Energy secretary visits Pittsburgh area to talk about hydrogen hubs
YOUNGWOOD, Pa. (KDKA) -- This week, Washington announced the Pittsburgh area will not be getting a regional hydrogen hub. West Virginia was chosen instead. But on Friday, the nation's energy secretary paid a visit to tell regional leaders that all is not lost.
Starting in Youngwood, Westmoreland County, Secretary of Energy and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm was preaching the word when it comes to hydrogen's future in the region.
"The phoenix is rising here," Granholm said.
Last week's announcement that the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, or ARCH2, will be located in West Virginia disappointed labor and other government groups. Granholm assured there will be plenty of economic benefit to go around.
"We are going to invest in rebuilding and repairing communities that have been hollowed out," Granholm said.
Gov. Josh Shapiro joined Granholm in Youngwood.
"This is a big deal," Shapiro said. "From power plants to pipelines to research partnerships and apprenticeship programs."
Shapiro said from West Virginia to Pennsylvania, the $950 million investment will pay off due to demand.
"We know it has enormous potentials of fuel that can power large vehicles, airplanes, buses, trucks and industrial facilities," Shapiro said.
From Youngwood and later to Pittsburgh, the venue was different, the message was the same: taking the region's natural gas and converting it into hydrogen will put paychecks in pockets while helping the environment.
"From the hydrogen hubs alone, it's about 300,000 workers will be added," Granholm said.
"It's projected to be a million jobs per year in this energy economy."