Funding Notice: Advanced Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies to Drive National Goals

Office: Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office
NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003439
Funding Amount: Up to $46 million
Deadline for Concept Papers: November 20, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET
Link To Apply: Apply on EERE Exchange

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO)* for up to $46 million to accelerate the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of affordable clean-hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Projects funded under this NOFO will improve the performance of technologies for hydrogen production, hydrogen infrastructure, and fuel cells, and will demonstrate hydrogen and fuel cells in a new, high-impact application. These efforts are a key part of the Biden-Harris administration's coordinated "whole of government" approach to advancing clean hydrogen, as led by the Hydrogen Interagency Task Force. Advancing and demonstrating critical hydrogen and fuel cell technologies will help to drive decarbonization across challenging sectors, such as heavy-duty transportation and industrial and chemical processes, and ultimately help to realize the vision embodied in the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap of affordable clean hydrogen for a net-zero-carbon future and a sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy.

DOE's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) will administer this NOFO, which focuses on: scaling up advanced photoelectrochemical hydrogen-production processes, improving materials for hydrogen infrastructure, developing critical components for fuel cells in heavy-duty transportation applications, and demonstrating domestic hydrogen fuel cell electric motorcoach buses. By improving key technologies, spurring deployment, and helping industry achieve economies of scale, activities funded by this NOFO will support and reinforce the long-term viability of DOE's Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) and other commercial-scale hydrogen installations.

Topic Areas

This NOFO will fund projects under the following topic areas:

Topic 1: Photoelectrochemical (PEC) Water Splitting Device Scale Up
This topic seeks proposals to develop and demonstrate PEC water splitting devices using low-cost, scalable synthesis and fabrication techniques.

Topic 2: High-Performance Materials for Hydrogen Service, Including Cryogenic and/or High-Pressure Conditions 
This topic seeks proposals to develop advanced materials for use in high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, cryogenic service conditions, and fiber reinforced polymer hydrogen pipelines.

Topic 3: Sustainable High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membranes and Ionomers for Heavy-Duty Transportation Applications 
This topic seeks proposals to develop membranes and ionomers (key components of fuel cells) suitable for high-temperature operation (up to 120°C) in heavy-duty fuel cell transportation applications, without the use of perfluorosulfonic acid.

Topic 4: Domestic Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Motorcoach Bus Development and Demonstration
This topic seeks proposals to develop and demonstrate domestically produced fuel cell electric motorcoach buses suitable for long-haul service.

For all topic areas, HFTO envisions financial assistance awards in the form of cooperative agreements with periods of performance ranging from approximately two to four years. DOE encourages applicant teams that include stakeholders within academia, industry, and national laboratories across multiple technical disciplines. Teams are also encouraged to include representation from diverse entities such as minority-serving institutions. 

Key Dates

Apply Now!

Visit the EERE eXCHANGE website to learn more about this funding opportunity.

Additional Information

• Download the full NOFO on the EERE eXCHANGE website.
• DOE is compiling a Teaming Partner List to facilitate the formation of project teams for this NOFO. This list allows organizations that may wish to participate on a project to express their interest to other applicants and explore potential partnerships. The list is available on EERE eXCHANGE under TPL-0000058 and will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization's information.
• For NOFO-specific support, contact [email protected].
• For EERE eXCHANGE technical issues, contact [email protected].

* On October 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy transitioned from using a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to using a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) as the primary means of announcing new financial assistance award opportunities, in accordance with the OMB update to the Uniform Guidance: Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Please visit CFO.gov for more information on the updated guidance: CFO.gov | Uniform Guidance: Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations.