Vermont has signed onto the multistate Northeast Clean Hydrogen Hub (NCHH), one of the many joint state proposals competing for some of the $8 billion in federal funding from the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hub) program.
The state joins Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island in the effort, alongside 47 other companies, nonprofits and academic institutions, including Dominion Energy, the Electric Power Research Institute and Princeton University, bringing the total number of partners to more than 100.
The proposal is being led by New York, which “is pleased to welcome the state of Vermont to a diverse group of partners,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in announcing the move Thursday. “Adding this elemental resource to our clean energy economy toolbox will advance our collective emissions reduction and climate goals because like our joint effort, air has no borders.”
“To tackle climate change, we’ll need a multipronged approach that relies on innovation and cooperation,” Vermont Department of Public Service Commissioner June Tierney said. “In Vermont, we’re working to do our part and ready to collaborate with the other states across our region in exploring ways to promote a clean energy future.”
Hochul also announced that she had named Adam Zurofsky, previously New York deputy secretary for energy and finance, as interim director of the project. Zurofsky “will oversee the process of submitting a final application to the [U.S.] Department of Energy, working with the partner states and other stakeholders to maximize the impact of the hub and its ability to advance shared priorities.”
NCHH is seeking to become one of up to 10 regional hydrogen hubs in the H2Hub program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. (See DOE Opens Solicitation for $7B in Hydrogen Hubs Funding.) The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) submitted a concept paper for the NCHH on Nov. 7, and it has an April 7 deadline for its full proposal.
“The level of commitment and collaboration amongst this group demonstrates the scope and scale necessary to establish the ecosystem needed for the industry to grow and for the region to be a leader in clean hydrogen,” NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen Harris said.
Officials from other partner states also applauded Vermont’s move, including Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont: “It’s great to have our neighbors to the north in Vermont join the Northeast Clean Hydrogen Hub and make what was already a strong coalition and candidate to secure designation.”