Heartland Hydrogen Hub
Advancing Energy Security Through Innovation
The Heartland Hydrogen Hub℠ (HH2H) is one of seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs, a program managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations. Located in the heartland of the United States, its goal is to establish the production of hydrogen as a value-added energy source, providing the opportunity to decarbonize agriculture and industrial manufacturing sectors in the region by producing clean hydrogen for end use in fertilizer and reliable power generation. HH2H is a collaborative initiative that will produce low-carbon hydrogen and create jobs in energy and agriculture across the Heartland region of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Colorado.
Heartland Hydrogen Hub, LLC (Heartland LLC) is leading this effort with program management from the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and project partners Atlas Agro North America Corp. (Atlas Agro) and Xcel Energy Services Inc. (Xcel Energy). HH2H will establish clean hydrogen projects that leverage diverse resources and markets; demonstrate sustainable business models with potential for growth; and develop a highly skilled, regional clean energy workforce.
Production with a Purpose
HH2H will consist of multiple clean hydrogen production facilities, uses, and connective infrastructure. It aims to produce commercial-scale quantities (~160 metric tons per day) of clean hydrogen.
Atlas Agro plans to generate clean hydrogen from renewable sources, which will then be used to produce ammonia, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate, ultimately manufacturing calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN27) fertilizer. In addition, Xcel Energy will evaluate existing and future grid infrastructure in its Upper Midwest and Colorado territories to support hydrogen production.
A Phased Approach to Commercialization
The HH2H initiative is currently in the Phase 1 concept development stage, which includes preliminary planning and site selection activities. This phase began in January 2025 and is expected to span 24 months, though the timeline may extend depending on the development of the concept and selection of final sites.
Project Partners
The Energy & Environmental Research Center is a leading developer of cleaner, more efficient energy to power the world and environmental technologies to protect and clean our air, water, and soil.
Atlas Agro was founded in 2021 with the vision of becoming a global leader in low-carbon nitrogen fertilizer and to inspire fossil-fuels-based competition to follow. Atlas Agro aspires to lead the shift to sustainable, locally produced low-carbon fertilizer production, ushering in a new era in agriculture—one that supports robust food production, the long-term health of our planet, and economic development in the communities where we live and work.
Xcel Energy, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a major U.S. electricity and natural
gas company, providing a comprehensive portfolio of energy products and services to
3.8 million electricity customers and 2.2 million natural gas customers in eight western
and midwestern states.
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