US DOE invests $62 million in hydrogen projects with focus on truck refueling

The US Department of Energy will invest nearly $62 million in clean hydrogen technologies, with most of the funding going toward medium- and heavy-duty hydrogen truck refueling stations, according to an Aug. 30 statement.

The 20 selected projects across 15 states aim to "accelerate the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of next-generation clean hydrogen technologies," the DOE said. Most of the funds are dedicated to "low-cost, standardized and replaceable" hydrogen fueling stations for commercial-scale trucking applications.

"Hydrogen is the Swiss Army Knife of energy sources, and that's critically important," David Crane, US DOE undersecretary of infrastructure, said at the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems hydrogen hub celebration event in California on Aug. 30. "But at least in this country, the best, most durable use of hydrogen is for heavy-duty transportation."

The five topic areas that the projects will fall under include:

• $40 million for four hydrogen refueling station projects in New York, Connecticut, California and Arizona
• $8.5 million for projects developing "advanced components" used in hydrogen fueling in Washington, North Carolina, Illinois and Massachusetts
• $7 million for seven projects seeking to identify siting, permitting and installation challenges across the hydrogen production space
• $4 million for improving community engagement relating to hydrogen technology implementation
• $2.5 million for a Georgia project demonstrating a hydrogen fuel cell "top loader" for handling containers and a mobile refueler at the Port of Oakland

"Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding," the DOE said. "Before funding is issued, DOE and the selectees will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time."

Hydrogen fuel in medium- and heavy-duty transportation is more competitively priced against incumbent fuels than hydrogen in light-duty applications, according to a S&P Global Commodity Insights analysis.

Light-duty hydrogen pump prices in California are the highest in the world, according to monthly average assessments by Platts, part of Commodity Insights. The most recent monthly assessment showed July pump prices averaged $33.77/kg.

Meanwhile, in July the price of hydrogen for heavy-duty vehicles ranged at $7-$15/kg, which fluctuated wider than with the modeled willingness to pay values for hydrogen fuel in heavy duty trucking at $10.60-$11.30/kg, according to a Commodity Insights analysis. Heavy duty applications have lower rates, which are typically fixed through contracts and purchased in higher volumes.