The US Department of Energy Invests in New National Laboratory to Advance Fuel Cell and Hydrogen R&D

An announcement was made today by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) regarding its initiative on a 100 million-dollar investment over the next five years for two new consortia led by the Department of Energy National Laboratory to advance the research & development (or R&D) of technologies for fuel cells and hydrogen.

These proposed two new consortia will leverage and take advantage of world-class technological expertise using state-of-the-art equipment. It will be done at the DOE's National Laboratories in support of and in line with its H2@Scale vision. The funding for this investment will be subject to proper appropriations.

The H2@Scale vision was created to realize the vision for affordable and large scale production of hydrogen, along with the need for storage and distribution as well as its utilization in energy storage, metals manufacturing, and various applications.

The H2@Scale vision is being spearheaded by the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy or EERE.

According to Mark W. Menezes, Under Secretary of Energy, the technologies of fuel cells and hydrogen have the potential to give the country the capacity for energy security, resiliency, as well as economic growth in many sectors. He says that by pushing through with such new and ambitious initiatives, the current U.S. Administration fulfills its commitment to solve all of the country's energy needs and provide many varied options for clean energy to generate power and elevate transportation.

The first proposed consortium is slated to conduct R & D on achieving affordable and large-scale electrolyzers. Electrolyzers split the water molecule into its oxygen and hydrogen components with the use of electricity. It may be powered by energy sources such as renewables, natural gas, and nuclear power. This R & D initiative will help support and complement deployment into large industries by creating and providing more affordable, efficient, and durable electrolyzers.

Meanwhile, the second consortium is intended to conduct R & D for the acceleration of fuel cell development for application in heavy-duty vehicle use, which includes long-haul trucking. The consortium is setting a goal of five years to prove that fuel cell technology may be fully competitive and feasible for use in heavy-duty trucks. And also that a fuel cell truck will be able to comply with all of the trucking industry's requirements in the aspects of performance, cost, and durability.

Daniel R Simmons, the Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Assistant Secretary, provided a preview of DOE's announcement in the past week as he delivered his remarks during the Global Hydrogen Forum of the IPHE or International Partnership for Hydrogen & Fuel Cells in the Economy. He attended as the U.S. representative and IPHE Chair.

Simmons said that considerable progress on the technology of electrolyzers, fuel cells, and other fundamental materials had been made. Still, the critical limiting factor of a hydrogen infrastructure is something they commit to solving. He said that through the two new consortia, industry, the academe and the National Laboratories would work as one to improve distribution, durability, and cost of the technologies for them to achieve full potential.