PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 5, 2024
The Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changing law that invests hundreds of billions of dollars to fight climate change and boost renewable energy. It includes lucrative tax credits aimed at making it cheaper to produce clean hydrogen, which are expected to funnel more than $100 billion in taxpayer funds toward this nascent technology. As a fuel that releases only water vapor when burned, hydrogen is a promising tool to slash emissions from industries that will be harder to clean up through electrification, such as steel, cement, aviation and long-distance trucking. But the climate benefits of hydrogen evaporate if they are made with fossil fuels. That’s why it’s important that federal officials ensure the most valuable incentives only support truly “green” hydrogen projects.