ST. LOUIS (Aug. 9, 2022) – A diverse group of industry, business and community groups and academic institutions has come together to help decarbonize the regional industrial sector and foster production and end-uses of hydrogen. The new group, called the Greater St. Louis and Illinois Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub Industrial Cluster, intends to collaborate on infrastructure development and innovative technology deployment needed to drive toward individual firm decarbonization goals and collectively achieve substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions for the region by 2035.
The newly formed group’s members include Ameren, Burns McDonnell, MPLX LP (and its sponsor, Marathon Petroleum Corp.), Marquis Industrial Complex, Alton Steel, The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc., Walmart, Mitsubishi Power, Plug Power, Spire, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Greater St. Louis, Inc., and the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois.
“One of St. Louis’ strengths is the diversity of our industrial partnerships from the energy, power, steel, manufacturing and transportation sectors, which is enhanced by our infrastructure network and availability of natural resources,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc., which represents the 15-county bistate region’s civicminded business community. “This will drive inclusive growth through the protection and creation of jobs and the deployment of sustainable and equitable energy transition solutions.”
"The St. Louis region’s combination of natural resources and outstanding infrastructure has created a tremendous economic ecosystem fostering industrial partnerships with energy, steel, manufacturing, and the transportation sectors,” said Kyle Anderson, executive director of the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois. “A skilled, trained workforce will be able to maximize the value of this energy for the deployment of sustainable and equitable energy transfer solutions.”
Said Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc.: "The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is dedicated to empowering the underserved and vulnerable members of our community through partnerships and collaboration. Initiatives such as this bring regional partners together to invest in clean energy and create jobs and opportunities that can be part of the bridge to ending the inequalities that exist in our communities."
“The region is uniquely talent-rich to support the needs of the cluster,” said Phil Valko, Assistant Vice Chancellor at Washington University in St. Louis. “We have a wealth of academic experts and research initiatives on hydrogen technology and storage to draw on, as well as top institutions for training this skilled workforce.”
“Hydrogen energy will play a significant role in developing a more sustainable future for our nation, and Missouri University of Science and Technology will provide the research expertise needed to develop innovative solutions for the hydrogen sector,” said Dr. Mo Dehghani, Chancellor of Missouri S&T. “The U.S. Department of Energy currently funds a major research project at S&T to use hydrogen for the carbon-free manufacturing of steel – a method that holds great promise. Through this new hub, we look forward to expanding further into hydrogen research.”
“New technologies will be important to achieving Ameren's carbon reduction goals and helping our customers achieve their goals,” said Mark Fronmuller, senior vice president of strategy, innovation, sustainability and risk at Ameren. "We believe participating in these efforts will lead to breakthroughs in future generations of reliable, carbon-free energy."
“We look forward to working with our industrial and regulatory partners in the greater St. Louis and Illinois region to support the reduction of industrial greenhouse gas emissions,” said Tim Aydt, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of MPLX. “At Marathon Petroleum and MPLX, we are committed to meeting the energy needs of today while investing in a sustainable, energy-diverse future.”
“Plug is proud to join this diverse group of forward-thinking public and private sector leaders to deliver clean energy solutions through our first-class green hydrogen products," said Don Govel of Plug Power. "The Greater St. Louis region represents the heart of the U.S., and we know an investment in this region is an investment in all Americans.”
The Greater St. Louis and Illinois region is uniquely positioned to provide continuity with other clean hydrogen hubs through existing infrastructure and natural resources, including navigable rivers, such as the Illinois, Missouri, and Mississippi; interstate highway connections to other major metropolitan areas, including Chicago, Indianapolis and Kansas City; the Port of St. Louis; excellent geology for CO2 storage; natural gas pipeline and delivery systems; and outstanding educational institutions.
The group’s work to define the hub’s vision has been facilitated by the World Economic Forum as part of their industrial cluster initiative with the Electric Power Research Institute and Accenture.
About Greater St. Louis, Inc.
Greater St. Louis, Inc. brings together business and civic leaders to create jobs, expand inclusive economic growth, and improve St. Louis’ global competitiveness. We speak with a unified voice, lead with a bold agenda, and act as one metro anchored by a vibrant urban core. Learn more about Greater St. Louis, Inc. here.
Forward-looking statements
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