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DOE Issues $6M Solicitation for Vehicular Hydrogen Storage R&D
29 January 2008
The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a solicitation for new applied research and development projects for viable hydrogen storage technologies for on-board vehicular applications. Projects may support existing DOE Hydrogen Storage Centers of Excellence or may be independent R&D projects. The total funding available for all new awards is $6 million. DOE expects to fund three to six new projects.
Projects funded through this announcement will be incorporated into the framework of The National Hydrogen Storage Project, a five-year, $150-million program targeting the development of hydrogen storage systems that are capable of meeting long-term DOE targets.
Materials discovery is the only research area eligible for funding under this solicitation. Research and development areas sought include new materials and concepts in: advanced metal hydrides, chemical hydrogen storage materials, carbon-based materials, high surface area sorbents including bridged catalyst (spillover) materials and conducting polymers, and other novel approaches.
DOE will not review applications in the following areas: hydrolysis of sodium borohydride, or pure, undoped single-walled carbon nanotubes as on-board storage media, following the no-go decision on these approaches. (Earlier post.)
For chemical hydrogen storage materials, off-board regeneration must be considered and concepts to meet DOE efficiency goals should be submitted. Applications for new materials with improved hydrogen storage gravimetric and volumetric capacity, hydrogen uptake and discharge kinetics, energy efficiency, operating temperature and pressure, cycle life, cost and durability of materials upon exposure to contaminants are appropriate.
Development and application of new processes (such as mechanochemistry, sonochemistry, irradiation, electro/magnetism etc.) that can aid in the development of unique material properties (nanostructures, low cost manufacturing, etc.) are also applicable.
Finally, the scope includes approaches for high throughput/combinatorial synthesis, screening and testing of storage materials and other novel characterization techniques that can aid in and be applied to the efficient discovery of new materials.
Although DOE will not review applications for cylindrical high pressure or liquid on-board storage tanks and off-board storage, it will consider novel concepts for conformable tanks and approaches for moderate pressure (≤150 bar) hybrid systems.
Project duration will typically be two to five years and consist of two phases, with overall project go/no-go decision points between the phases.
A separate announcement offers opportunities for National Laboratories to submit applications as primary applicants as part of the same $6M solicitation.
DOE’s Hydrogen Storage Targets. For overall technical challenge as defined by the DOE is storing enough hydrogen to support a conventional driving range (greater than 300 miles), within the vehicular constraints of weight, volume, efficiency, safety, and cost.
The hydrogen storage applied research activity is targeting two key objectives among another of other performance parameters:
By 2010, develop and verify on-board hydrogen storage systems achieving 2 kWh/kg (6 wt.%), 1.5 kWh/Liter, and $4/kWh.
By 2015, develop and verify on-board hydrogen storage systems achieving 3 kWh/kg (9 wt.%), 2.7 kWh/Liter, and $2/kWh.
DOE’s targets are for a complete system—i.e., tank, material, valves, regulators, piping, mounting brackets, insulation, added cooling capacity, and/or other balance-of-plant components. Targets are for both internal combustion engine and for fuel cell use.
While efficiency is not a specified target, systems must be energy-efficient. For reversible systems, greater than 90% energy efficiency for the energy delivered to the power plant from the on-board storage system is required. For systems generated off-board, the energy content of the hydrogen delivered to the automotive power plant should be greater than 60% of the total energy input to the process, including the input energy of hydrogen and any other fuel streams for generating process heat and electrical energy.
Assuming no major changes in the basic vehicle platform designs, the 2010 targets would enable some vehicles to achieve a driving range of at least 300 miles, while the 2015 targets would enable virtually all of the light duty vehicle platforms to achieve this driving range. In other words, these targets were developed with the vision that systems meeting the 2010 targets would enable some degree of market penetration for hydrogen-powered vehicles, while systems meeting the 2015 targets would enable mass market penetration.
Resources
Research and Development for On-Board Vehicular Hydrogen Storage Funding Opportunity Number: DE-PS36-08GO98004P
Laboratory Call for Research and Development for On-Board Vehicular Hydrogen Storage DE-PS36-08GO98005P
January 29, 2008 in Hydrogen Storage | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
If you have to have pure H2 for fuel cells, it would make more sense to me to reform methane, methanol or even ethanol. The Chrysler NECAR project reformed methanol to H2 for their fuel cells and it seemed to work fine.
Posted by: sjc | Jan 30, 2008 9:36:19 AM
The entire point of bev and fuel cell cars is to push co2 to the commercial side of things and off the car. This isnt a big deal realy as already they have tanks that can store alot more then 300 miles worth of fuel and with 2 more fuel cell gens likely more then 500.
Posted by: wintermane | Jan 30, 2008 2:31:01 PM
I think that the reason the present administration renamed the PNGV program "Freedom Car" and started talking up hydrogen was to push a solution 30 years out. No threat to oil company friends with that.
Posted by: sjc | Jan 30, 2008 3:51:33 PM
