Accelerating Decarbonization, Improving Air Quality, and Energy Resilience Among Topics of Focus at the California Hydrogen Leadership Summit

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Actions California policymakers can take to accelerate the development of clean hydrogen to aide in the state’s decarbonization, air quality improvement and energy resilience goals will be the focus at this year’s California Hydrogen Leadership Summit (CHLS) June 19-20, 2023 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel in Downtown Sacramento, California. The second annual conference gathers state lawmakers, utility experts, and specialists from the energy and transportation sectors to discuss sustainable growth strategies to increase the production, delivery, storage, and use of clean hydrogen to meet California’s low carbon energy and zero-emission transportation mandates. The full lineup of speakers, panel participants and program agenda can be viewed here.  

As the California legislature considers several hydrogen-related bills this session, State Senator Josh Newman, 29th District, will share his perspective on the current debate taking place in the legislature and what he and his colleagues can do to improve the environment for clean hydrogen in California.

A central issue at the Summit will be support for the production and use of hydrogen to address requirements for grid reliability and resilient power and to comply with recent transportation regulations, including the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) rule adopted in April by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The state mandate calls for commercial truck fleets to transition to zero-emissions on an accelerated timeline.

Sustainable solutions continue to be a challenge for demand side grid management and new electricity generation resources to provide additional grid capacity and backup power. Policy support and more robust funding sources for the production of hydrogen, as well as hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles for any size and fuel cell systems, are viewed by agencies and many industry experts as essential to meeting California’s stringent decarbonization goals.

“The recent adoption of the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) and In-Use Locomotive Regulations require heavy-duty goods movement to transition to either battery-electric or hydrogen vehicles. Coupled with the need for additional reliable power sources, we will need more widely available hydrogen fuel to successfully meet targets,” said Katrina Fritz, executive director of the California Hydrogen Business Council and co-organizer of the CLHS event. “This is the time to identify and support energy solutions that also address California’s need for air quality improvement in communities and overall decarbonization and energy resilience needs.”

Fritz will open the summit, along with Alberto Ayala, executive director and air pollution control officer for the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. Featured speakers from state government, public agencies, and national corporations scheduled to deliver remarks throughout the event include:

  • California State Senator Bob Archuleta, 30th District
  • California State Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, 64th District
  • Don Boyajian, director of the government affairs & counsel at Plug Power
  • Amy Adams, vice president of government partnerships and funding at Cummins Inc.
  • Michael Hoban, general manager of hydrogen at Chevron
  • Christine Cowsert Chapman, senior vice president of gas, engineering, service planning and design at Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
  • Neil Navin, chief clean fuels officer SoCalGas
  • Matthew Botill, chief of the industrial strategies division for the California Air Resources Board

Six panels will focus on the hydrogen economy through the lens of policy, programs and incentives to increase the role of hydrogen in meeting decarbonization, air quality, and energy resilience goals while spurring economic development:

  • Clean Hydrogen to Decarbonize California’s Energy Systems Across the Value Chain: Experts will provide recommendations to utilize hydrogen across the value chain to accelerate decarbonization of California’s energy systems and harness existing infrastructure to reduce the costs associated with building completely new capital assets. 
  • Hydrogen for Reliable and Resilient Electrical Grids: Tackling challenges and strain on the state’s utility grid, such as safety shut–offs and insufficient summer power, panel members will offer prospects for improving microgrids, fuel cell deployment, and the introduction of hydrogen-fueled linear generators to enhance stability and improve air quality, particularly for disproportionately impacted disadvantaged communities.
  • Project Development | Building Successful Hydrogen Projects: Financial and regulatory barriers that hydrogen projects encounter and requirements for investment and project financing will be the topics of discussion. 
  • Federal Fireside Chat: Speakers will discuss the ways the U.S. is becoming a leader in developing a clean hydrogen energy economy by offering major incentives found in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
  • Meeting California’s Zero-Emission Transportation Goals With Hydrogen: This panel will explore zero-emission technologies within transportation, how to accelerate investment in and development of a resilient and robust statewide hydrogen fueling network, as well as work involved to develop on-site hydrogen generation and mobile refueling for electrifying on-road vehicles and off-road equipment.
  • Hydrogen at the Local and Regional Level | An Air Quality Perspective: Leaders of the state’s largest air districts will share their perspectives on what state policymakers can do to enable hydrogen to achieve their obligations to improve air quality and reduce exposure to toxic air contaminants.

The Summit is organized by the state’s largest and most diverse hydrogen trade association, the California Hydrogen Business Council (CHBC) and leading clean energy and transportation consulting firm, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA). Event sponsors include Accelera by Cummins, Chevron, PG&E, Plug, and SoCalGas. To register or learn more, visit www.CAhydrogenleadershipsummit.com. 

About the California Hydrogen Leadership Summit 
The Summit brings together policymakers, public agencies, business leaders, and stakeholders from the hydrogen, bioenergy, solar, wind, fuel cell, utilities, and transportation industries, as well as other participants, to inform California policymakers on the economic and environmental benefits of hydrogen. Set for June 19-20, 2023, the Summit is expected to assemble 400+ attendees from across the public and private sectors. It is co-produced by the California Hydrogen Business Council (CHBC) and Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA), who together have 50+ years of experience advocating for hydrogen and organizing clean energy conferences. The CHBC is comprised of over 140 organizations involved in the business of hydrogen, united to commercialize hydrogen in all market sectors to achieve California’s climate, air quality, and decarbonization goals. GNA is the leading North American consulting firm specializing in market development for low-emission and alternative fuel vehicle technologies, infrastructure, and fuels. Learn more at www.CAhydrogenleadershipsummit.com.