The Pacific Northwest is supporting technology analysis of hydrogen’s role in the Pacific Northwest energy landscape through a new clean hydrogen hub.
The U.S. Department of Energy awarded $27.5m to the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2) to construct the clean hydrogen hub, which will be matched by industry partners up to $125m in Phase 1 of the project.
DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will serve as an advisor to the PNWH2 by conducting a lifecycle analysis to predict and understand the planned hydrogen energy infrastructure impact on decreasing emissions and aiding in community engagement.
Establishing a clean hydrogen ecosystem
Public and private groups represented in the PNWH2 Hub are working with leaders in Washington, Oregon and Montana to leverage the region’s renewable energy sources to produce clean hydrogen for the region.
If successful, the region could receive up to $1bn in total DOE funding, which would be supplemented by billions more in industry cost-sharing to build out a clean hydrogen ecosystem.
“We at PNNL join our colleagues at the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association in celebrating this important step forward and wish to acknowledge the dedication and hard work that went into reaching this milestone,” said PNNL Director Steven Ashby.
“We look forward to collaborating with our government and industry partners to help realise a clean hydrogen ecosystem for the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”
What will happen at the new hub?
PNNL scientists, engineers and analysts are providing economic, technological and emissions reduction evaluations of hydrogen production, integration with the electrical grid, and end users in the new clean hydrogen hub.
The goal of the PNWH2 Hub is to develop and market economical clean hydrogen power solutions to meet the United States’ clean energy goal while ensuring that at least 40% of the benefits flow to disadvantaged communities.
The hydrogen will be used to address some of the hardest-to-decarbonise technology areas, such as public transportation (transit buses), agricultural products (fertiliser), medium- and heavy-duty transportation and the electric power industry.
The PNWH2 hydrogen hub joins California as the first two of a planned national network of clean hydrogen producers, consumers and connective infrastructure while supporting the production, storage, delivery and end-use of clean hydrogen.
