The United States is investing $48 million in clean hydrogen technology

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $47.7 million in funding to advance clean hydrogen technology.

This significant funding will help pioneer the next generation of clean hydrogen technology by supporting 16 research, development and demonstration (RD&D) projects in 13 states.

The program aims to reduce the cost of the technology, optimize the hydrogen infrastructure, and improve the performance of hydrogen fuel cells.

Combined with regional clean hydrogen centers, tax incentives, and continued research and development in the DOE's Hydrogen Initiative, the funding will help meet the goal of reducing the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per kilogram by 2030.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm added, "Making the next generation of climate technologies cost-competitive is key to realizing President Biden's vision for a strong clean energy economy based on equity and opportunity."

"Today's announcement will help accelerate the Department of Energy's efforts to advance clean hydrogen, giving the nation another exciting tool to clean up some of our most energy-intensive industries while revitalizing American manufacturing for decades to come."

How clean hydrogen technology will decarbonize America

Clean hydrogen technology will be critical to decarbonizing challenging industries across the United States, including heavy transportation and industrial and chemical processes such as steelmaking and fertilizer production.

Reducing emissions from these sectors will benefit communities that have historically suffered from environmental pollution.

However, despite rapid progress in recent years, clean hydrogen technology still faces a number of challenges, such as cost and scalability, that projects will need to overcome.

Which projects were selected?

The U.S. Department of Energy's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Office (HFTO) is leading a series of innovative projects aimed at advancing the field of clean hydrogen.

These initiatives are designed to complement existing efforts to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen production by focusing on key aspects of the hydrogen value chain.

Specifically, these projects focus on hydrogen delivery and storage technologies, as well as improving the affordability and durability of fuel cells.

Another focus is on the development of fuel cells for heavy-duty trucks, with the goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and eliminating harmful tailpipe emissions that affect local air quality.

Several noteworthy projects have been selected for funding, each contributing to broader objectives:

The High Performance Fuel Cell project, led by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, aims to develop high-performance, durable fuel cells for clean hydrogen utilization. The project is designed to support the widespread adoption of medium - and heavy-duty fuel cell trucks, providing co with a zero-emission alternative to conventional diesel trucks. (Prize: $4 million)

Hydrogen Recovery System: The Colorado School of Mines is leading the effort, which focuses on designing a system capable of recovering hydrogen that evaporates during the liquid hydrogen transfer process. The project aims to capture 80% of the "evaporated" hydrogen, reducing the cost of clean hydrogen production and mitigating its indirect greenhouse gas impacts. (Prize: $6 million)

Composite liquid hydrogen Tank :GE Research is responsible for this project, which includes the design, production and testing of a composite tank capable of carrying 20 kilograms of liquid hydrogen. The tank's scalability, which can be scaled up to larger capacities, is suitable for heavy truck and aircraft applications and is critical to enabling the use of clean hydrogen in these transport sectors. (Prize money: $2.9 million)

The University of Southern California is leading the initiative, which focuses on developing highly efficient chemicals that can deliver hydrogen to its intended use. Once released, these chemicals can be reused for valuable agricultural uses. Partners include Los Alamos and Brookhaven National nal Laboratories, as well as California State University, Los Angeles, an institution that serves minorities. (Prize: $1 million)

Formic acid based hydrogen storage: Louisiana State University is leading this project to design a cost-effective method of hydrogen storage using chemical carriers. The goal is to provide low-cost, high-capacity storage solutions to improve the commercial viability of clean hydrogen in a variety of applications. (Prize: $1 million)

These initiatives highlight the Hydrogen Fuel Organization's commitment to driving the advancement of clean hydrogen technology and promoting a sustainable and environmentally friendly future for hydrogen energy solutions.