Op Ed: Southeast Hydrogen Hub Would Power a Stronger, Cleaner North Carolina
By Aaron Lay
An all-of-the-above energy strategy that leverages emerging, innovative technologies is a critical component of our energy and economic future—both here in North Carolina and nationwide. To that end, it is quite refreshing to see Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd working in Washington to secure and advance the Southeast Hydrogen Hub, a planned network of clean hydrogen producers, consumers, and businesses, and the infrastructure to connect them all.
The historic bipartisan infrastructure law Congress passed in 2021—which Senator Tillis helped negotiate and ultimately pass—secured $8 billion to build out a network of regional hydrogen hubs across the country. Clean hydrogen is a quickly advancing and promising energy resource that can be used in a vast array of applications, including energy storage to help meet demand when other sources of power are low, as an industrial feedstock, or as a low- to no-emissions fuel.
When used in a fuel cell, clean hydrogen only produces water, making it vital to support decarbonization efforts as we continue to transition to cleaner, more sustainable forms of energy production. Not only that, but these future clean hydrogen hubs will help create 21st century jobs while advancing America’s leadership role in developing and producing cleaner forms of energy.
Now, Senators Tillis and Budd have joined together with political and business leaders in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina to advance and build out a clean hydrogen hub for our region by securing funding from the Department of Energy’s newly launched Hydrogen Hub program. If successful, the Southeast Hydrogen Hub would help grow our local and regional economy, increase America’s energy production capabilities, strengthen our energy security, and reduce costs for homes and businesses in North Carolina and throughout our region.
Importantly, the effort to secure funding for this regional clean hydrogen hub is a truly bipartisan one, with Senators Tillis and Budd joining other Southeastern senators from both sides of the aisle to advance a vision of a stronger energy and economic future. In our current political environment, finding an issue that both Republicans and Democrats can agree on is no small feat.
For Senator Tillis, the push to secure funding for the Southeast Hydrogen Hub is just the latest example of his ongoing leadership in the Senate to advance an all-of-the-above approach to energy that includes clean energy and related technology. It is nice to see that Senator Budd, in just his first few months in office, is also stepping up to the plate to lead on energy-related issues that can help reduce carbon emissions while powering a stronger U.S. economy.
North Carolinians are thankful to both Senators Tillis and Budd for their efforts to help diversify our energy resources, reduce energy costs for consumers and businesses alike, and strengthen our state, regional, and national economy. Hopefully, the Department of Energy will listen to the advice of our senators and select the Southeast Hydrogen Hub as one of the six to 10 hubs that will be funded through the Hydrogen Hub program. If, and hopefully when, that happens, North Carolina can look forward to a brighter, cleaner, and more prosperous energy and economic future.
Aaron Lay is an attorney with Hamilton, Stephens, Steele and Martin.
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