One of the hotbeds of hydrogen technology is developing in the American Midwest. In fact, the Midwest Clean Hydrogen Alliance has become one of the regional hydrogen hubs in the US, thanks to a decision by the US administration. As a result, $1 billion in federal funding is heading to the region to support the development of a complete hydrogen infrastructure. Moreover, the positive dynamics in the sector may also be an opportunity for Czech entities.
This fall, the U.S. administration announced seven regional hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs). This is a project under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through which the development of selected regional hydrogen hubs will receive significant federal support. One of the successful projects is the Midwest Hydrogen Hub project presented by the Midwest Alliance for Clean Energy (MachH2).
The Alliance brings together more than 70 industry stakeholders across the business and public spectrum, primarily from the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The Department of Energy's program will bring a significant investment of $1 billion to the region to fully develop its hydrogen infrastructure.
A carbon-free economy by 2050
This investment is part of a broader effort by the current administration to help meet the national climate goals of producing only clean electricity by 2035 and a zero-emissions economy by 2050.
The immediate goal of the federal H2Hubs project is to create a national clean hydrogen network that will contribute significantly to decarbonizing many sectors of the economy, particularly heavy industry and freight transportation.
The local MachH2 project, through the strategic use of hydrogen in areas such as steel, glass, energy production, freight transport and sustainable aviation fuels, should contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of these sectors. This could reduce carbon emissions by around 3.9 million tonnes per year (equivalent to removing emissions from 867,000 petrol cars over the same period).
The Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen's MachH2 project envisions hydrogen production through the use of diverse energy sources including renewable energy, nuclear power and natural gas with carbon capture. The intention is to cover the entire production chain of clean hydrogen production. There is potential for the project to expand to other neighbouring countries. This is supported by the fact that the alliance is located in a key US industrial and transportation corridor.
An economic diplomacy project funded by the Ministry of Industry and Trade is also heading to the heart of the American Midwest, targeting professional institutes and companies involved in energy and green technology development. At the business level, this is a response to the specific investments in the region mentioned above. At the scientific research level, the aim is to exploit the potential of establishing cooperation between domestic institutions and US national research laboratories.
The mission will take place in the second half of May 2024 and is timed to coincide with the Global Economic Summit in Indiana. Energy will be one of the main topics during the summit.
