With more than $8 billion in federal funding available, four Western states have announced plans to launch a regional hub with the idea of supporting the sustainability of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
In a Memorandum of Understanding, the governors of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming said they are committing to building facilities in each state that will advance the production and storage of hydrogen.
The Western Inter-State Hydrogen Hub hopes to additionally promote the latest available science to generate and transport hydrogen.
The coalition of states, said Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon in a statement, “represents a shared vision for the future of hydrogen in the mountain west region,” and in so doing “expands the resources beyond what each state has individually.”
“These states are uniquely situated to become a clean hydrogen hub given the presence of high-quality wind, solar, biomass, natural gas, and other energy resources,” New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a press release.
“Make no mistake, New Mexico and our partner states will succeed in developing the nation’s most productive clean hydrogen hub.”
It is expected that there will be at least 4 regional hydrogen hubs created via the Department of Energy. Those hubs, according to DOE, will be tasked with improving clean hydrogen production, as well as “processing, delivery, storage, and end use.”
The $8 billion is being made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Official applications for funding through the Energy Department will open this summer.
By Garry Boulard
