The US Department of Energy under the Trump administration has started slashing funding for various clean energy projects, including hydrogen hubs and carbon capture initiatives. While these cuts may seem like a victory for fossil fuel interests, some of the targeted programs actually make sense due to their flaws.
Two notable cases are the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association and California’s ARCHES hub. The former aimed at decarbonizing hard-to-electrify sectors with electrolytic hydrogen, while the latter focused on hydrogen for transportation. However, both initiatives were criticized for being inefficient compared to battery-based alternatives.
The Mid-Atlantic hub’s goal of developing new hydrogen pipelines was also seen as misguided due to its focus on energy use cases rather than industrial applications.
On the other hand, projects in Republican states are receiving continued funding despite lacking technical merit, suggesting politics plays a significant role in these decisions.
In contrast, a Biden-era hydrogen strategy assessment found that promoting hydrogen’s use across transportation and heating sectors was misguided due to its carbon footprint and energy efficiency concerns.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives, such as Project Cypress and the South Texas Direct Air Capture hub, were also criticized for their high energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels. While CCS may have industrial applications, it does not address upstream emissions from the oil and gas sector.
In summary, while the Trump administration’s cuts to clean energy funding appear driven by petty politics, some of the targeted programs were actually flawed due to technical issues or a lack of consideration for broader climate concerns.
Source: https://cleantechnica.com/2025/03/29/trumps-doe-swings-at-clean-energy-accidentally-hits-a-bullseye