Joe Biden invests in Hydrogen Poles in the United States

Joe Biden announces a major investment in the creation of "hydrogen clusters" to stimulate the green economy in the United States. This initiative aims to produce clean hydrogen while creating well-paid jobs. However, environmental concerns have been raised about the use of fossil fuels.
Joe Biden discours

Partagez:

Joe Biden Invests in Hydrogen Poles in seven regions of the U.S., with the aim of boosting the green economy ahead of the 2024 elections. The aim of this initiative is to produce nearly three million tonnes of cleanhydrogen per year, equivalent to a third of the US production target for 2030.

Seven Key Regions

The seven regions selected to become hydrogen hubs include West Virginia, Texas, California, and a hub stretching from Minnesota to North and South Dakota. These regions will receive a total of $7 billion in funding from the major infrastructure bill passed in 2021. This investment is expected to attract $40 billion in private investment in hydrogen-powered clean energy, creating many new jobs.

Well-paid union jobs

The initiative aims to finance large-scale hydrogen production, pipelines to transport it, and to help industries and businesses adapt to the use of this energy source. Joe Biden stressed that when he thinks about the climate, he also thinks about well-paid, preferably unionized jobs.

Some of the states included in this initiative, such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, will play a key role in the 2024 presidential election. These states were pivotal in 2020 when Joe Biden was elected, and the creation of hydrogen hubs could bolster his electoral support.

Environmental concerns

However, environmental concerns have been raised by an NGO, the Union of Concerned Scientists. The organization points out that some projects depend on the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels, which could perpetuate the use of unsustainable sources.

Hydrogen is a renewable, storable energy carrier. Joe Biden has pledged to increase “blue” and “green” hydrogen production capacity. Blue hydrogen is produced from natural gas with carbon dioxide capture, while green hydrogen is produced from renewable sources. U.S. hydrogen production, while already substantial, mainly comprises “grey” hydrogen, produced from natural gas without capturing CO2 emissions.

Green and Economic Objective

This initiative shows how Joe Biden seeks to combine his environmental goals for clean energy with job creation and economic stimulation. This strategy, dubbed “Bidenomics,” aims to strengthen American industry and create high-paying jobs, with a particular focus on green energy.

According to the 2025 report on global energy access, despite notable progress in renewable energy, insufficient targeted financing continues to hinder electricity and clean cooking access, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
While advanced economies maintain global energy leadership, China and the United States have significantly progressed in the security and sustainability of their energy systems, according to the World Economic Forum's annual report.
On the sidelines of the US–Africa summit in Luanda, Algiers and Luanda consolidate their energy collaboration to better exploit their oil, gas, and mining potential, targeting a common strategy in regional and international markets.
The UK's Climate Change Committee is urging the government to quickly reduce electricity costs to facilitate the adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles, judged too slow to achieve the set climate targets.
The European Commission will extend until the end of 2030 an expanded state-aid framework, allowing capitals to fund low-carbon technologies and nuclear power to preserve competitiveness against China and the United States.
Japan's grid operator forecasts an energy shortfall of up to 89 GW by 2050 due to rising demand from semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence technologies.
Energy-intensive European industries will be eligible for temporary state aid to mitigate high electricity prices, according to a new regulatory framework proposed by the European Commission under the "Clean Industrial Deal."
Mauritius seeks international investors to swiftly build a floating power plant of around 100 MW, aiming to secure the national energy supply by January 2026 and address current production shortfalls.
Madrid announces immediate energy storage measures while Lisbon secures its electrical grid, responding to the historic outage that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula in late April.
Indonesia has unveiled its new national energy plan, projecting an increase of 69.5 GW in electricity capacity over ten years, largely funded by independent producers, to address rapidly rising domestic demand.
French Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher condemns the parliamentary moratorium on new renewable energy installations, warning of the potential loss of 150,000 industrial jobs and increased energy dependence on foreign countries.
The European battery regulation, fully effective from August 18, significantly alters industrial requirements related to electric cars and bicycles, imposing strict rules on recycling, supply chains, and transparency for companies.
The European Parliament calls on the Commission to strengthen energy infrastructure and accelerate the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal to enhance the continent's energy flexibility and security amid increased market volatility.
The European Commission unveils an ambitious plan to modernize electricity grids and introduces the Clean Industrial Deal, mobilizing hundreds of billions of euros to strengthen the continent's industrial and energy autonomy.
In the United States, regulated electric grid operators hold a decisive advantage in connecting new data centres to the grid, now representing 134 GW of projects, according to a Wood Mackenzie report published on June 19.
The French National Assembly approves a specific target of 200 TWh renewable electricity production by 2030 within a legislative text extensively debated about the future national energy mix.
In 2024, US CO₂ emissions remain stable at 5.1bn tonnes, as the Trump administration prepares hydrocarbon-friendly energy policies, raising questions about the future evolution of the American market.
The early publication of France's energy decree triggers strong parliamentary reactions, as the government aims to rapidly secure investments in nuclear and other energy sectors.
Seven weeks after the major Iberian power outage, Spain identifies technical network failures, while the European Investment Bank approves major funding to strengthen the interconnection with France.
The European Union has announced a detailed schedule aiming to definitively halt Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, anticipating internal legal and commercial challenges to overcome.