New Mexico isn’t giving up on the prospects of building a hydrogen development project in the state, even after the government did not choose to fund its plan as part of the $7 billion in government financial support.
There, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was quick to respond and indicated the state will continue with its hydrogen efforts.
““While we are disappointed in the U.S. Department of Energy’s decision, we are undeterred. I spoke with every project partner this morning and we agree: our bullish outlook has not changed and we will continue to move forward,” she said in a statement on Friday.
“I am incredibly grateful for the work of our industry project partners and their commitment to furthering clean energy solutions that will benefit generations of New Mexicans to come.
Seven other projects were picked to be winners. They include the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub, the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub, the California Hydrogen Hub, the Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, the Heartland Hydrogen Hub, the Midwest Hydrogen Hub and the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub.
But the funding does not come without opponents, such as the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute where Maggie Coulter is an attorney.
“Throwing billions at hydrogen hubs deepens our dependence on fossil fuels and worsens the climate emergency. President Biden should be urgently investing in proven and increasingly affordable solar and wind energy. It’s wasteful and misguided to fund false solutions like hydrogen that only further burden frontline communities.”
Alejandria Lyons with New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition claims hydrogen will only put frontline communities at risk.
“We’ve repeatedly urged the Department of Energy to ditch hydrogen hub investments, which are ridiculous in a water scarce state like ours and will only intensify the climate emergency by emitting more greenhouse gasses and pollution in our communities,” Lyons said in a statement.
Source: NM Political Report