DOE to award $64M for hydrogen projects

Published on July 22, 2020 by Dave Kovaleski

© Shutterstock

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated $64 million for 18 projects to facilitate affordable hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and use.

This is part of the DOE’s H2@Scale’s initiative to realize hydrogen’s benefits across the economy. The next round of funding will go toward research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities.

“Hydrogen has the potential to integrate our nation’s domestic energy resources, add value in industrial and energy-intensive sectors, and broaden technology choices for medium- and heavy-duty transportation,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette said. “These projects will bring us closer to realizing hydrogen’s full potential for a resilient, flexible, and affordable energy system for all Americans.”

The funding comes through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Reliable Energy’s (EERE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO).

The projects will feature collaborations with EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office on manufacturing electrolyzers and with EERE’s Vehicle Technologies Office on developing carbon fiber for hydrogen storage tanks. Other areas of focus include identifying durable and cost-effective fuel cell systems and components for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

This investment will also spur demonstrations of hydrogen utilization at ports and data centers as well as in industrial sectors. These efforts will help build a training program that will lay the foundation for a hydrogen and fuel cells workforce in the United States.