Nevada § 2 - Duties of Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure; authority of Committee to enter into contract with University for certain data and analysis; report

§ 2. Duties of Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure; authority of Committee to enter into contract with University for certain data and analysis; report

1. During the 2023-2024 interim, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and

Infrastructure shall conduct a study concerning the production and storage of hydrogen,

the use of stored hydrogen as a potential energy resource in this State and the development

of hydrogen technologies. 2. In conducting the study, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure

shall consult with and solicit input from: (a) The Nevada System of Higher Education; (b) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory; (c) Existing energy industries in this State; (d) Developers of clean energy; (e) Nongovernmental organizations that focus on energy conservation; (f) Utilities that provide gas and electric services; and (g) Professionals with expertise regarding the use of hydrogen and stored hydrogen

and the development of hydrogen technologies. 3. The study must include, without limitation: (a) A review of the opportunities for students enrolled in an institution within the

Nevada System of Higher Education to study subjects concerning hydrogen, including,

without limitation: (1) The process for the production and storage of hydrogen and any methods and technology

used in such a process; and (2) Hydrogen technologies; and (b) An assessment of the feasibility of using hydrogen as an energy resource in this

State, including, without limitation, consideration of: (1) The potential for hydrogen and stored hydrogen to enable the operation of zero-emission

light- and medium-duty vehicles, trucks, buses, locomotives, off-road equipment, aircraft,

industrial equipment and watercraft; (2) The potential for using wastewater and wastewater treatment facilities for the

production of hydrogen; (3) Methods for incentivizing the use of hydrogen and stored hydrogen as energy resources

in this State; (4) Economic and regulatory barriers to the implementation of hydrogen and stored

hydrogen as energy resources, including, without limitation, whether policies incentivizing

the production and storage of hydrogen as energy resources and hydrogen technologies

are comparable to policies incentivizing the production of other energy resources

and applicable technologies in this State; (5) Opportunities for federal and nongovernmental grants that may be available for

the purposes of producing and storing hydrogen in this State; (6) The potential for using hydrogen microgrids, stored hydrogen microgrids and hydrogen

coupled with distributed energy resources to strengthen the resilience of the electric

power grid; (7) The impact of hydrogen production on water resources in this State; (8) The impact of limited water resources on the production of hydrogen in this State

and its potential as an energy resource; and (9) The long-term impact of various methods of hydrogen production on the air, water

and other natural resources of this State and the potential for hydrogen to assist

with efforts to decarbonize this State. 4. To complete the study, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and Infrastructure

may enter into a contract or other agreement with the University of Nevada, Reno,

the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Desert Research Institute to: (a) Gather data concerning the feasibility of hydrogen and stored hydrogen as energy

resources; and (b) Produce a cost-benefit analysis of hydrogen as an energy resource. 5. On or before January 1, 2025, the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Growth and

Infrastructure shall submit a report of the results of the study, including, without

limitation, any recommendations for legislation, to the Director of the Legislative

Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the 83rd Session of the Nevada Legislature. 6. For the purposes of this section, “ hydrogen technologies ” means technology used in the production, storage and distribution of hydrogen and

stored hydrogen.