The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced a notice of intent for potential funding to accelerate the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of affordable clean-hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to drive national decarbonization. DE-FOA-0003438)

The potential funding will focus on advancing technologies for hydrogen production, hydrogen infrastructure, and fuel cells, as well as demonstrating hydrogen and fuel cells in new, high-impact applications.

These efforts will support the vision embodied in the US National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap of affordable clean hydrogen for a net-zero carbon future and a sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy.

DOE's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) would administer the potential funding, which is expected to focus on scaling up advanced hydrogen-production processes, improving materials for hydrogen infrastructure, developing critical components for fuel cells in heavy-duty transportation applications, and demonstrating hydrogen fuel cell electric coach buses.

By advancing and demonstrating key technologies across the clean hydrogen value chain, from production to end use, activities funded under this opportunity will provide near-term support to large-scale industry investments, including DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program, while further reinforcing the long-term viability of the H2Hubs and other commercial-scale deployments.

Potential topic areas include:

• Photoelectrochemical (PEC) Water Splitting Device Scale Up will develop and demonstrate PEC water splitting devices using low-cost, scalable synthesis and fabrication techniques.

• High-Performance Materials for Hydrogen Service, Including Cryogenic and/or High-Pressure Conditions will develop advanced materials for use in high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, cryogenic service conditions, and fiber reinforced polymer hydrogen pipelines.

• Sustainable High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membranes and Ionomers for Heavy-Duty Transportation Applications will develop membranes and ionomers (key components of fuel cells) suitable for high temperature operation (up to 120°C) in heavy-duty fuel cell applications, without the use of perfluorosulfonic acid.

• Domestic Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Motorcoach Bus Development and Demonstration will develop and demonstrate domestically produced fuel cell electric motorcoach buses suitable for long-haul service.