Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas partner for hydrogen hub; Bipartisan Group Unveils Hydrogen Energy Bill
The three states have focused on hydrogen as an additional resource to a diversified and clean energy portfolio.
Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas states have entered into a bipartisan three-state partnership to establish a regional hub for development, production, and use of clean hydrogen fuel and manufacturing feedstock.
In entering the agreement, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas intend to compete as a unit for funding established in the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, in which the United States Department of Energy (DOE) is directed to seek out and select regional clean hydrogen hubs to fund. The act specifies that DOE should select such hubs based on the mix of feedstock available to produce hydrogen, available users of hydrogen, geographic locations, and potential effects on employment, among other considerations.
The partnership builds upon existing advantages, such as an inland seaport system that runs from Oklahoma through Arkansas and down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana, existing intermodal rail, existing pipeline infrastructure that runs from Oklahoma through Arkansas to the Gulf of Mexico, and some of the most valuable interstate freight highways in the United States.
Governors John Bel Edwards of Louisiana said. “This is an extension of Louisiana’s ongoing efforts in diversifying the makeup of our energy sources and ensuring an economically and environmentally balanced approach to cleaner use of traditional fuels and transition to new potential energy sources.”
Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma commented, “The resources and opportunities in Oklahoma are complementary to our partners and tailor-made for a diverse hub application to compete with others around the country.”
Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas added, “In Arkansas, we have a growing and diverse energy portfolio and natural resources vital to any successful regional hub.”
Bipartisan Group unveils Hydrogen Energy Bill to tackle emissions from heavy-duty transportation
US Senators Chris Coons and John Cornyn introduced the Hydrogen for Trucks Act, a bipartisan bill to support the adoption of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fuelling stations.
US Representatives Katie Porter and Gus Bilirakis will soon introduce the legislation in the US House of Representatives.
The Hydrogen for Trucks Act would incentivise heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by covering the cost difference between these vehicles and traditional diesel vehicles.
Encourage parallel deployment of vehicles and fuelling stations, addressing the chicken-and-egg challenge that exists with vehicles and fuelling infrastructure.
