DOE Releases National Clean Hydrogen Roadmap
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In June 2023, the Biden administration issued the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap (i.e., the “Hydrogen Roadmap”). The document focuses on the current state of clean hydrogen, and also presents a roadmap for the future.
Overview of the Hydrogen Roadmap
The roadmap focuses on 3 key sections: (1) the need and opportunity, (2) challenges, and (3) strategies to overcome the challenges.
Regarding the need and opportunity, the report reinforces the narrative that hydrogen is a key element in terms of transitioning to a net-zero economy. In other words, it is viewed as an enabler for clean energy, as it can enhance the performance of low-carbon energy resources with associated carbon capture and storage (CCS).
That being said, making hydrogen available at an affordable cost is challenging, which is why the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included multiple avenues to support the evolution of the technology. This includes support for regional clean hydrogen hubs, various tax incentives, and DOE funding opportunities.
In addition to the challenges around costs, the roadmap indicates that there is a shortage of hydrogen distribution infrastructure and manufacturing expertise. Specifically, the process of transporting hydrogen, as well as storing it, remains a barrier due to the high upfront costs necessary to create the infrastructure.
Finally, the roadmap offers 3 strategies to help stimulate development: Target strategic, high impact use cases (such as chemicals, transportation, and power), reduce hydrogen costs to $1 per kilogram by 2033, and pursue regional networks in potentially high-demand areas.
The bottom line is that hydrogen seems attractive in theory, but from a practical standpoint there is a long way to go before it’s ready for prime time. The hydrogen roadmap is a good start because it provides guidelines for how to proceed, but I’m sure it will take decades before hydrogen is commonly used in the U.S. and around the world.
