U.S. Energy Department Announces $46 Million for Advanced Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies

The U.S. Energy Department on Oct. 23 announced a funding opportunity of up to $46 million for the research and development of advanced hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The projects will focus on scaling up and demonstrating hydrogen fuel cell technology in high-impact applications.

Through these projects, the funding will address two key objectives of the Biden administration’s climate agenda– decarbonizing heavy-duty transport and supporting the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap.

The funding opportunity focuses on four topic areas: Scale-up of Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting device, High-Performance Materials for Hydrogen Service including Cryogenic and/or High-Pressure Conditions, Sustainable High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membranes and Ionomers for Heavy-Duty Transport, and Development and Demonstration of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Motorcoach Bus.

An important strategy stated in the national hydrogen roadmap is developing hydrogen technology for carbon-intensive applications such as manufacturing and heavy-duty transport. Projects to develop proton exchange membranes for heavy-duty transport and to demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell buses support this goal as they address heavy-duty transport applications of hydrogen fuel cells.

The activities under funding support the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy by promoting innovation and clean energy technologies for emissions reduction. They aim to increase hydrogen adoption in key sectors like heavy-duty transport, aligning with the U.S. Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. Additionally, the goals align with the Hydrogen Energy Earthshot, targeting clean hydrogen at $1 per kilogram by 2031, and the H2@Scale Initiative, which seeks to advance hydrogen production, transport, storage, and use across sectors to drive decarbonization and economic opportunities.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office will oversee the funding. Concept papers are due by Nov. 20, 2024 and Applications are due by Jan. 31, 2025.