AUGUSTA - The Maine House enacted legislation on Tuesday sponsored by Rep. Vicki Doudera, D-Camden, to establish a clean hydrogen pilot program.
"Clean hydrogen has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to be an integral part of Maine's green energy revolution, combating the effects of climate change," said Doudera. "Investing in this fuel is not a replacement for other types of renewable energy such as solar and wind, but it can help our state meet our climate goals in sectors that are particularly hard to decarbonize, such as transportation and heavy industry."
LD 1775 would direct the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), along with the Governors Energy Office and the Department of Environmental Protection, to design and operate a pilot program to produce clean hydrogen. The facility selected for the pilot would be chosen, in part, for its ability to produce hydrogen using renewable energy while reducing life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions and meeting federal emissions limits to qualify for production tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The PUC would issue a request for proposals by Dec. 31, 2025.
In selecting a facility, the PUC would also consider benefits to ratepayers and air quality, health and workforce benefits.The bill faces further votes in the Senate in the coming days.
Doudera is serving her third term in the Maine House and is a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and the Marine Resources Committee. She represents the towns of Camden and Rockport and chairs the Legislature's Gun Safety Caucus.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Doudera], c. 305-965-2744