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Last week, representatives from 117 trade associations, energy companies, and hydrogen hub projects wrote a letter to Congress and the Trump administration. They asked officials to maintain the federal hydrogen tax credit.

This tax credit came from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Its goal is to promote cleaner hydrogen production so that it can compete with cheaper energy sources, like fossil fuels. The idea is to use hydrogen as a cleaner option for industries that are hard to electrify, such as steelmaking, construction, and heavy trucking.

There’s growing concern among hydrogen advocates as Trump reverses renewable energy policies and supports fossil fuels. They worry that the U.S. government’s commitment to hydrogen could wane. In their letter, the authors emphasized their willingness to collaborate with Trump’s administration on energy policies that favor hydrogen.

The signees argue that preserving the hydrogen tax credit is crucial for several reasons. They believe it can foster economic growth, enhance energy availability, and bolster national security. They predict that the hydrogen industry in the U.S. could create 700,000 jobs and generate $140 billion in revenue by 2030. Notable organizations like the American Petroleum Institute and the American Chemistry Council are among the signers.

When the tax credit was first proposed, it received support from both parties, which is still evident in many states. This support was clear during the establishment of the seven federally funded hydrogen hubs. However, these projects now face uncertainty as Trump and Elon Musk, who heads a commission focused on reducing federal spending, work on overhauling federal agencies. The funding for these hydrogen hubs is set to be released in four phases over the next 10 to 12 years by the Department of Energy.

The final rules for the tax credit were established in January, at the end of Biden’s term, by the U.S. Department of Treasury and the IRS. The response to these rules has been mixed. Some in the industry wanted more flexibility in using natural gas for hydrogen production, while environmentalists called for a stronger focus on renewable energy and stricter emissions standards.

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