$750 million! US grants support 52 hydrogen projects in 24 states

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $750 million for 52 projects in 24 states to lower the cost of clean hydrogen and strengthen U.S. global leadership in the growing clean hydrogen industry.

The projects are expected to create U.S. manufacturing capacity to produce 14 gigawatts per year of fuel cells, enough to power 15 percent of medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold annually, and 10 gigawatts per year of electrolyzers, enough to produce 1.3 million tons of clean hydrogen per year. .

The projects, administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), represent the first phase of implementation of two provisions of the bipartisan infrastructure act, which authorizes $1 billion for Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment (RDD&D) ) activity to reduce the cost of producing clean hydrogen through electrolysis, $500 million for research, development. and demonstration (research and development) of improved processes and technologies for manufacturing and recycling clean hydrogen systems and materials.

Selected projects will advance clean hydrogen technology in the following areas:

Low-cost, high-throughput electrolyser manufacturing (8 projects, $316 million): Selected projects will conduct research and development to achieve greater economies of scale through manufacturing innovations, including automated manufacturing processes; processability and scalability Design; quality control methods to maintain electrolyser performance and durability; reduce critical mineral loading; and designed for end-of-life recovery and recyclability.

Electrolyzer components and supply chain development (10 projects, $81 million): Selected projects will support U.S. supply chain manufacturing and development needs for critical electrolyzer components, including catalysts, membranes and porous transport layers.

Advanced Technology and Component Development (18 projects, $72 million): Selected projects will demonstrate new materials, components and designs for electrolyzers that meet performance, service life and cost metrics to reduce costs and mitigate supply chain risks. The long-term cost reductions resulting from these cutting-edge projects could play an important role in achieving the DOE's "hydrogen bomb" goals.

Advanced Manufacturing of Fuel Cell Assemblies and Stacks (5 projects, $150 million): Selected projects will support high-throughput manufacturing of low-cost fuel cells in the United States by conducting research and development to engage a diverse team of fuel cell manufacturers and suppliers Ability to flexibly address the largest scale challenges and achieve economies of scale.

Fuel Cell Supply Chain Development (10 projects, $82 million): Selected projects will conduct research and development to address critical deficiencies in the domestic supply chain for fuel cell materials and components and develop advanced technologies that reduce or eliminate exposure to PFAS and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

Recycling and Recycling Alliance (1 project, $50 million): This funding establishes a consortium of industry, academia, and national laboratories to develop innovative and practical methods to enable clean hydrogen materials and components. Recycling, recycling and reuse are possible. It will establish a blueprint for the entire recycling industry, ensuring long-term supply chain security and environmental sustainability.