Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Governor Jim Justice (R-WV) convened a robust group of energy industry leaders for a morning of panel discussions and presentations. The events are part of the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub’s Industry Day and will help determine the next steps for establishing West Virginia as the new home of hydrogen energy production.  

“Today, I was honored to welcome key leaders in hydrogen, energy, and manufacturing to our great state to discuss the next steps to establish West Virginia as the new home of hydrogen, funded by our bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” Chairman Manchin said. “With our abundant energy sources and strong partnerships, West Virginia is uniquely situated to develop an innovative hydrogen hub. I am incredibly proud of the efforts of our bipartisan group to showcase how West Virginia can continue to lead the country – and the world – in advancing hydrogen technologies while bringing good-paying jobs to the state. West Virginia has a long history of powering our great nation, and the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition is an opportunity to fuel the future right here in the Mountain State.”

“West Virginia has a proven record as an energy production leader, and has fueled our nation for generations. The development of a Hydrogen Hub will only further that proud tradition, while creating economic development opportunities that diversify our economy. Today’s conference was yet another example of why West Virginia is well suited to host a Hydrogen Hub,” Senator Capito said. “Taking advantage of this opportunity, which was created by our bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, would greatly benefit our state, and have a major impact on our communities now and in the future. I will continue to work with my colleagues as we showcase the capacity West Virginia has for innovative energy solutions.”

“I continue to be extremely proud to be a part of the incredible team that’s working to land a Hydrogen Hub in West Virginia. In our state, energy production is part of our heritage and our history. Now, we want a Hydrogen Hub to be part of our future so West Virginia can continue to be an energy powerhouse for America,” West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said. “I’m confident that today’s meeting will put a bright spotlight on West Virginia’s unique abundance of resources and hardworking people with generations of expert knowledge in energy production that combine to make West Virginia the best place in the country to locate a Hydrogen Hub to ensure it reaches its full potential. As a state that embraces all forms of energy, my administration and I are 100% committed to making this dream a reality, and we stand ready to work with everyone necessary to bring the boundless potential of a Hydrogen Hub to our state.”

“As we look at America’s future energy needs, it is essential we position West Virginia to continue as a leading center of energy production and innovation. Today’s workshop with the Hydrogen Hub Working Group is another step towards that goal. West Virginia can maintain its leadership in energy innovation by leveraging our existing natural gas and coal resources for the development of hydrogen technologies. We look forward to developing a strong proposal that gives West Virginia a seat at the table,” said Representative David McKinley.

A timeline of the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition’s work is available below:

On April 28^th, 2022, Senators Manchin and Capito, Representative McKinley and Governor Justice welcomed bipartisan members of West Virginia’s legislative leadership to the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition, including Speaker of the House Roger Hanshaw, President of the Senate Craig Blair, Senate Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin and House Minority Leader Doug Skaff.

On March 21^st, 2022, Senators Manchin and Capito, Representative McKinley and Governor Justice submitted the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition’s official response to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) first step in the process to select winning hydrogen hubs funded by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

On February 25th, 2022, Senators Manchin and Capito, Representative McKinley and Governor Justice convened the initial organizing meeting of the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition.

On February 15th, 2022, Senators Manchin and Capito, Representative McKinley and Governor Justice announced the launch of the West Virginia Hydrogen Hub Coalition to collaborate and support a strong West Virginia candidate to be chosen to develop a hydrogen hub, funded through $9.5 billion allocated to the U.S. Department of Energy by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

To view photos from today’s event, please click here.

To watch a video of Senator Manchin’s opening remarks, please click here.

To watch a video of Senator Capito’s opening remarks, please click here.

To watch a video of Governor Justice’s opening remarks, please click here.

The recently passed bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included $9.5 billion for hydrogen, including $8 billion for Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs that will jumpstart the production, transport, and use of clean hydrogen across the U.S. economy; $1 billion for a Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis Program to reduce costs of hydrogen produced from clean electricity; and $500 million for Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing and Recycling initiatives to support equipment manufacturing and strong domestic supply chains. The legislation also requires one hub be located in Appalachia as the largest natural gas producing region.

To learn more about hydrogen hubs, please click here.

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