Maine has joined a multi-state Northeast consortium to explore funding opportunities through the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs initiative. Partners include the States of New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, as well as a diverse set of public and private hydrogen ecosystem partners from across the region.
The coalition submitted a $1.25 billion funding proposal to DOE in April 2023 that includes a portfolio of more than a dozen clean hydrogen projects for use in hard to decarbonize sectors across the seven northeast states. Together with the federal portion, the proposal represents a $3.62 billion investment and includes over one dozen projects across seven Northeast states that advance clean electrolytic hydrogen production, consumption, and infrastructure projects, for hard to decarbonize sectors, including transportation and heavy industry, among others. The proposal supports the region’s climate and clean energy goals and decarbonization efforts in tandem with electrification.
The Northeast Hydrogen Hub will focus on the integration of renewables - such as onshore and offshore wind, hydropower, and solar PV - into clean hydrogen production, and the evaluation of clean hydrogen for use in transportation, including for medium and heavy- duty vehicles, heavy industry, and power generation applications or other appropriate uses consistent with decarbonization efforts in tandem with electrification.
For more information on the Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub submission, see the press release here.
Award announcements are anticipated to be announced this fall, by the DOE. Additional information about this funding is available here.
Additional Resources:
What is hydrogen and how is it produced?
What is ‘electrolytic hydrogen?’