DNA Hydrogen Hub Application Receives ‘Encourage’ Notice for U.S. Department of Energy Funding

The Decarbonization Network of Appalachia (DNA), led by Team Pennsylvania (Team PA) Foundation, announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) encouraged the submission of a full application for the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program, allocated through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program – or H2Hubs – includes up to $7 billion to establish six to ten regional clean hydrogen hubs across America.

DNA has a shared vision for emissions reduction through large-scale deployment of clean hydrogen and carbon capture and sequestration projects located in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Appalachia has long played an important role for energy production and manufacturing in the United States and the region remains a center of steel, plastics, and refining operations, making it an optimal location to build-out clean hydrogen infrastructure.

“As an organization that’s committed to accelerating economic growth through public-private partnership, this is an opportunity that demands collaboration,” said Abby Smith, President and CEO of Team PA. “The DNA H2Hub represents a commitment by a broad-based coalition of partners to the economic and environmental future of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.”

Team PA leads the DNA H2Hub as the prime applicant for DOE funding and has formed Decarbonization Network of Appalachia, LLC to manage DNA’s implementation to ensure a separate and distinct operation from the organization’s day-to-day efforts.

Equinor and Shell USA will oversee the technical and commercial delivery of the project, utilizing their experience as successful developers of large-scale energy and capital projects across multiple value chains. A project advisory board, including state partners, key stakeholders and NGOs, will provide leadership in conjunction with Team PA.

“The energy transition presents a generational opportunity for leadership in industrial decarbonization and low-carbon manufacturing,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. “The members of DNA are ready to develop a large, low-CO2 infrastructure network to provide a pathway to sustain and grow family-sustaining wage jobs while delivering industry-wide decarbonization.”

The DNA H2Hub will produce ‘blue” hydrogen, derived from the nation’s cleanest natural gas, using innovative commercial-scale technologies to capture and sequester carbon dioxide generated in the process. It will then distribute clean H2 to steel and chemicals manufacturing, and power facilities in the region through establishing a large low-CO2 infrastructure network, providing a pathway to deliver at scale decarbonization and unlock a range of private sector projects.

Stakeholders across three states, including Carnegie Mellon University, Long Ridge Energy, and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, will help DNA H2Hub accomplish an achievable hub for cleaner steel, plastics, and power from Appalachia, not as a final vision but as a monumental first step towards a national clean H2 network. DNA represents the expertise and competence necessary to deliver complex projects successfully and equitably and looks forward to working alongside local communities and regional partners to see this concept become a reality.

For more information or to participate in the DNA H2Hub effort, please contact DNAH2Hub@teampa.com.