The awards will advance Appalachia’s capabilities to establish a regional energy hub for hydrogen produced from natural gas feedstocks.

Washington, D.C., December 19, 2024 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded nearly $4.7 million to three projects through its Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative. The awards will support activities to implement a hydrogen energy hub from natural gas feedstocks in the region, as well as job training to prepare Appalachians for work in the energy industry.

Today’s awards include:

• $2,989,361 to West Virginia Region 1 & 4 Planning & Development Councils to develop a community-driven plan to accelerate a regional hydrogen hub based on natural gas and natural gas liquids in Appalachia through community engagement, workforce development planning, and technology demonstrations.
• $1,294,605 to Virginia Tech University to establish a leading hydrogen innovation hub in Virginia that advances hydrogen production from natural gas feedstocks through catalytic methane decomposition.
• $382,335 to Marion County, West Virginia to plan for the launch of a new commercial driver license (CDL) training facility for drivers of diesel and hydrogen-fueled trucks.

“Appalachia is well positioned to strengthen regional economies by investing in its energy resilience,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I’m pleased that this round of Energy Hub awards will continue strengthening the infrastructure, workforce growth and technological capabilities of Appalachia’s energy industries.”

Launched in March of 2024, Congress directed ARC to create the Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. The initiative made up to $5 million available for eligible applicants to: conduct research regarding the economic impact of an ethane energy storage hub, or support the implementation of an energy hub for natural gas and natural gas liquids, including hydrogen from natural gas feedstocks.

Learn more about the Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative: https://www.arc.gov/energyhub.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.