The May–July 2020 issue of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) newsletter includes stories in these categories:

In the News

HFTO Announces $64M for 18 Projects to Foster New Markets for H2@Scale 

Eighteen H2@Scale projects were selected to address research, development, and demonstration needs to advance the H2@Scale vision for affordable hydrogen production, storage, transport, and use across the economy. Efforts will include demonstrations of large-scale hydrogen utilization at ports and data centers and in steelmaking. Other focus areas include low-cost electrolyzer manufacturing, carbon fiber development for hydrogen storage tanks, and fuel cell R&D for truck applications.

HFTO Announces Two New Lab Consortia to Advance Fuel Cell Trucks and Electrolyzers

Up to $100 million (subject to appropriations) over a five-year period will go toward the National-Lab-led H2NEW and Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck consortia to advance hydrogen and fuel cell R&D and the H2@Scale vision. H2NEW will focus on large-scale, affordable electrolyzers that use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck Consortium will focus on R&D to enable a fully competitive, heavy-duty fuel cell truck that can meet all of the durability, cost, and performance requirements of the trucking industry.

HFTO is Hiring for a Supervisory Engineer/Scientist Role

HFTO is seeking applicants for a Supervisory General Engineer/Supervisory Physical Scientist position (GS-0801/1301-15). The Supervisory General Engineer/Supervisory Physical Scientist will manage HFTO's Technology Acceleration program, reporting to the HFTO Director, and will oversee technical staff and relevant projects (see organizational chart).

Interested applicants should email their resumes to eerehiring@ee.doe.gov, copying Priya Swamy (priya.swamy@ee.doe.gov). Further information on application requirements can be found on the EERE Employment Opportunities page. Only individuals who submit a resume before August 24 will be considered.

EERE Phase I SBIR Selections Include Three Hydrogen-to-Wind Projects

EERE announced nearly $20 million in small business awards for Phase I Release 2 projects under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Three projects will focus on the development and testing of systems that couple wind power generation and hydrogen production.

EERE Awards over $50M to Phase II SBIR/STTR Projects

EERE announced over $50 million in small business awards for Phase II Release 2 SBIR/STTR projects, to be funded by nine EERE technology offices, including HFTO. One of the projects will develop advanced tools for monitoring high-tech hydrogen fuel cell components to support the widespread commercial adoption of these technologies.

EERE Announces 2020 Technology Commercialization Fund Projects

EERE announced more than $20 million in funding for 58 projects supported by the DOE Technology Commercialization Fund. These projects will tackle key challenges to advance renewable power, transportation, and energy efficiency and will include efforts on hydrogen production technologies and infrastructure, as well as fuel cell components.

EERE Assistant Secretary Kicks Off IPHE Global Hydrogen Forum

On June 18, EERE Assistant Secretary Daniel R Simmons joined government and industry leaders around the world to kick off the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) Global Hydrogen Forum. The event drew around 2,000 attendees and included two sessions with government and industry perspectives on the collaborative actions needed to advance progress in hydrogen. Recordings are available at www.iphe.net.

EERE Leadership Shares Insights About the H2@Scale Vision in Wired Magazine

EERE Assistant Secretary Daniel R Simmons and HFTO Director Sunita Satyapal shared their insights on the state of hydrogen technologies in a Wired article titled "Will the Hydrogen Revolution Start in a Garbage Dump?" The article gives an overview of hydrogen activities in the private sector and touches on the history of hydrogen in the United States, recent changes that have increased hydrogen's economic appeal, and HFTO's current targets, focus areas, and most recently announced funding opportunities.

Funding Opportunities and Requests for Information

DOE Releases Draft Energy Storage Grand Challenge Roadmap and RFI

On July 14, DOE released the Energy Storage Grand Challenge Draft Roadmap and a Request for Information (RFI) seeking stakeholder input. The Draft Roadmap outlines a Department-wide strategy to accelerate innovation on energy storage technologies based on the "Innovate Here, Make Here, Deploy Everywhere" framework. This initiative is aligned with DOE EERE's H2@scale vision for affordable hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and utilization across the economy. Interested stakeholders can respond to this RFI by Aug. 31, 2020.

HFTO Releases RFI on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Activities and Strategy

HFTO has issued an RFI to collect feedback from industry, academia, and the research community on DOE's hydrogen and fuel cells research, development, and demonstration activities and strategies, including the H2@Scale initiative. Input collected through this RFI will help inform HFTO's research priorities and goals to ensure they effectively address the current and future needs of the hydrogen and fuel cells industry. Responses are due by Sept. 15, 2020.

IPHE Infographic Challenge Extended to October 8

Entries for the IPHE Student Infographic Challenge are due on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day, Oct. 8, 2020. The competition is a call for students around the world to apply their creative and research skills to showcase how hydrogen and fuel cell technologies can help us create a more sustainable, clean, and resilient energy future. The United States, represented by EERE HFTO, is a co-chair of the IPHE.

Webinars and Workshops

Upcoming H2IQ Hour: Get to Know DOE's New Transportation Annual Technology Baseline Website

Join HFTO on Aug. 27, 2020, at 12 p.m. Eastern to learn more about DOE's new Transportation Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) website. The webinar will cover features and functions of this new resource including interactive charts on fuel economy, vehicle cost, levelized cost of driving, emissions across powertrains, and fuel price, well-to-tank, and well-to-wheels emissions data for select on-road vehicle, jet, and marine fuels. Register for this H2IQ Hour.

Recent HFTO Presentations

HFTO leadership presented at a Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association webinar in May and a Global America Business Institute virtual workshop in July. Events like these facilitate information sharing on hydrogen and fuel cells and foster collaboration with other sectors. Visit the HFTO program presentations web page to view the slides presented at these events and to access webinar archives or workshop proceedings.

Studies, Reports, and Publications

Program Record Establishes 2030 Targets for Reversible Fuel Cells

HFTO developed 2030 targets for reversible fuel cells based on stakeholder and industry feedback. The 2030 targets include $1,800/kW (uninstalled capital cost, on a power basis), $250/kWh (uninstalled capital cost, on an energy capacity basis), roundtrip efficiency of 60% (high temperature) and 40% (low temperature), 40,000 hour durability (with <10% degradation at end of life), and levelized cost of storage of $0.20/kWh.

2020 HFTO Project Progress Updates Posted

Principal investigators from HFTO prepared presentations about the status and results of their hydrogen and fuel cell projects for the 2020 DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Annual Merit Review and Peer Evaluation Meeting (AMR). Please note: presentations were not reviewed due to the cancellation of the AMR.

H2@Scale Resource Assessment Report Available Online

A report titled "Resource Assessment for Hydrogen Production" presents results from H2@Scale analysis activities at the National Renewable National Laboratory to determine availability of U.S. resources that provide hydrogen under different demand scenarios. The analysis examines the resources required to meet demand for an additional 10 million metric tonnes of hydrogen in 2040. A webinar on the results of the report is available to view.

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

National Laboratory and Principal Investigator Achievements

2020 ECS Fellow Class Includes HFTO Researchers

Multiple researchers and principal investigators involved in past and current HFTO projects are part of the 2020 class of fellows of the Electrochemical Society (ECS). HFTO congratulates Rod Borup from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Andy Herring from the Colorado School of Mines, and Kathy Ayers from NEL Hydrogen on this prestigious recognition.