October 16, 2023
Media Contact: Nora Zacharski, zacharskin@c2es.org
Hydrogen Brief: Texas Can Be ‘Clean Energy Capital of the World’ with the Right State, Federal Policies
WASHINGTON — The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) today released a brief providing policy recommendations and community insights on clean hydrogen following a local stakeholder roundtable in Houston, Texas this summer. The roundtable was convened in partnership with the Center for Houston’s Future, to explore the potential economic opportunities represented by the development, distribution, and utilization of clean hydrogen in the state, along with potential challenges and community considerations. Participants included regional stakeholders from business, government, nonprofits, labor, environmental justice, and academic communities.
Texas, already a global energy leader and the ninth largest economy in the world, has significant potential to lead on the development of a clean hydrogen market in the U.S. and globally. The regional roundtable found that there is significant interest in building this industry out further in Texas, leveraging unique local characteristics. These included existing infrastructure that can be utilized for clean hydrogen transport and storage, demand from industrial facilities, access to large port capacity for trade, and a highly-skilled energy workforce.
Clean hydrogen, like other renewable energy technology, is poised for major growth over the next decade. The Biden Administration gave clean hydrogen a major endorsement by distributing $7 billion in federal funding for hydrogen hubs on October 13. Houston will receive up to $1.2 billion of the funding and is expected to be the largest of the seven hubs dispersed across the country. The hub will produce both green hydrogen, powered by solar and wind farms, and blue hydrogen, powered by natural gas with carbon capture.
Key takeaways and policy recommendations from the roundtable include discussions of how to:
- Localize positive impacts for communities and the workforce
- Maximize the climate benefit of shifting to hydrogen
- Facilitate the transport and distribution of clean hydrogen
- Accelerate demand for clean hydrogen
On October 18, C2ES will be holding a fly-in to meet with the Texas delegation and advocate for these important state and federal policies. To read the full brief, click here.
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About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) works to secure a safe and stable climate, by accelerating the global transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and a thriving, just, and resilient economy. Learn more at www.c2es.org.