Joint CATF-EDF principles on methane reporting for 45V

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) argue that the 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit must use accurate, granular, and verified methane emission data rather than a national average to ensure the incentive drives truly clean hydrogen production and incentivizes upstream methane reductions.

• The use of a single national average for methane emissions in the 45V-GREET model is insufficient because it obscures significant variability across geographies and operational practices, with leakage rates ranging from below 1% in the Marcellus region to above 4% in the Permian and Uinta basins.
• The current 0.9% national average in the 45V-GREET model is considered an underestimate because it excludes emissions from co-producing wells, relies on EPA Greenhouse Gas Inventory data that contradicts measurement data, and ignores higher distribution segment emissions.
• To prevent rewarding underperformance, the authors argue that producer-specific leak rates must be 'all-or-nothing,' meaning producers cannot choose between their own figures and the national average based on which is more favorable.
• The authors recommend establishing a robust measurement, reporting, and verification mechanism overseen by a central government body, suggesting that improvements to Subpart W of the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program could serve this purpose.

APA

Hunt, K. (2024). Joint CATF-EDF principles on methane reporting for 45V. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2024/07/joint-catf-edf-principles-methane-reporting-45v/

Chicago

Hunt, Kara. Joint CATF-EDF principles on methane reporting for 45V. Clean Air Task Force, 2024. https://www.catf.us/2024/07/joint-catf-edf-principles-methane-reporting-45v/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Hunt |first1=Kara |title=Joint CATF-EDF principles on methane reporting for 45V |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=1 July 2024 |url=https://www.catf.us/2024/07/joint-catf-edf-principles-methane-reporting-45v/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{hunt2024joint, author = {Hunt, Kara}, title = {{Joint CATF-EDF principles on methane reporting for 45V}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://www.catf.us/2024/07/joint-catf-edf-principles-methane-reporting-45v/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }