US Pink Hydrogen Market Size, Share, Trends and Forecast by Process, End Use, and Region, 2026-2034

US Pink Hydrogen Market Overview:

The US pink hydrogen market size reached USD 9,342.42 Million in 2025. The market is projected to reach USD 78,967.30 Million by 2034, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 26.76% during 2026-2034. The market is driven by the development of small modular reactor technology, which enables scalable and flexible nuclear-hydrogen integration, the refining industry's strategic shift toward decarbonizing hydrogen-intensive operations, and federal policy frameworks that offer investment certainty through the Inflation Reduction Act's 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit and USD 7 Billion in funding for regional hydrogen hubs. Deployment of demonstration projects at existing nuclear facilities and growing collaboration between nuclear operators and hydrogen producers are also expanding the US pink hydrogen market share.

US Pink Hydrogen Market Trends:

Federal Policy Framework and Infrastructure Investment Accelerating Market Development

The US pink hydrogen market is experiencing significant momentum driven by comprehensive federal policy support and substantial infrastructure investments that are creating an enabling environment for nuclear-powered hydrogen production. Producers are strongly encouraged to create pink hydrogen projects by the Inflation Reduction Act's Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit, which offers up to USD 3 per kilogram for qualified clean hydrogen. With the greatest credit tier available for hydrogen produced with emissions less than 0.45 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of hydrogen, this tax credit structure creates tiers of incentives depending on lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the US Department of Energy has set aside USD 7 billion to create seven regional hydrogen centers around the nation, with six of these hubs making nuclear-powered hydrogen generation a central aspect of their development plans. These hydrogen hubs are designed to create integrated ecosystems spanning production, storage, distribution, and end-use applications, providing the critical infrastructure necessary to scale pink hydrogen deployment. The final regulations for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit were published by the US Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service in January 2025. The guidance includes nuclear power plant exemptions from incrementality requirements for facilities at risk of retirement and extends the hourly matching requirement implementation date to 2030, providing investment certainty for pink hydrogen projects. This regulatory clarity is essential for mobilizing private sector capital and advancing commercial-scale nuclear-hydrogen integration projects across the United States.

Small Modular Reactor Technology Integration Enabling Scalable Production Systems

The US pink hydrogen market growth is propelled by rapid advancements in small modular reactor technology that offers flexible, distributed nuclear generation ideally suited for integrating electrolysis systems. Unlike traditional large-scale nuclear plants, small modular reactors provide modular designs with capacities typically ranging from 50 to 300 megawatts electric per module, enabling scalable deployment that can be matched to hydrogen production requirements and industrial demand profiles. These reactors include passive safety systems that greatly improve safety profiles while lowering operational complexity by using natural convection for cooling without the need for human action or external power. The modular nature of SMR technology allows for factory fabrication of reactor components followed by on-site assembly, potentially reducing construction timelines from the decade-long schedules typical of conventional nuclear plants to approximately five to seven years. Leading SMR developers are actively pursuing integrated energy system concepts that couple nuclear reactors with high-efficiency electrolysis units, hydrogen storage infrastructure, and power dispatch capabilities to optimize energy utilization and economic returns. In June 2025, NuScale Power Corporation received Standard Design Approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for its uprated 77 MWe NuScale Power Module design. This regulatory milestone strengthens the pathway for commercial deployment of small modular reactors capable of supporting integrated energy systems for hydrogen production, desalination, and industrial process heat applications. The advancement of high-temperature electrolysis technologies that can leverage both electrical power and process heat from advanced nuclear reactors further enhances the efficiency and economic viability of pink hydrogen production, with these integrated systems achieving overall efficiencies that can exceed standalone electrolysis approaches by utilizing waste heat for pre-heating feedwater.

Industrial Decarbonization Driving Refinery Sector Adoption

The refining sector represents the largest and fastest-growing end-use segment for pink hydrogen in the United States, driven by the industry's urgent need to decarbonize hydrogen consumption in core refining processes. US refineries currently consume approximately 3-4 million metric tons of hydrogen annually for critical operations including hydrocracking, hydrotreating, and desulfurization processes that are essential for producing clean fuels meeting stringent environmental specifications. Traditionally, refineries have sourced this hydrogen through steam methane reforming of natural gas, a process that generates substantial carbon dioxide emissions and accounts for a significant portion of the refining industry's overall carbon footprint. With increasing regulatory pressure, corporate sustainability commitments, and potential carbon pricing mechanisms, refineries are actively seeking low-carbon hydrogen alternatives to meet emissions reduction targets while maintaining operational continuity. Pink hydrogen offers refineries a compelling solution by providing consistent, baseload hydrogen supply from nuclear facilities that can operate continuously regardless of weather conditions, contrasting with the intermittency challenges associated with renewable-powered green hydrogen. The stable, predictable output from nuclear-powered electrolysis aligns well with refineries' continuous hydrogen demand profiles, enabling long-term supply agreements and operational reliability. Constellation Energy announced plans in October 2023 to construct the largest nuclear-powered clean hydrogen factory in the world at its LaSalle Clean Energy Center in Illinois. The facility is expected to produce 33,450 tons of clean hydrogen annually. The US Department of Energy has awarded the project USD 1 billion as part of the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen hub initiative, which aims to decarbonize refining processes. Beyond refining, pink hydrogen is gaining traction in other hard-to-abate industrial sectors including steel manufacturing through hydrogen-based direct reduced iron processes, ammonia production for fertilizers, and long-haul transportation applications.

US Pink Hydrogen Market Segmentation:

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the country and regional levels for 2026-2034. Our report has categorized the market based on process and end use.

Process Insights:

• PEM Electrolysis
• Alkaline Electrolysis
• Solid Oxide Electrolysis

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the process. This includes PEM electrolysis, alkaline electrolysis, and solid oxide electrolysis.

End Use Insights:

• Refinery
• Ammonia
• Methanol
• Steel Production
• Transport
• Others

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the end use have also been provided in the report. This includes refinery, ammonia, methanol, steel production, transport, and others.

Regional Insights:

• Northeast
• Midwest
• South
• West

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include Northeast, Midwest, South, and West.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.

US Pink Hydrogen Market News:

• January 2025: Final guidelines for the Inflation Reduction Act's Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit were published by the US Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service. The guidelines provide investment confidence for pink hydrogen projects by extending the implementation date of the hourly matching requirement to 2030 and exempting nuclear power plants from incrementality criteria for facilities at danger of retirement. This regulatory milestone resolves long-standing industry worries about policy ambiguity by providing nuclear-powered hydrogen generators with defined pathways to qualify for tax credits of up to USD 3 per kilogram. Additionally, the final regulations improve operational flexibility for nuclear-hydrogen integration projects by introducing flexible mechanisms for hourly accounting that enable hydrogen producers to calculate electricity-related lifecycle emissions on an hourly basis while maintaining annual emissions compliance.
• June 2025: NuScale Power Corporation received US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Standard Design Approval for its uprated 77 MWe small modular reactor design, marking the company's second NRC-approved design and strengthening its position as the only SMR technology company with design approval from the US nuclear regulator. The approval enables ENTRA1 Energy Plants to provide carbon-free energy for diverse applications including commercial-scale hydrogen production, data centers, district heating, and industrial process heat. This regulatory milestone is expected to accelerate deployment timelines, with NuScale remaining on track for initial commercial operations by 2030. The uprated design increases power output per module compared to the company's previously approved 50 MWe configuration, enabling more efficient and cost-effective hydrogen production while maintaining the passive safety features and modular construction advantages that characterize NuScale's technology platform.
• January 2025: The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub received initial federal funding of USD 18.8 Million from the US Department of Energy as part of a promised USD 750 Million award announced in October 2023. The hub, spanning Delaware, southern New Jersey, and southeastern Pennsylvania, plans to develop more than 20 interconnected projects including hydrogen production centers, storage facilities, pipelines, and new solar farms to power operations. The hub plans to produce 82% green hydrogen from solar and wind power, 15% pink hydrogen from the nuclear plants in Salem and Hope Creek in southern New Jersey, and 3% orange hydrogen from biogas at a wastewater treatment facility in Philadelphia. Long-haul transportation and power generation are two hard-to-decarbonize industries that could benefit from the hydrogen produced. According to estimates, the hub may cut carbon emissions by 1 million metric tons a year, which is equal to the emissions from 220,000 gasoline-powered cars.

US Pink Hydrogen Market Report Coverage:

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

• How has the US pink hydrogen market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
• What is the breakup of the US pink hydrogen market on the basis of process?
• What is the breakup of the US pink hydrogen market on the basis of end use?
• What is the breakup of the US pink hydrogen market on the basis of region?
• What are the various stages in the value chain of the US pink hydrogen market?
• What are the key driving factors and challenges in the US pink hydrogen market?
• What is the structure of the US pink hydrogen market and who are the key players?
• What is the degree of competition in the US pink hydrogen market?

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• IMARC's industry report offers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of various market segments, historical and current market trends, market forecasts, and dynamics of the US pink hydrogen market from 2020-2034.
• The research report provides the latest information on the market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the US pink hydrogen market.
• Porter's five forces analysis assist stakeholders in assessing the impact of new entrants, competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, and the threat of substitution. It helps stakeholders to analyze the level of competition within the US pink hydrogen industry and its attractiveness.
• Competitive landscape allows stakeholders to understand their competitive environment and provides an insight into the current positions of key players in the market.