Hydrogen infrastructure is underdeveloped but steadily expanding as new technologies and regulatory pathways emerge. However, with this growth comes challenges in navigating an evolving hydrogen landscape, including policy shifts, market dynamics, and infrastructure development needs.
The Hydrogen Economy Collaborative (HEC) is a network of state agencies, researchers, environmental nonprofit organizations, and industry professionals working to advance the role of low-carbon hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels in the clean energy transition. GPI facilitates the HEC as a platform to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing on policy, technology, and market developments to advance low-carbon hydrogen adoption.
By convening experts and stakeholders, the HEC aims to identify and address key challenges in hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuel deployment across high-value end-use sectors. The HEC is national in scope, though its primary focus is on the Midwest.
Since 2022, the HEC has hosted a series of bi-monthly presentations and discussions featuring industry experts, policy makers, and researchers. These presentations cover production methods, hydrogen transportation options, high-value end uses, policy development, community impact and equity considerations, research and development, and general hydrogen education.
In 2025, we plan to cover the following:
-
-
- Hydrogen transportation and infrastructure needs
- Hydrogen storage
- Geologic hydrogen
- Additional high-value end uses such as maritime and aviation fuels and industrial feedstocks
- More in-depth coverage on green ammonia end uses
-
To formalize participation, we ask members to sign the HEC charter, which outlines a comprehensive framework to advance the adoption of low-to-zero carbon hydrogen solutions. Its purpose is multifaceted: crafting strategies for hydrogen deployment as part of a net-zero carbon future, increasing stakeholder engagement, and facilitating dialogue among HEC members.
By signing the charter, individuals commit to participating in efforts to advance the hydrogen economy, engage in knowledge-sharing to overcome barriers in the hydrogen sector, and contribute to working groups that align with their expertise and interest.
Learn more about the collaborative
As a member of the collaborative, you will have the opportunity to engage with a wide variety of hydrogen stakeholders and learn about advancements in the field during bimonthly meetings. Together, we will work to find solutions for emerging issues in the hydrogen space and develop resources that facilitate the expansion of the hydrogen market.
-
- Join a network of people interested and working in the hydrogen space
- Get involved in a work group
- Listen to presentations from around the world on hydrogen work
- Collaborate on policy decisions around hydrogen
HEC work groups
Work groups provide the opportunity to deepen your involvement in HEC, identify policy and technology gaps and needs, and establish ways to meet them. We facilitate the following work groups:
- Policy and education work group: Focused on tracking and analyzing policy developments, market trends, and finance opportunities that contribute to the growth of the hydrogen economy.
- Infrastructure work group: Dedicated to exploring advancements in hydrogen storage, transportation, and end-use applications to enhance deployment readiness and efficiency. This work group was put on hold in mid-2024 due to a delay in the release of the final 45V rules, which was creating market uncertainty and leading to delays in final investment decisions.
- Green ammonia work group: Launched in 2025, this group explores the intersection between hydrogen and ammonia as a low-carbon fertilizer, clean fuel, and industrial feedstock. The group identifies gaps in developing a Midwestern distributed green ammonia economy and creating resources to help fill those gaps.
Past meetings
Presentations from the HEC meeting on Thursday, March 13, 2025
Midwest Industrial Transformation Initiative (MITI)
Rolf Weberg, Executive Director, University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI)
Dr. Rolf Weberg discussed Minnesota’s potential to lead industrial decarbonization through green hydrogen and low-carbon steel production, leveraging the state’s natural resources and energy infrastructure. He highlighted Minnesota’s resources, workforce, and collaboration across sectors as key drivers for innovation and economic growth.
Download presentationPresentations from the HEC meeting on Thursday, January 9, 2025
Hydrogen Policy’s Narrow Path
Dan Esposito, Manager, Fuels & Chemicals Program, Energy Innovation
Dan Esposito provided an in-depth analysis of hydrogen’s role in decarbonization, emphasizing the importance of directing hydrogen use toward high-value applications. He discussed key policy recommendations, the latest 45V tax credit rules, and the risks of over-subsidizing low-value hydrogen applications.
Download presentationM-RETS
Hannah Maertz (Business Analyst) & Rob Davis (Chief Growth Officer), M-RETS
Presentation on M-RETS, an organization that provides a platform for tracking Environmental Attribute Certificates (EACs), including Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Renewable Thermal Certificates (RTCs). Hannah and Rob highlighted the role of hourly REC tracking in meeting 45V tax credit guidelines and how EAC registries support green hydrogen development.
Download presentation
HEC member spotlight
In February 2025, our member spotlight shines on Brian LaPlante, co-founder of 4H2 Incorporated, a research-driven company focused on advancing hydrogen and ethanol-based clean energy solutions, emphasizing fuel cell development and carbon conversion technologies. Growing up on a family farm in Minnesota, Brian developed an early interest in sustainable land use, which evolved into a passion for clean energy. His research on fermentation processes for cereal grain digestibility led him to explore biofuels, sparking a commitment to hydrogen-bearing molecules as a bridge between agriculture and energy. At 4H2 Incorporated, Brian’s work focuses on ethanol as a hydrogen carrier for clean energy applications. His organization collaborates with researchers at the University of Central Florida and the University of Minnesota Duluth to drive innovations in direct ethanol fuel cells and CO2 conversion technologies.
Brian sees ethanol as a practical and scalable solution that leverages existing infrastructure while addressing the challenges of hydrogen distribution and storage. By focusing on hydrogen-bearing molecules like ethanol, Brian and his team aim to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen in transportation and power generation without the logistical hurdles of pure hydrogen deployment.
Beyond technical innovation, Brian is committed to ensuring that clean energy benefits historically underserved communities. His work intersects with environmental justice by supporting initiatives with First Nation communities in northern Minnesota, helping them develop self-sustaining energy solutions using local agricultural resources. Looking ahead, Brian envisions a more pragmatic and hybridized approach to the hydrogen economy—one that integrates biofuels with existing renewable energy infrastructure to create reliable, on-demand clean power.