Jessica Hullinger is a freelance writer and editor who likes to think deeply about climate science and sustainability. She previously served as Global Deputy Editor for The Week, and her writing has been featured in publications including Fast Company, Popular Science, and Fortune. Jessica is originally from Indiana but lives in London. Read More
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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images
The Biden administration unveiled this morning the names and locations of seven hydrogen hubs that will receive a slice of $7 billion in funding as part of a big push to turn hydrogen into a viable alternative to fossil fuels. The projects are scattered across the country in strategic geographical locations, and their energy sources and objectives – beyond the broad mission of advancing clean hydrogen – vary in fascinating ways. Taken as a whole, the announcement paints a picture of a national experiment to see what works, and what doesn’t, in the advancement of this potentially powerful green fuel.
Here’s a quick rundown of the hubs, listed by region:
Mid-Atlantic — Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey
Energy sources: renewables and nuclear
Goals: test the feasibility of repurposing oil infrastructure for hydrogen production
Appalachia — West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania
Energy sources: natural gas (with carbon capture)
Goals: develop new infrastructure and experiment with carbon capture and storage
California
Energy sources: renewables and biomass
Goals: provide a “blueprint” for hard-to-decarbonize sectors like public transport, heavy duty trucking, and shipping ports
Gulf Coast — Texas
Energy sources: natural gas (with carbon capture) and renewables
Goals: reduce cost of hydrogen and make it scalable by tapping into the region’s abundance of natural gas and renewable energy
Heartland — Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota
Energy sources: unclear
Goals: decarbonize fertilizer production, test hydrogen as an energy source for space heating, find ways of equity ownership with tribal groups and farmers
Midwest — Illinois, Indiana, Michigan
Energy sources: renewables, natural gas (with carbon capture), and nuclear
Goals: decarbonize big industrial sectors like steel, power generation, refining, heavy-duty transportation, and sustainable aviation fuel
Pacific Northwest — Washington, Oregon, Montana
Energy sources: renewables
Goals: make electrolyzers cheaper and more accessible
A version of this article first appeared in Heatmap AM, a daily briefing on the most interesting and important news in climate. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every morning:
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