(Invited) An Overview of Hydro GΕΝ, a DΟΕ Energy Materials Network Consortium Aimed at Accelerating the Development of Advanced Water Splitting Materials
Authors: Randolph Katie , Miller Eric L. , Dinh Huyen N. , Klahr Benjamin M 
Published: February 2020

Accelerating the discovery and deployment of novel materials is essential for the U.S. to compete globally in manufacturing in the 21st century. In support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) materials innovation and advanced manufacturing priorities, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) launched the Energy Materials Network (EMN) in 2016. The EMN is a network of national lab-led consortia aimed at accelerating the development and commercial deployment of novel materials by enhancing the accessibility of unique material research resources at the national laboratories to external stakeholders, such as academia and industry.

The DOE’s Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) has made significant progress in advancing and reducing costs of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Recently, the FCTO launched Program specific EMN consortia to help accelerate materials discovery and development in order to more effectively enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. With the rollouts of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) by major automotive manufacturers underway, enabling technologies for the widespread production of affordable, sustainable hydrogen becomes increasingly important. This presentation will provide an overview of the FCTO’s Hydrogen Production & Delivery Program and the role the Program’s EMN consortium, HydroGEN, will play in supporting the FCTO’s mission.

The Hydrogen Production & Delivery Program supports research, development and demonstration (RD&D) efforts to address critical challenges and barriers for sustainable, large-scale hydrogen production technologies. The long-term goal of hydrogen production and delivery RD&D is a high-volume cost of <$4/kg-H2 (delivered and dispensed, but untaxed). The amount of the cost goal apportioned to hydrogen production is <$2/kg-H2. Hydrogen is a unique energy carrier in that it can be produced from a number of diverse pathways utilizing a variety of domestically available feedstocks, including natural gas, biomass, and water. Advanced water splitting (AWS), including electrolysis, photoelectrochemical and solar thermochemical routes, is one of the more versatile pathways and will play a significant role in terms of long-term, high volume sustainable production.

The HydroGEN Consortium (https://www.h2awsm.org/) aims to accelerate the RD&D of AWS technologies for clean, sustainable hydrogen production. This consortium, announced in October 2016, currently comprises six core national laboratories: the National Renewable Energy Laboratory - lead, Sandia National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Savanah River National Laboratory. The HydroGEN Consortium offers an extensive collection of materials research capabilities for addressing RD&D challenges in efficiency, durability and cost. Leveraging the HydroGEN Consortium’s staff of leading technical experts and broad collection of resource capabilities is expected to advance the maturity and technology readiness levels in all the advanced water splitting technologies.