The first batch of funding in support of an announced hydrogen hub in the Appalachian region has been made available, according to state and federal officials.
The initial $30 million of $925 million announced last fall was released by the U.S. Department of Energy to officially launch the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, according to information provided Wednesday evening through the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va.
“Since our state’s founding in 1863, we have cemented our legacy as America’s energy powerhouse,” Manchin said. “I was proud to help bring ARCH2 to the Mountain State, which 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.”
Joining Manchin in the announcement were U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., as well as Gov. Jim Justice and former U.S. Rep. David McKinley.
The ARCH2 project was one of seven regional hydrogen hubs announced Oct. 13 by President Joe Biden and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Under plans released at the time, the “hub” would consist of several connected production nodes. Among the announced nodes were Follansbee, Belle, North Point Pleasant, Washington and Fairmont in West Virginia; Ashtabula, Canton and Hopedale in Ohio; and Labelle and West Keating Township in Pennsylvania.
Funding for the project was included in provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in November 2021.
“This initial funding announcement marks an important step in helping the ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub come to fruition,” Capito said. “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.”
Manchin and Capito voted in favor of the Infrastructure bill in the Senate, while McKinley, R-W.Va., supported it while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. Current House members Alex Mooney and Carol Miller, both R-W.Va., voted against the legislation.
“I was honored to work alongside Senators Manchin and Capito, as well as Governor Justice, to make this long overdue project a reality,” McKinley said.