Kyle Hayes Assesses Blue and Green Hydrogen Project Pipelines

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Kyle Hayes described the current environment for hydrogen development in the S&P Capital article, “Blue hydrogen development widens lead in US as green subsidies hang in limbo.”

Hayes, who co-chairs Foley’s Hydrogen Practice, said that while he has seen more activity around electrolysis, or green hydrogen, than carbon capture, or blue hydrogen, he did not discount that on a national scale, blue hydrogen output could outpace green.

“The blue hydrogen projects are a lot bigger,” he explained, “so if you’re just measuring by volume…it’s probably the case that it looks like blue hydrogen is a lot more prevalent.”

Hayes noted how green hydrogen projects are typically being built by smaller developers seeking outside capital, with developers opting for smaller, modular facilities located closer to the end user.

“There’s a fair amount of green hydrogen development that’s in the shadows for now by virtue of where these projects are in the development cycle, but also because they tend to be smaller, private companies,” Hayes added.