Climate Law Raises DOE Stakes to Help Lower Hydrogen’s Hurdles

A long-sought 30% tax credit for hydrogen production in the climate bill Democrats passed earlier this month could spark industry efforts to reach the scale needed to combat climate change, Biden officials and proponents of the technology say.

Energy experts are now closely watching how federal regulators will guide the industry’s growth on one central question: What counts as “clean” hydrogen production?

Hydrogen—the smallest and lightest molecule, and one that proponents say can clean up hard-to-decarbonize sectors—is riding momentum in Washington. Politicians have learned a complex color-coded system that indicates how hydrogen is produced, and industries like trucking, steel, and ...