Environmental Project
Senate committee tables bill to declare hydrogen a renewable resource
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The Senate Conservation Committee tabled a bill that would amend the Renewable Energy Act to include hydrogen produced from methane gas as a renewable energy source on a 7-2 vote Tuesday. This comes as the state looks for ways to transition away from electricity produced by fossil fuels. On one hand, Senate Bill 194 proponents, including some utilities, say hydrogen is needed as a bridge fuel to provide baseload power as battery storage technology is developed. On the other hand, opponents say that it will lead to continued methane emissions from natural gas production that will harm the climate and that the focus should be on developing energy sources like wind and solar plus batteries. Following the vote to table the bill, the sponsor, Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, warned of possible rolling blackouts.