In a significant step towards promoting clean energy, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled a $750 million investment, derived from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, to fund 52 clean hydrogen projects across 24 states. This initiative, facilitated by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims at slashing clean hydrogen production costs and bolstering the United States’ leadership in the burgeoning clean hydrogen sector. These projects are expected to generate over 1,500 jobs, reflecting the administration’s comprehensive strategy to deploy clean hydrogen as outlined in the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap.
The investment will support advancements in electrolysis technology, manufacturing enhancements, and recycling capabilities for clean hydrogen systems and components. By enabling a U.S. manufacturing capacity to produce significant quantities of fuel cells and electrolyzers annually, this move is crucial to reducing emissions from energy-intensive sectors and aligns with President Biden’s agenda to combat climate crisis, create jobs, and enhance the nation’s industrial competitiveness.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm highlighted the administration’s commitment to fostering a domestically-led clean hydrogen economy, emphasizing the creation of quality jobs and a manufacturing boom. This initiative, alongside existing programs such as the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs and the Inflation Reduction Act incentives, aims to achieve the ambitious Hydrogen Shot™ goal of $1 per kilogram clean hydrogen production cost.
Managed by DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), these projects focus on various areas, including low-cost electrolyzer manufacturing, supply chain development, and advanced fuel cell manufacturing, aiming for widespread adoption and cost reductions. This collective effort underscores the administration’s dedication to ensuring clean energy benefits reach disadvantaged communities, aligning with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative to foster workforce development, energy equity, and reduced emissions in overburdened communities.
