The City of Lancaster joined with industry, government and academic stakeholders from across California to launch the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), the state’s public-private hydrogen (H2) hub consortium to accelerate the development and deployment of clean, renewable H2 projects and infrastructure. The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development and the University of California will lead the development of ARCHES proposal for the Department of Energy (DOE) Regional Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program, which was passed by the federal government under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021.
“The City of Lancaster is excited to join the ARCHES H2Hubs collaboration and partner to bring federal funding to accelerate the role hydrogen will play in decarbonizing California’s economy,” said R. Rex Parris, mayor of the City of Lancaster. “Lancaster has long recognized the immense potential hydrogen has to reduce emissions and combat climate change. As the nation’s first hydrogen city, we have already started developing cutting-edge hydrogen projects across the city. Our early adoption of hydrogen as a key zero-emission energy solution will help the city connect to the broader hydrogen ecosystem the state government is seeking to create through H2Hubs funding.”
The DOE H2Hubs Program seeks to demonstrate the production, distribution and end uses of hydrogen across the United States. DOE anticipates 6-10 hubs to be funded under the program, demonstrating different production methods and uses, including transportation, power generation, heating and industrial. The ARCHES hub plans to demonstrate renewable hydrogen production for multiple uses across the economy. In addition to the technical requirements under the H2Hubs program, each proposal must demonstrate collaboration and engagement within communities, labor and environmental justice.