Hydrogen Development Support

The California Air Resources Board (CARB), in collaboration with other state agencies, must complete an evaluation on the deployment, development, and use of hydrogen in the state. The evaluation must include:

• Policy recommendations regarding the use of hydrogen to help achieve state climate, energy, and clean air goals and overcome market barriers;
• Strategies that support hydrogen infrastructure for production, processing, delivery, storage and end-use applications;
• An assessment of different forms of hydrogen that can be used to achieve emissions reductions;
• An estimate of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and improvements in air quality through the deployment of hydrogen, including a cost-benefit analysis;
• Policy recommendations for permitting processes related to the transmission and distribution of hydrogen; and,
• An analysis of air pollution and other environmental impacts from hydrogen.

CARB must publish the evaluation by June 1, 2024. CARB must also model how hydrogen supports the decarbonization of the electric and transportation sectors and include the findings in the 2023 and 2025 Integrated Energy Policy Report.

(Reference California Health and Safety Code 38561.8, California Public Resources Code 25307, and Public Utilities Code 400.3)