Jacobs Announced as Program Manager for California Hydrogen Hub

Jacobs (NYSE:J) was selected as Program Manager for the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), a public private partnership (P3) establishing a statewide clean hydrogen hub (H2) in California, one of seven national hubs announced by the White House and recently granted funding by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstration (DOE OCED).

The Program Management Office (PMO) will be responsible for standing up and providing ongoing support to the newly established ARCHES consortium. As the PMO lead, Jacobs will use its proven program management approach to provide delivery oversight, integrate project activities and drive best practice across the entire H2 lifecycle of feedstock, production, distribution and offtake to build the foundation of a thriving hydrogen market in California. The program is scheduled to commence in the second half of 2024.

“ARCHES is at the forefront of global energy transition through the use of its renewable resources to produce and distribute green hydrogen,” said Jacobs CEO Bob Pragada. “We’re ready to mobilize and work with ARCHES to create a sustainable future for California while also benefiting the community through enduring environmental benefits, job creation and improved social equity.”

“Jacobs has been an integral partner from the onset – providing important guidance during preparation for, and participation in, our DOE interview, supporting us through award negotiations with the government and now helping us to initiate the people, process, systems, and tools required to hit the ground running to properly launch and successfully deliver this epic program,” said ARCHES CEO Angelina Galiteva.

By 2032, the hub is forecasted to have a hydrogen generation capacity of 190,000 metric tons per year, thus avoiding 2.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Expected community benefits are poised to include $2.95 billion of health care cost savings per year and the creation of more than 220,000 new green jobs. Hub capacity will be delivered along the entire value chain using energy sources such as renewable electricity and biomass/waste to produce hydrogen through to storage and distribution for consumption and application in relevant sectors such as transportation.

Jacobs’ engagement follows the DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) program, which designated $7 billion for seven regional hubs across the country, part of the White House’s “Investing in America” agenda and made available by the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act. ARCHES is due to receive approximately $1.2 billion of the DOE funding with an overall project value of nearly $13 billion.   

Across the state of California, Jacobs has been part of some of the state's largest critical infrastructure projects, such as the Pure Water Project  for Las Virgenes-Triunfo, Los Angeles World Airports Capital Improvement Program, the award-winning Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, Delta Conveyance Project, the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project and the Port of San Francisco Waterfront Resilience Program. Jacobs was named No.1 for the fourth consecutive year by Engineering News-Record's global Top 50 Program Management Firms list in 2024.