Paul Rodden • Season: 2025 • Episode: 385
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Welcome to The Hydrogen Podcast!
Welcome to The Hydrogen Podcast! In today’s episode, Paul Rodden breaks down the Unleashing American Energy Executive Order and its profound implications for the hydrogen economy. This major policy shift emphasizes domestic hydrocarbon production, streamlined permitting for energy projects, and critical infrastructure development—presenting both opportunities and challenges for green, blue, and turquoise hydrogen production.
Key Topics Covered:
🔹 Policy Breakdown: Unpacking the White House’s new directive and its focus on energy security and hydrocarbons
🔹 Plug Power’s Strategy: How Plug Power could adapt its green hydrogen goals under the new framework
🔹 Oil & Gas Players in Hydrogen: ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Oxy’s evolving strategies in hydrogen diversification
🔹 Hydrogen Technologies in Focus: Turquoise hydrogen, nuclear-powered electrolysis, and their rising importance
🔹 Global Impacts: How this policy positions the U.S. for hydrogen exports to Europe, Asia, and beyond
Featured Highlights:
1️⃣ Plug Power’s Green Hydrogen Plans: Risks and opportunities for its 500-ton daily production goal by 2025
2️⃣ Oil & Gas Majors: How ExxonMobil’s Baytown facility and Chevron’s partnerships align with the new policy
3️⃣ Emerging Technologies: The role of turquoise hydrogen and nuclear electrolysis in U.S. energy diversification
4️⃣ Infrastructure Expansion: Streamlined permitting’s potential to accelerate hydrogen distribution networks
5️⃣ Global Market Leadership: How the U.S. can lead the hydrogen transition amidst changing policies
Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the podcast. Please feel free to email me at info@thehydrogenpodcast.com with any questions. Also, if you wouldn’t mind subscribing to my podcast using your preferred platform… I would greatly appreciate it.
Respectfully,
Paul Rodden
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Transcript:
Today, I’m tackling one of the most significant policy shifts in recent years, the Unleashing American energy executive order from the White House. This new directive prioritizes domestic hydrocarbon production, streamlined permitting for energy projects and critical infrastructure development, while the focus on hydrocarbons may initially seem at odds with the clean energy transition.
The order has complex implications for the hydrogen economy, particularly for US based companies like plug power and other major oil and gas players that are increasingly investing in hydrogen as a part of their diversification strategies. I’ll break down the economic and technical implications of this policy on the hydrogen industry, examining its effects on green, blue and turquoise hydrogen, and exploring how US energy giants like Exxon, Mobil, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum might reshape their hydrogen strategies in response. Additionally, I’ll evaluate how plug power a pioneer in hydrogen solutions could navigate these changes and what this means for the broader hydrogen economy over the next two decades. All of this on today’s hydrogen podcast.
So the big questions in the energy industry today are, how is hydrogen the primary driving force behind the evolution of energy? Where is capital being deployed for hydrogen projects globally, and where are the best investment opportunities for early adopters who recognize the importance of hydrogen. I will address the critical issues and give you the information you need to deploy capital. Those are the questions that will unlock the potential of hydrogen, and this podcast will give you the answers. My name is Paul Rodden, and welcome to the hydrogen podcast.
Plug Power, a leader in hydrogen production and fuel cell technology has long been at the forefront of the US hydrogen market. Its integrated model spans electrolyzer manufacturing, green hydrogen production and hydrogen infrastructure development, including refueling stations and fuel cell systems for transportation and industrial applications, the Unleashing American energy policy could present both opportunities and challenges for plug power’s business model. On one hand, the directives emphasis on domestic energy production and infrastructure development could accelerate permitting for hydrogen projects, reducing delays and costs for large scale green hydrogen plants. Plug Power has already committed to producing 500 tons of green hydrogen per day by 2025 with key projects in Georgia, New York and Texas.
These plants rely on renewable energy to produce hydrogen via electrolysis, but their economics depend heavily on the hydrogen production tax credit of the PTC from the inflation Reduction Act, if the new policy reduces federal funding for clean energy initiatives, including the PTC plug power’s cost structure for green hydrogen could shift dramatically without the $3 per kilogram subsidy for green hydrogen, production costs could Rise above market competitive levels, particularly in regions where electricity prices are higher or renewable energy availability is limited, this would put pressure on plug power to explore alternative strategies, such as blending turquoise hydrogen into its portfolio, or focusing on international markets where subsidies and incentives remain strong. In addition to its green hydrogen ambitions, plug power’s investments in hydrogen infrastructure such as refueling stations and storage systems could benefit from the directives focus on infrastructure expansion by streamlining permitting and regulatory processes.
The policy could enable plug power to scale its hydrogen distribution network more quickly, particularly in regions with existing industrial and transportation demand for hydrogen. The unleashing American energy Executive Order aligns closely with the interests of us. Oil and Gas majors, which have been increasingly exploring hydrogen as a diversification strategy, companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum or oxy are investing billions of dollars into hydrogen technologies with a particular focus on blue hydrogen and carbon capture and storage. ExxonMobil, for example, has announced plans to develop a major blue hydrogen facility in Baytown, Texas, capable of producing 1 billion cubic feet of hydrogen per day.
This project also includes CCS infrastructure designed to capture and store up to 10 million metric tons of CO2 annually. Under the new policy, ExxonMobil could see reduced costs and faster project timelines due to the expanded support for domestic hydrocarbon Production and Infrastructure the company’s integration of CCS with blue hydrogen production positions. It to take advantage of both the executive order’s priorities and potential international demand for lower carbon hydrogen Chevron, which is committed to investing ten billion in lower carbon technologies by 2028 has focused on hydrogen as a part of its strategy. The company’s partner.
Ships with industrial customers, and its investment in blending hydrogen into existing natural gas pipelines could benefit from the policy’s emphasis on infrastructure modernization and hydrocarbon development. Chevron’s hydrogen projects, which include collaborations with Cummins on fuel cell systems and partnerships with utilities, could see accelerated adoption if regulatory barriers for hydrogen blending are reduced. Oxy a leader in CCS technologies, made significant investments in turquoise hydrogen via methane pyrolysis. This method aligns with the policy’s focus on leveraging domestic hydrocarbon resources while reducing emissions. Occidentals plan for large scale hydrogen hubs, including partnerships with the US Department of Energy, could gain traction under a policy framework that prioritizes energy security and domestic resource utilization.
These companies are well positioned to leverage their expertise in hydrocarbons and infrastructure to expand their hydrogen portfolios. However, the shift in federal priorities could also create challenges for their green hydrogen ambitions, as reduced funding for renewable energy projects and electrolyzer manufacturing may slow the development of green hydrogen at scale. The policy’s focus on hydrocarbons and infrastructure could accelerate interest in turquoise hydrogen, which uses methane pyrolysis to produce hydrogen while capturing carbon in a solid form.
Turquoise hydrogen is seen as a lower cost alternative to green hydrogen, particularly in regions with abundant natural gas resources and existing infrastructure companies like monolith materials, which are developing commercial scale turquoise hydrogen plants could see increased investment and government support under this policy framework, and nuclear powered electrolysis also presents a compelling opportunity by using high temperature steam electrolysis, or traditional electrolysis powered by nuclear reactors, this method offers a stable and reliable way to produce hydrogen without dependence on intermittent renewable energy.
The policy’s emphasis on domestic energy security and diversification could spur greater interest in integrating nuclear energy into hydrogen production, particularly in regions with existing nuclear capacity, such as the Midwest and the Northeast. The unleashing American energy directive could reshape global perceptions of the US hydrogen market. While the policy prioritizes domestic energy production, it also positions the US as a potential leader in hydrogen exports, particularly to regions like Europe and Asia, where demand for clean energy imports is growing. Plug powers partnerships in Europe, such as its joint venture with Reno for hydrogen powered light commercial vehicles highlight the company’s ability to adapt to global markets. Similarly, US based oil and gas majors with international operations could leverage their expertise in hydrogen production to capture market share in regions with strong policy support for hydrogen adoption.
The policy also underscores hydrogens role in enhancing US energy security by diversifying domestic energy resources and reducing reliance on imported energy. Hydrogen can play a critical role in creating a resilient and flexible energy system. Companies like plug power and major oil and gas players are central to this strategy, as their investments in hydrogen production, storage and distribution infrastructure contribute to a more secure and independent energy future. The unleashing American energy Executive Order marks a significant shift in US energy policy with far reaching implications for the hydrogen economy, for plug power and other industry leaders, the directive introduces both challenges and opportunities, while uncertainty around federal incentives may impact the economics of green hydrogen projects, the policy’s focus on domestic energy expansion and infrastructure development creates new pathways for growth.
US based oil and gas majors are well positioned to benefit from this policy shift, leveraging their expertise in hydrocarbons and infrastructure to expand their hydrogen portfolios. Turquoise hydrogen and nuclear powered electrolysis stand out as promising technologies that align with the policy’s priorities, offering scalable and cost effective solutions for hydrogen production. As the economy evolves, companies like plug power and major energy players will need to navigate a complex landscape of policy, Technology and Economics, by leveraging their strengths and adapting to changing market conditions, they can drive the hydrogen transition and establish the US as a leader in the global energy market.
All right, that’s it for me, everyone. If you have a second, I would really appreciate it. If you could leave a good review on whatever platform it is that you listen to Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google, YouTube, whatever it is, that would be a tremendous help to the show. And as always, if you ever have any feedback, you’re welcome to email me directly at info@thehydrogenpodcast.com. So until next time, keep your eyes up and honor one another. Hey, this is Paul. I hope you liked this podcast. If you did and want to hear more. I’d appreciate it if you would either subscribe to this channel on YouTube, or connect with your favorite platform through my website at www.thehydrogenpodcast.com. Thanks for listening. I very much appreciate it. Have a great day.
