Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm launched the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Earthshots Initiative to accelerate breakthroughs of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the decade. The first Energy Earthshot—Hydrogen Shot—seeks to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% to $1 per kilogram in one decade.

Industries are beginning to implement clean hydrogen to reduce emissions, but there are still many hurdles to deploying it at scale. Currently, hydrogen from renewable energy costs about $5 per kilogram.

The Energy Earthshots are an all-hands-on-deck call for innovation, collaboration and acceleration of our clean energy economy by tackling the toughest remaining barriers to quickly deploy emerging clean energy technologies at scale. First up: Hydrogen Shot, which sets an ambitious yet achievable cost target to accelerate innovations and spur demand of clean hydrogen. Clean hydrogen is a game changer. It will help decarbonize high-polluting heavy-duty and industrial sectors, while delivering good-paying clean energy jobs and realizing a net-zero economy by 2050.

—Secretary Granholm

The Hydrogen Shot establishes a framework and foundation for clean hydrogen deployment in the Biden Administration’s American Jobs Plan, which includes support for demonstration projects.

The Energy Earthshots will drive integrated program development across DOE’s science, applied energy offices, and ARPA-E to address technological challenges and cost hurdles, and to advance solutions to help achieve climate and economic competitiveness goals.

As part of the launch, at the DOE’s Hydrogen Program Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting, DOE’s Hydrogen Program issued a Request for Information (RFI) on viable hydrogen demonstrations, including specific locations, that can help lower the cost of hydrogen, reduce carbon emissions and local air pollution, create good-paying jobs, and provide benefits to disadvantaged communities. (DE-FOA-0002529) Topics in the RFI include:

• Hydrogen Production, Resources, and Infrastructure

• End Users for Hydrogen Based on Specific Regions, Cost, and Value Propositions

• Greenhouse Gas and Other Pollutant Emissions Reduction Potential

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), Jobs, and Environmental Justice

• Science and Innovation Needs and Challenges