Exclusive: Georgia coalition wants to compete for hydrogen hub

A coalition of Georgia elected officials and companies plans to compete for a massive federal "hydrogen hub" to boost clean energy production in the state and Southeast.

Driving the news: The coalition organized by Sen. Jon Ossoff, which also includes Mayor Andre Dickens and executives from Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power and UPS, plans to craft a proposal to U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, according to a letter obtained by Axios Atlanta.

The big picture: The Biden administration has set a goal for a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

• To that end, the DOE on Monday released additional details about an $8 billion initiative — included in the infrastructure bill signed into law last year — to build at least six regional centers across the country that would speed the development of hydrogen.

Why it matters: If produced in certain ways, hydrogen can be a cleaner, more sustainable fuel that can help de-carbonize the economy, officials say.

Zoom out: These "hubs," an Ossoff aide tells Axios, are envisioned as networks or clusters of production and research facilities where investment will flow and smart minds will gather — not one large single building or complex.

What’s next: Granholm's announcement Monday was a heads up to states that funding details are coming soon.

• California and other states are also interested in competing, per Natural Gas Intelligence.