New Energy Opportunities for Hoosiers
We already know that renewables are a powerhouse when it comes to amping up the economic might of our local communities, generating new revenue from the farmhouse to main street.
But beyond wind and solar, there is another way renewables can create economic growth and prosperity in our communities. I’m talking about hydrogen.
I like to think of hydrogen as a Swiss Army Knife of energy – it can power a factory or a car, and we can use it to heat our home and cook our steaks. It can be safely stored and saved for later. The possibilities are endless.
Wind and solar power can be used to create hydrogen fuel. There are other ways to do it, but using wind and solar to produce hydrogen, through a process known as electrolysis, is the cleanest. And that means Indiana’s strong and growing renewable energy can be in even greater demand.
I’m a Hoosier with deep roots. I live and work on a farm that’s been in my family for more than a century. But having both feet firmly planted deep in the ground doesn’t mean I can’t look to the future. That’s why I first looked to renewables and saw their potential to preserve the Hoosier tradition of making a living from the land while helping us meet the economic needs of our families today and our grandchildren tomorrow. Continuing to look to the future, we can see that renewables+hydrogen can be – and should be – part of that tomorrow.
Look what clean energy is already doing for Indiana. We may not have been the early movers on wind or solar, but we’ve made incredible strides. We have the second highest number of clean energy jobs in the Midwest; wind farms that can power a million homes; solar that can power 160,000, and we have some of the most potential for solar growth in the nation. And, of course, there are the millions of dollars renewable projects pay in taxes to local governments. If you live in a community with a renewable project nearby, there’s a greater chance that you’re driving over fewer potholes, the leaky roof of the local school got repaired, or you can enjoy streaming your favorite show online thanks to high-speed internet. Local revenue from renewable projects is making all of that possible.
Now we are attracting new electric vehicle and battery production facilities. But we can’t stop now – hydrogen is the next opportunity.
I’m proud that my own Purdue University has been researching hydrogen as far back as 1997 with the Multiphase and [hydrogen] Fuel Cell Laboratory. Today, Purdue continues to explore hydrogen, with new research into how the sun can create hydrogen fuel. Indiana is also one of several states in the Midwestern Hydrogen Coalition to help scale up the resource’s supply chain, workforce, and energy availability. And Cummins, headquartered right here in Columbus, Indiana, is leading the hydrogen revolution through fuel cells, engines, and more, with millions in new investment. Additionally Caterpillar, with facilities near me in Lafayette has a long history of hydrogen use and continues to increase their research and development.
Working together, existing and new renewable facilities and new hydrogen production facilities would offer communities enhanced economic development and provide good paying jobs (as well as help states and companies achieve carbon reduction goals). Hydrogen is a perfect match for Indiana. We have the infrastructure in place and a diverse energy grid with more wind and solar coming online each day. We have the workforce ready to take on new jobs. Hydrogen is good for Indiana energy consumers, manufacturers, and environmental advocates. Pretty much everybody.
It has been one of the highlights of my life to help usher in the renewable energy industry in Indiana. I am excited to see the next phase and the possibilities for our state.
