The report shows that electrolysis has the potential to achieve the aggressive DOE Hydrogen Shot™ goal of reducing clean-hydrogen production costs to $1 per kilogram, and it details innovations needed, along with necessary technology advancements.
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office
December 4, 2024
minute read time
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released a report that highlights ways to reduce the cost of producing clean hydrogen via electrolysis. The report shows that electrolysis has the potential to achieve the aggressive DOE Hydrogen Shot™ goal of reducing clean-hydrogen production costs to $1 per kilogram (kg), and it details innovations needed, along with the necessary advancements in manufacturing, technology efficiency, and integrated energy systems.
The report, Hydrogen Shot: Water Electrolysis Technology Assessment, presents a thorough assessment of key electrolysis technologies, including technology status and potential approaches for realizing the significant cost reductions needed to achieve the Hydrogen Shot goal. It is the second of three assessments of clean-hydrogen production pathways. The first report, Hydrogen Shot Technology Assessment: Thermal Conversion Approaches, examines hydrogen production processes that use heat to convert fossil and/or waste feedstocks (with carbon capture and sequestration). The third and final report in this series will provide a similar technology assessments of hydrogen production from advanced pathways, which include processes that use sunlight to directly split water without the use of electricity.
Achieving the Hydrogen Shot’s cost reduction goal can unlock new markets for hydrogen, including steel manufacturing, clean ammonia, energy storage, and heavy-duty trucking—boosting domestic energy security and resilience, creating jobs, and strengthening America’s position in global clean energy markets.