Hydrogen Hub: Building a more economically and environmentally sustainable economy for Indiana

Tom Dakich

Northern Indiana business leaders have worked hard in recent years to attract new companies and 21st century industries to our region to create local jobs and strengthen the local economy – with great success. Our highly skilled workforce, proximity to Chicago, a business-friendly tax environment and robust existing infrastructure have all helped make this vision of economic and environmental revitalization a reality.

From the Quantum Corridor stretching under the Indiana Toll Road across northern Indiana to the Digital Crossroad data center in Hammond, Indiana, investments in expanding our technology and data infrastructure are helping create new economic opportunities. Additionally, these investments help transform our region from a known polluter to one that is on the cutting edge of technology and successfully advances both environmental and economic sustainability goals.

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The recent announcement that the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2) has received a portion of the $7 billion provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to accelerate the production and use of clean hydrogen, is just the latest example of this positive news trend. Thanks to the focused leadership of Governor Eric Holcomb, Senator Todd Young and Representative Frank Mrvan, the MachH2 Hub was just one of seven clean hydrogen hubs across the country to receive IIJA funding.

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In total, the MachH2 regional hydrogen hub – which includes Indiana, Illinois and Michigan – will receive $1 billion in investments to launch the groundbreaking clean energy project. The U.S. Department of Energy projects this will create 13,600 direct jobs for our states while spurring private investment in Indiana communities.

MachH2 will help the United States continue to increase the production of and discover new applications for clean hydrogen as a fuel source, ensuring that Northern Indiana and our entire region continue to be a leader in carbon reduction and clean energy. In total, the project includes over 70 private and public companies, economic development groups and educational institutions in our region, including Purdue University Northwest, who will be involved in research and workforce development efforts that will create exciting new industry partnership opportunities for students and faculty.

Over the years, especially in the last decade or so, enormous changes have begun. As I look back on the days when Hammond was home to one of the dirtiest power plants in the country, I am immensely proud of the progress we have made and the role Digital Crossroad played in transforming the old State Line power plant into a power plant played Green Data Center of the 21st Century.

Ultimately, the soon-to-be MachH2 Clean Hydrogen Hub will allow Northwest Indiana to continue to build on the progress and momentum of recent years to both build a stronger economy and reduce emissions and improve the quality of life in our communities. This project is designed to spur the region’s revitalization and attract new businesses, expand our clean energy capabilities, and create good-paying jobs for Hoosiers – and I’m grateful to our leaders from Indianapolis to Washington, DC, for helping make this much-needed possible Secure project, economic growth project.

Tom Dakich is Chief Executive Officer of Quantum Corridor and founder of Digital Crossroad.

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