Seven Northeast States Submit Bid for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub

April 11, 2023

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
April 11, 2023

A group of seven Northeast states has submitted a bid to compete for a $1.25 billion share of the $8 billion in federal funding for the Department of Energy’s clean hydrogen hub funding made available as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Specifically, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont submitted their joint proposal for a Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub.

Together with the federal portion, the northeastern states’ proposal represents a $3.62 billion investment and includes over 12 projects across the seven states. The projects are designed to advance clean electrolytic hydrogen production, consumption, and infrastructure projects for hard to decarbonize sectors, including transportation and heavy industry.

The multi-state group said its strategy is to create an ecosystem that connects hydrogen producers and users and associated safety experts, equipment manufacturers, researchers, and labor representatives that will work together to prioritize electrolytic production of hydrogen without creating greenhouse gas emissions by using clean electricity and water.

Clean hydrogen projects developed by the group would include hydrogen production for use in transportation, high-temp industrial thermal applications, and heating for utilities. The projects would also be designed to form strategic connections with other clean hydrogen hubs.

A group that includes the Tennessee Valley Authority is pursuing federal funding for a Southeast Hydrogen Hub. Four western states, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, have signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of a regional clean hydrogen hub. And Salt River Project, along with several partners in Arizona, is working on a Southwest clean hydrogen initiative.

If selected by the Department of Energy, awardees would develop projects in four phases over the course of 10 to 12 years. Each phase would have a set of milestones to complete regarding technical data and analysis, community engagement, engineering, permitting and safety, business development, procurement, and construction, before advancing to the next phase of development.

Oversight of the Northeast group’s projects would be done through coordination and collaboration between the Department of Energy, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority as the prime awardee, along with partners in other states and project partners in communities across the region.