The first batch of funding in support of an announced hydrogen hub in the Appalachian region has been made available, according to state and federal officials.

The initial $30 million of $925 million announced last fall was released by the U.S. Department of Energy to officially launch the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, according to information provided Wednesday evening through the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., who serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

“Since our state’s founding in 1863, we have cemented our legacy as America’s energy powerhouse,” Manchin said. “I was proud to help bring ARCH2 to the Mountain State, which will strengthen America’s energy independence, adding to our all-of-the-above approach to energy production through the expansion of hydrogen energy while lowering emissions and bringing good paying jobs to our state.”

Joining Manchin in the announcement were U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who is ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, as well as Gov. Jim Justice and former U.S. Rep. David McKinley.

The ARCH2 project was one of seven regional hydrogen hubs announced Oct. 13 by President Joe Biden and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Under plans released at the time, the “hub” would consist of several connected production nodes located in West Virginia, southeast Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania.

Among the announced nodes were Follansbee, Belle, North Point Pleasant, Washington and Fairmont in West Virginia; Ashtabula, Canton and Hopedale in Ohio; and Labelle and West Keating Township in Pennsylvania.

Funding for the project was included in provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in November 2021.

“This initial funding announcement marks an important step in helping the ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub come to fruition,” Capito said. “As part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we ensured West Virginia could continue its proud history of energy production with a clean hub to produce, transport and use hydrogen as an energy source in our region.”

Manchin and Capito voted in favor of the Infrastructure bill in the Senate, while McKinley, R-W.Va., supported it while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. Current House members Alex Mooney and Carol Miller, both R-W.Va., voted against the legislation.

“I was honored to work alongside Senators Manchin and Capito, as well as Governor Justice, to make this long overdue project a reality,” McKinley said. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to fix not only our nation’s broken bridges, roads and waterways, but is also rejuvenating our state’s energy industry. Thanks to the historic investments in our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, West Virginia will continue our vital role in America’s energy production.”

At the time of its announcement, officials reported the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub will create 18,000 construction jobs and 3,000 permanent jobs and partner with 40 companies in the natural gas, energy and manufacturing sectors, West Virginia University and Marshall University, local transit authorities and the federal National Energy Technology Laboratory.

“West Virginia is leading the charge in our nation’s energy future, and this award for the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub is a testament to our state being a powerhouse in the energy industry,” Justice said.

Other regional hydrogen hubs announced include the California Hydrogen Hub; the Gulf State Hydrogen Hub serving southeast Texas and eastern Louisiana; the Heartland Hydrogen Hub serving Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota; the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub serving parts of eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey; the Midwest Hydrogen Hub serving Illinois, Indiana and Michigan; and the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub serving Washington State, Oregon and parts of Montana.