WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today reintroduced their bipartisan Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative, a package of four bills to support the adoption of hydrogen in energy-intensive sectors. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) are also cosponsors. 

Hydrogen is a high-energy fuel source that does not emit greenhouse gases at the point of use, allowing it to be used in intense and long duration applications. These traits make it an attractive fuel source, especially for hard-to-abate sectors like shipping and industry. As recent reports from Breakthrough Energy, the International Energy Agency, and Energy Futures Initiative have made clear, hydrogen will play a central role in reducing emissions, particularly in sectors such as marine shipping, iron and steel, and long-haul trucking.

The Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative is comprised of four pieces of legislation that provide targeted support to high-value end-use applications of hydrogen and the buildout of infrastructure needed to transport, store, and deliver hydrogen. The initiative is focused on providing critical support for energy-intensive sectors for which hydrogen is particularly well-suited, namely maritime, trucking, and heavy industry, as well as the infrastructure that is needed to transport hydrogen from where it is produced to where it can be used and stored. Priority is given to projects that will maximize emissions reductions to deliver the greatest environmental benefits. By lowering cost barriers and first-mover risks, the package enables projects and partnerships that will move the United States closer to meeting the demands of a robust hydrogen economy.

 

The Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative includes four bills that will drive hydrogen demand:

  • The Hydrogen for Ports Act would support the demonstration of hydrogen- and ammonia-fueled equipment at ports and in shipping applications. Ports are well-suited to be early adopters of hydrogen fuel, with multimodal transportation applications converging on a single location that can share infrastructure at scale.
  • The Hydrogen for Industry Act would support commercial-scale demonstration projects for end-use industrial applications of hydrogen, including in the production of steel, cement, glass, and chemicals. Industrial processes have specific technical requirements that limit the options for substituting heat sources. Hydrogen can supply reliable, high-temperature heat, offering favorable characteristics for reducing emissions in the industrial sector. Hydrogen can also serve as a feedstock for production of ammonia, methanol, or other bulk chemicals.
  • The Hydrogen for Trucks Act would support the demonstration of heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations while collecting critical data to inform future investments in hydrogen trucking infrastructure. The legislation would lower cost barriers and reduce risk for fleet operators interested in adopting hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by providing data and benchmarks, thereby incentivizing private investment and accelerating demonstration and deployment. In addition, the parallel adoption of vehicles and fueling stations will ensure their immediate utilization in the hydrogen economy.
  • The Hydrogen Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (HIFIA) would create a pilot financing program to provide grants and flexible, low-interest loans for retrofitted or new hydrogen transport infrastructure projects. This bill also includes a study to address outstanding questions related to technical requirements for transporting and storing hydrogen as well as an assessment of jurisdiction over siting, construction, safety, and regulation for hydrogen transport infrastructure.

 

“Sustained investments in hydrogen technologies will reduce pollution in our communities, create high-quality jobs, ensure our energy security, and help us meet our climate goals. Delaware is on the cutting edge of hydrogen innovation, manufacturing the membranes, fuel cells, electrolysis stacks, and carbon capture systems foundational to widespread clean hydrogen deployment,” said Senator Coons. “I am proud to reintroduce the Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative, which shows bipartisan support for hydrogen as a promising, low-carbon fuel source and the jobs and economic activity that will follow, and I urge Congress to bolster U.S. leadership in clean energy solutions by swiftly passing these bills.”

“Hydrogen is a versatile energy source, but we lack the infrastructure to reap its benefits for a wide range of industries,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation would help make hydrogen more accessible and cost-effective so businesses and consumers can utilize this reliable energy resource.” 

In the 117th Congress, Senators Coons and Cornyn introduced the Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative and the Hydrogen for Trucks Act. The bipartisan bills provide incentives for projects with significant economic benefits for Delaware and its workforce.

The Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative builds on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Senator Coons helped negotiate and pass into law in November 2021. Recent federal investments in hydrogen are already catalyzing projects across the United States. By sustaining generational long-term investments, the Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative will help meet the high demand for existing hydrogen funds and accelerate adoption of hydrogen in key sectors.

The full initiative is endorsed by RMI, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action, Clean Air Task Force, ClearPath Action, Third Way, the University of Delaware, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, Industrial Innovation Initiative, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute, AltaSea, CALSTART, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, Clean Hydrogen Future Coalition, Cummins, Nikola, LanzaTech, Fortescue Future Industries, Air Products, Linde, Air Liquide, Bloom Energy, Chemours, Hy Stor Energy, PDC Machines, ENGIE, and Baker Hughes.

“The Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative is a bipartisan legislative package that RMI considers an essential addition to U.S. energy policy. The investments target key gaps in U.S. hydrogen policy by enabling needed infrastructure and high-value end uses. By prioritizing hydrogen use in trucking, shipping, and industry, this package could not only reduce emissions but also bolster the energy security of critical sectors in the modern global economy,” said John Coequyt, Director of U.S. Government Affairs, RMI.

“Hydrogen is an essential technology that provides clean fuel and reliable storage opportunities for the energy transition. BPC Action endorses Senators Coons and Cornyn’s bipartisan Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative, which supports the deployment of end-use and transportation infrastructure for hydrogen – a critical step to enabling our net-zero goals. I am pleased to see members of Congress working together to form innovative bipartisan solutions like this one,” said Michele Stockwell, Executive Director, Bipartisan Policy Center Action.

“Fully decarbonizing the hardest-to-abate sectors of the economy, such as heavy transportation and heavy industry, will require a combination of solutions. Zero-carbon fuels, namely hydrogen and ammonia, are likely to play a key role in reducing and eventually eliminating the greenhouse gas emissions from these sectors. The four bills in the Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative would help fill gaps left by recent legislation and put these key end-use sectors on the path to decarbonization with hydrogen or hydrogen-based fuels. We have more work to do to make sure that hydrogen is produced with minimal greenhouse gas emissions, that it is used in the sectors that are most likely to need it to decarbonize, and that new infrastructure is safe and effective to avoid any harm to communities. Clean Air Task Force looks forward to continued work with Congress on these important issues,” said Emily Kent, U.S. Director, Zero-Carbon Fuels, Clean Air Task Force.

“As many countries begin to include hydrogen in their decarbonization efforts, a global race to supply clean hydrogen has begun – and America has a tremendous opportunity. Hydrogen has huge potential to connect sectors of the economy to maximize resources in the overall clean energy system. Smart policies like this hydrogen innovation initiative will help deploy necessary infrastructure to accelerate deployment,” said Rich Powell, Chief Executive Officer, ClearPath Action. 

“We’ve run the numbers on what it will take to get the U.S. to net-zero emissions, and a big part of the answer is hydrogen – a tenfold increase over today’s production, primarily going to heavy transport and industrial uses. While the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act will help make hydrogen cleaner and cost-effective, the legislation introduced by Senator Coons and Senator Cornyn will ensure it gets deployed quickly to key sectors of the economy. Recent analysis shows this kind of rapid adoption at home will also help American industries and workers compete for a bigger share of the $4 trillion global market for low-carbon hydrogen. Third Way applauds the bill sponsors for enabling American leadership in a clean energy future,” said Ryan Fitzpatrick, Climate and Energy Program Director, Third Way.

"The hydrogen and fuel cell industry is extremely grateful for the leadership demonstrated by Senators Coons and Cornyn in promoting these bills to advance the deployment of hydrogen technologies across heavy-duty trucking, ports, and industry, as well as advancing the development of vital hydrogen pipelines. This is a clear bipartisan recognition that hydrogen will play a critical role in driving decarbonization across the country, while also enhancing our economy by creating thousands of good-paying jobs and driving private investment here in America,” said Frank Wolak, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association. 

A one-pager on the initiative can be found here. Additional endorsing quotes can be found here. Bill text is available here (Ports), here (Industry), here (Trucks), and here (HIFIA).

 

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