There have been rumors about the possibility of building a green hydrogen generating facility near the Questa Business Park. There is some truth to these rumors and they might become a reality.

For the uninitiated, green hydrogen is hydrogen generated by renewable energy or from low-carbon power and has significantly lower carbon emissions than non-renewable fuel scources and can potentially help limit the effects of climate change. Hydrogen can be used for fuel cells or internal combustion engines. Trucks are being designed to run on green hydrogen; in 2020, major European companies announced plans to switch their truck fleets to hydrogen power.

Earlier this year Questa was one of 24 communities in the U.S. that received a technical assistance grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The funds are being used to explore the possibility of developing clean energy projects.

The main ingredients of any future green hydrogen project will be land, water and fossil-free power. A feasibility study is underway to determine if Questa is a suitable location to build a green hydrogen production facility. In partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Sandia National Labs, Los Alamos National Labs, Chevron and Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, the Village of Questa and the Questa Economic Development Fund are looking at the former Questa Mine tailings site next to the village as a possible site for a future hydrogen facility.

Christian Isely, Chevron Public Affairs Advisor says, “While I cannot speak directly to potential commercial activity related to renewable energy at this time, I do want to reiterate that Chevron will continue to make surplus land and water rights associated with the former Questa Mine available for the economic development of the Village of Questa and surrounding communities.”

Stay tuned, folks, this could be an exciting development, not just for our humble village, but for our beautiful planet, too!

_{See a related article in The Taos News By Geoffrey Plant Sep 14, 2022}