H2USA, a public-private partnership, was co-launched by DOE and industry partners to promote advancing hydrogen infrastructure to support more transportation energy options for consumers. Through H2USA, industry and government partners will focus on identifying actions to encourage early adopters of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) by conducting coordinated technical and market analysis, and evaluating alternative fueling infrastructure that can enable cost reductions and economies of scale. 

Founding members included global automakers, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA), and the Association of Global Automakers.  Subsequent members include other Federal agencies, state agencies, hydrogen providers, energy companies, technology developers, national labs, academia, and other trade associations or non-profit organizations.  This new partnership aims to coordinate and identify cost-effective solutions to hydrogen infrastructure—a key challenge to widespread adoption of FCEVs.  The partnership provides a platform for the United States similar to the public-private partnerships in other countries focused on hydrogen, particularly Germany, Japan and the UK.

In April, the DOE announced a new project leveraging the capabilities of its national laboratories in direct support of H2USA. The project is led by NREL and SNL and will tackle the technical challenges related to hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Research and Station Technology (H2FIRST) project is designed to reduce the cost and time of fueling station construction, increase station availability, and improve reliability by creating opportunities for industry partners to pool knowledge and resources to overcome hurdles. The project was established by FCTO, drawing on existing and emerging core capabilities at the national labs.

The Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) conducts comprehensive efforts to overcome the technological, economic, and institutional barriers to the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cells.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) success stories highlight the positive impact of its work with businesses, industry partners, universities, research labs, and other entities.