The March 2016 issue of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) newsletter includes stories in these categories:

In the News

DOE’s Innovative Small Business Vouchers Pilot Selects 33 Small Businesses for Lab Collaboration

DOE recently announced that 33 small businesses have been selected to work directly with the national laboratories to accelerate the transformation toward a clean energy economy. The selected businesses have access to world-class laboratory resources to help move these innovative ideas and technologies closer to the marketplace. The department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) will invest nearly $6.7 million under Round 1 of the new Small Business Vouchers pilot. These partnerships between clean energy small businesses and national laboratories help promote economic development and American innovation by pairing DOE's unparalleled laboratory resources and expertise with small business drive and creativity.

FY16 SBIR Phase II Release 1 Awards Announced: Includes Hydrogen Contaminants Detection, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Catalysis, and Alkaline Membrane Electrolysis

The Energy Department has announced the 2016 Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase II Release 1 awards, including three projects focused on catalysis for fuel cell and hydrogen production as well as hydrogen contaminants detection. Selections are: Southwest Sciences, Inc., of New Mexico; PH Matter, LLC, of Ohio; and Proton OnSite, of Connecticut. These projects are awarded through the Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

Fuel Cells at Tokyo’s World Smart Energy Week

EERE Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary David Friedman and FCTO Director Sunita Satyapal were two of 45 experts to provide keynotes at Tokyo’s World Smart Energy Week—Japan’s largest tradeshow for smart and renewable energy. During the trip, Friedman and Satyapal also met with a variety of automotive and energy industry representatives. They toured various research and development facilities and visited the Tokyo Tower Hydrogen Refueling Station, previously visited by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. The trip also included international meetings with invited leaders from government, industry, and nonprofits from Europe, Asia, and North America to foster self-sustaining fuel cell electric vehicle fuel infrastructure.

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Funding Opportunities and Requests for Information

DOE Issues Request for Information on Automotive Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Refueling

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) has issued a request for information (RFI) to obtain feedback and opinions from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on technical and economic barriers for fuel cell-related technologies. For details, see the RFI announcement DE-FOA-0001510 or email questions about the RFI to FY16FCTONeedsandStrategies@ee.doe.gov with "question" in the subject line. RFI responses must be received no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 10, 2016.

Energy Department's High Performance Computing for Manufacturing Program Seeks to Fund New Industry Proposals

DOE is seeking concept proposals from qualified U.S. manufacturers to participate in short-term, collaborative projects. DOE is expected to choose another 8–10 projects and will award up to approximately $3 million. Selectees will be given access to High Performance Computing facilities and will work with experienced national laboratory staff in addressing challenges in U.S. manufacturing. A webinar scheduled for April 5 at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time will provide an opportunity to learn more about the program and current solicitation. Concept papers are due April 24, 2016.

Updates and future RFI and funding opportunity announcements will be posted on the FCTO's financial opportunities website.

Webinars and Workshops

Upcoming Webinar April 26: Overview of HyRAM (Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models) Software for Science-Based Safety, Codes, and Standards

FCTO will present a webinar titled "Overview of HyRAM (Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models) Software for Science-Based Safety, Codes, and Standards" on Tuesday, April 26, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). This webinar provides an introduction to the new HyRAM (Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models) research software developed by Sandia National Laboratories and supported by the Fuel Cell Technologies Office. The HyRAM toolkit was designed to address key barriers to hydrogen infrastructure deployment, including limited access to safety data, lack of models describing hydrogen behavior, and challenges using technical data to revise standards. The HyRAM toolkit integrates state-of-the-art models, methods, and data to provide a common platform for assessing hydrogen safety with validated consequence models and quantitative risk assessment. The resulting information provides a transparent, documented basis to ensure code requirements are consistent, logical, and defensible. HyRAM provides a robust foundation for using science and engineering data to provide a scientific basis for risk-informed codes and standards. HyRAM is being used in the development of National Fire Protection Association and ISO standards for hydrogen fueling stations. Register for this webinar.

Webinar March 14: DetecTape – A Localized Visual Detector for Hydrogen Leaks

FCTO presented a live webinar titled "DetecTape – A Localized Visual Detector for Hydrogen Leaks" on Monday, March 14. DetecTape is a color-changing, self-fusing silicone tape designed to detect hydrogen gas leaks in fuel cell, transmission, storage, and generation facilities. Hydrogen equipment operators can use this new visual indicator to quickly identify precise leak locations and initiate maintenance protocols, expediting the restoration of equipment while maintaining a safe workplace. The chemochromic gas detector combines Element One's hydrogen reactive pigment with Midsun Specialty Products’ UV-resistant self-fusing silicone tape. Lab testing reports performed at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory over the past 13 months are available upon request. Field trials are also underway with several prominent laboratories, facilities, and stations in the hydrogen community. See slides and a recording of this webinar.

Visit our website to see webinar archives or workshop presentations.

Studies, Reports, and Publications

Onboard Type IV Compressed Hydrogen Storage System – Cost and Performance Status 2015

FCTO has released the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Record #15013: Onboard Type IV Compressed Hydrogen Storage System – Cost and Performance Status 2015. This record updates the 700 bar Type IV compressed hydrogen storage system cost to approximately $15/kWh at manufacturing volumes of 500,000 systems/year, and $17/kWh at manufacturing volumes of 100,000 systems/year.

Historical Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Budgets

FCTO has released the annual update of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Record #16010: Historical Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Budgets. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has spent more than $1.5 billion since 2005 on fuel cell and hydrogen research, development, and demonstration. This investment has led to more than 580 patents and about 40 commercial technologies being introduced in the market and 65 emerging technologies that are anticipated to be in the market within the next three to five years.

Visit our website to access technical information about hydrogen and fuel cells. This information is provided in documents such as technical and project reports, conference proceedings and journal articles, technical presentations, and links to other websites.