Opportunities and challenges associated with a potential hydrogen hub in the northeastern United States, defined as Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. The northeast hydrogen hub enjoys several critical advantages and hydrogen-enabling conditions.
Due to excellent offshore wind resources and substantial political support for clean energy, the northeastern hub states have set goals of collectively installing more than thirty-five gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind (OSW) generation capacity by 2035.1
Having become the nation’s leader in offshore wind development, the northeast is poised to leverage these resources to produce hydrogen. In addition, the region is in dire need of solutions that could limit electricity prices, as the northeast has some of the nation’s highest electricity prices, particularly during winter peak-demand periods. Hydrogen’s interseasonal storage capabilities could dampen regional electricity prices by shifting electrons generated from off-peak seasons to peak winter demand. A regional hydrogen-supportive supply chain is emerging, as the northeast possesses an electrolyzer industry and is developing several offshore wind ports.
Moreover, the region enjoys a variety of use cases for hydrogen deployment, including blending in existing natural gas pipelines; desulfurization in refineries; industrial uses, such as steel and cement; and, potentially, over the long term, maritime transport.Â
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