Louisiana has always been the engine in America’s energy story. We refine, process, and export the fuels that keep the lights on, keep industries moving, and the world connected. Our workforce, infrastructure, and natural resources have long made Louisiana the backbone of America’s energy leadership. We now have the opportunity to continue shaping our next chapter.
Today’s energy future is not about abandoning our strength but extending it. Clean hydrogen is not a departure from our traditional oil and gas economy but a natural evolution of it. It protects the long-term viability of our hydrocarbon sectors, while unlocking billions in new investments, bringing high-wage jobs for the next generation of Louisiana workers, and keeping Louisiana competitive in a world seeking cleaner energy.
As Chairman of the Louisiana Clean Hydrogen Task Force, I have spent the past year working with industry leaders, academic experts, economic development, and state and local stakeholders to examine what the clean hydrogen economy could mean for our state and how we become the leader. The conclusion is clear: Our abundance of natural gas, existing energy infrastructure, academic and workforce capabilities, and world-class geology uniquely positions Louisiana not just to participate in this energy evolution, but to lead it.
Louisiana already ranks No. 1 in the nation in ammonia production, No. 2 in refining capacity, and No. 3 in dedicated hydrogen production for refining, and we are among the top methanol producers in the country. This proves that the building blocks of the hydrogen economy already exist in our backyard.
Louisiana’s advantages are already attracting real investment. Companies are pursuing large-scale clean hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol facilities because Louisiana offers what few places can: access to affordable natural gas, deepwater ports, existing industrial infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and geology suitable for carbon sequestration. These are assets other states are now trying to build. If we act decisively, we can lock in long-term market leadership before others catch up.
This week, the Clean Hydrogen Task Force voted to adopt our final recommendations that will be provided to the governor and Legislature. Among them are strategies to continue state leadership through coordinated agency engagement and federal partnerships; to establish economic development through the creation of a state level action plan and workforce training investment; and to strengthen regulatory readiness by streamlined permitting and expanded agency capacity to evaluate emerging projects.
A clear learning of the Task Force is that the production of clean hydrogen depends on our ability to capture and permanently, safely store the carbon dioxide produced when hydrogen is derived from our abundant supply of natural gas. Pairing hydrogen development with CCS ensures that this growth is built upon, rather than replaces, our hydrocarbon foundation.
We must also prioritize safety and public confidence. Communities should know how technologies like carbon capture and sequestration work, how it is monitored, and how it keeps our land and water safe. Recent polling shows that most Louisiana citizens recognize that CCS helps our state compete globally and retain jobs, but this support must be strengthened through trust and transparency.
The future and success of our hydrogen economy – anchored by natural gas and underpinned by permanent underground carbon sequestration – represents a generational opportunity for Louisiana. It reinforces our long-standing leadership in energy, creates additional skilled jobs, and safeguards our environment as we supply more energy to our nation and the world.
The world is looking to the Gulf Coast for the next generation of energy. If Louisiana embraces this opportunity, we do not just maintain our industrial strength and global relevance but increase it.
The question is not whether Louisiana can lead in clean hydrogen but whether we choose to lead.
