West Virginia selected as new home of Appalachian Hydrogen Hub

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – West Virginia will be the new epicenter of hydrogen in the United States of America, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced on Friday morning.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) for up to $925 million in federal support under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will bring a hydrogen hub to West Virginia.

Gov. Manchin made the announcement on Friday on behalf of the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition including Senator Capito, Representative McKinley and Governor Justice.

The Infrastructure Law included $8 billion for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs to jumpstart the production, transport, and use of clean hydrogen across the U.S. As a Hydrogen Hub selectee, ARCH2 will develop a network of hydrogen-based energy and products manufacturing in West Virginia.

Manchin says the project will create more than 20,000 jobs, with the majority of those in West Virginia.

The $925 million in federal funding is expected to unlock up to $6 billion in additional private sector matching funding.

“On behalf of the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition I am so honored to announce that today the U.S. Department of Energy has selected the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub for up to $925 million in federal support under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This means West Virginia will be the new epicenter of hydrogen in the United States of America,” said Chairman Manchin.  “We won the hub because of the hard work of countless individuals and organizations, and I could not be prouder to be making this announcement today. As Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, I wrote and fought for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to include $8 billion to establish hydrogen hubs to demonstrate the production and use of clean hydrogen — and now, West Virginia will be on the leading edge of building out the new hydrogen market while bringing good-paying jobs and new economic opportunity to the state.”

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