Together with the federal portion, the proposal represents a $3.62 billion investment and includes over one dozen projects across seven Northeast states that advance clean electrolytic hydrogen production, consumption, and infrastructure projects, for hard to decarbonize sectors, including transportation and heavy industry, among others. The announcement supports each state's climate and clean energy goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to clean energy across all sectors of the economy.
"As a leader on climate action and founding partner of the Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, New York State is leading the way in establishing a connected and sustainable hydrogen industry that will bring jobs and economic development to the region," NY Governor Kathy Hochul said. "We are ready to work with our state partners and local communities to capitalize on federal funding and ensure this program benefits the entire region while becoming part of a connected hydrogen hub network nationwide and reaching our ambitious climate goals."
The proposal will be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Energy with awarded proposals designated one of the nation's regional clean hydrogen hubs. Awards are anticipated to be announced in fall 2023.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said, "The submission of this game-changing proposal marks a significant milestone toward the cultivation of a clean energy economy not just in New Jersey, but across our region. Just as importantly, it further demonstrates the synergy between federal and state governments united by their belief in the importance of innovative climate action.
"By securing funding through the Biden Administration's historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, New Jersey and its regional partners will advance clean hydrogen production and consumption, especially in industries that significantly contribute to GHG emissions and pollution in our local communities."
Since the launch of the Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (NE Hub) in March 2022, six states and more than 100 partners signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) joining the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to collaborate in developing the proposal submitted.
Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA said, "The submission of the Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub proposal to the Department of Energy is the culmination of more than a year of collaborative work between New York, our six state partners, and more than 100 hydrogen ecosystem partners.
"We are proud to have played a critical role in building this robust and diverse team of partners and excited to work together to build a hydrogen ecosystem that supports the production and use of this new resource and its potential deployment for challenging to decarbonize sectors as part of a just and equitable clean energy transition."
The NE Hub partnership - which is committed to demonstrating and capitalizing on the economic and decarbonization opportunities presented by clean hydrogen - initially included the States of New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and 40 partners active in the development and deployment of clean hydrogen as an important component of the broader energy transition.
Representative Hakeem Jeffries said, "Under the leadership of President Biden, House Democrats and Governor Hochul, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has been delivering real and transformational change to New York. As we continue to confront the climate crisis, I applaud Governor Hochul for her work to ensure that New York can be a clean energy hub for the nation. I look forward to working with federal and state partners to invest in our clean energy economy to lower costs, create good-paying jobs and expand economic opportunity in every zip code."
The partnership expanded in August 2022 to include the states of Rhode Island, Maine, and over 25 additional hydrogen ecosystem partners. In February 2023, the partnership grew to more than 100 partners, with Vermont also joining.
This coordinated, multi-state strategy is designed to create an ecosystem that connects hydrogen producers and users and their associated safety experts, technology original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and the research and development community, workforce organizations, and labor representatives, for the collective purpose of advancing clean hydrogen projects for inclusion in the proposal consistent with the following guiding principles:
In accordance with these guiding principles, the NE Hub projects include clean electrolytic hydrogen production for use in transportation, high-temp industrial thermal, and communal utilities for heat which are each representative of hard-to-decarbonize sectors. The projects included in the proposal are proposed to be sited to form a regional hub of integrated projects across states collectively producing and utilizing clean hydrogen, advancing a vision that enables a long-term sustainable clean hydrogen industry in the northeast region, and establishing strategic connections to other clean hydrogen hubs.
If selected for an award by the Department of Energy, the projects within the NE Hub will complete a rigorous series of four phases in development over the course of 10-12 years, with each subsequent phase requiring completion of milestones before projects move forward in the process, including technical data and analysis, community engagement and impacts, engineering, permitting and safety, business development and management, procurement, and construction and operations.
If selected, management and oversight of this endeavor across seven states will be accomplished through close coordination and collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy, NYSERDA as the prime awardee, the state partners, and sub-recipient project partners who will be the organizations implementing work in communities across the region.
While the U.S. Department of Energy completes the application review process, the full list of projects, locations, and organizations included within the NE Hub proposal will not
