The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allotted approximately $64 million in funding for 18 projects that will support the H2@Scale vision for affordable hydrogen production, storage, distribution and use.
These projects will fuel the next round of research, development and demonstration activities under H2@Scale’s multi-year initiative to fully realize hydrogen’s benefits across the economy.
“Hydrogen has the potential to integrate our nation’s domestic energy resources, add value in industrial and energy-intensive sectors and broaden technology choices for medium- and heavy-duty transportation,” says U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.
“These projects will bring us closer to realizing hydrogen’s full potential for a resilient, flexible and affordable energy system for all Americans,” he adds.
One of the 18 projects funded by the DOE is a research project conducted by Hexagon Group that focuses on how carbon fiber and composite structure can be optimized to reduce hydrogen and natural gas storage tank costs. Hexagon has been granted $2.6 million in initial funding for the research.
“We are excited to be selected for funding by the DOE. The funding will enable our team to dive into the details of how we can reduce tank costs without compromising on safety. This is an important step towards a large-scale acceptance of zero- and low-emission vehicles,” says Rick Rashilla, senior vice president of research and development at Hexagon.
The projects will be funded through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Reliable Energy’s (EERE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO). The projects will feature collaborations with EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office on manufacturing reliable and affordable electrolyzers and with EERE’s Vehicle Technologies Office on developing low-cost, high-strength carbon fiber for hydrogen storage tanks. Other areas of focus include identifying durable and cost-effective fuel cell systems and components for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
This investment will also spur demonstrations of large-scale hydrogen utilization at ports and data centers and across industrial sectors like steel making. Additionally, these efforts will help build a comprehensive training program that will lay the foundation for a the hydrogen and fuel cells workforce in the U.S.
Photo: Argonne National Laboratory’s Pressure Consolidation Method for Low Cost H2 Refueling presentation
