Oakland, Ca – Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and Councilmember Kalb are introducing a resolution asking the State of California to select the city of Oakland as a Green Hydrogen Hub — using Electrolysis Powered By Renewable Energy — for the statewide Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems’ (ARCHES). The resolution would continue Kaplan’s efforts to help reduce the deadly and harmful air pollution caused by emissions, especially diesel particulate emissions, from trucks, and other sources, which have disproportionately caused harm to African American and lower income communities in our region, especially in East Oakland and West Oakland. The Oakland City Council will vote on the resolution at the February 7, 2023, Oakland City Council meeting.

The City has a proven track record in utilizing public-private partnerships to leverage funding for important projects in hydrogen technology development. In 2021, as part of her role representing the city of Oakland on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) board, Oakland collaborated with Center for Transportation and the Environment (CET), and 15 other public and private organizations secured $54 million to build and deploy 30 fuel cell electric trucks and a supporting hydrogen fueling station at the East Bay Municipal Utility treatment plant, adjacent to the Port of Oakland (Port). In addition, for more than 20 years, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) has been a leader in adopting and advancing zero-emission technology, mandating its entire bus fleet’s transition to zero-emission by 2040.

In fall 2022, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced the formation of the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), a shared not-for-profit LLC public-private partnership designed to accelerate hydrogen’s contribution to decarbonizing the economy in California. To ensure the City of Oakland is an active collaborator in the State’s effort to expand the use of clean hydrogen and stem the effects of climate change, this resolution highlights Oakland’s leadership in hydrogen adoption, requests that Oakland be considered as a location for a potential statewide green hydrogen hub, and declares the City’s intent to enter into a memorandum of commitment to join ARCHES. Participation in ARCHES would allow Oakland to build a healthier future, create local green jobs while reducing pollution, and transition to clean locally produced energy.

Link to the item resolution and report

Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan states: “Oakland has a proven track record of leveraging public dollars to create impactful public-private partnerships and has a clear market for green hydrogen that would benefit several surrounding areas given our geographic location within the Bay Area.

It is vital that we continue to partner with local, state, and the federal government to convert the infrastructure that has caused the communities adjacent to the truck corridors, along West and East Oakland and surrounding areas, to be subjected to a disproportionate share of air pollution, causing asthma, cancer, and several negative health problems.”

Where: Oakland City Council Meeting

When: February 7, 2023 at 1:30pm

To observe the meeting by video conference, please click on this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87194214554

Link to the full meeting agenda

By Zennie Abraham

Zennie Abraham | Zennie Abraham or "Zennie62" is the founder of Zennie62Media which consists of zennie62blog.com and a multimedia blog news aggregator and video network, and 78-blog network, with social media and content development services and consulting. Zennie is a pioneer video blogger, YouTube Partner, social media practitioner, game developer, and pundit. Note: news aggregator content does not reflect the personal views of Mr. Abraham.

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