneuver and park. There’s a small storage cubby, LED lighting, and the usual simple twist-and-go operation. And it comes with full support from CSC, a company that keeps a massive warehouse stocked with components and spare parts.
My sister has a CSC SG250 (I’m still trying to convert her to electric) and has gotten great support from them in the past, including from their mechanics walking her through carburetor questions over the phone. So I know from personal experience that CSC is a great company that stands behind its bikes.
But the real story here is the price. Scooters in this class typically hover between $2,500 and $4,500, and electric retro-style models often jump well above that.
At $1,699, the Monterey is one of the least expensive street-legal electric scooters available from a reputable US distributor, especially one that actually stocks parts and provides phone support.
If you’ve been curious about swapping a few car errands for something electric – or you just want a fun, vintage-styled runabout for getting around town – this is one of the best deals of the year.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss a big Tesla Robotaxi setback, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, Bollinger is over, and more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. Sales end on Dec. 8th for its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
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After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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