Hydrogen Research and Development
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its partners in the Hydrogen Interagency Task Force are overcoming the challenges of incorporating hydrogen into the U.S. energy system through a whole-of-government approach. The H2@Scale concept at DOE explores the potential for wide-scale hydrogen production and use across energy sectors. Major categories of DOE-sponsored research and development (R&D) in hydrogen are listed below.
Hydrogen Production
Hydrogen production R&D is important to make hydrogen cost-competitive with conventional fuels while minimizing the environmental impacts of production. Learn more about hydrogen production R&D activities from the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Hydrogen Delivery
Hydrogen production R&D helps improve technologies to distribute hydrogen cost-effectively from the point of production to the point of end-use, such as in fuel cell vehicles. It also helps develop and improve technologies to dispense the high volumes of hydrogen that will be needed to reliably fuel medium- and heavy-duty fuel cell and hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles.
Learn more about hydrogen delivery R&D activities from the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Hydrogen Storage
R&D is important to improve technologies so fuel cell electric vehicles and hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles can store enough hydrogen onboard to enable a driving range of at least 300 miles in light-duty vehicles without taking up excessive space or adding excessive weight. R&D also helps improve the cost, durability, and safety of hydrogen storage at fueling stations.
Learn more about hydrogen storage R&D activities from the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Fuel Cells and Vehicles
Hydrogen fuel cell R&D aims to reduce fuel cell system costs and size and to improve the performance and durability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell systems for transportation and for small stationary and portable applications. Research for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles is important to develop technologies that advance fuel cell systems, subsystems, and components.
Learn more about fuel cell R&D activities from the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Materials and Manufacturing
Hydrogen and fuel cell materials and manufacturing R&D is important to help the United States move from today's components and systems to high-volume, commercially manufactured products.
Learn more about hydrogen and fuel cell component and system manufacturing R&D from the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
Codes and Standards
Data-driven codes and standards are important to enable permitting officials to ensure hydrogen and fuel cell deployments are safe and perform as expected. Learn more about hydrogen safety R&D and codes and standards activities from the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
R&D at National Laboratories
Many DOE national laboratories perform hydrogen and fuel cell R&D:
- Argonne National Laboratory
- Brookhaven National Laboratory
- Idaho National Laboratory
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- National Energy Technology Laboratory
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Sandia National Laboratories.
- Savannah River National Laboratory
Also learn about hydrogen fueling infrastructure development.
