March 24, 2026

By Tobias Hanson

Progress in Washington rarely comes from a single meeting, a single bill, or a single election cycle. The hydrogen and fuel cell industry is no different. Success depends on sustained engagement, year after year, across Congress, the administration, and the broader policy ecosystem. In 2026, the Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) is doubling down on that long-term approach, building on recent wins while strengthening the foundation already built for durable bipartisan federal support that will prime the industry for future prosperity into the next decade.

Preserving the Foundation

Hydrogen has long held an important role in our nation’s energy history. In 2005, at his State of the Union address, then President George W. Bush marveled at the idea that the “first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen.” Following that address, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was passed with bipartisan support and importantly, created the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) that solidified a focused R&D program for the hydrogen and fuel cell sector. Within the Department of Energy (DOE), the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) have worked hand in hand with industry on key research, technology validation, and public-private partnerships to steadily support commercial development. But passing legislation was only the beginning. Ensuring those policies remain intact, workable, and fully implemented requires constant vigilance and sustained advocacy.

In 2025, FCHEA aggressively defended hydrogen provisions at risk of losing funding. Over the past year, FCHEA has held more than 300 meetings with members of Congress, committee and congressional staffers, particularly Republican offices, and has continued engagement with the Administration. These conversations are essential to educating decision-makers on hydrogen’s role in national security, manufacturing competitiveness, energy dominance, and emissions reduction.

At the same time, FCHEA built relationships with new leadership at the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Commerce. As implementation decisions shifted from Capitol Hill to federal agencies, maintaining strong relationships and creating new ones was essential to ensure an industry voice was heard throughout the process.

FCHEA’s most significant achievement in 2025 was its strategic and successful effort to protect the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit from elimination. Early on, FCHEA understood that ensuring the credit’s long-term viability required broad support from the entire value chain and wider business community. To that end, FCHEA formed and led a multi-faceted coalition to defend the hydrogen credit, organizing bipartisan sign-on letters that unified hundreds of companies and organizations. In May 2025, coalition members took part in Capitol Hill meetings as part of the Washington, DC Fly-In, directly engaging policymakers on the importance of the credit. A targeted communications campaign further amplified these efforts, emphasizing hydrogen’s value and importance to critical stakeholders.

After a coordinated and strategic effort, the 45V credit was maintained through January 1, 2028. FCHEA views this not as an endpoint, but as proof of concept, where companies have a real window to put steel in the ground and get projects and facilities underway. In 2026 and beyond, FCHEA will continue investing in building coalitions, rapid-response advocacy, and coordinated messaging to ensure hydrogen incentives remain durable and defensible over time. This includes continuing to provide DOE with industry feedback on the 45VH2-GREET tool to ensure it is usable, representative, and adaptable across a wider range of hydrogen production configurations.  This concerted outreach led to a new version in December 2025 that included much of what FCHEA and our members advocated for.

Preparing for What’s Next

Beyond current budget authorizations, FCHEA is already working to shape future legislative vehicles for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. This includes various regulatory actions that we are working on and responding to at the EPA, Treasury, IRS, and other agencies, engagement on the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization expiring in 2026, continued efforts to reintroduce hydrogen infrastructure legislation, and more. FCHEA is focused on identifying new opportunities and pathways to advance member priorities through avenues like permitting reform.

FCHEA is actively engaged in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization, which is set to expire at the end of the year. Members of FCHEA’s Government Affairs Committee identified numerous key priorities for that legislation, including:

• Preserving states’ authority to grant alternative-fueled vehicles access to HOV lanes, an important issue for fuel cell vehicles.
• Reforming the Highway Trust Fund by eliminating all current taxes on fuel and trucks and replacing them with an annual fee charged on each vehicle based on weight.
• Extending the 80,000-pound interstate weight limit by up to 2,000 pounds for hydrogen powered tractor trailers. Hydrogen-powered trucks must be ensured a level playing field without picking winners among clean transportation technologies.
• Full funding for the Department of Transportation’s No/Low Emission Public Transportation Program and its Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program.
• Supporting the Bipartisan Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative.

Appropriations funding is another perennial priority for FCHEA as the only trade association focused on securing adequate funding levels for the DOE’s hydrogen programs and the essential research and development.  This year, FCHEA submitted appropriations requests to over 100 offices on Capitol Hill and after another concerted effort, we were excited to see that the FY2026 DOE Budget reinstated initial proposed cuts and collectively included more than $250 million for critical hydrogen and fuel cell research, development, and deployment.

FCHEA is also focused on expanding and strengthening the bipartisan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus. By hosting briefings and educational events, FCHEA is working to ensure Members and staff have a clear understanding of activity and investment in their districts and states, and the benefits of hydrogen technologies, applications, and policy needs. Growing this caucus is a long-term investment in informed, durable Congressional support.

The Case for Persistence

Success in Washington is rarely immediate. Through consistent education and long-term efforts, FCHEA is ensuring that hydrogen is firmly embedded in the nation’s energy, infrastructure, and industrial future. In 2026, we look forward to continuing to work with our members as well as a diverse coalition of industry stakeholders to speak with one voice and a clear message that to ensure hydrogen remains a bipartisan, durable pillar of America’s energy and economic competitiveness agenda.