Hydrogen Hubs: Nothing About Us, Without Us
WHAT IS HYDROGEN?
Hydrogen is an element presently used as fuel for industrial processes, electricity generation, and transportation. The federal government is looking to expand the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel to natural gas in hard-to-decarbonize sectors. One step in this direction was a government announcement in October 2023, which proposed seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs).
Hydrogen is usually found attached to other substances (water, methane, carbohydrates), from which it must be separated. Hydrogen is given color codes based on its source or how it is produced. The Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub (MACH2), one of the seven proposed H2Hubs and the one that plans to span the Delaware River, has the potential to use green, pink, orange, and blue hydrogen. The four types differ in the source of hydrogen production, coming from renewables like wind and solar (green), nuclear power (pink), bio-gas or so-called “renewable natural gas” from wastewater treatment byproduct (orange), or fossil fuels (blue).
Blue hydrogen specifically relies on natural-gas drilling and transportation, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, but adds carbon capture and sequestration to qualify it as “clean”. Another difference is that, while green and pink hydrogen are made from splitting water (electrolysis), orange and blue hydrogen are made from methane (reforming).
WHAT IS MACH2?
The Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) is a proposed cluster of hydrogen energy projects that will reportedly comprise 20 components throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, South and Central New Jersey, and Delaware. This is one of seven hubs federally-funded by the $7 billion H2Hubs program. MACH2 is earmarked to received $750 million and the prime applicant in Chester is Messer Industrial Gas.
Hydrogen hubs will create networks of hydrogen producers, via nuclear, gas or renewable electricity, and the local infrastructure to increase the availability of this new fuel source. There is the potential for these projects to rely on fracked gas and nuclear energy, perpetuating human harm and environmental destruction caused by these dirty and dangerous industries. Many large oil and gas industries use Hydrogen Hubs as a way to greenwash and keep their infrastructure (pipelines, drills) relevant.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
1. NO TRANSPARENCY: The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) says that MACH2 is required to engage communities and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The principles cited in the community benefits plan prioritize “to ensure people impacted by energy development have a role in the decisions that affect their lives.” MACH2 has failed to do this by not inviting community members to “community meetings”, requiring $2500 per three person memberships in order to attend meetings, limiting public comment, and leaving host communities out of negotiations. MACH2 is purposely excluding communities who will be impacted most!
2. NOT SAFE: Hydrogen is the smallest and lightest chemical element. Because of this, it profusely leaks and causes steel to break down (“embrittlement”). It is more flammable and explosive than other fuels and requires careful handling and storage to prevent safety risks to workers and nearby communities. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), proper sensors are needed to detect leaks and the nearly invisible flames. The DOE also found that equipment failure is the most common cause of hydrogen accidents. Despite this, in all discussions of community benefits, only jobs are discussed but not the consequences to quality of life.
3. WATER USE: Large-scale hydrogen production could strain local water resources, leading to potential conflicts over water allocation and environmental degradation. According to the Food and Water Watch, throughout its life cycle, each megawatt-hour of green hydrogen consumes 250 times as much water as solar energy and 5000 times as much as wind.
4. CLIMATE THREAT: Blue hydrogen, a potential source for MACH2, relies on natural gas. Increased demand for fossil fuels to support hydrogen production could drive further extraction activities, leading to habitat destruction, water pollution, human health harms, and land degradation. While blue hydrogen uses carbon capture (an unproven technology) in attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it actually increases the amount of methane released because of an increased use of natural gas to power the carbon capture.
Also, when hydrogen is burned to generate power, it releases water instead of carbon-dioxide, which is why it gets called “clean hydrogen”. However, burning hydrogen also always causes the formation of nitrogen oxides in the air, a potent greenhouse gas that leads to ozone air pollution (smog) and is danger to human health. Experts have additionally found hydrogen is very inefficient. Between 50 and 80% of the energy value of clean electricity is lost in the process of making hydrogen and then burning it to generate electricity.
Video about 2020 Catawba, NC hydrogen facility explosion
Video about 2019 Santa Clara, CA hydrogen facility explosion and fire
