10-year plan will bring almost 9,000 jobs, billions of investment dollars, and clean energy to the region June 14, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) — The early stages of a major energy transition are underway across Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (the “DMV”). Today, Connected DMV released the DMV Hydrogen Greenprint (the Greenprint) to articulate the value that hydrogen-based solutions add to the region’s social and economic future. The Greenprint presents a data-driven value proposition for deploying hydrogen across the DMV region and is a project of the National Capital Hydrogen Center, an initiative of Connected DMV, a regional nonprofit that brings together the region’s collective assets and brightest minds across sectors and jurisdictions to deliver initiatives that have the power to fundamentally reshape the DMV’s physical, digital, economic, financial and social infrastructure to help the most vulnerable among us.
While experts foresee a robust transition to a hydrogen economy occurring by 2050, the Greenprint focuses first on what can be achieved within this decade. “In 2030, the analysis shows, the region will benefit from an approximately $1.7 billion increase in economic activity and add $490 million in state and federal tax revenues,” said Connected DMV President and CEO, Stu Solomon. “The fiscal and economic impact is compelling, and we estimate that up to 8,900 skilled jobs will be created in the same period. Along with significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental benefits, this provides a win-win for all our communities.”
“The DMV region has the unique assets needed to develop a regional hydrogen economy that connects and supports a national hydrogen ecosystem,” said Connected DMV’s Vice President of Climate and Energy, Richard “Rick” Moore. “The region is home to a committed, cross-sector coalition of national and regional hydrogen economy leaders, who are pursuing the deployment of clean hydrogen infrastructure together. The Greenprint confirms the DMV as the right place to accelerate the clean energy transition utilizing hydrogen technologies, with all the critical ingredients to achieve sustainable success.”
The Greenprint demonstrates how hydrogen-based solutions can deliver exceptional climate, social and financial benefits to the DMV region. As an ally to electrification, hydrogen supports the decarbonization of hard-to-abate emissions sectors. Hydrogen is ready to be a critical element of today’s energy solution portfolio. The analysis suggests that deploying hydrogen in the region can abate almost 1.5% of regional carbon emissions in less than a decade, the equivalent of taking 700,000 cars off the road, with additional gains beyond 2030.
To deliver these outcomes equitably, Connected DMV will provide a forum for community involvement. The Greenprint provides a starting point from which Connected DMV will strengthen community relationships and facilitate inclusive, efficient and effective engagement across the region.
The National Capital Hydrogen Center accelerates the creation of a hydrogen ecosystem in Greater Washington and fosters collaboration across organizations in support of the national imperative to integrate hydrogen solutions into our country’s clean energy future. Connected DMV is creating this independent center to utilize the exceptional assets of our regional commercial, governmental, academic, community and philanthropic organizations. The Center will plan the rollout of hydrogen infrastructure to rapidly deliver economically viable hydrogen projects, thereby accelerating scale and cost competitiveness. This plan will incorporate social equity and environmental justice as foundational principles, consistent with the Connected DMV mission.
The DMV Hydrogen Greenprint report is available at https://hydrogengreenprint.org.
About Connected DMV Connected DMV is an initiatives-based, charitable 501(c)(3) organization that works with regional organizations across Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia – the DMV – to help drive ongoing improvements to social, digital, and physical infrastructure. Connected DMV focuses on initiatives that span local jurisdictions and require collaboration across the public, private, academia, and community sectors to best achieve the dual objectives of enduring economic growth and social equity.