On July 5, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) released a Notice of Intent (NOI) to invest up to $1 billion in a demand-side initiative to support Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs).[1] Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the H2Hubs program will help form the foundation of a national clean hydrogen network. According to the announcement, the investment will “help ensure both producers and end users in the H2Hubs have the market certainty they need during the early years of production to unlock private investment and realize the full potential of clean hydrogen.” The clean hydrogen sector could provide 100,000 net new direct and indirect jobs by 2030 according to DOE’s Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Clean Hydrogen report.

The NOI includes a Request for Information (RFI) on the program’s design and, among other things, seeks public input on potential benefits and risks, operating models, governance structures, and equipped implementing partners. Later in 2023, the Biden administration will announce the selection of six to 10 H2Hubs for a combined total funding of up to $7 billion in federal funding. The proposed mechanism outlined in the NOI will help connect the H2Hubs to prospective purchasers.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-jumpstart-clean-hydrogen-economy-new-initiative-provide-market