Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition submits formal application for funding to the U.S. Department of Energy

• Unique, utility-led concept to leverage existing infrastructure in building clean hydrogen ecosystem
• Decisions could be announced by fall of 2023

The Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition today announced it has completed submission of its full application to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for funding to build a green hydrogen network spanning six states and including five major utilities.

As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the DOE has made $8 billion available for the formation of regional clean hydrogen hubs, with final funding decisions anticipated by the fall of 2023.

Lawmakers from both parties and from across the Southeast region, led by United States Senators Jon Ossoff and Lindsey Graham, came together to issue a joint letter to the DOE in late February expressing their support for the Southeast Hydrogen Hub.

“The Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition’s member states are home to many of the nation’s leading transportation, logistics, energy, manufacturing, and research assets. We are heartened by the Department of Energy’s encouraging notification in response to the coalition’s concept paper and urge the Department to select the Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition for funding. We stand ready to provide long-term support for the Southeast Hydrogen Hub’s implementation and growth,” the support letter states.

The Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition was one of 79 potential hubs to submit initial concept papers to the DOE in 2022. In late December, the DOE issued notices to the coalition and 32 other applicants encouraging them to proceed with submitting full applications by April 7, 2023.

The goal of the Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition is to develop a regional energy ecosystem that will allow members to deploy green hydrogen as a decarbonization solution for customers and communities. A hydrogen hub in the Southeastern U.S. could assist in decarbonization efforts in the Southeast and help bring robust economic development benefits and jobs to the region.

 

About the Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition

The Southeast Hydrogen Hub coalition is a group of peer utilities working together to pursue federal funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The coalition’s plan is to develop a regional hydrogen hub in response to growing demand for clean energy sources in the Southeast transportation, industry and power generation sectors. Members of the coalition include Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company (LG&E and KU), Southern Company, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Battelle, the coalition lead entity. A hydrogen energy ecosystem is one possible option for decarbonization in the Southeast across all sectors of the economy, bringing economic development, while also providing abundant energy for customers and communities.