From Gridlock To Green Light: Three Focus Areas For Energy Executives

Forbes

16 hours ago

Whitaker Irvin, Jr. is CEO of Q Hydrogen, which is developing a new technology for turning water into clean, efficient, renewable hydrogen.
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The next decade will determine whether hydrogen becomes a niche fuel or the backbone of a truly resilient clean energy economy. For the latter to happen, policy, infrastructure and business models must evolve in lockstep. Three forces make 2025, in particular, a pivotal year for the energy sector: creative solutions to address data center demand, policy fluctuations and strategic partnerships.
Executives hold the key to unlocking new energy innovations—here's what you need to know:
The International Energy Agency estimates that AI‑driven data centers could place an energy load on the grid comparable to a major industrialized nation (e.g., Japan) every year by 2035. AI clusters are outpacing available interconnection queues, prompting colocation providers, hyperscalers and data center developers to look for other options to support their power needs. Siting data centers near existing power plants, however, often ignites concerns from the surrounding community over the impact of these large loads on consumer rates and grid reliability.
An alternative strategy pairs large loads with on-site 'behind‑the‑meter' generation that integrates renewables and storage, such as hydrogen turbines and fuel cells. For example, where I live in Utah, a blended‑fuel turbine could start at 30% hydrogen in 2025 and ramp to 100% by 2045. Operators that co‑locate electrolyzers can soak up excess wind or solar and sell back zero‑carbon power during peak hours, turning an operating expense headache into a potential revenue stream and helping to alleviate grid reliability concerns.
Subsidy fatigue may dominate headlines, yet last year the United States committed up to $7 billion for regional hydrogen hubs, complete with long‑term offtake contracts. Europe's Hydrogen Bank is doing the same across the Atlantic. The common thread is incentives that taper over time, helping projects get off the ground but then requiring that they stand on their own. I believe leaders who treat today's credits as accelerants, not life support, can build businesses that survive different political cycles.
To date, no single company has mastered production, transport, storage and demand. That's why industrial gas giant Air Liquide and TotalEnergies just pledged more than €1 billion for twin electrolyzers in the Netherlands, tied directly to offshore wind. In the coming years, I expect we'll see similar joint ventures that blend capital and operational expertise to better guarantee offtake.
For organizations that operate large, energy‑intensive facilities—whether data centers or heavy‑manufacturing lines—a key first step is securing optionality at the meter. Options such as on‑site hydrogen production paired with fuel cells or blended‑fuel turbines can support your organization's power needs while addressing community concerns about grid reliability. In my experience, even a modest 10‑megawatt demonstration can hedge against looming grid congestion, help stabilize long‑term electricity costs and give the team hard data on performance before demand spikes force last‑minute decisions.
Second, insist on subsidy‑agnostic economics. I recommend running every prospective project through a 'zero‑incentive' case alongside the fully credited model and green-lighting only those that clear both bars. Stress‑testing investments in this way helps instill disciplined capital allocation, reveals hidden cost drivers and positions the business to thrive even if political winds shift or tax credits taper sooner than expected.
Finally, partner for portfolios, not one‑off projects. Look for alliances that span the full value chain from renewable feedstock and electrolyzer capacity to distribution infrastructure and offtake agreements. Vertical integration can allow you to spread risk, accelerate permitting and capture margin that would otherwise leak to intermediaries. Companies willing to share upside in exchange for speed and scale will be better positioned to claim the first‑mover advantage in hydrogen's decisive decade.
In closing, hydrogen is no longer a moonshot proposition. It is a viable, market-driven solution, propelled by data‑center demand, targeted policy and cross‑sector coalitions. Those who move first to secure flexible power, build subsidy‑resilient economies and forge strategic alliances will not merely ride the renewable wave, they will shape it.
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