Some bills don’t require weeks of debate on the House floor.
H.R. 1788, authored by Indiana Sixth District Rep. Greg Pence, should be one of those pieces of legislation.
Pence, R-Columbus, introduced the Clean Energy Hydrogen Innovation Act last week. In short, the bill aims to "expand the definition of hydrogen projects and advance innovation in clean and reliable hydrogen energy in Indiana and across the country."
The bill would amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005, guaranteeing loan eligibility for projects relating to hydrogen production, delivery, infrastructure, storage, and fuel cells.
Should the bill go through, it could have a significant impact on Columbus-based Cummins Inc., the largest employer in the area, which announced last year that hydrogen energy will play a major role in the future of the company.
Two of the clean energy technologies Cummins is currently focusing on are electrolyzers — which use electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen — and hydrogen fuel cells — which essentially put the two elements back together to produce electricity and power a motor.
In November, Cummins had more than 2,000 fuel cell installations globally and more than 500 electrolyzer installations in fueling stations on five continents. Cummins officials estimated the electrolyzer business will have about $400 million in annual revenues within the next five years.
Leaders from the company praised the bill upon its creation, saying it "has the power to make vital progress quickly in the interest of sustainability and allow companies like Cummins to advance faster on our path to zero emissions."
Republicans aren’t the only ones that are backing the bill. It has achieved bipartisan support, as Seventh District Rep. André Carson, D-Indianapolis, is the co-lead of the legislation.
The bill not only supports clean, green energy, but will help Cummins — which employs around 8,000 in the Columbus area — further its business ventures.
Pence’s bill should meet little resistance moving forward, as it would promote job growth and renewable energy for many Americans.
