The Biden administration has unveiled plans to establish seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) across the United States, backed by an initial investment of $7 billion.
These hubs aim to drive the large-scale deployment of low-cost, clean hydrogen, a vital energy source with potential for near-zero carbon emissions. While hydrogen is considered a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, concerns have been raised about its current production process, which still relies heavily on fossil fuels as a source feedstock.
Robert Howarth, a professor specializing in ecology and environmental biology from Cornell University, expressed reservations about the reliance on fossil fuels in the production of hydrogen.
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - AUGUST 20: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivers his acceptance speech on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center on August 20, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware.
'Extremely Disappointing' on Joe Biden Administration's Plan for Hydrogen Hubs
Howarth cautioned that even with carbon capture, the process, especially in the case of "blue hydrogen" derived from methane in natural gas, could potentially contribute more to climate change than burning fossil fuels directly.
He said in a press release, "It is extremely disappointing to see the Biden administration provide funds for hydrogen hubs which will be based on fossil fuels, even with the carbon capture."
He emphasized the significant amount of natural gas required to produce hydrogen, as methane in natural gas serves as the chemical feedstock. Furthermore, the process involves burning natural gas to break down methane into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, resulting in relatively high carbon dioxide emissions.
He pointed out that the concept of "blue hydrogen" originated from the oil and gas industry, aiming to capture the released carbon dioxide during the breakdown of methane.
However, this capturing process necessitates additional energy, often sourced from burning more natural gas. Additionally, the effectiveness of carbon capture is not absolute, and substantial amounts of carbon dioxide may still be released into the atmosphere, according to Howarth.
"It is simply not possible to develop, process, transport, and store natural gas without some of it being emitted to the atmosphere unburned as methane. The quantity may seem low, but methane is an incredibly powerful greenhouse gas, more than 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as an agent of global warming," Howarth noted.
Howarth acknowledged that "green hydrogen" plays a pivotal role in a decarbonized energy future. It is generated solely from renewable electricity using electrolysis, which is a process that separates water into hydrogen and oxygen, with no carbon dioxide emissions.
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Joe Biden Administration's Hydrogen Hubs Initiative
President Joe Biden's initiative, as outlined in a press release, aims to establish a network of clean hydrogen producers, consumers, and infrastructure by creating H2Hubs. These hubs are anticipated to collectively produce a substantial amount of hydrogen, contributing significantly to the 2030 U.S. production target.
This initiative aligns with efforts to reduce emissions from challenging-to-decarbonize industrial sectors, a crucial step toward meeting climate and energy security objectives.
The investment in these hubs is poised to be matched by recipients, resulting in a combined total of nearly $50 billion. The Biden administration expects this investment to bolster local economies, generate high-quality jobs, and substantially reduce harmful emissions.
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