Gov. Whitmer Announces Michigan Wins Funding for Clean Hydrogen Hub, Creating Thousands of Good-Paying Jobs and Building a Brighter, Cleaner Future

Clean hydrogen hub funding is expected to create up to 13,600 direct jobs

LANSING, Mich.—Today, Governor Whitmer announced that a Michigan-backed clean hydrogen hub project, the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2) has been awarded up to $1 billion by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop regional supply chains for the production, distribution, and use of hydrogen in trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. The project is anticipated to create 13,600 direct jobs—12,100 in construction jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs.

 “Manufacturing is a fundamental part of the Midwest region’s identity and economic prosperity. Today’s announcement will allow us to stay true to this heritage while advancing innovation to remain globally competitive in the ongoing transition to clean energy,” said Governor Whitmer. “With this landmark achievement, made possible by the Biden Administration and support of our Congressional Delegation, we are not only securing a more sustainable future for our region and state, but we are also unlocking new opportunities for job creation and economic growth.”

The announcement builds on Michigan’s leadership in advanced manufacturing and clean energy; in fact, Michigan was recognized as the top state in the Midwest for clean energy jobs in the Clean Jobs America report from Environmental Entrepreneurs released in September 2023.

In 2022, 79 applicants sent letters of interest to the Energy Department for the hub grants, and by January, the DOE had selected 33 teams to move forward. Michigan was one of only seven projects to win this transformational funding.

“Investing in hydrogen will help us lower costs for the public and improve the air quality for our community,” said Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08). “I’m proud to announce this new funding for Flint to become a national hydrogen hub,” said Congressman Kildee. “I will continue working to deliver federal funds to lower costs for our community and improve our environment.”

“The Midwest Hydrogen Hub presents an exciting opportunity for our region to advance our position as a national clean energy and technology leader, while bringing thousands of good-paying jobs to our communities,” said Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-6). “The Hydrogen Hub has the potential to power a number of sectors that matter to the Heartland, from manufacturing to transportation and will help us make meaningful progress in our work toward a clean energy economy. I’m proud to have helped secure these funds in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and will continue to work closely with Governor Whitmer and all our state and local partners to build out the Hydrogen Hub Network here in Michigan.”

The Michigan Infrastructure Office is working with MachH2 to build a hydrogen Truck Stop of the Future in the Detroit area. This advanced mobility project will serve Gordie Howe International Bridge traffic and establish Michigan as the ideal location for building and testing hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles. The Hydrogen Truck Stop of the Future could represent emissions reductions of up to 8,250 tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of growing 115,000 tree seedlings for 10 years. 

Additionally, MachH2 will oversee the construction of a hydrogen production facility at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti and the expansion of a hydrogen production and refueling center on-site at the Flint Mass Transportation Authority. The Flint Mass Transportation Authority is also working to grow its existing fleet of hydrogen-powered buses leading to further reductions in transportation-related emissions. The current fleet of buses has reduced Flint MTA’s consumption of diesel fuel by 99%, from 3 million gallons down to 30,000, clearing the air and saving taxpayers money.

Hydrogen is an ideal fuel for trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles as it provides long driving range and short refueling times. Replacing diesel in the trucking sector could result in an abatement potential of 1,300+ kilotons per year of CO2 by 2035, the equivalent of removing 280,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road for one year. Investments in the development of a robust clean hydrogen market, supply chain and workforce have the potential to create up to 8,400 jobs in Michigan by 2035 and expand economic opportunities.

“It is rewarding and exciting to witness the convergence of the Midwest’s unmatched natural resources, world-class research institutions, and history and know-how of manufacturing to position our region and state as a hub for clean hydrogen innovation,” said Zachary Kolodin, Michigan’s chief infrastructure officer and director of the Michigan Infrastructure Office. “Together, we are harnessing the power of collaboration, drawing on our rich industrial history and forging new paths toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.”

To jump-start the production and use of clean hydrogen, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) appropriated $8 billion for the U.S. Department of Energy to fund a set of Clean Hydrogen Hubs. The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program—or H2 Hubs—includes up to $7 billion to establish six to ten regional clean hydrogen hubs across America. As part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, both hubs will deploy a Community benefits Plan that includes donating 1.5 million each year in charitable grants supporting workforce development and advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

Michigan Leads on Hydrogen 
Michigan is proud to be a leading member of the Midwestern Hydrogen Coalition, an entity solely committed to accelerating and improving clean hydrogen production, processing and use throughout the region. The state is also working closely with the province of Ontario to think about the road ahead and what a new hydrogen economy means for companies and residents with interests on both sides of the border. To learn more about how Michigan is building a strong regional economy to create good-paying jobs, expand economic opportunities, promote energy independence and improve public health outcomes, please visit Michigan Leads on Hydrogen.

About the Michigan Infrastructure Office 
The Michigan Infrastructure Office (MIO) is responsible for organizing and executing Governor Whitmer’s vision for infrastructure, coordinating across state government, marshaling resources, and partnering with local officials, federal partners, and outside stakeholders to ensure resources sent to Michigan through BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), are used efficiently and effectively.  

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.