Hydrogen has the potential to provide a pollution-free power source to United States residents and businesses if harnessed efficiently. The Department of Energy sees it as a viable option, allocating $750 million for hydrogen research and development.
The money has been set aside from within President Joe Biden's Investing in America agenda — one of the many environmentally focused policies the administration has introduced, alongside the Inflation Reduction Act — and portions of it will be utilized by 52 different hydrogen projects across six categories.
Electrolyzer manufacturing will receive the lion's share of the fund, with eight projects totaling $316 million. The other five categories are electrolyzer component and supply chain development, advanced technology and component development, advanced manufacturing of fuel cell assemblies and stacks, fuel cell supply chain development, and recovery and recycling consortium.
Electrolyzer technology uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, with the former a potential source to power a range of technologies, from ships to planes to industrial production.
While hydrogen has the potential to significantly reduce energy-related pollution, more research is needed to produce hydrogen without requiring extensive energy from the grid, which is likely delivered via dirty fuel sources. What's more, hydrogen production efficiency needs to be improved to make the process worthwhile.
"The projects are expected to enable U.S. manufacturing capacity to produce 14 gigawatts of fuel cells per year, enough to power 15% of medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold each year, and 10 gigawatts of electrolyzers per year, enough to produce an additional 1.3 million tons of clean hydrogen per year," a DOE statement read.
Stay hydrated and refreshed this holiday season — without any sugar or harmful additives Nuun’s zero-sugar hydration tablets are a perfect, guilt-free way to enhance your water throughout the day. You’ll get five essential electrolytes for everyday hydration — with zero grams of sugar. Plus, Nuun tablets are certified vegan and gluten-free, and they’re the perfect size to keep in your car, purse, or anywhere you'll want a healthy, restorative drink. Learn more → |
With the Department of Energy seeking to produce around 11 million tons of hydrogen by 2030 and reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per kilogram by 2031, this funding will help to achieve those ambitions.
"The projects announced today — funded by the President's Investing in America agenda — will supercharge our progress and ensure our leadership in clean hydrogen will be felt across the nation for generations to come," U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement.
The transport and industry sectors are among the world's biggest polluters, producing planet-warming pollution that stays in the atmosphere and increases global temperatures. If even some of these technologies can be powered by a gas that only produces water as a by-product, then that will help to slow the rate of global heating — which puts humans in danger because of an increased risk of extreme weather events.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
There's a reason dermatologists personally use this daily moisturizing sunscreen more than any other brand Dermatologists see and understand skin at a much deeper level than the rest of us, and they know that the perfect SPF both protects and corrects your skin. That's why they trust, recommend, and personally use EltaMD more than any other brand. EltaMD's clinically tested formulas are designed with dermatologists to meet the needs of any skin type or condition. They're also designed for consistent daily wear to build long-term resilience with a moisturizing, lightweight, non-comedogenic texture — plus hyaluronic acid to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Learn more → |
Cool Picks
