DOE opens application process for clean hydrogen hubs

Funding opportunities: The H2Hubs program is being managed by the DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, with help from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Applications for hydrogen hubs will be considered on the basis of potential employment opportunities for communities, as well as details of hydrogen feedstocks, end uses, and geographic diversity. According to the DOE’s funding opportunity announcement, each H2Hubs project should have a Community Benefits Plan explaining how the project will “support meaningful community and labor engagement [and] advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” as well as contribute to the administration’s goal of having “benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities.”

Deadlines: The DOE is requiring concept papers for proposed H2Hubs to be submitted by November 7, 2022, with full applications due by April 7, 2023. The DOE expects to initially select six to 10 hubs. Additional funding opportunities may be made available in the future to expand hub networks.

Hydrogen roadmap: In a related development, the DOE has released a draft of its National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, which provides an overview of the technological, economic, and decarbonization potential of hydrogen production, transport, storage, and use in the United States. The department is requesting public feedback on this draft and expects to publish the final version within the coming months.