UT Energy Expertise To Guide New Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub, Bolster U.S. Energy Supply

AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin will partner with industry and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to build and expand a hub for hydrogen energy production along the Texas Gulf Coast that will help increase and diversify the nation’s energy supply. UT serves as founding member and lead academic organization.

The HyVelocity Hub (HyV), a regional energy consortium, aims to become the largest hydrogen hub in the nation. It will leverage the region’s high concentration of existing hydrogen production and end-use assets to develop low-carbon intensity hydrogen that can power trucks, industrial processes, ammonia production, refining and petrochemical production, and marine shipping fuel.

“Texas is the nation’s energy capital, and UT is the energy university, and we are no stranger to playing a leading role in America’s energy innovation,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “The success of the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub is critical to our nation’s future energy security. We are excited to work with our industry partners and apply our vast energy, business and policy expertise to develop the hydrogen workforce and accelerate production along the Gulf Coast.”

UT will provide expertise to support community benefits activities and hydrogen workforce development efforts. UT, through the IC2 Institute and the RESET lab in the Cockrell School of Engineering, has a significant track record of working with over 80 communities in Texas and bordering states to understand community needs and connect these to economic development initiatives to improve the lives of all community members. The hydrogen proto-hub demonstration facility at the Center for Electromechanics will serve as a key resource for hands-on workforce training activities. UT researchers will also conduct life-cycle and techno-economic analyses for the projects. For example, they will provide the analyses required for meeting emissions criteria, clean hydrogen standards, and cost benchmarks, and will report these data to the Department of Energy.

“UT Austin’s role in the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub will be vital to both providing the research and expertise needed to accelerate the global market for hydrogen, and to developing the workforce needed to support the industry’s advancement over the long term in Texas and the Gulf Coast,” said Brian Korgel, the Rashid Engineering Regents Chair Professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and the director of the UT Energy Institute. “We are proud to be part of this important project that will advance secure and sustainable energy in the U.S. and all over the world.”

HyV’s work will be at the forefront of maintaining and expanding Texas as a global leader in hydrogen energy development. With $22 million in the first tranche of funding, HyVelocity is expected to create up to 45,000 well-paying jobs over its lifetime and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 7 million metric tons per year — equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 1.5 million gasoline-powered cars. The Department of Energy is investing $1.2 billion in the project.

As the nation’s premier university for energy innovation and excellence, UT brings an unmatched scale, depth and breadth of expertise and a pragmatic approach to advancing solutions across the full spectrum of energy. Situated in the heart of Texas, UT is in the center of the energy capital of the world. The University boasts numerous top-10 academic programs and a vast community of minds spanning a multitude of energy departments, centers and institutes. UT’s extensive industry partnerships and field research extend from the oil fields of West Texas to the other side of the world, with faculty, students and staff engaged in applied research in hydrogen, carbon capture, wind, solar, batteries and more.