Across the nation, we continue to see a surge of innovation in the realm of renewable energy as part of our response to the United States and broader global goal of decarbonization. In addition to geothermal, solar, and both onshore and offshore wind energy generation, ESA has its eye on the hydrogen market as a game-changer.
We celebrate this month’s release of the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, especially as we have been involved in the largest green hydrogen project on the West Coast—Heartland Hydrogen. The Heartland Hydrogen project will generate zero-emission hydrogen fuel from renewable sources (using photovoltaic solar energy and treated wastewater) to be used by fuel-cell electric vehicles operating throughout California.
According to the Department of Energy, “the production, processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of clean hydrogen, including innovative uses in the industrial sector, are crucial to DOE’s strategy for achieving President Biden’s goal of a 100 percent clean electrical grid by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
In fact, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is allocating $8 billion toward hydrogen for production and creation of “hydrogen hubs,” which are essentially networks of producers, consumers, and infrastructure to move hydrogen energy into use. You can see which states are pursuing hubs with this map.
ESA is here to support the environmental studies and permitting needed to bring hydrogen hubs into the clean energy future. Because a water source is needed for hydrogen production, it converges with domestic clean energy pathways across multiple sectors of the economy. This is where ESA’s intersection of expertise in energy, water, and infrastructure pathways connect to benefit our clients.
