US Hydrogen Hubs: two more consortia secure full funding
By on December 01, 2024
HyVelocity and Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2)
The US Department of Energy (DoE) has concluded negotiations with two more Hydrogen Hub consortia, committing up to $2.2 billion in funding. The Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub (HyVelocity Hub, based in Texas) and the Midwest Hydrogen Hub (Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2), based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan) will receive up to $1.2 billion and $1 billion respectively.
The Biden-Harris Administration has followed through on its promise to kickstart a new domestic hydrogen industry that can produce fuel from almost any energy resource in virtually every part of the country and that can power heavy duty vehicles, heat homes, and fertilize crops. Today’s announcement marks a major milestone in DOE’s Hydrogen Hubs program, signaling our deep commitment to strengthening America’s energy security and boosting our economic and global competitiveness while also tackling the climate crisis.
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm in her organisation’s official press release, 20 Nov 2024
Click to expand. Challenges, demonstrations and impact of the Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub. Source: US Department of Energy.
The Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub is centered on Houston, the “traditional energy capital of the United States”, and stretches across the Texas Gulf coast. Hydrogen will be produced using both electrolysis and CCS pathways, and be used for fuel cell electric trucks, industrial processes, ammonia production, refining and petrochemical production, and marine fuel production. To help lower the cost of distribution and storage and reach more hydrogen users, the Hub partners plan to develop pipeline infrastructure connecting up the Gulf coast.
Click to expand. Challenges, demonstrations and impact of the Midwest Hydrogen Hub. Source: US Department of Energy.
The Midwest Hydrogen Hub will be located across several states in a key US industrial and transportation corridor, with hydrogen to be used in manufacturing, steel and glass production, power generation, refining, and heavy-duty transportation. A wide variety of energy sources (wind power, gas and nuclear) will power hydrogen production.
Five Hubs now secured, two still under negotiation
From the seven awarded Hubs, five have now secured final, full funding from the DoE. The Appalachian Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), the California Hydrogen Hub (ARCHES), and the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub (PNWH2) have all been finalised, with only the Heartland Hydrogen Hub and the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub remaining. Individual projects that make up ARCH2, MachH2 and HyVelocity were explored by GTI Energy at our recent annual conference in New Orleans.