Great Lakes Clean Hydrogen Hub Coalition Submits Application for DOE Funding

TOLEDO, Ohio, May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Great Lakes Clean Hydrogen Hub coalition (GLCH) has submitted a full application for federal funding from the $8 billion U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program to support the creation of regional clean hydrogen hubs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

GLCH's full application details a $2 billion plan to create a clean hydrogen hub to serve Ohio, Michigan, and portions of Pennsylvania and Indiana. The proposed hub will use carbon-free nuclear power to produce clean hydrogen at a competitive cost. It has a well-defined scope, is commercially feasible, and will utilize proven production technologies to minimize the time required to achieve full production of 100+ metric tonnes of hydrogen per day.

By creating a supply of clean hydrogen, GLCH aims to help major industries across the Midwest to decarbonize. It will also serve the hydrogen needs of the growing mobility market (including trucking, transit buses, rail, aviation, and marine) as it transitions to a zero-emission future. The hub is expected to benefit local communities through stakeholder engagement, job creation, and workforce partnerships and investments, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

GLCH is led by Linde (NYSE: LIN), as the prime applicant, and includes Energy Harbor, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE: CLF), GE Aerospace, the University of Toledo, and the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council.  GLCH includes diverse companies with "shovel-ready" opportunities to replace fossil fuels with clean hydrogen.  It has been actively working with the states of Ohio and Michigan, technology suppliers, hydrogen consumers, state and regional academic institutions, national laboratories, and nonprofit organizations. 

GLCH's application includes many letters of support from local unions, educational institutions, community organizations, economic development organizations, as well as local, state, and federal government officials, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senators Sherrod Brown and Gary Peters, as well as a bipartisan support letter led by Congresswoman Kaptur and Congressman Latta signed by members of the Ohio and Michigan Congressional delegations.

GLCH appreciates the opportunity to work with the DOE to advance this important initiative.

About Linde

Linde is a leading global industrial gases and engineering company with 2022 sales of $33 billion. We live our mission of making our world more productive every day by providing high-quality solutions, technologies and services which are making our customers more successful and helping to sustain, decarbonize and protect our planet.

The company serves a variety of end markets such as chemicals & energy, food & beverage, electronics, healthcare, manufacturing, metals and mining. Linde's industrial gases and technologies are used in countless applications including production of clean hydrogen and carbon capture systems critical to the energy transition, life-saving medical oxygen and high-purity & specialty gases for electronics. Linde also delivers state-of-the-art gas processing solutions to support customer expansion, efficiency improvements and emissions reductions.

For more information about the company and its products and services, please visit www.linde.com

About Energy Harbor

Energy Harbor is a highly reliable provider of carbon free baseload electricity committed to Environmental, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) principles critical to meeting the nation's emissions goals and accelerating the country's clean energy transition. Our success is driven by our unwavering employee commitment to safe, reliable operations, financial stability and best in class service to meet the energy and sustainability needs of our customers.

For more information on Energy Harbor visit www.energyharbor.com

About Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America. Founded in 1847 as a mine operator, Cliffs also is the largest manufacturer of iron ore pellets in North America. The Company is vertically integrated from mined raw materials, direct reduced iron, and ferrous scrap to primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling, and tubing. Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest supplier of steel to the automotive industry in North America and serves a diverse range of other markets due to its comprehensive offering of flat-rolled steel products. Cleveland-Cliffs has established a climate commitment to reduce its GHG emissions 25% by 2030 from 2017 levels and is a partner of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Better Climate Challenge, which encourages companies to set bold portfolio-wide GHG reduction targets. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland-Cliffs employs approximately 27,000 people across its operations in the United States and Canada.

About GE Aerospace

GE Aerospace is a world-leading provider of jet engines, components and systems for commercial and military aircraft with a global service network to support these offerings. GE Aerospace and its joint ventures have an installed base of more than 40,000 commercial and 26,000 military aircraft engines, and the business is playing a vital role in shaping the future of flight.

The University of Toledo

An Ohio public research university offering more than 250 undergraduate and graduate programs and internationally recognized for leadership in renewable energy and water research, its strong STEM programs, and its ability to connect research to the broader community. Working with other universities and national laboratories, the University is leading the diversity, equity and environmental justice aspects of the proposal. Its Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC), which leads the DOE's solar energy CdTe Accelerator Consortium, is charged with developing and advancing solar to H2 projects in the GLCH hub.

The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council

The Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC) is a Columbus, OH, based trade association representing all segments of glass manufacturing, including float, container, fiber, and specialty glass. GMIC members are glass manufacturers and industry suppliers, many of which are global companies with headquarters and plants based in the Midwest. GMIC's history of participation with Department of Energy goes back to the late 1990's, when the association organized an industry consortium to develop a Glass Technology Roadmap. GMIC provides technical education, industry intelligence, and is particularly interested in workforce development partnerships, as manufacturers move aggressively to decarbonize glass production.

SOURCE Energy Harbor