ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — One company in the hydrogen supply chain here shows how the Trump administration's funding pullbacks could upend the climate tech ecosystem. Why it matters: Pajarito Powder, nestled in a small facility in the city's north end, is confident it can survive the Trump administration's cuts. But future federal policy will help determine whether its domestic market emerges. The big picture: Pajarito manufactures a fine black powder used as a catalyst in fuel cells and the electrolyzers that split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through a process called electrolysis. Zoom in: Pajarito produces catalysts in relatively small quantities, but that requires an immense amount of materials science and investment. Between the lines: Pajarito's primary market is in Europe and Asia right now, which could help insulate it from the GOP's proposed repeal of the 45V hydrogen tax credit. The bottom line: The Trump administration may upend the incentive-driven U.S. market for climate tech. We might see manufacturers who are already here look to markets abroad.
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