Full Title: Department of Energy Funding for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Programs
Author(s): Martin C. Offutt
Publisher(s): Congressional Research Service
Publication Date: October 19, 2022
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program, led by the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) addresses the development of applications that use hydrogen in place of today’s fuels and technologies that provide modern energy services. DOE programs also consider hydrogen as an established chemical feedstock, for example, in petroleum refining. The DOE programs include over 400 projects of research and development (R&D), systems integration, demonstrations, and initial deployment activities performed by universities, national laboratories, and industry. These programs cover the hydrogen energy value chain starting with producing the hydrogen from diverse feedstocks; transporting and storing it; and finally using it in various applications.
A future “hydrogen economy” using hydrogen as an energy carrier and fuel could offer an alternative to today’s economy with its prevalent combustion of fossil fuels. Initially thought of as a new technology for personal mobility services (e.g., cars) and high-value applications such as provision of electric power during space flight, hydrogen now is receiving attention for other applications, including industrial processes, heavy vehicles, forklifts, portable power, and electric power buffering and balancing.