42 U.S.C. § 16161a — Regional clean hydrogen hubs

Page 8790 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 16161a cations of a hydrogen infrastructure, and the benefits potentially derived from a hydrogen infrastructure. (b) Wind energy technologies The Secretary shall— (1) prepare a detailed roadmap for carrying out the provisions in this subchapter related to wind energy technologies and for imple- menting the recommendations related to wind energy technologies that are included in the report transmitted under subsection (e); and (2) provide for the establishment of 5 projects in geographic areas that are region- ally and climatically diverse to demonstrate the production of hydrogen at existing wind energy facilities, including one demonstration project at a National Laboratory or institu- tion of higher education. (c) Program support The Secretary shall support programs at insti- tutions of higher education for the development of solar energy technologies and wind energy technologies for the production of hydrogen. The programs supported under this subsection shall— (1) enhance fellowship and faculty assistance programs; (2) provide support for fundamental re- search; (3) encourage collaborative research among industry, National Laboratories, and institu- tions of higher education; (4) support communication and outreach; and (5) to the greatest extent possible— (A) be located in geographic areas that are regionally and climatically diverse; and (B) be located at part B institutions, mi- nority institutions, and institutions of high- er education located in States participating in the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research of the Department. (d) Institutions of higher education and National Laboratory interactions In conjunction with the programs supported under this section, the Secretary shall develop sabbatical, fellowship, and visiting scientist pro- grams to encourage National Laboratories and institutions of higher education to share and ex- change personnel. (e) Report The Secretary shall transmit to the Congress not later than 120 days after August 8, 2005, a re- port containing detailed summaries of the road- maps prepared under subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1), descriptions of the Secretary’s progress in establishing the projects and other programs re- quired under this section, and recommendations for promoting the availability of advanced solar and wind energy technologies for the production of hydrogen. (f) Definitions For purposes of this section— (1) the term ‘‘concentrating solar power de- vices’’ means devices that concentrate the power of the sun by reflection or refraction to improve the efficiency of a photovoltaic or thermal generation process; (2) the term ‘‘minority institution’’ has the meaning given to that term in section 1067k of title 20; (3) the term ‘‘part B institution’’ has the meaning given to that term in section 1061 of title 20; and (4) the term ‘‘photovoltaic devices’’ means devices that convert light directly into elec- tricity through a solid-state, semiconductor process. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary for carrying out the ac- tivities under this section for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2020. (Pub. L. 109–58, title VIII, § 812, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 853.) § 16161a. Regional clean hydrogen hubs (a) Definition of regional clean hydrogen hub In this section, the term ‘‘regional clean hy- drogen hub’’ means a network of clean hydrogen producers, potential clean hydrogen consumers, and connective infrastructure located in close proximity. (b) Establishment of program The Secretary shall establish a program to support the development of at least 4 regional clean hydrogen hubs that— (1) demonstrably aid the achievement of the clean hydrogen production standard developed under section 16166(a) of this title; (2) demonstrate the production, processing, delivery, storage, and end-use of clean hydro- gen; and (3) can be developed into a national clean hydrogen network to facilitate a clean hydro- gen economy. (c) Selection of regional clean hydrogen hubs (1) Solicitation of proposals Not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for regional clean hydrogen hubs. (2) Selection of hubs Not later than 1 year after the deadline for the submission of proposals under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall select at least 4 re- gional clean hydrogen hubs to be developed under subsection (b). (3) Criteria The Secretary shall select regional clean hy- drogen hubs under paragraph (2) using the fol- lowing criteria: (A) Feedstock diversity To the maximum extent practicable— (i) at least 1 regional clean hydrogen hub shall demonstrate the production of clean hydrogen from fossil fuels; (ii) at least 1 regional clean hydrogen hub shall demonstrate the production of clean hydrogen from renewable energy; and (iii) at least 1 regional clean hydrogen hub shall demonstrate the production of clean hydrogen from nuclear energy. (B) End-use diversity To the maximum extent practicable— Page 8791 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 16161b 1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a period. (i) at least 1 regional clean hydrogen hub shall demonstrate the end-use of clean hy- drogen in the electric power generation sector; (ii) at least 1 regional clean hydrogen hub shall demonstrate the end-use of clean hydrogen in the industrial sector; (iii) at least 1 regional clean hydrogen hub shall demonstrate the end-use of clean hydrogen in the residential and commer- cial heating sector; and (iv) at least 1 regional clean hydrogen hub shall demonstrate the end-use of clean hydrogen in the transportation sector. (C) Geographic diversity To the maximum extent practicable, each regional clean hydrogen hub— (i) shall be located in a different region of the United States; and (ii) shall use energy resources that are abundant in that region. (D) Hubs in natural gas-producing regions To the maximum extent practicable, at least 2 regional clean hydrogen hubs shall be located in the regions of the United States with the greatest natural gas resources. (E) Employment The Secretary shall give priority to re- gional clean hydrogen hubs that are likely to create opportunities for skilled training and long-term employment to the greatest number of residents of the region. (F) Additional criteria The Secretary may take into consider- ation other criteria that, in the judgment of the Secretary, are necessary or appropriate to carry out this subchapter 1 (4) Funding of regional clean hydrogen hubs The Secretary may make grants to each re- gional clean hydrogen hub selected under paragraph (2) to accelerate commercialization of, and demonstrate the production, proc- essing, delivery, storage, and end-use of, clean hydrogen. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $8,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. (Pub. L. 109–58, title VIII, § 813, as added Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title III, § 40314(2), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1008.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 813 of Pub. L. 109–58 was renumbered section 818 and is classified to section 16162 of this title. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries WAGE RATE REQUIREMENTS For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including au- thority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title. § 16161b. National clean hydrogen strategy and roadmap (a) Development (1) In general In carrying out the programs established under sections 16154 and 16161a of this title, the Secretary, in consultation with the heads of relevant offices of the Department, shall de- velop a technologically and economically fea- sible national strategy and roadmap to facili- tate widescale production, processing, deliv- ery, storage, and use of clean hydrogen. (2) Inclusions The national clean hydrogen strategy and roadmap developed under paragraph (1) shall focus on— (A) establishing a standard of hydrogen production that achieves the standard devel- oped under section 16166(a) of this title, in- cluding interim goals towards meeting that standard; (B)(i) clean hydrogen production and use from natural gas, coal, renewable energy sources, nuclear energy, and biomass; and (ii) identifying potential barriers, path- ways, and opportunities, including Federal policy needs, to transition to a clean hydro- gen economy; (C) identifying— (i) economic opportunities for the pro- duction, processing, transport, storage, and use of clean hydrogen that exist in the major shale natural gas-producing regions of the United States; (ii) economic opportunities for the pro- duction, processing, transport, storage, and use of clean hydrogen that exist for merchant nuclear power plants operating in deregulated markets; and (iii) environmental risks associated with potential deployment of clean hydrogen technologies in those regions, and ways to mitigate those risks; (D) approaches, including substrategies, that reflect geographic diversity across the country, to advance clean hydrogen based on resources, industry sectors, environmental benefits, and economic impacts in regional economies; (E) identifying opportunities to use, and barriers to using, existing infrastructure, in- cluding all components of the natural gas in- frastructure system, the carbon dioxide pipeline infrastructure system, end-use local distribution networks, end-use power gen- erators, LNG terminals, industrial users of natural gas, and residential and commercial consumers of natural gas, for clean hydrogen deployment; (F) identifying the needs for and barriers and pathways to developing clean hydrogen hubs (including, where appropriate, clean hydrogen hubs coupled with carbon capture, utilization, and storage hubs) that— (i) are regionally dispersed across the United States and can leverage natural gas to the maximum extent practicable;