NETL Director Brian Anderson highlighted the expertise of the Lab’s researchers to advance innovations and scientific discoveries that support the development of regional clean hydrogen hubs across America, including a project planned through a partnership with the State of West Virginia, EQT Corp., the nation’s largest natural gas producer, and others.

Speaking Tuesday, May 2, at the West Virginia Manufacturing Energy Growth Summit at the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, Anderson explained that hydrogen energy has the potential to decarbonize multiple economic sectors, including heavy-duty transportation and steel manufacturing, create good-paying jobs and pave the way toward a grid powered by clean energy resources.

“West Virginia could serve as an ideal location for a clean hydrogen hub due to its unique access to ample low-cost natural gas feedstock as well as its outstanding workforce and technology capabilities and carbon sequestration potential,” Anderson said during a panel discussion that focused on plans to establish ARCH2 — the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub.

A network of clean hydrogen producers, potential clean hydrogen consumers and connective infrastructure located in close proximity, a hydrogen hub “can reduce emissions from multiple carbon-intensive sectors and open a world of economic opportunity to create clean energy businesses and jobs,” Anderson said.

NETL has served as a participating entity in ARCH2 since it was established in September 2022. The ARCH2 team is composed of entities with operations across the Appalachian region spanning the hydrogen value chain as well as energy technology organizations, including NETL, that will provide commercial, technical and programmatic leadership for the development and buildout of the hub.

Concentrated in Appalachian counties across West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, ARCH2 will leverage diverse regional resources to build a sustainable clean hydrogen hub that can scale and integrate into a national clean hydrogen network.

In January, the ARCH2 team received notification from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations that it was among applicants encouraged to submit a full application for regional hydrogen hub funding. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established an $8 billion program to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs.

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water, electricity and heat. However, most of the hydrogen produced in the United States comes from natural gas through steam methane reforming. Therefore, virtually all hydrogen currently used now is considered “gray,” meaning it’s extracted from natural gas. Turning it “blue” requires infrastructure to capture the greenhouse gas emitted in that process and store it in deep underground reservoirs or convert it into value-added products, which are areas of NETL expertise.

“When paired with carbon capture projects, hydrogen power — sourced from our country’s vast fuel resources — presents exciting opportunities to decarbonize power plants and industrial facilities,” Anderson said. 

Clean hydrogen hubs are also a critical component to achieve DOE’s Hydrogen Shot goal of reducing the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per 1 kg in one decade (1-1-1) while supporting the Biden Administration’s vision for a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that drives innovation and delivers technological solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future. By leveraging its world-class talent and research facilities, NETL is ensuring affordable, abundant and reliable energy that drives a robust economy and national security, while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle, enabling environmental sustainability for all Americans.