WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper, Chris Coons, and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has chosen the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub, a public-private partnership between Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and Southern New Jersey, as one of 7 regional clean hydrogen hubs. The award will provide up to $750 million in federal funding with a total project cost of nearly $3 billion including private sector funding. The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub will support the development of hydrogen production facilities from renewables and nuclear electricity, as well as the adoption of hydrogen in heavy transportation, manufacturing, and combined heat and power applications, and the expansion of hydrogen storage and distribution infrastructure. More than $9 billion in funding for clean hydrogen research and development was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and economy in our Nation's history championed by Carper, Coons and Blunt Rochester, and signed into law by President Biden in 2021.
The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub’s proposal was submitted to the Department of Energy in April 2023, and will produce, distribute and use clean hydrogen to power our vehicles, airplanes, industries and more. The proposal was chosen due to Delaware and our surrounding region’s highly trained, unionized workforce combined with a strong manufacturing, chemical, and bioscience presence and existing infrastructure that can transport and store hydrogen.
“I am proud of our work to support an all-of-the-above approach to powering our economy, and that includes clean hydrogen,” said Sen. Carper, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub combines Delaware and our region’s first-class labor workforce, strong existing infrastructure, large hydrogen production capacity, and diverse demand across many industries to make this an ideal location for a hydrogen hub. Supporting good-paying union jobs while fighting climate change with clean hydrogen – which has the capability to reduce emissions in heavy industry and transportation – is a win-win!”
“Today is a monumental day for Delaware and its role in the future of our nation’s clean energy economy. Delaware possesses the resources, infrastructure, and workforce that make it an ideal location for one of the country’s first hydrogen hubs, and I’m glad the Department of Energy has recognized these strengths by selecting the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2),” said Sen. Coons, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus. “MACH2 will create a new generation of good-paying jobs for Delawareans, support new industries that can work hand-in-hand with our universities and leading businesses, and ensure that the First State plays a leading role in reducing our nation’s carbon footprint. I am proud to have advocated tirelessly for this proposal and can’t wait to see these projects come to fruition.”
“Today’s award of the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub is a touchstone moment as we build a clean energy economy across our nation,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester, member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. “That the Mid-Atlantic Hub has been named as one of the regional hubs is testament to the remarkable workforce and resources throughout Delaware and our neighboring states. I’m immensely proud of the work of all of the partners who came together to make our proposal possible and am even more excited at the prospect of working with these remarkable stakeholders as we build a Hub that creates good-paying union jobs, clean energy, and helps power our economy.”
