Governor Newsom recently endorsed California Air Resources Board (CARB) updates to the state's Cap-and-Invest program, a decision that extends critical funding certainty for hydrogen infrastructure, fuel cell vehicle deployment, and in-state manufacturing through 2045.
The program has generated $35 billion for climate investments to date and supported 30,000 jobs statewide. For hydrogen, that means sustained revenue for retail hydrogen-station expansion, liquid hydrogen supply infrastructure, and fuel-cell truck deployment across California's freight corridors. The affordability-focused adjustments adopted today keep the program cost-competitive while maintaining the long-term signal investors need to build hydrogen supply chains.
California's 2030 and 2045 statutory climate targets cannot be met with any single zero-emission technology. Heavy-duty trucking, medium-duty delivery, and long-haul transportation require hydrogen fuel cells alongside battery electric options. Cap-and-Invest remains the most cost-effective way for California to achieve its statutory climate goals, and its stability matters to every company building the clean fuel infrastructure this state needs.
“The Governor's support for Cap-and-Invest updates demonstrates California's commitment to meeting its climate targets with all the tools in the toolbox,” said Bill Elrick, Executive Director of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership. “Hydrogen fuel cell technology is critical to decarbonizing sectors that batteries alone cannot serve. This program has funded the infrastructure and innovation that make hydrogen viable as a transportation fuel. With these updates locked in through 2045, investors, energy companies, and OEMs can plan with confidence. California is sending a clear message: we're serious about climate goals, and we're serious about the diversity of solutions required to get there. Bottom line? Funding infrastructure and innovation make hydrogen viable as a transportation fuel in the near future.”
