The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a groundbreaking investment of $750 million in clean hydrogen projects, spanning 24 states. This ambitious initiative, part of President Joe Biden’s administration’s larger effort to transition away from fossil fuels, aims to significantly reduce emissions in industries challenging to decarbonize, such as aluminum and cement production.
Harnessing Hydrogen for a Cleaner Future
At the heart of this initiative is the development and deployment of hydrogen as a pivotal fuel for the future. Produced through electrolyzers that separate water into hydrogen and oxygen, hydrogen can truly be green when derived from zero-emission sources like solar, wind, nuclear, or hydro power. Despite the current dominance of fossil fuel-powered electrolyzers, this funding aims to shift the balance toward clean hydrogen, supporting projects across the nation from Rhode Island to Oregon.
These 52 projects, benefiting from the bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021, cover a comprehensive range of activities within the hydrogen industry. From research and development on electrolyzer production to securing supply chains and recycling critical materials like iridium, the DOE’s holistic approach addresses the entire lifecycle and infrastructure of clean hydrogen production.
Accelerating the National Clean Hydrogen Strategy
Sunita Satyapal, head of the DOE’s hydrogen and fuel cell technologies office, emphasized that these grants are a significant step towards achieving the U.S.’s National Clean Hydrogen Strategy. This strategy includes ambitious goals, such as producing 10 million tonnes of clean hydrogen by 2030. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm highlighted that these projects would supercharge the nation’s progress in clean hydrogen, ensuring U.S. leadership in this critical area for generations.
Furthermore, this funding lays the foundational groundwork for the administration’s $7 billion hydrogen hub program. Announced last October, seven hubs in 16 states will share these grants to stimulate the industry further. With an eye on expanding the U.S.’s electrolyzer capacity from a few gigawatts to 10 GW annually, these initiatives are poised to produce 1.3 million tonnes of clean hydrogen each year, marking a significant advancement in green energy technology.
Source: Reuters
