Clean hydrogen strategy to 2050 set out in US

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has set out a framework to accelerate the production, delivery, storage and use of clean hydrogen to 2050.

The strategy and roadmap, which was developed by the DOE with industry feedback, is intended as an “all of government approach” to realise the potential of hydrogen as a decarbonisation option.

It follows growing investments in hydrogen, including through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of November 2021 and most recently the Inflation Reduction Act.

The strategy is based on three priorities that have been identified as key:
● Targeting strategic, high impact uses for clean hydrogen, with specific markets including the industrial sector, e.g. chemicals, steel and refining, heavy-duty transportation and long-duration energy storage. Additional longer-term opportunities include the potential for exporting clean hydrogen or hydrogen carriers and enabling energy security for allies.
● Reducing the cost of clean hydrogen, with innovation and investment and the spurring of development across the hydrogen supply chain. Efforts should also address critical material and supply chain vulnerabilities and design for efficiency, durability, and recyclability.
● Focussing on regional networks, with investment and scaling of regional hubs that enable large-scale clean hydrogen production close to high priority hydrogen users.

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“Accelerating the deployment of hydrogen is key to achieving President Biden’s vision for an affordable, secure clean energy future,” said US secretary of energy Jennifer M. Granholm.

“That’s why DOE worked alongside our federal partners to develop the US National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap that will lay the foundation for a strong and productive partnership between the public and private sectors and will guide government and industry to realise the full potential of this incredibly versatile energy resource.”

Pathways to decarbonise applications informed by demand scenarios for 2030, 2040, and 2050 indicate strategic opportunities for 10Mt of clean hydrogen annually by 2030, 20Mt annually by 2040 and 50Mt annually by 2050.

These values are based not only on the opportunity for clean hydrogen production in the US, but on demand for use across sectors, informed by achieving market competitiveness in specific applications.

The strategy suggests that using clean hydrogen could reduce US emissions approximately 10% by 2050 relative to 2005.

Analysis also suggests that the hydrogen economy could result in 100,000 new direct and indirect jobs due to the build-out of new capital projects and infrastructure.

The DOE intends the strategy report, which was prepared as a requirement by Congress, to be a ‘living strategy’ providing a snapshot of hydrogen production, transport, storage and use in the US today, as well as an assessment of the opportunity for hydrogen to contribute to national decarbonisation goals across sectors over the next 30 years, and it will continue to be updated.