DOE Solicits Bids for $200 Million Hydrogen Production, Delivery and Storage Projects; Supports FreedomCAR, Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives

7/31/2003

From: Jill Vieth, 202-586-4940, Tom Welch, 202-586-5806, both of the U.S. Department of Energy

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham today announced the release of two solicitations for research and development in hydrogen production, delivery and storage technologies. These solicitations will provide funding of up to $200 million over four to five years to support the President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative.

"These solicitations allow our universities and national labs to work with industry to solve the problems of hydrogen production, delivery, and storage," Secretary Abraham said. "We must solve the infrastructure challenges to develop a hydrogen-based delivery, storage, and refueling infrastructure like the petroleum-based one we have today."

The hydrogen production, delivery and storage technologies solicitation covers: biomass gasification and pyrolysis; photolytic processes; distributed natural gas reforming technologies; separation and purification technologies; advanced electrolysis systems; high temperature thermochemical water splitting; hydrogen production infrastructure analysis; and advanced hydrogen delivery technologies.

The second hydrogen solicitation is a challenge to both the basic and applied scientific research communities. Its purpose is to develop hydrogen storage materials and technologies with collaboration among industry, university, and national laboratory organizations.

Under this effort, two categories are addressed: one, to establish virtual "Centers of Excellence" in metal hydrides, carbon, and chemical hydrogen storage led by the national labs; and, two, applications are being requested from universities and industry for new and innovative materials and concepts, compressed and liquid hydrogen, and both on-board and off-board hydrogen storage technologies.

Proposals are due in September 2003. The solicitations can be viewed at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/. Full funding for the solicitations is subject to Congressional appropriations.