"Hydrogen Forward" Coalition Formed to Advance Hydrogen in the U.S.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of 11 companies have partnered to form Hydrogen Forward, an initiative focused on advancing hydrogen development in the United States. The founding members – Air Liquide, Anglo American, Bloom Energy, CF Industries, Chart Industries, Cummins Inc., Hyundai, Linde, McDermott, Shell and Toyota – are united under a shared belief in the environmental and economic benefits of hydrogen technologies. These companies believe that accelerating investment in hydrogen will help the U.S. deliver on its climate goals while creating a stronger economy with new, good-paying jobs.

The initiative – which represents companies invested in all links of the hydrogen value chain from source to service – is focused on showcasing hydrogen's unique value proposition among Washington, D.C. policymakers and other stakeholders to decisively accelerate adoption of hydrogen solutions and related infrastructure build-out across the nation. 

Produced domestically with low or no carbon footprint, hydrogen can help decarbonize large segments of the economy, including shipping and transportation, power generation, refining, steelmaking, chemical production, mining, manufacturing and other industries. And with all of its hydrogen made in the U.S., the country will see the full economic benefits of the value chain including job opportunities and revenue generation.

Today, members of the Hydrogen Forward coalition are making significant domestic investments and driving specific projects across the nation to bring these technologies to scale. From the manufacturing and sale of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to supporting the fueling stations that keep FCEVs moving, Hydrogen Forward members are on the leading edge of transportation innovation. Likewise, member company hydrogen storage solutions and partnerships with local utility companies are helping to harness renewable energy and decarbonize the power generation sector.

However, lack of systemic policy support for hydrogen risks to derail these efforts. While Europe and East Asia have committed to investing hundreds of billions of dollars into hydrogen solutions, the U.S. is the only major market without a national hydrogen strategy. A comprehensive approach is critical because it provides a much-needed framework to enable fast, large-scale adoption.

Hydrogen Forward and its member companies support policies that accelerate the energy transition, bolster U.S. energy and climate leadership, and establish a clear, comprehensive strategy for hydrogen and related infrastructure development that will allow the U.S. to harness the significant benefits of these technologies.

See below for remarks from Hydrogen Forward member company leadership:

"At Air Liquide, we have always worked to provide solutions and technologies that meet today's needs while also addressing the challenges of the future," said Michael Graff, chairman and CEO American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. and executive vice president, Air Liquide Group. "With the world changing at a rapid pace, we need smart climate solutions to tackle our generation's greatest challenges. Air Liquide and our Hydrogen Forward partners believe hydrogen, and its various applications, is one of the solutions we need to power a sustainable future that benefits our global society."

"Anglo American is pleased to be partnering with Hydrogen Forward in this drive to promote hydrogen as a clean, reliable and transformative energy solution and a key enabler in the global effort towards a low-carbon future," said Natascha Viljoen, CEO of Anglo American Platinum, a leading producer of platinum group metals.  "Anglo American is a longstanding supporter of the hydrogen economy, and we are committed to helping unlock hydrogen's full potential in tackling global energy challenges."

"We must embrace hydrogen if we are to meet our ambitious decarbonization goals," said KR Sridhar, founder, chairman, and CEO of Bloom Energy. "Hydrogen will enable the world to harness our abundant and affordable renewable energy and make it reliable and resilient to meet the needs of our digital world. Bloom Energy is committed to a hydrogen revolution that will make reliable energy affordable, sustainable, and accessible for all. We are thrilled to join Hydrogen Forward and our partners in efforts to accelerate investment in hydrogen technologies and infrastructure. Together, we can achieve the promise of a zero-carbon future for all."

"The world needs clean energy and we believe green hydrogen and ammonia will be critical to meeting this need," said Tony Will, president and CEO of CF Industries. "Now is the time to come together to accelerate the path to the hydrogen solutions that will allow our society to make significant progress decarbonizing key industries. Through Hydrogen Forward, we are excited to partner with like-minded organizations committed to realizing our shared vision for a low-carbon future."

"Chart Industries has been producing hydrogen-related equipment for over 50 years, and we are continuing to discover its many applications as a safe, reliable and versatile fuel," said Jillian Evanko, president and CEO of Chart Industries. "We believe hydrogen will be a key part of the clean energy transition, and our products make it possible for hydrogen to be used in delivery trucks, forklifts, cars, power generation, and even aerospace.  We are pleased to be a part of Hydrogen Forward with such great partners to continue to build hydrogen solutions."

"There has never been a better time for governments and businesses around the world to invest in hydrogen technologies and infrastructure. As our society recovers from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have a unique opportunity to rebuild our economy by investing in hydrogen solutions to drive economic growth, create jobs, and shape the future of energy and transportation," said Tom Linebarger, chairman and CEO of Cummins Inc. "With our partners at Hydrogen Forward, we are eager to collaborate with the new administration and Congress to scale up hydrogen to enhance our nation's climate leadership and build a better and cleaner tomorrow."

"In the advent of a clean transportation revolution, hydrogen fuel cell technologies are driving a modern era that prioritizes innovation, human progress and sustainability," said Jose Munoz, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America. "With more than two decades of experience in hydrogen fuel cell systems, Hyundai is proud to be a founding member of Hydrogen Forward to help transform how we move about in our everyday lives and accelerate the development of hydrogen in the U.S. A new age of clean transportation is within our reach, and we must work together with stakeholders in the public and private sectors to propel our communities forward."

"As we work towards achieving a carbon-neutral future, the United States has the opportunity to help decarbonize large sectors of the global supply chain while stimulating the U.S. economy by investing in hydrogen," said Steve Angel, CEO of Linde. "As a steward of sustainability and a leading provider of hydrogen technology across the value chain, we look forward to playing an active role in the transition to clean energy." 

"McDermott and our partners at Hydrogen Forward recognize the need to reduce emissions and we are committed to delivering the building blocks of the energy transition," said David Dickson, president and CEO of McDermott. "Hydrogen technologies represent a necessary pathway to reduce emissions and harness clean energy now – not just in the future. We believe building the foundation for a more sustainable future starts by working together and investing in, and scaling up, existing technologies to reduce our environmental footprint at a global scale."

"From heating our homes, towns and businesses to powering our cars, trucks and buses, hydrogen technologies have the potential to transform our everyday lives," said Doug Murtha, Group Vice President, Toyota Motor North America. "For over three decades, Toyota has invested in the development of hydrogen fuel cells, and we are proud to be among the first automakers to bring commercially produced hydrogen-powered vehicles to the consumer market. Along with our partners in Hydrogen Forward, we will support the continued progress needed to transform mobility and transportation in the United States and around the world."

About Hydrogen Forward
Hydrogen Forward is a joint initiative of 11 companies – Air Liquide, Anglo American, Bloom Energy, CF Industries, Chart Industries, Cummins Inc., Hyundai, Linde, McDermott, Shell and Toyota – committed to advancing hydrogen for a cleaner, stronger U.S. economy. The coalition works in concert with allies across industries and sectors to educate decisionmakers and stakeholders on the value hydrogen delivers today and the important role that it should play in our future. To learn more about the initiative and its member companies, visit www.HydrogenFwd.org.

SOURCE Hydrogen Forward

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https://www.hydrogenfwd.org/