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Bipartisan Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative Reintroduced

March 2, 2023, Washington, DC – Today, Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and John Cornyn (R-TX) reintroduced a package of four bills to support the adoption of hydrogen technologies in key end-use sectors, providing important demand-side support as the United States builds and scales its hydrogen economy.

Read a summary of this package here.

“Clean hydrogen is a critical solution for addressing the high-temperature heat needs of the industrial sector and replacing carbon-intensive feedstocks and fuels throughout the economy,” said Gabrielle Habeeb, Project Manager of the Industrial Innovation Initiative.

The Industrial Innovation Initiative supports the introduction of this legislation, which would fund best-use applications in Maritime, Heavy Industry, and Heavy-Duty Trucks while supporting the infrastructure investments necessary to retrofit, transport, and store this versatile resource. Accelerating the demonstration and deployment of clean hydrogen will help build this nascent economy to the scale necessary to achieve United States emission reduction goals.

THE PACKAGE INCLUDES –

The Hydrogen for Industry Act: This bill would support demonstration and commercialization of industrial applications for hydrogen. Hydrogen is a promising decarbonization solution in difficult-to-abate industries, including steel, cement, glass, and chemical production.

Read The Hydrogen for Industry bill text here.

The Hydrogen for Ports Act: This bill would support the demonstration of maritime applications for hydrogen. The use of hydrogen- and ammonia-fueled equipment in shipping and multi-modal transportation are ideal early applications, making ports a centralized opportunity for shared infrastructure.

Read The Hydrogen for Ports bill text here.

The Hydrogen for Trucks Act: This bill would support the demonstration of heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations, lowering the risk for fleet operators and incentivizing private investments.

Read The Hydrogen for Trucks bill text here.

The Hydrogen Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (HIFIA): This bill would create a pilot financing program, modeled after the TIFIA, WIFIA, and CIFIA programs, for retrofitted or new hydrogen transport infrastructure, storage projects, and refueling stations.

Read The Hydrogen Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act bill text here.

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The Industrial Innovation Initiative (I3) is an ambitious coalition that aims to drive emissions reductions through policy change, supporting quality jobs and investment in key US industrial sectors. I3 builds on years of stakeholder engagement and work with state officials in the Midcontinent region, as well as extensive work advancing decarbonization solutions important to the industrial sector. 

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Ankita Gangotra, Associate, WRI

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Carrie Dellesky, Program and Outreach Manager, Carbon Removal and Industrial Innovation

Carrie Dellesky is the Program and Outreach Manager for Carbon Removal and Industrial Innovation. She develops strategies to advance policies and practices for scaling up a suite of carbon removal approaches and decarbonizing the industrial sector. She engages allies and builds and expands partnerships to mobilize champions and enhance visibility, action and impact. She also leads communications to amplify research and thought leadership, including messaging, media relations, event planning, social media and digital strategy.

Zachary Byrum, Research Analyst, WRI United States

Zachary Byrum is a Research Analyst in WRI's U.S. Climate Program, where he provides technology and policy analysis for carbon removal and deep decarbonization. His work focuses on pathways to reduce industrial emissions as well as bolstering technological carbon removal. Prior to WRI, Zach was a research assistant in the Carbon Management Research Initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy. In the preceding years, he served as White House Intern in the National Economic Council under the Obama Administration and then an assistant analyst at the Congressional Budget Office. Zach holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Goucher College.

Katie Lebling, Associate

WRI United States. Katie Lebling is an Associate in WRI's Climate Program where she works on research and analysis of technological carbon removal approaches and industrial decarbonization. Before joining WRI, she worked at The Asia Group, and interned at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum and the Treasury Department’s Office of Environment and Energy. She holds a Master's degree from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Energy, Resources, and the Environment, where she spent one year of the program studying in Nanjing, China, and has a B.A. from Colby College in Biology and Chinese language.

Debbie Weyl, Deputy Director, WRI United States

Debbie Karpay Weyl is the Deputy Director for WRI U.S. She previously served as Manager for the Buildings Initiative at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. She led an expanding global partnership to accelerate building energy efficiency in cities around the world. She also contributed to program management and development, research, and knowledge exchange for urban energy efficiency and sustainability. Debbie joined WRI from CLASP, a global non-profit organization that improves the environmental and energy performance of appliances, lighting and equipment. From 2011-2016 Debbie managed and developed global programs, led research projects, and facilitated collaboration among international experts and other representatives in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining CLASP, Debbie worked at the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, where she was a contractor supporting building efficiency and other energy efficiency programs in the United States. Debbie holds a Master of Science in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a B.A. in Politics (Political Economy and International Relations) from Princeton University.

Angela Anderson, Director of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Removal, WRI United States

Angela Anderson is the Director of Industrial Innovation and Carbon Removal in the Climate Program. She leads WRI's growing portfolio of work in industrial decarbonization and carbon removal and aims to change narratives around “hard-to-abate” sectors and promote the natural and technological interventions required to achieve net-zero targets. Prior to joining WRI, Angela worked as a program director, coalition builder, international advocate, and campaign strategist. She led the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists for ten years; facilitated US-NGO engagement in the international climate negotiations while at US Climate Action Network and at the Pew Environmental Trust; and founded Clear the Air, a national coalition to reduce pollution from power plants. Angela holds a B.A. in political science from Colorado State University.

Patrice Lahlum, Vice President (Interim), Carbon Management, Great Plains Institute (GPI)

Patrice Lahlum is the President/Owner of Riverwind Consulting, LLC, based in West Fargo, ND, and provides clients with a wide range of consulting services including marketing, communications and policy development and analysis. Current areas of focus are agriculture, energy, natural resources, and organizational development. Lahlum currently works as a consultant to the Great Plains Institute (GPI) on their communications, transmission and biomass programs. Named as one of the region’s “40 Under 40” business leaders by Prairie Business Magazine in 2011, Lahlum has more than 15 years of experience in agriculture and energy policy, project management, public relations, fundraising, media (conventional and social) outreach, group consensus development and facilitation. Renewable energy is a significant focus of Lahlum’s work, having led the effort to organize the first ever renewable energy summit in North Dakota. That summit led to the creation of the North Dakota Alliance for Renewable Energy (NDARE). Lahlum served as the elected chair of NDARE from 2009-2012 and served on the board of directors from 2008-2012.

Kate Sullivan, Senior Program Coordinator – Carbon Management, Great Plains Institute (GPI), With GPI since 2019

Kate Sullivan joined the Great Plains Institute in 2019. As Senior rogram Coordinator, Kate uses her analytical and design skills to provide research, writing, and logistical support across the Carbon Management team. Prior to joining GPI, Kate worked as an Energy Counselor in the Center for Energy and Environment’s residential department, assisting homeowners with their energy needs and providing resources for efficiency upgrades. Kate earned her BA in Biology from St. Olaf College with an emphasis in Environmental Studies.

David Soll, Industrial Decarbonization Manager, Great Plains Institute (GPI), With GPI since 2023

David Soll joined the Great Plains Institute in 2023 and serves as Industrial Decarbonization Manager. He oversees the Industrial Innovation Initiative, a coalition advancing decarbonization solutions for the Midcontinent region’s most important industrial sectors. Prior to joining GPI, he taught history and environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he focused on urban infrastructure and energy conservation. David earned a Master’s in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in history from Brandeis University.

Jill Syvrud, Senior Program Manager - Carbon Management, Great Plains Institute (GPI). With GPI since 2017.

Jill Syvrud joined the Great Plains Institute in 2017 and serves as the program manager for the Carbon Management Program. In addition to overseeing the overall program, Jill directly supports the Industrial Innovation Initiative, a coalition advancing decarbonization solutions for the Midcontinent region’s most important industrial sectors. Jill earned a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and a master of science degree in science technology and environmental policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Jill’s past experience includes multiple graduate research assistantships concentrating on technology innovation and sustainable megacities along and a previous position as an administrative and outreach coordination intern with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.