Preface. Across America groups are opposing new hydrogen production, mainly funded by $8 billion of government hydrogen hub (H2Hubs) money.
The main reasons are a lack of transparency, pollution, and that most hydrogen would cause even more drilling since it will be blue hydrogen made out of natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCUS).
CCUS requires so much water it could double the water footprint of humanity (Rosa 2021).
Water shortages are an issue at a proposed $2.5 billion-dollar electrolyzer facility near Corpus Christi and on Navajo nation land in Arizona, who also oppose a 200-mile pipeline that might rupture and explode (Keetso 2023, Kusnetz 2022, Robles 2024).
IRENA (2023) reports that 35% of future hydrogen production in the world planned by 2040 is in highly water-stressed regions.
The Department of Energy has $8 billion to fund 6 to 10 regional hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs). Seven have been established, and an 8th is pending.
- ARCH2 Appalachian hydrogen hub $925 million West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania
- ARCHES California Hydrogen hub $1.2 billion
- H2Hub Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub $1.2 billion
- HH2H Heartland Hydrogen Hub $925 million N & S Dakota
- MACH2 Mid-Atlantic hydrogen Hub $750 million Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey
- MachH2 Midwest Hydrogen Hub $1 billion Illinois, Indiana, Michigan
- PNWH2 Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub $1 billion
- Pending: Western Interstate Hydrogen Hub Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah
Alice Friedemann www.energyskeptic.com Author of Life After Fossil Fuels: A Reality Check on Alternative Energy; When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the Future of Transportation”, Barriers to Making Algal Biofuels, & “Crunch! Whole Grain Artisan Chips and Crackers”. Women in ecology Podcasts: WGBH, Financial Sense, Jore, Planet: Critical, Crazy Town, Collapse Chronicles, Derrick Jensen, Practical Prepping, Kunstler 253 &278, Peak Prosperity, Index of best energyskeptic posts
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References
RENA (2023) Water for hydrogen production. International Renewable Energy Agency
Keetso J (2023) Hydrogen hub development does not allow for meaningful community collaboration. Navajo Times.
Kusnetz N (2022) Oil Companies Are Eying Federal Climate Funds to Expand Hydrogen Production. Will Their Projects Cut Emissions? Inside Climate News.
Robles C (2024) Texas water fight shows pushback on ‘clean’ hydrogen. E&E News by Politico.
Rosa L et al (2021) The water footprint of carbon capture and storage technologies. Renewable & Sustainable Energy reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110511