West Virginia is part of a national project, a $7 billion announcement to develop a series of hydrogen energy production centers to be developed in seven regions. Now, says Senator Joe Manchin, there’s more to look out for.
Joe Manchin
“I’ll tell you in advance that there will be a large meeting on Monday afternoon that will explain from A to Z what we are doing and what to expect,” Manchin, DW.Va., said on MetroNews “Talkline.” .”
He added: “You will be able to hear from the people who invest their money and bet on this site as a complement to what they do.”
West Virginia will benefit from up to $925 million in federal grants for connected hydrogen energy projects in the Appalachian region. President Joe Biden made an announcement Friday about seven such projects in different regions. The money is part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress in 2021.
The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub involves not only West Virginia, but also communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The Hub is not just a central facility, but represents a network of connected and collaborative facilities designed to strengthen the nationwide production of hydrogen as a fuel.
The Appalachian Hub will be connected by hydrogen pipelines, multiple hydrogen fueling stations and permanent carbon dioxide storage. Federal officials called Appalachian a strategic location because it is rich in natural gas, which will serve as feedstock for hydrogen production.
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.
Aspects of development are likely to include:
- new facilities for the production and assembly of devices for producing hydrogen from electricity and water.
- new plants to produce hydrogen and ammonia using methane from disused mines.
- Projects to build new or retrofit existing facilities to use hydrogen as a fuel for industrial manufacturing, chemical plants, data centers, power generation and more.
- Hydrogen distribution to supply trucks, buses and other vehicles with fuel cell drives.
- Pipeline infrastructure for transporting hydrogen and natural gas-hydrogen mixtures.
- underground facilities for storing carbon dioxide produced during the production of blue hydrogen.
The overarching project, called ARCH2, is expected to create more than 21,000 direct jobs – 18,000 through construction and 3,000 workers for the hub.
“Now we need to be able to get supplies — pipelines — but it will only create about 20,000 jobs and most of those will be in West Virginia. Some parts are in Ohio and some in western Pennsylvania, but the core is in West Virginia and the headquarters will probably be in the north central area, in the Morgantown area,” Manchin said.
In addition to state governments, partners include EQT Corporation, Battelle and GTI Energy, and Allegheny Science & Technology. Since its founding, the project has grown to include additional partners.
The Biden administration has said it expects more than $40 billion in private funding in addition to federal funding.
Manchin said private investment was a key to the concept’s success. The federal dollars would require matching private funding, he said.
“People have to invest money. It’s not just because the federal government is carrying the ball,” Manchin said. “No, everyone has to get involved in the game. You can hear from them on Monday.”
Shelley Moore Capito
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also said the hydrogen hub project has significant potential.
“You can use the hydrogen to power cars, to create manufacturing facilities, to run fuel cells, to power data centers because we know these are big energy guzzlers and I think that’s what the hydrogen hub will do across the country – especially in this country.” “In the Appalachian Mountains we’ve achieved, we’re going to use natural gas so we can use our own energy sources,” Capito said on “Talkline.”
“These nodes are about hydrogen production and storage facilities. For example, if you wanted to use hydrogen to make batteries and you were pushing hydrogen exploration there in, say, Belle, you would naturally think that there would be a battery manufacturer right next door. So these will be production centers.”
Capito said the project’s 40 partners will be key to the project’s success.
“So it’s not just the state authorities that will get the whole thing started. This goes to the private sector where they will use these hydrogen hubs not only for further exploration, but also for the development of new battery systems, new battery storage and ways to supply hydrogen to this country.”
Steve Roberts
The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce praised West Virginia’s involvement at the center of the hydrogen hub activity.
“Our state is an energy leader and can help meet the world’s growing need for affordable energy in the 21st century,” said Steve Roberts, president of the West Virginia Chamber.
Jim Justice
Gov. Jim Justice, who along with Capito and Manchin supported West Virginia’s bid for the hub, also expressed enthusiasm.
“It’s just another big step forward in West Virginia, my goodness, my livelihood,” Justice said at a news conference. The governor also acknowledged the public-private partnership, saying, “The state has coordinated many different systems that are both public and private.”
The Biden administration expects the hubs to be key aspects of a clean energy economy with new jobs and economic opportunities.
The other hubs include: Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub, which represents the site Biden visited in Philadelphia; California Hydrogen Hub; Texas Gulf Coast Hydrogen Center; Heartland Hydrogen Hub in the Upper Midwest; Midwest Hydrogen Center; and Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub.
The H2Hubs, as they are sometimes called, are expected to produce a total of three million tons of hydrogen annually.
“As a clean fuel, hydrogen complements the role of other clean energy sources like wind and solar to help the U.S. reduce emissions in energy-intensive sectors of the economy: steel and cement production, heavy-duty transportation and shipping. “the White House said in a statement.