Advocates urge true clean energy approach for hydrogen, others pine for Pa.'s natural gas
Jun. 17—HARRISBURG — Advocates for clean energy primarily aligned during a Pennsylvania House committee hearing Monday on avoiding the use of fossil fuels in the production of hydrogen in the multi-billion dollar network of regional hubs funded in part with taxpayer money, two of which include Pennsylvania.
Most, not all, of the experts invited to testify at the informational hearing before the House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee said hydrogen production within the regional hubs should largely incorporate renewable energy sources. Otherwise, they say, the production risks exacerbating the climate impact it's meant to improve by reducing carbon emissions.
"Hydrogen made from fossil fuels is not a solution," said Lauren Piette, a senior associate attorney with the Clean Energy Program at Earthjustice, a nonprofit public interest environmental law organization.
The Biden administration announced a network of seven proposed hydrogen hubs across the country including one in the Philadelphia area with project works also in southern New Jersey and Delaware and another in southwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The network is a public-private partnership with $7 billion in taxpayer funding allocated to help fund the projects — $1.67 billion for the two Pennsylvania-related projects.
The regional hubs would produce, store and deliver hydrogen to end-users, envisioned largely in industrial sectors. Policy decisions by state lawmakers could impact development and the prospects for the hubs' successes.
The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) that includes southeastern Pennsylvania is tabbed for up to $750 million in public funds toward the $3 billion investment. It's mostly expected to produce hydrogen using renewable resources with some production incorporating nuclear energy and a single project incorporating biomethane from a sewer plant in Philadelphia. The energy sources would power electrolyzers to separate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, according to a project website.
The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2) that includes southwestern Pennsylvania, however, is positioned to capitalize on the Keystone State's vast natural gas resources to produce hydrogen and incorporate the capture and storage of carbon dioxide in underground caverns.
Shawn Bennett, energy and resilience division manager with Battelle, the prime contractor for ARCH2, testified that the project will include at least $6 billion in investments, result in 10,000 jobs during construction and nearly 3,200 jobs when the hub is operational.
He said the hub would produce about 2,000 metric tons of hydrogen, more than half for chemical manufacturing and the remainder for industrial power, transportation and more.
"This investment wouldn't be possible without both low-cost natural gas and carbon sequestration," Bennett said.
Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, majority committee chair, said he was concerned about using fossil fuels to make hydrogen through ARCH2 and the permanent underground storage, including the cost-effectiveness of the storage.
Bennett said the associated tax credit now gives incentive to cover the cost and make it commercially feasible.
Rep. Martin Causer, R-McKean/Cameron/Potter, said that by not capitalizing on "clean-burning natural gas," there's risk to project development, hydrogen production and local jobs.
Julie McNamara, deputy policy director for climate and energy, Union of Concerned Scientists, said hydrogen could be crucial to the transition to clean energy nationally but that it must be produced cleanly, too.
"In the alternate, hydrogen could not just fail to deliver the degree of environmental benefits hoped for — it could outright reverse many of the long fought-for climate and public health gains we've already made. This would be a disastrous outcome, wasting time and money we do not have in the pressing fight to turn the tide on climate," McNamara said.
