University leads effort for equitable access to hydrogen economy jobs

The University of Houston is spearheading a project aimed at enhancing workforce development and community benefits in the Gulf Coast area as part of the ongoing energy transition. The initiative, which focuses on underserved communities, seeks to ensure that disadvantaged areas along Texas's Gulf Coast benefit from the emerging hydrogen economy.

This project, titled "Equitable Workforce Opportunities: Engaging Gulf Coast Communities in their Clean Energy Economy," has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to receive funding as part of a $62 million national effort to advance clean hydrogen technologies. It is one of four projects chosen under the "Equitable Hydrogen Technology Community Engagement" category and will receive $1 million upon successful contract negotiations. Collaborators include MRSW Management, Houston Advanced Research Center, Houston Community College, and Lamar University.

The University of Houston (UH), known as The Energy University, plays a pivotal role in this initiative. As a Tier One public research university and both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, UH serves the Houston and Gulf Coast region through research, innovation, experiential learning, and strategic industry partnerships.

Clean hydrogen is recognized for its versatility as an energy carrier crucial for industries such as fertilizer production and steelmaking. It can be produced from various clean energy sources like renewables and nuclear power or fossil fuels with carbon capture. Its potential to reduce emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors makes it vital for addressing climate challenges.

“America is leading the world in the development and deployment of clean hydrogen—a versatile fuel critical to reducing emissions from the most energy-intensive and polluting sectors of our economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.

This project aligns with Invest in America's Workforce goals, focusing on preparing workers for jobs in emerging industries like clean energy. As Texas's Gulf Coast transitions from traditional oil-based industries to new economic opportunities presented by clean energy initiatives, UH aims to ensure that underserved communities are included in this shift.

Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at UH and principal investigator on the project stated: “Historically, many of these communities have not been included in planning or decision-making processes related to workforce development in the energy sector."

The initiative includes creating a publicly available online toolkit designed to guide workforce engagement equitably across emerging job opportunities. This toolkit will focus on providing resources for Community Benefits Plans nationwide with an emphasis on Texas’s HyVelocity Hub.

“This effort is about building a stronger, more inclusive workforce,” Krishnamoorti emphasized.