ARCH2 hydrogen hub receives first $30 million from Department of Energy

Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito jointly announced on Tuesday that the initial $30 million of the total $925 million award was released from the Department of Energy to officially launch the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) in West Virginia.

They were joined in the announcement by Gov. Jim Justice and former Rep. David McKinley.

This funding was made possible by provisions included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, they said.

“Since our state’s founding in 1863, we have cemented our legacy as America’s energy powerhouse,” said Manchin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

“Today’s announcement adds to West Virginia’s ability to power this great nation well into the future,” he said. ARCH2 “will strengthen America’s energy independence, adding to our all-of-the above approach to energy production through the expansion of hydrogen energy while lowering emissions and bringing good paying jobs to our state.”

Capito, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said, “This initial funding announcement marks an important step in helping the ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub come to fruition. As part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we ensured West Virginia could continue its proud history of energy production with a clean hub to produce, transport, and use hydrogen as an energy source in our region.

Justice commented, “West Virginia is an ‘all of the above’ energy state, and harnessing the power of hydrogen allows us to create new economic opportunities and high-quality jobs for our communities. … Today is a great day for West Virginia.”

And McKinley said, “I was honored to work alongside Sens. Manchin and Capito as well as Gov. Justice to make this long overdue project a reality. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to fix not only our nation’s broken bridges, roads, and waterways, but is also rejuvenating our state’s energy industry. Thanks to the historic investments in our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, West Virginia will continue our vital role in America’s energy production.”