The proposed RD&D efforts plan to cover several areas, including advanced pathways for solar-based hydrogen fuel production; technologies for high-resolution hydrogen sensing; materials-based hydrogen storage and transport system demonstrations; and development of low-cost fuel cell components for medium-to-heavy-duty vehicles.

According to the DOE, the potential funding would advance the Hydrogen Shot goal of reducing the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per kilogramme in one decade (1 1 1).

Read more: US DOE to slash cost of clean hydrogen by 80% to $1 this decade

Read more: $2.6m Hydrogen Shot Incubator Prize launched by DOE

Additionally, the funding hopes to support the DOE’s H2@Scale® initiative to develop clean and affordable hydrogen across multiple sectors in the economy and improve energy resilience.

Read more: DOE requests proposals for H2@Scale

Kelly Speakes-Backman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said, “Wednesday’s announcement marks an important milestone to advance critical technologies for clean hydrogen and to make our grid more resilient.

“These efforts will help lower the costs of clean hydrogen, increase grid resilience, catalyse industry investment for market uplift, and result in a cleaner environment for all Americans, especially historically disadvantaged communities.”

The DOE says it envisions awarding multiple financial assistance grants in the form of cooperative agreements, with a period of performance of two to four years.

In pursuit of grid stability, the DOE says the potential funding will also seek to establish a grid resilience university consortium, with agreements between Canadian, Mexican, and US-based universities to foster information sharing on best practices and cross-border dependencies.

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