DOE Funds R&D for Hydrogen-Based Power Generation Projects

The Department of Energy announced that it is earmarking $24.9 million to finance six research and development projects in support of the use of clean hydrogen for electricity generation. Attaining its goal calls for partnerships with private companies to research advanced technology solutions that could make hydrogen a more available and effective fuel for electricity generation, the DOE said Thursday.

In a statement, Energy Sec. Jennifer Granholm said that the department is focused on making clean energy sources like hydrogen more affordable and accessible to help decarbonize America’s electrical grid and directly combat climate change. She added that accelerating the domestic use of hydrogen for power production also creates good-paying jobs for Americans.

The beneficiaries of the DOE’s funding include Eight Rivers Capital of North Carolina, Gas Technology Institute of Illinois, General Electric Company of South Carolina, General Electric Research of New York and Raytheon Technologies Research Center of Connecticut. They will receive funding varying from $1.4 million to nearly $6 million, according to the DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory.

The department further explained that hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when combined with oxygen in a fuel cell, produces electricity with water and heat as by-products. It can be produced through a variety of low-carbon pathways, including domestic resources like natural gas and waste coal. The technology is seen as complementary to renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $8 billion for clean hydrogen demonstration and research hubs. The DOE emphasized that hydrogen is an attractive fuel option for electricity generation and industrial applications, such as in buildings and manufacturing.