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Committee advances green hydrogen bill amid debate on emissions and safeguards
Summary
The committee advanced SB 1350 to make renewable hydrogen eligible for RPS credits for turbines, highlighting potential job creation (Lancaster/FPH2) and federal tax‑credit timing; environmental groups pressed for stricter feedstock and NOx safeguards. The measure passed to Natural Resources.
Senator McNerney’s SB 1350, designed to allow renewable (green) hydrogen used in power turbines to count toward Renewable Portfolio Standard credits, advanced out of the Assembly committee after an expedited hearing that sponsors said was driven by looming federal clean‑energy tax credit deadlines.
McNerney argued SB 1350 will stimulate in‑state hydrogen projects and jobs and help California meet its 2045 clean‑energy goals. "SB 1350 will help California utilize hydrogen to decarbonize our power system," the sponsor said, noting industry examples including Lancaster’s FPH2 project and a cited project creating roughly 1,200 union construction jobs.
Supporters — including the Green Hydrogen Coalition, labor unions and construction trades — emphasized hydrogen’s role in resilience and job creation. Tim Kammer of the Green Hydrogen Coalition described renewable hydrogen as “a carbon free fuel” that can provide emergency reserves and said the bill does not mandate use but creates eligibility that could lower costs and spur investment.
Environmental and clean‑air groups urged additional safeguards. Mark Fenstermaker of Earthjustice said he opposed the bill in its current form and recommended ensuring non‑fossil feedstocks meet RPS standards and that hydrogen be physically delivered to generating turbines to avoid paper‑credit transactions. "Otherwise, we're going to end up with paper transactions... and we're not going to actually see those climate benefits," Fenstermaker said.
Committee members probed questions on how the bill defines allowable hydrogen blends and on NOx emissions when combusting hydrogen in turbines. Sponsors noted amendments taken to require demonstration of hourly matching of hydrogen production with renewable energy, a 20% minimum capacity threshold for certain uses, and other guardrails to prevent double‑counting of renewables.
The committee voted to pass SB 1350 to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee; the hearing record shows the measure cleared committee and was left open for absent members to add on before final transmittal.
