Biden admin unveils $7 billion plan for regional hydrogen "hubs"
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The Energy Department this morning unveiled plans to provide $7 billion to spur regional "hubs" for producing climate-friendly hydrogen.
Why it matters: It's the largest U.S. effort yet to spur production using renewables, nuclear energy, or carbon capture. But there's a long and uncertain road to the projects becoming reality.
- Hydrogen could help decarbonize industries like heavy trucking, steel and power.
The big picture: Officials hope the initiative under the bipartisan infrastructure law will eventually spur over $40 billion in private investment.
- The hubs — involving corporate giants, public agencies and others — are designed to "kickstart" a national network of producers, consumers, and "connective infrastructure."
State of play: DOE estimates the projects will together create tens of thousands of jobs and produce 3 million metric tons of hydrogen annually.
- Use of this hydrogen could cut CO2 each year by "roughly equivalent to combined annual emissions of 5.5 million gasoline-powered cars," DOE said.
🗞️ Driving the news: Seven regional consortia selected for award negotiations include...
- The Appalachian Hydrogen Hub that ties together efforts in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. It aims to use the region's ample gas supplies to produce hydrogen while capturing process emissions.
- The Midwest Hydrogen Hub, which aims to use renewable, natural gas, and nuclear, DOE said.
- The California Hydrogen Hub, which envisions production using renewable inputs, with a focus on decarbonizing heavy trucking and port operations.
Yes, but: A lot needs to break right. It's a phased process, starting with design, then permitting and lining up financing, and finally building projects, officials said.
- And the Treasury Department is still writing heavily lobbied rules of the road for Inflation Reduction Act tax subsidies.
- Their structure will help determine how quickly — or not — the industry scales.
Go deeper: Project descriptions ... AP coverage
