Democrat United States Senator Coons has introduced legislation that would amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to establish a Hydrogen Technologies for Heavy Industry Grant Program, called “Hydrogen for Industry Act”. The proposal was co-sponsored by three Democrat and two Republican senators. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing to receive testimony on the proposed amendment.

The Hydrogen for Industry Act requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish grant programs to support the use of hydrogen in energy. Specifically, DOE must establish a grant program for projects that demonstrate the uses of hydrogen in heavy industry (e.g., steel, cement, glass, and chemical manufacturing). It also directs DOE to establish a grant program for carrying out projects that demonstrate the end uses of hydrogen; constructing a new commercial-scale facility that will use hydrogen as a fuel or feedstock; or retooling, retrofitting, or expanding an existing facility to enable the use of hydrogen as a fuel or feedstock in industrial end-use applications of hydrogen.

“Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Hydrogen for Industry Act of 2021, the Secretary shall establish a program, to be known as the ‘Hydrogen Technologies for Heavy Industry Grant Program’, under which the Secretary shall award grants to demonstrate industrial end-use applications of hydrogen” the proposed amendment says.

The amendment sets the upper limit for grants at $400 million.

It designates several industries that would benefit from grants, including iron, steel and metals manufacturing, cement, glass, ammonia and fertilizer, industrial foods, synthetic fuels, fuel refining, and chemicals.