SPIRITWOOD – The U.S. Department of Energy announced it has selected the Heartland Hydrogen Hub for up to $925 million in funding to advance a regional clean energy project.

Governors of North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin signed a memorandum of understanding in October 2022 to develop a regional clean hydrogen hub to help meet the nation’s clean energy, transportation and agricultural needs. The Heartland Hydrogen Hub will produce low-carbon hydrogen, decarbonize regional supply chains and create clean energy jobs across the states.

“Clean hydrogen can play a major role in our all-of-the-above energy approach, and we’re grateful to the Department of Energy for recognizing our states’ expertise in agriculture and energy production that will make the Heartland Hydrogen Hub a world-class partnership,” N.D. Governor Doug Burgum said. “North Dakota is already an energy and ag powerhouse, and we’re excited to build on our reputation as states that feed and fuel the world with environmental stewardship and a focus on innovation over regulation to meet our nation’s evolving energy needs.”

The University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), Marathon Petroleum Corp., TC Energy and Xcel Energy are leading development of the Heartland Hydrogen Hub. Marathon and TC Energy also are engaged with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and Sumitomo Corp. of Americas to participate. Burgum signed an MOU with the president and CEO of Sumitomo Corp. during a trade and investment mission to Japan last year.

With the Heartland Hydrogen Hub, a variety of projects will produce clean hydrogen for delivery to multiple markets including industrial operations, fertilizer production, and natural gas blending for power generation and distribution, while reducing carbon emissions from multiple sectors by up to 1 million metric tons per year, according to EERC.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, worked to advance the EERC’s application on behalf of the multi-state project, including bringing the Department of Energy Secretary to North Dakota to see the EERC firsthand.

Hoeven said the project will leverage private sector investment to bring up to $5 billion in investment to the project region in total. It will use $500 million of the award at the Marathon renewable diesel facility in Dickinson for the implementation of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) as well as hydrogen and fertilizer production.

Marathon and TC Energy will contribute $1.5 billion toward this effort, making this a $2 billion investment in the facility.

The facility utilizes feed from the new ADM soybean crushing facility in Spiritwood, which is east of Jamestown, benefiting the state’s agriculture producers. The hydrogen will be used to produce lower-cost fertilizers for North Dakota farmers, providing a local supply rather than relying on imports.

“This project is about continuing to do all we can to further strengthen and diversify North Dakota’s role as an ag and energy powerhouse for our nation,” Hoeven said.

Sen. Kevin Cramer said the DOE announcement solidifies North Dakota as a national leader in the energy and agricultural economy of the future.

“The Heartland Hydrogen Hub stands to play an integral role in diversifying the upper Midwest’s fertilizer supply and providing a reliable source of hydrogen for energy applications,” he added.