West Virginia, in partnership with other Appalachian states, will be a focal point of a major, new hydrogen energy hub.
“This means West Virginia will be the new epicenter of hydrogen in the United States of America,” said Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
The Biden administration is announcing $7 billion in grants spread among seven such hydrogen hubs at locations across the nation. The hubs are envisioned as broad clusters of public and private entities located in a particular geographic area that produce hydrogen in close proximity through connective infrastructure like pipelines.
The Appalachian hub, named ARCH2, is anticipated to bring more than 21,000 direct jobs — 18,000 because of construction and 3,000 workers for the hub.
“Today is a major win for the ARCH2 team and for future economic development and energy production in West Virginia,” Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., stated this morning.
During a background session for reporters, senior Biden administration officials described production nodes in Belle in Kanawha County, Follansbee in Brooke County, Washington in Wood County, Point Pleasant in Mason County and Fairmont in Marion County.
“One thing that’s very important to understand about the hubs is they are not single production facilities inside a ring. They are an aggregation of linked regional assets covering in some cases hundreds of miles,” a senior administration official said during the background session.
“The way to think about it is, these are geographic regions of the country that will move toward the hydrogen economy first. And then our hope over time is that a second step and a third step all get linked into a national hydrogen economy.”
The one in Appalachia, which will extend into several West Virginia communities, is meant to take advantage of the region’s enormous supplies of natural gas. The natural gas would be used as a feedstock in hydrogen production. The project would rely on carbon capture and sequestration to make hydrogen that qualifies as clean.
The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub stands to be supported by up to $925 million and has been supported by West Virginia senators Manchin, who is chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, and Capito, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, along with Gov. Jim Justice. The project also involves Appalachian counties in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
“Since we included language and funding for a hydrogen hub competition in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and at every stage since, I consistently supported efforts to help make this project a reality. I’m thrilled for the ARCH2 team, and am so proud West Virginia will continue its tradition as an innovative, energy-producing state through a regional hydrogen hub,” Capito stated.
Besides the state governments, partners include EQT Corporation, Battelle and GTI Energy plus Allegheny Science & Technology. Since its inception the project has grown to include additional partners as well. The project, known as ARCH2, was encouraged to submit a full application for the second round of consideration last December, a positive sign.
There were 23 finalists for the hydrogen fuel program, a key component of the president’s clean energy plan.
“We won the hub because of the hard work of countless individuals and organizations, and I could not be prouder to be making this announcement today,” Manchin said in comments on video.
The hub will be connected by hydrogen pipelines, multiple hydrogen fueling stations and permanent carbon dioxide storage. Federal officials called it a strategic location.
“I think of it as, actually, the Ohio River valley hub,” a senior administration official said. “It’s one of the bigger hubs in terms of production and it takes advantage of the bountiful natural gas that’s in the region. Obviously that region is part of the industrial heartland of the United States so it will provide hydrogen to industry. It’s also a transportation crossroads for the U.S., so it has that element.”
President Joe Biden was traveling to Philadelphia today to announce the seven regional clean hydrogen hubs. The funding was an aspect of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed Congress in 2021. Manchin and Capito voted for the bill that year, as did then-Congressman David McKinley. Representatives Alex Mooney and Carol Miller of West Virginia voted against it.
The Biden administration anticipates the hubs will be key aspects of a clean energy economy with new jobs and economic opportunities. The private investment in the hubs is $40 billion, and the full investment is $50 billion.
The other hubs include: Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub, which represents the location Biden was visiting in Philadelphia; California Hydrogen Hub; Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub in Texas; Heartland Hydrogen Hub in the Upper Midwest; Midwest Hydrogen Hub; and Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub.
The H2Hubs, as they are sometimes called, are expected to collectively produce three million metric tons of hydrogen annually.
“Unlocking the full potential of hydrogen — a versatile fuel that can be made from almost any energy resource in virtually every part of the country — is crucial to achieving President Biden’s goal of American industry powered by American clean energy, ensuring less volatility and more affordable clean energy options for American families and businesses,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, who was joining Biden in Philadelphia.
“With this historic investment, the Biden-Harris Administration is laying the foundation for a new, American-led industry that will propel the global clean energy transition while creating high quality jobs and delivering healthier communities in every pocket of the nation.”