Delaware is part of a Mid-Atlantic region hydrogen hub proposal receiving $750 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub will support clean hydrogen production, processing, delivery, storage, and use throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware.
The $750 million comes from a total of $9.5 billion included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure law for clean hydrogen research, development, and demonstration programs.
Carper says the hub will generate clean, predominantly zero-emission green and pink hydrogen to fuel the local energy economy while mitigating emissions.
“That green hydrogen can be used to power our trucks, cars, and airplanes now," Carper says. "It can be used to provide propulsion for buses. Some people say electricity and electric vehicles are not the entire answer, and they’re not. There are places where the idea of replacing gasoline with hydrogen makes all the sense in the world.”
Carper says the Delaware City refinery will be a key partner.
“It used to be one of the worst polluters on the East Coast," Carper says. "Now they’re in a position to become part of the solution.”
He adds the land that the refinery sits on is hundreds of acres, which could be used to create solar energy and windmill farms.
The hydrogen hub brings together producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure. Other local partners include Chemours, Croda, DART and the University of Delaware.
Carper says the hub is expected to create more than 20,000 well-paying jobs, many of which will come to Delaware while generating a talent pipeline in the clean energy sector.
Reuters first reported the grant Wednesday, adding President Biden's administration plans to announce more proposals receiving some of the up to $7 billion for hydrogen hubs across the country. Those hubs seek to help the U.S. produce 50 million metric tons of clean hydrogen fuel by 2050.
