CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Port of Corpus Christi Commissioners have signed off on a number of items related to the port's efforts to become a hydrogen hub.
That designation is expected to result in billions of investment dollars.
The hubs promote hydrogen production and create infrastructure for processing, storage, and use of clean hydrogen. Proponents believe that a hydrogen fuel cell used in an electric motor is two-to-three times more efficient than gasoline.
Port of C.C. Commissioners agreed to move forward with its staff applying for a federal application that's due in April. That paperwork is part of a process that could have the port named as a hydrogen hub.
"We have not yet received any federal dollars just to clarify. So we have not yet received federal dollars," said Port of Corpus Christi Authority Chief Strategy Officer Jeffrey Pollack. "Each of the hubs is eligible for up to $1.25 billion. In our case we are trying to get a grant award for just under $1 billion. That would be matched by many times that. So, tens of billions of dollars in private sector investments in the projects that potentially could be funded with federal dollars."
The port will not own or develop any of the hydrogen production facilities. Instead, it will act to help get projects moving forward by helping to get companies matched up along with those tens of billions of investments dollars.