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A new report on hydrogen decarbonization pathways published today by the Hydrogen Council shows that low-carbon hydrogen supply at scale is economically and environmentally feasible and will have significant societal benefits if the right localised approach and best-practices for production are used. The report also demonstrates that there is not one single hydrogen production pathway to achieve low lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but rather the need for a fact-based approach that leverages regional resources and includes a combination of different production pathways. This will achieve both emission and cost reductions, ultimately helping to decarbonize the energy system and limit global warming.

Following the conclusion of its initial phase, H2ME recommends national and international incentives that ensure the dispensed cost of low carbon hydrogen is competitive for vehicle operators to create a level playing field with other zero emission vehicles. National, regional, and local policies that ensure continued development of the industry are also recommended. The expansion of hydrogen infrastructure as a result of H2ME, co-funded by the FCH-JU, means more FCEVs now have access to refuelling stations however the limited infrastructure prevents full operational advantages of FCEVs being realised. Incentives such as purchase grants and tax exemptions will unlock demand from vehicle operators and bring market confidence to vehicle suppliers. Similarly, financial support applied per unit (kg) of hydrogen sold, similar to the feed in tariffs which were applied to stimulate early renewable energy uptake, will lower the price of green hydrogen at the pump. This will enable high utilisation of refuelling stations, which strengthens its business case, demonstrated by clusters of captive fleets with high mileage and heavy-duty cycles as they have significantly lower costs per kilogram of hydrogen.

Given recent expansion of wind and solar generation across many western states, the Pacific Northwest’s electric grid experiences periods of surplus power generation in the spring. During periods of springtime snow melt, hydropower generation is abundant because of high flows in the Columbia River. Wind and solar generation are often strong in the spring as well. Not generating power by spilling excess water through our dams can adversely impact fish but securing buyers for our hydropower when supply exceeds demand can be both financially ineffective and challenging. Using surplus electricity to produce hydrogen is an exciting opportunity because it can be both environmentally and economically beneficial. As owners of the PUDs, anything that benefits a PUD will ultimately help its customers.

The new initiative aims to turn northern Germany into the strongest emerging region for green hydrogen in the heart of Europe and to complete the value chain for environment-friendly hydrogen.

Green hydrogen is safer than conventional fuels To evaluate hydrogen’s safety, it must be compared to that of other conventional fuels like gasoline, propane, and diesel. While no fuel is 100 percent safe, green hydrogen has been shown to be safer than conventional fuels in a multitude of aspects.

Government strategies will be key.

The first bill of the upcoming legislative session has been introduced. Following his successful effort with Senate Bill 5588 in 2019 to authorize public utility districts to produce and sell “renewable hydrogen,” Sen. Brad Hawkins has prefiled a bill for the 2021 legislative session to establish an eight-year statewide pilot project for the reduction of sales tax on purchases of fuel-cell electric vehicles. The bill so far has gained commitments of bipartisan support from nearly 20 co-sponsors.

China, the world's largest auto market, has set a target for new energy vehicles, including plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, to make up 20 percent of auto sales by 2025, up from around 5 percent in 2020.

Targeted policies and robust certification schemes will be necessary to ensure that the green version is being produced and used across sectors. Those don’t exist yet, given the nascency of the space. But, as interest in new hydrogen applications grows, they should be a priority for industry, advocates, and state legislators to ensure that we’re not just shifting emissions from one point to another.