<MEGA SIGH> Source: Biden administration to award $7bn in grants to create US ‘hydrogen hubs’ | US news | The Guardian The US Department of Energy has selected seven projects for a $7bn program to launch the development and production of hydrogen fuel, the White House announced on Friday. The Biden administration says the program will constitute a major boost to the country’s nascent clean hydrogen industry, helping it achieve its climate goals. But many climate advocates are skeptical that it will actually help reduce emission. . . . The money will be awarded to proposed hydrogen projects on the Gulf Coast and in the mid-Atlantic, Appalachia, midwest, upper midwest, Pacific north-west and California. Dozens of regions competed for funds from the $7bn pot, set aside in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. On Friday, Joe Biden will travel to Philadelphia to promote the mid-Atlantic hub. . . . The rest of the story fairly presents the issues. If this is what it takes to kill it ... so be it. Bob Wilson
Last I'd read - Shell oil has been working to scuttle several of its $2 million refueling stations; https://www.autoevolution.com/news/hydrogen-cars-are-dead-as-projects-are-scrapped-and-refueling-prices-go-through-the-roof-221373.html And if the fossil fuel industry can't find profit in hydrogen (most hydrogen is made from their products) only the government has enough money to do hydrogen. Your money. Ask Bob says, Mega sigh. .
"Though researchers agree that truly clean hydrogen, produced without fossil fuels, can fulfill certain crucial roles in hard-to-decarbonize sectors, including in the production of synthetic fertilizers and steel," That needs to be supported, but it doesn't sound like this does that.
Some better details about the 7 hubs U.S. Unveils Seven Regional Hydrogen Hubs, Awards $7B to Kickstart National Hydrogen Network The timeframe is 8-12 years which is a much better timeline for this project than the failed California and east coast hydrogen highways. Goals of dropping the price of clean hydrogen (renewable based, or blue - carbon captured by products) is admirable but I doubt they can drop them nearly as much as promised. I think 3 hubs instead of 7 would have done the job but there is so much politics they needed to put one in those other regions.
The lobbyists said that before about the probable trillion dollar infrastructure for passenger cars. This is different. 8-12 years to subsidize green and blue (carbon capture) hydrogen in large quantities. The gulf hub is going to use it to make ammonia, and e-methanol, and fuel for trucks. All are reasonable, the goals for the price drop are unrealistic, but a lot of hydrogen and methane are used for those things today, and parts of the infrastructure are there. The $1Kg in 2030 is a little crazy but wind can be over built and maybe you get to $2.50/kg. Not sure if it will work but it is a lot less money than previous initiatives, and a more realistic time frame. Put a 160 kwh of batteries (the size of 2 tesla long range packs for the Y and 3) and e-methanol in a truck and it may pollute so much less than current diesel. Need to make those engines flex fuel though to do coast to coast, but if batteries get down to $100/kwh it may be cheaper than current diesel truck engines.
