If You're Not Following The "Energy Chaser," You're Not A Bakkeneer -- April 2, 2022

Link here.

North Dakota's hydrogen hub is among entities with its name in an $8 billion hat, seeking federal grant funds for regional hydrogen hubs. You may recall that hydrogen hubs were on the Department of Energy's list of "moonshot" ideas in the early days of the Biden Administration. Now the department has money to put toward that goal, and it has blown the starting whistle for those grants.

Over at National Law Review, March 17, 2022 -- like only two weeks ago -- this is how you apply for free money -- or "almost" free money -- from the US DOE. 

If folks recall, North Dakota has one of the leading reputations for getting free money from the US government. Among everything else, I do believe North Dakota is #1 -- based on per capita spending -- for federal money for drone R&D. Now, it's time to be #1 -- again, based on per capita spending -- on hydrogen hubs. 

The deadlines have already passed; hopefully "we" were ahead of the game. Here's how it worked:

The Department of Energy (DOE) has begun the process of establishing “Hydrogen Hubs” that are funded in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aka the “infrastructure package.” 

The infrastructure package provides $8 billion for hydrogen hubs, plus an additional $1 billion for hydrogen electrolysis research, development, deployment and commercial applications. Another $500 million was appropriated in the infrastructure package for a Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing, Recycling, Research, Development and Demonstration Program. 

All of this funding is to be distributed over the next five years. 

The Hydrogen Hub Program. Through the Regional Hydrogen Hub Program DOE will choose a minimum of four locations in the U.S. to locate hydrogen hubs — networks of clean hydrogen producers, potential clean hydrogen consumers, and connective infrastructure located in close proximity. 

The law calls for diverse energy sources for hydrogen production at the hubs, requiring, to the maximum extent practicable, that one hub produce hydrogen from fossil fuels; one from renewables; and one from nuclear energy. 

H2 Matchmaker. To help hydrogen players connect with others and create “hubs”, DOE has stood up the “H2 Matchmaker” tool, an interactive map which includes various hydrogen producers, infrastructure companies, consumers, and other stakeholders, along with their contact information. 

You can find the H2 Matchmaker map here, where you will also find the H2 Matchmaker Self-Identification Form. You can use the H2 Matchmaker Self-Identification form to submit your own information for the H2 Matchmaker Map.