Cassidy, Coons, Cornyn Reintroduce Bill to Support Hydrogen Technologies for Emissions Reductions

WASHINGTON –  U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chris Coons (D-DE), and John Cornyn (R-TX) today reintroduced their bipartisan Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative, a package of four bills to support the adoption of hydrogen in energy-intensive sectors. 

“Louisiana is primed to grow our energy blueprint and become a hydrogen hub,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These bills create research and grant programs for ports, shipping, and industry to incentivize investment in hydrogen 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.” 

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.

Cassidy, Coons, and Cornyn were joined by U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) in cosponsoring the bill. 

Background

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 builds on Cassidy’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). 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 Air Products, Linde, Air Liquide, Bloom Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute, Cummins, Nikola, LanzaTech, Fortescue Future Industries, Chemours, Hy Stor Energy, PDC Machines, ENGIE, Baker Hughes, AltaSea, CALSTART, ClearPath Action, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, Industrial Innovation Initiative, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, Clean Hydrogen Future Coalition, RMI, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action, Clean Air Task Force, Third Way, and the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association. 

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