PA Environment Digest Blog: Team Pennsylvania, Co-Chaired By Gov. Wolf, Issues Road Map On Hydrogen Development, Carbon Management In PA

On September 23, the Team Pennsylvania Foundation, co-chaired by Gov. Wolf, announced the publication of a new report, Successful Deployment of Carbon Management and Hydrogen Economies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The report, authored by the Great Plains Institute, outlines a road map for the state to meet its climate goals and capitalize on a competitive edge in energy production and industrial manufacturing.

“Hydrogen and carbon capture offer so much to Pennsylvania’s workers, communities, environment, and economy,” said Abby Smith, Team Pennsylvania Foundation’s President & CEO. “Ultimately, it will take the courage to have some difficult discussions about our priorities if Pennsylvania intends to be a leader in the energy transition. Team Pennsylvania is committed to doing our part as conveners to accelerate the needed policy approaches to create and preserve jobs while reducing our carbon footprint.”

Hydrogen (H2) can play a critical role as an energy carrier in reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from difficult-to-decarbonize industries like manufacturing and transportation.

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration (CCUS) represents a suite of technologies that catch and isolate CO2 at industrial facilities before it is emitted into the atmosphere and either use it for industrial applications or permanently store it underground.

CCUS is already in use at over 30 facilities around the world, including in the United States.

Hydrogen and CCUS technologies have received significant attention in the recently passed federal climate and energy laws-- Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The IRA creates enormous tax incentives for the production of clean hydrogen and increases tax credits on the capture and permanent storage of CO2.

The IIJA appropriated billions of dollars to establish regional hydrogen and carbon capture “hubs” throughout the country, and hundreds of millions of dollars to assist states to plan for them.

“GPI is proud of the steps that Team Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Energy Horizons Cross-Sector Collaborative have taken to help prepare Pennsylvania for the deployment of carbon management and hydrogen technologies,” said Matt Fry, a senior policy manager for GPI’s Carbon Management program and lead author of the road map. “This work has the potential to boost the state’s economy and provide the commonwealth with sustainable jobs, all while achieving significant emissions reductions in line with the state’s decarbonization goals.”

Due to its abundant energy resources, unique geology, skilled labor force, and strong cross-sector partnerships, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is well-positioned for investment in an emerging hydrogen and carbon capture economy.

However, the report from Team Pennsylvania and GPI identifies significant policy hurdles the state must overcome to realize a new era in low-carbon energy.

In July 2022, Team Pennsylvania Foundation issued a press release announcing the Pennsylvania Energy Horizons Cross-Sector Collaborative, a partnership of energy stakeholder organizations.

The collaborative brings together over 50 public, private, and non-governmental organizations committed to leveraging CCUS and hydrogen technology to decarbonize Pennsylvania’s economy and accelerate its economic growth. Participants of the Pennsylvania Energy Horizons Cross-Sector Collaborative are listed here.

The Cross-Sector Collaborative will build on the extraordinary momentum behind these issues, begin acting on the suggested recommendations in the road map, and demonstrate that strong relationships between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors can deliver jobs, economic growth, and environmental justice to the benefit of all Pennsylvanians.

Click Here for a copy of the report.

Resource Links:

-- PA Environmental Council: Carbon Capture, Utilization, Storage In PA: A Story Map

-- DCNR Blog: Carbon Capture A Tool To Address Cause Of Climate Change

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: Carbon Capture, Use And Sequestration Would Decarbonize The Electric System In The Worst Possible Way

-- Better Path Coalition: You Can’t Fossil Fuel Your Way Out Of A Fossil Fuel Created Crisis - Carbon Capture & Storage Issue Brief

-- Environmental Health Project: Public Health Impacts Of Blue Hydrogen Production, Health, Environmental Protections Needed