Green hydrogen demand in California could require an additional 10GW of solar
California backs blue hydrogen as solar capacity lags
Steam methane reforming with CCS can ensure rapid transition to hydrogen, US state’s Air Resources Board says in latest carbon-neutral roadmap
California’s ability to develop enough solar power capacity to produce green hydrogen at scale is highly uncertain and the state should instead initially focus on blue production methods to accelerate the transition, according to the state government’s Air Resources Board (ARB). Producing enough green hydrogen to meet the state’s targets for hydrogen demand would require about 10GW of additional solar capacity, on top of that needed for electrification, the ARB says this week in its latest scoping plan to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2045. “There is a high degree of uncertainty around the availability of solar to support both electrification of existing sectors and the production of hydrogen
Also in this section
25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
