(…) Legislators in several states have written laws that promote the production of low-carbon hydrogen, including by offering new tax credits or pledging support for industry coalitions seeking to tap federal funds.

The 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law contained $8 billion for hydrogen hubs, which would be the nation’s first major demonstrations of low-carbon hydrogen production, transport, storage and consumption. All of those elements must be located in a single region for a potential hub. The first announcements from DOE this fall could see up to $7 billion awarded from the $8 billion total.

The competition for a share of the funding has piqued bipartisan interest from state legislators.

Democratic-controlled Hawaii and Republican-run Mississippi both passed resolutions pledging their state’s backing for coalitions that have filed applications to DOE for a share of the hydrogen hub funds, for instance.

Other state lawmakers tried to make it easier for hydrogen developers to store the fuel or receive permits for new production facilities — even if their state doesn’t win infrastructure law funds.

In North Dakota, Republicans appropriated $11.3 million for state-led research into the possibility of storing hydrogen and fossil fuels in two underground salt caverns.

Legislators in deep-blue Washington, meanwhile, enacted a law to streamline siting and permitting for clean energy projects, including production of “green” hydrogen made from renewable electricity and water.

Perhaps the most groundbreaking state law for hydrogen was enacted in Colorado.

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