Jan 10, 2024 3 min read

By Jeff Kotula

It is a new year and already Pennsylvania has reason to celebrate.

The commonwealth recently became the only state in the nation to have not one, but two hydrogen hub projects selected for development within our borders. This accomplishment further demonstrates that when it comes to powering America, our state, and specifically Washington County, continues to drive our country’s energy independence.

Selected for funding by the Biden administration were the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), planned for western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and West Virginia; and the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), a partnership among southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. Together, these two projects will share $1.6 billion of the initial $7 billion in grants being invested by the U.S. Department of Energy in seven national hubs.

This effort is part of a larger $8 billion hydrogen hub program funded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, where the hubs form the foundation of a national clean hydrogen network that will contribute substantially to decarbonizing multiple sectors of the economy, especially carbon-intensive heavy industries like steel and cement production, as well as heavy-duty commercial transportation.

This clean-energy initiative also will help communities across the country benefit from these investments, providing good-paying jobs, and improving our energy security by creating networks of hydrogen producers and consumers, as well as a local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy fuel source.

ARCH2 will leverage our region’s ample access to low-cost natural gas to produce affordable clean hydrogen as well as permanently and safely capturing carbon emissions. The strategic location of this hub and the development of pipelines, hydrogen fueling stations, and permanent CO2 storage also have the potential to drive down the cost of hydrogen distribution and storage, making the resource more commercially available to end users.

This type of massive investment and the cooperation between federal, state, and local partners demonstrate the value of Pennsylvania’s energy resources and the strength in our skilled workforce. All told, both ARCH2 and MACH2 will create more than 41,000 new employment opportunities for residents across the multiple states. Our region will surely realize its share of stable, family-sustaining employment opportunities because of this historic investment.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, more than 21,000 jobs are expected to result directly from ARCH2 including more than 18,000 during construction and over 3,000 permanent jobs. This will ensure our region, state, and Washington County will all benefit from the development and long-term opportunities of the hydrogen hub designation.

As the Washington County Chamber of Commerce’s recent economic strategy, “Washington County Forward,” highlights, our county needs to build upon our natural resources to diversify our economy for long-term growth. The successful transition to the hydrogen economy relies heavily on these resources, plus a robust energy infrastructure network, and skilled workers with the experience to build out these systems safely, quickly, and responsibly.

Washington County has been fortunate to benefit from an all-of-the-above energy approach, with coal, oil, natural gas, and now hydrogen, which will allow us to remain in a strategic position to build on these foundations. Our existing infrastructure, energy storage facilities, and distribution systems make us the perfect partner for this clean energy development and its future success.

Jeff Kotula is the president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.