Hydrogen Consortium Aims to Decarbonize Heavy Transport, Increase Renewable Energy

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In an effort to create projects that use clean hydrogen to decarbonize heavy transport, increase the use of renewable energy and decrease emissions, Guidehouse has formed a consortium of businesses called Building the Clean Hydrogen Economy.

The group is currently conceptualizing three pilot programs, including heavy duty transport in the southwest United States, green ammonia production in New York and integrated blue and green hydrogen for industrial, power and heavy transport in the Gulf Coast region. The pilots include the stimulation of clean hydrogen demand to drive and adequate and cost-competitive supply as early as 2025 and through 2030, Guidehouse says.

The consortium evaluated projects based on technical and commercial viability, environmental benefits, scalability and support from local, state and federal levels. Guidehouse says the group will focus on projects that can be replicable for significant impact on decarbonization across the US.

More than 20 organizations including Ameresco, New York Power Authority, Constellation and Walmart are a part of the consortium. Guidehouse says the group has been working together since the fall of 2021.

Hydrogen is seen as a key piece of improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, especially in heavy industries such as steel and transportation.

In Southern California, SoCalGas recently unveiled plans for what it called the largest green hydrogen energy infrastructure in the country, called the Angeles Link. Increased demands in the clean energy source also have technology like the hydrogen fuel cell market expected to hit nearly $30 billion by 2028.

Other groups, such as the Green Hydrogen Catapult also advocate for rapid growth and implementation of green hydrogen, and it has increased its commitment to commission electrolyzers used to make the gas. The Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office says it is committed to making the development of the clean fuel cost effective and wants to develop technologies to produce hydrogen at $2 a kilogram by 2025 and $1 a kilogram by 2030 using net zero carbon sources.

Before the consortium’s pilots launch members will work to build partnerships with regional and global interests across the private sector and gain commitments for participation through memorandums of understanding. The team will also attempt to secure funding when available and as needed, Guidehouse says.

Guidehouse will continue to lead the pilots through implementation and execution by providing analysis and working to build relationships among members and industries.

“The development of the clean hydrogen market is an area of need that our consortium fully understands,” says Lisa Frantzis, partner at Guidehouse. “Through these pilot programs, we hope to decarbonize some of our country’s most challenging industries and collaborate with top minds from global and regional organizations to drive clean energy measures in communities across the country and unlock hydrogen’s full potential.”

Environment + Energy Leader