Powerful public-private partnership encompassing Washington and Oregon forges ahead with development of green hydrogen proposal focused on decarbonizing transportation and heavy industry
SEATTLE, WA — The Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2) – a public-private partnership of tribal, labor, government, environmental and private sector hydrogen company leaders – submitted its 20-page concept paper to the US Department of Energy (DOE) on Friday, outlining the significant breadth and depth of possibilities for a hydrogen hub in the Pacific Northwest. PNWH2 is leading a regional effort to land one of very few shares of the DOE’s $8 billion investment in a nationwide network of clean hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs) under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
With the states of Washington and Oregon collaborating in this effort, the PNWH2’s final proposal will demonstrate the region’s incredible assets for supporting a successful hydrogen hub, including natural renewable hydropower and a rich history of innovation in the agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, high tech, maritime and clean tech sectors.
“We aim to lead. The Pacific Northwest unquestionably occupies a prime position for developing and deploying a green hydrogen hub capable of tackling the biggest challenges – decarbonizing industrial sectors of our economy such as heavy transportation, aviation, steel and more,” said Gov. Jay Inslee.
“By leveraging the region’s tremendous renewable energy capacity, low-cost electricity, strong electric utility leadership, extensive transportation network, and leading climate, environmental justice and economic policies, the PNWH2 Hub will create good jobs across the region,” said PNWH2 Board Chair and Washington State Commerce Director Lisa Brown.
“With this clean hydrogen hub, the Pacific Northwest can continue its history of forging innovative paths to meet the region’s clean energy and climate goals,” said Board Vice Chair, Oregon Department of Energy Director Janine Benner. “Clean hydrogen can be part of the solution that meets our clean energy goals, prioritizes equity, balances tradeoffs, and supports our economy.”
The PNWH2 Hub serves a diverse stakeholder group in the Pacific Northwest that will leverage several of the region’s primary strengths: abundant renewable energy resources, utility companies that today produce 81,000 MWh of clean energy (including hydroelectric), 947,000 labor union members, 172 transit providers, 64 public colleges and university zones.
“Our state legislature has helped position Washington as a leader in the production of renewable hydrogen. This proposal and partnership represent a rare opportunity to unleash the marketplace using our state’s academic experts, global best practices, renewable resources, and our existing assets,” said Washington State Senator Reuven Carlyle. “It’s exciting to see Washington step up and be a thought leader in the production, distribution and the use of renewable hydrogen. From maritime to aviation, long haul trucking to energy storage and more, renewable hydrogen has an important future in the market and our state’s climate action”
“Organized labor in both Oregon and Washington are essential for a successful hydrogen hub proposal to the US Department of Energy. Our manufacturing and building trades unions have the highly skilled workers needed now and their apprenticeship programs will grow that workforce as we build out the hydrogen hub on into the future,” said Board member Larry Brown, President, Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO.
The PNWH2 Hub, in alignment with the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will focus on zero-carbon, clean H2 production and distribution, H2 technology, manufacturing, and power generation, all applied to transportation, agriculture, and commercial end uses. It will also include the workforce, academic institutions, and communities that will benefit and support project development. Washington and Oregon state commitments of support, integrated with DOE and private funding, will accelerate deployment of these technologies and achieve financial and operational viability of the hub.
The DOE investment will guarantee large-scale hydrogen production in the region, which will in turn unlock massive investment in end-use applications and infrastructure. To scale up accelerated adoption, while solving end-use requirements for infrastructure and equipment, the PNWH2 Hub will develop projects to produce an abundance of clean hydrogen.
“Amazon became the co-founder and first signatory of The Climate Pledge, committing to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. Decarbonizing our operations and transportation is a key piece of reaching our commitment, and investing in alternative fuel methods like green hydrogen is very important. We’re pleased to participate in the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association, and we support efforts to accelerate the availability of green hydrogen in our home state of Washington and in Oregon,” said John Mi, Hydrogen Strategy Principal, Amazon.
Last call for new project proposals – RFI closes Nov. 15
The PNWH2’s request for information for individual projects to be included in the final proposal to DOE is open through Nov. 15. This opportunity is open only to new projects that have not previously responded to the RFI. The RFI is posted on Washington’s Electronic Business Solutions (WEBS) portal. More Information is available on the PNWH2 website and by emailing info@pnwh2.com.
Involving all stakeholders in the coming clean hydrogen economy is a top priority for PNWH2, including participation from communities, public entities, private industry, labor, research, workforce development, investor-owned and public utilities and tribal nations.
Other important partners and stakeholders in PNWH2’s work include Washington’s innovation clusters and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) technical experts in hydrogen safety, energy justice, life-cycle impact analysis, electricity grid integration, cybersecurity, hydrogen electrolyzer and fuel cells technology and materials compatibility.
Additionally, the Consortium for Hydrogen and Renewably Generated E-fuels (CHARGE), part of Washington State University’s Joint Center for Deployment and Research in Earth Abundant Materials (JCDREAM) is a key research leader represented on the PNWH2 Board by Executive Director Aaron Feaver.
“We are thrilled to see the Pacific Northwest come together to pursue a clean hydrogen economy built on sustainable supply chains. The Northwest’s environment for policy, business, and technology is ripe for growth and innovation. With our tremendous depth of industry involvement, research knowledge and expertise, abundant resources, and regional momentum, the PNW has the potential to be a global leader in hydrogen production and technology,” Feaver said.
For more information and updates on the Pacific Northwest hydrogen Association, visit www.pnwh2.com.
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