Why Does California Subsidize Hydrogen Cars?

Photo by Darren Halstead on Unsplash

How is it that fuel cell vehicles using hydrogen as a fuel are touted as climate-friendly vehicles? California even subsidizes the purchase of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. However, the source of the hydrogen would most likely be coming as a byproduct of fracking in pursuit of natural gas. This seems to be a direct subsidy of the extractive industry. How can this technology be touted as climate friendly? Why is…