NARUC releases guidebook on hydrogen production from coal, biomass resources

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Center for Partnerships & Innovation released a new guidebook on the outlook for low-carbon hydrogen production from coal and biomass resources.

The Coal and Carbon Management Guidebook: Coal-to-Hydrogen Challenges and Opportunities looks at the opportunities and challenges for coal and biomass resources to participate in the growing low-carbon hydrogen economy. It outlines the present and forecasted market demand for hydrogen, addresses how state utility regulators can analyze and manage risks associated with low-carbon hydrogen technologies and summarizes DOE’s investments in research and development for hydrogen production from coal and biomass. It has been produced via the NARUC-U.S. Department of Energy Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Partnership.

“Coal is an abundant natural resource in Montana, and this guidebook offers a comprehensive framework for how we can leverage it in innovative ways,” Commissioner Anthony O’Donnell of the Montana Public Service Commission and chairman of NARUC’s Subcommittee on Clean Coal and Carbon Management said. “Investing in technologies to produce hydrogen from our domestic coal supply can support energy security, economic growth, and a just transition for communities in Montana and other coal-producing regions.”

Hydrogen is emerging as a versatile energy source as the demand for clean energy rises. It can produce power and heat for various users, including electricity generators and large industrial customers. With advances in research and development that could reduce production costs, hydrogen could enable the transition to a net-zero carbon economy and expand the portfolio of low-carbon resources.

“This guidebook provides state regulators with a foundational understanding of the emerging hydrogen market,” Kiera Zitelman, CPI technical manager, said. “It offers technical information about low-carbon hydrogen production, ranging from the rainbow of colors representing hydrogen production methods to the wide variety of end uses for hydrogen in energy and industrial processes and concludes with key considerations for regulators in the oversight of new technologies.”