The following was produced by the Economic Alliance of Lewis County.
The Washington Green Hydrogen Alliance, the statewide advocacy group for Washington state’s fast-growing green hydrogen industry, celebrated major victories for Washington-made green hydrogen in the 2022 Legislative Session.
The steps taken by the Legislature will grow Washington state’s green hydrogen economy, and help families and businesses benefit from an affordable, Washington-made, zero-carbon fuel source. Plans are in the works to locate the hub at the Port of Chehalis.
The past two years has seen extensive bipartisan support in the state Legislature for evergreen hydrogen and Southwest Washington has been the beneficiary of some early investments, according to a report authored by state Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia.
“I am proud that we worked together across party lines to advance a clean technology that is good for our economy and our entire state,” Abbarno said. “Evergreen hydrogen is an important fuel technology for transportation in our state, and we are in a position to be a national leader in making and using renewable hydrogen.”
Abbarno has been appointed to the newly formed Hydrogen Caucus. He is also a member of the House Environment and Energy Committee.
“This session, our leaders in Olympia took important bipartisan steps to seize the evergreen hydrogen opportunity for our state, and improve our climate, air, water, and economy with evergreen hydrogen made right here in Washington. That includes making a strong statement of bipartisan support for a public-private partnership so Washington can compete to be a regional clean energy hub under the U.S. Department of Energy,” said Washington Green Hydrogen Alliance Executive Director Tim Zenk.
“We especially want to thank Rep. David Hackney and Rep. Peter Abbarno for agreeing to co-chair the newly-formed bipartisan Hydrogen Caucus in the House of Representatives,” added WGHA Government Relations Director Dave Warren.
“Evergreen hydrogen is a growing industry in our state, and a key to our clean energy future,” said Rep. David Hackney (D-Tukwila). “We will continue to work with communities, experts, and stakeholders to explore other steps we can take to expand the production and use of evergreen hydrogen here in our state.”
“I am proud that we worked together across party lines to advance a clean technology that is good for our economy and our entire state,” Abbarno said. “Evergreen hydrogen is an important fuel technology for transportation in our state, and we are in a position to be a national leader in making and using renewable hydrogen.”
Washington state is positioned to be a global green hydrogen leader because of abundant supplies of low-cost renewable electricity from hydropower and wind. In addition, Washington state has responsible climate, clean energy and clean fuels policies that are driving additional investment in clean energy, and are directing us on a path to a carbon-free future.
Last year, Lewis County received $2.55 million in funding through the Capital Budget for Washington state’s first hydrogen refueling station in Chehalis. Abbarno, assistant ranking member on the House Capital Budget Committee, helped secure the funds in partnership with the Port of Chehalis, Twin Transit, Lewis County and the Economic Alliance of Lewis County.
In 2022, Abbarno worked on funding in the state operating budget for a grant application to the U.S. Department of Energy to make Washington state a “hydrogen hub” and passed an amendment that improved bipartisan Senate Bill 5910.
According to the Washington Green Hydrogen Alliance, over the last 60 days, House and Senate members acted to:
• Pass bipartisan legislation, SB 5910. The legislation, which was approved in a 49-0 vote in the Senate on Feb. 12 and then by a 96-2 vote in the House on March 7, followed by a unanimous concurrence vote in the Senate on March 9, will accelerate the availability and use of evergreen hydrogen in the use of state by, among other key provisions, authorizing municipal utilities and public utility districts to produce, use, sell, and distribute green hydrogen.
• Invest $1.1 million in the newly-created Office of Renewable Fuels
• Invest $2 million to support an application by a public-private partnership entity for federal funding, potentially up to $1 billion, to develop a regional clean hydrogen hub
• Form the new, bipartisan Hydrogen Caucus in the House, which will be taking shape over the interim under the leadership of Rep. David Hackney (D-Tukwila) and Abbarno.
“Energy security and grid reliability is more important now than ever and I don’t believe we can merely electrify everything,” Abborno said. “Hydrogen must be an essential part of our state’s energy portfolio. Good for the economy and good for the environment do not need to be mutually exclusive. We can do both by investing in hydrogen, creating jobs, increasing economic opportunities, and improving the quality of life for all Washington.
“What is Green Hydrogen? Fossil fuel-free energy produced in the Evergreen State,” Abbarno said. “A limitless renewable resource we can use to decarbonize our state’s economy and transportation sectors. It is called ‘evergreen’ because it will never emit any CO2 when it’s being made or when it’s being used.”
Both electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles run on battery electric powered systems. The only difference is hydrogen vehicles use a fuel cell that turns hydrogen into electricity. The fuel cell sits in the engine as opposed to hooking the battery up to an EV charger.
The benefits of a fuel cell vehicle are that it already has a range in excess of 400 miles and can be fully refueled in five minutes, similar to a car with an internal combustion engine, Abbarno said. And H2 can be stored indefinitely versus batteries that lose a charge over time. Hydrogen also has a greater energy density than electricity, making it more suitable to power buses, trucks, cargo ships, and airplanes.”
Members of the Lewis County-based Energy Innovation Coalition presented information earlier this year to the Port of Chehalis Commissioners regarding their progress in the planning of Washington state’s first hydrogen fueling station — slated to begin construction in the Chehalis Industrial Park off of Bishop Road (at LaBree Road, exit 74) in June.
According to the EIC group, including members of the Economic Alliance of Lewis County, Twin Transit, and others, the plan is to begin construction this summer on what will eventually become a 30 to 40 acre site in the industrial park that will include both a hydrogen fueling station and a business park focused on catering to high-tech hydrogen research, development, and innovation organizations.
Ultimately, this EIC would like to see Centralia and Chehalis together become what’s called a “hydrogen valley” that both creates energy and facilitates the creation of Washington’s hydrogen energy market. There are currently 36 existing hydrogen valley projects worldwide and they often start in former “coal communities,” meaning those communities that previously had a wide economic base in coal that no longer exists.
This planned fueling station would also be providing hydrogen to Twin Transit, who will obtain hydrogen transit vehicles, and also create research opportunities for TOYOTA & Toyota USA, who have already agreed to donate several hydrogen-powered vehicles to local Twin Transit, pending local hydrogen fueling availability.
