Integrated Hawai‘i Pacific Hydrogen Hub applies for federal funding

The Hawai‘i State Energy Office and its partners have submitted a full application to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Hydrogen Hub programs.

The Hawai‘i Pacific Hydrogen Hub, or H2Hub, authored one of 33 concept papers nationwide that was encouraged by the U.S. Department of Energy to apply for funding through the program. The agency has said it plans to choose six to 10 applications to share a total of $7 billion available through the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Regardless of the outcome, we now have a much clearer picture about how hydrogen will be part of Hawai‘i’s future as we expand our portfolio of energy resources,” said Governor Dr. Josh Green.

“We submitted an entirely green hydrogen proposal and, if we are successful, it could be a real game-changer that launches hydrogen technology and the hub as a key part of a diversified and integrated economic portfolio,” Gov. Dr. Green continued.

The Hawai‘i State Energy Office convened a group of stakeholders to develop and submit a $2.1 billion proposal. If selected for an award, the projects within the Hawai‘i Pacific Hydrogen Hub are subject to a four-phased funding process over a 10- to 12-year period.

Each of the first three phases requires the completion of a series of milestones in order to be eligible for federal funding in the next phase.

“We submitted an excellent package that we believe deserves funding,” said Hawai‘i Chief Energy Officer Mark B. Glick. “Whatever happens with this proposal, we are grateful for the dozens of collaborating organizations in the public and private sectors who co-designed the roadmap and are fully committed to making it a reality.”

The Hawai‘i proposal aligns existing and new infrastructure to build out a new green regional hydrogen production, distribution, and use network to serve the state and military locations on Guam and Kwajalein Atoll.

The hydrogen is called “green” because it would be produced from a portfolio of renewable energy sources in accordance with Hawai‘i state law and other policies, instead of fossil fuels.

Proposal details will remain confidential through the competitive national selection process which is expected to conclude this fall.