Energy Department to invest $30 mln in electric vehicle fuel cell technologies
The Department of Energy (DOE) is making available about $30 million in funding for research and development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to benefit the widespread growth of fuel cell electric vehicles.
The research will focus on onboard hydrogen storage, low-cost hydrogen production and advancing the commercialization of electric vehicles through the use of proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
Since 2010, the fuel cell market has experienced a 30-percent annual growth rate, with $2 billion in annual revenue for 2014. The use of fuel cells in light duty vehicles enables drivers to use 95-percent less petroleum per mile when compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.
Companies that apply for funding will work with national lab consortia launched within the DOE’s Energy Materials Network, which supports the department’s materials research and advanced manufacturing efforts.
DOE said topics for the funding opportunity include furthering the development of low-cost, high-strength carbon fiber to use in composite overwrapped pressure vessel applications. The development of high-strength steels and carbon fiber are used to lighten vehicles.
Other goals include addressing unsolved scientific challenges surrounding the viable solid-state material development for hydrogen storage with electric vehicles, advancing water-splitting materials for hydrogen production, and developing catalysts made without platinum group metals for use in fuel cells.
