Photo: Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
Last week, the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), led by Battelle, executed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) to receive up to $925 million in federally funded dollars to spearhead the development of a clean hydrogen hub (H2Hub) in Appalachia.
Following the recent announcements of H2Hubs in California and the Pacific Northwest, ARCH2 became the third H2Hub to secure its first tranche of funding of $30 million to execute its Phase 1 scope, which is focused on planning, design, and community and labor engagement.
This significant milestone will unlock billions of dollars in private-sector investment to create a clean, economically viable, and socially equitable hydrogen ecosystem within Appalachia. In addition, this H2Hub will create thousands of well-paying jobs and revitalize local communities, particularly coal communities, impacted by the energy transition.
About the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub ARCH2
The Appalachian Hydrogen Hub ARCH2 is set to develop facilities in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, using the region’s abundant, low-cost natural gas to produce affordable clean hydrogen. ARCH2’s strategic location, proposed plans for several hydrogen fueling stations, and permanent carbon dioxide storage reservoirs have the potential to drive down the cost of hydrogen distribution and storage. In addition, ARCH2 aims to improve air quality in Appalachian communities and cut carbon dioxide emissions by nine million metric tons annually, equivalent to over two million gasoline-powered cars.
Community Benefits Focused
Developed through consultation with local communities, ARCH2 emphasizes community benefits as a key component to addressing potential impacts and enhancing local economies. While community benefits will be continuously refined and updated throughout the project, key aspects include:
- Advisory Board and Community Benefits Steering Committee: These bodies of diverse stakeholders, including regional governments, labor organizations, nonprofits, academia, and community groups, will provide ongoing input on topics such as safety, data sharing, and community impacts. They will make recommendations to ARCH2 leadership, ensure transparency, and also track progress.
- Two-Way Engagement: ARCH2 will engage with labor and community stakeholders, especially from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, to incorporate their feedback into its planning efforts.
- Workforce Development: Efforts will be made to ensure equitable job opportunities, including negotiations with labor organizations and the creation of job training plans.
- Justice40 Commitment: ARCH2 will adhere to Justice40 guidelines, focusing on benefits like air quality, energy savings, and clean energy jobs while also monitoring and addressing environmental and community impacts.
- Air Quality Monitoring and Data Reporting: ARCH2 will implement air quality monitoring plans and establish a public data-reporting platform for transparency and updates on project progress, community engagement, and other key metrics.
About the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program
The OCED’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program aims to develop a national network of hydrogen production, consumption, and infrastructure to enhance hydrogen as a clean energy resource.
Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program selected seven H2Hubs in October 2023 for award negotiations totaling up to $7 billion. Each subrecipient will manage its own project development, while the OCED will oversee and assess the H2Hub’s implementation quality at each phase to guide decisions on further funding and project advancement.
