The Biden administration isn’t taking no for an answer on hydrogen energy. Following bleak forecasts for the low-carbon fuel from Exxon Mobil and Saudi Aramco at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference, DOE Undersecretary for Infrastructure David Crane said Tuesday that hydrogen will be an “absolutely key pillar” in U.S. decarbonization for decades to come. Crane championed an emerging federal hydrogen offtake program designed to boost production of the fuel from DOE-sponsored hydrogen hubs, which are currently developing projects with $7 billion from the infrastructure law. Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, a key organizer of the offtake program, also said final plans for it would be publicized before the end of September. “The United States government is going to do what it takes to make hydrogen happen,” Crane said at the conference. “We know it’s not a smooth path — there are issues on permitting and things like that. We are going to try to tackle every issue that stands between hydrogen and commercial realization of hydrogen.” In an interview with E&E News, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm added that the Treasury Department would come out with a “final rule shortly,” referring to guidance for companies to obtain new hydrogen tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act known as 45V. The administration is evaluating 30,000 comments on a draft proposal, Granholm said.

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