Gallery: CCST Hosts Experts in Sacramento to Discuss California’s Hydrogen Research and Innovation Agenda

Sacramento, California — On November 18-19, the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) hosted leading experts across sectors for an intensive two-day workshop to shape the state’s hydrogen priorities, “Aligning California’s Hydrogen Research & Innovation Agenda.” This invitation-only gathering brought together diverse perspectives to brainstorm research needs across the hydrogen value chain – from production and storage to end-use applications – with particular attention to workforce development, public health and environmental impacts, and equitable deployment.

As California develops sustainable energy solutions to address climate change that foster economic growth and ensure environmental justice, the hydrogen sector represents a critical opportunity. Hydrogen offers pathways to decarbonize multiple sectors including transportation, industry, and power generation.

The workshop was produced under the guidance of a distinguished Steering Committee and featured an opening panel discussion moderated by Vice President for Research and Innovation at the UC Office of the President and CCST Board Member Theresa Maldonado, a keynote by Dr. Eric Miller from the Department of Energy, and a closing panel moderated by CCST Deputy Director Jason John. Participants engaged in focused working sessions examining upstream, midstream, and downstream challenges. Out of the workshop, CCST and the Steering Committee will produce actionable recommendations to guide research investments, policy development, and innovation initiatives across the state.

Ahead of the workshop, the Steering Committee produced a hydrogen background document — broken up into six primary sections — to set the stage for the discussions.

1. Hydrogen Production | Upstream
2. Hydrogen Storage and Distribution | Midstream
3. Hydrogen End Uses and Offtake: Power, Transportation, Chemical Industry | Downstream
4. Labor/Workforce
5. Public Health & Environmental Impacts
6. Finance and Policy

The workshop was sponsored by the University of California, Office of the President.

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CCST Workshop Steering Committee

• Adam Weber, Senior Scientist / CTO, Berkeley Lab / ARCHES
• Edward Flores, Faculty Director, UC Merced Community and Labor Center
• Alejandra Hormaza Mejia, Assistant Professor, Cal Poly Pomona
• Iryna Zenyuk, Professor / Director, UC Irvine / National Fuel Cell Research Center
• Emily Grubert, Associate Professor, Notre Dame University
• Joshua White, Division Leader, Atmosphere, Earth, and Energy Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Keynote Address: DOE Hydrogen Program Perspectives

• Dr. Eric L. Miller, Chief Scientist, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office of the U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Workshop Panelists and Moderators

Opening Panel: Perspectives on Research Needs Across the Value Chain

• Moderator: Dr. Theresa A. Maldonado, Vice President for Research & Innovation, University of California Office of the President
• Travis Alexander, Renewable Energy Team Lead, Nor Cal Carpenters Union
• Dr. Hanna Breunig, Staff Scientist, Berkeley Lab; co-director, DOE HyMARC consortium on hydrogen storage; Systems Analysis team lead, ARCHES California Hydrogen hub
• Ingrid Brostrom, Climate, Sustainability and Jobs Program Director, UC Merced Community and Labor Center
• Alex Kizer, Executive Vice President of Research and Analysis, Energy Futures Initiative Foundation
• Kevin Uy, Manager, Energy Supply Branch, California Energy Commission’s Energy Research and Development Division
• Dr. Adam Weber, Senior Scientist and Leader of Energy-Conversion, Berkeley Lab; co-Director, Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck Consortium; Director, Energy Earthshot Research Center for Ionomer-based Water Electrolysis; Chief Technology Officer, ARCHES

Reflections Panel: Insights Gathered and Emerging Themes

• Moderator: Dr. Jason John, Deputy Director, CCST
• Brandon Dawson, Director of State Initiatives, Just Solutions
• Dr. Eric Walters, Principal Consultant, California State Senate Environmental Quality Committee
• Dr. Naomi Boness, Co-Managing Director, Stanford Hydrogen Initiative; Managing Director, Natural Gas Initiative at Stanford University
• Dr. Edward Flores, Faculty Director of the UC Merced Community and Labor Center

CCST Staff Contact

• Rhianna Hohbein, Senior Science Officer

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