Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to allocate funds to assess Minnesota's potential to utilize geologic hydrogen. This investigation could determine if hydrogen can become a viable energy resource for the state and help in planning for future energy needs.

Main Provisions

• Funding Allocation: The bill appropriates $650,000 from the renewable development account to the University of Minnesota's Natural Resources Research Institute.
• Research Goals: The funds are dedicated to evaluating the potential of geologic hydrogen within the state. This includes:
  1. The availability of hydrogen resources beneath the ground.
  2. The feasibility of extracting these hydrogen resources.
  3. Addressing any groundwater management challenges that may arise.
  4. Identifying cost-effective methods for storing and transporting hydrogen once extracted.

Reporting

• The Natural Resources Research Institute is required to submit an interim report by May 15, 2027, and a final report by May 15, 2028, to the relevant legislative committees. These reports will outline the findings of the research and any recommendations based on the evaluations.

Significant Changes

• The bill proposes the allocation of funds from an existing renewable development account to be specifically used for researching hydrogen energy, which signifies a focus shift towards exploring new renewable energy resources.

Relevant Terms

• Geologic hydrogen
• Renewable development account
• University of Minnesota Natural Resources Research Institute
• Hydrogen extraction
• Groundwater management
• Energy policy and finance reports