he U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and ARCHES announced the official signing of a landmark $12.6 billion agreement to build a clean, renewable Hydrogen Hub in California, including the up to $1.2 billion in federal funding that was announced last year when California was selected as a national hub. ARCHES is the first of seven Hydrogen Hubs throughout the country to officially sign their agreement with the DOE.

The ARCHES hub will facilitate a network of clean, renewable hydrogen production sites to cut fossil fuel use throughout California, with the ultimate goal of decarbonizing public transportation, heavy duty trucking, and port operations by 2 million metric tons per year – roughly the equivalent to annual emissions of 445,000 gasoline-fueled cars.

Governor Gavin Newsom:

“California is revolutionizing how a major world economy can clean up its biggest industries. We’re going to use clean, renewable hydrogen to power our ports and public transportation – getting people and goods where they need to go, just without the local air pollution. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, California is excited to pioneer this world-leading initiative that’ll show other states and countries what’s possible when you prioritize clean energy and public health.”

Just last week, California led the nation in multiple hydrogen-powered transportation innovations, with the world’s first entirely hydrogen-powered ferry in San Francisco Bay and a successful 523-mile hydrogen-electric flight.

Awardee Fact Sheet 

 

Why it’s important

  • Cuts up to 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions every year – equivalent to the pollution of 445,000 gasoline-powered cars annually;
  • Creates an estimated 220,000 new jobs, including 130,000 in construction and 90,000 permanent jobs;
  • Estimated $2.95 billion per year in economic value from better health and health cost savings;
  • At least 40% of the benefits from projects will flow to disadvantaged communities through community directed investments, workforce training, and family supporting jobs.

 

What’s getting decarbonized 

  • 3 large ports with over 200 pieces of cargo-handling equipment
  • 5,000+ fuel-cell-electric trucks
  • 1,000+ fuel-cell-electric buses
  • 1 marine vessel
  • Turbines and stationary fuel cells
  • Develop infrastructure for hydrogen transport and use, including 60 heavy-duty fueling stations and 165 miles of open-access pipelines.

 

How we got here 

  • California released the world’s first plan to achieve net-zero carbon pollution, which will utilize hydrogen to cut pollution and ramp up clean energy;
  • Governor Newsom directed GO-Biz to develop California’s Hydrogen Market Development Strategy, employing an all-of-government approach to building up California’s clean, renewable hydrogen market;
  • California submitted an application in April of 2023 through the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), a statewide public-private partnership to build the framework for California’s renewable, clean hydrogen hub;
  • ARCHES is one of thousands of infrastructure initiatives building California’s future. Find more projects in your community at build.ca.gov.

 

More details on next step here

Source: Governor Gavin Newsom

 

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