Funding Opportunities

Modification 0002: The purpose of this modification is to:

• Update the minimum non-federal cost share amount for Topic 1; and
• Provide clarification on blended cost share.

Modification 0001: The purpose of this modification is to:

• Update estimated funding for Topic Area 4;
• Clarify the requirements for DOE/NNSA and Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs regarding a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA);
• Add language to the Content and Form of the Full Application for Topics 4 and 5;
• Add the Community Benefits Plan template;
• Clarify RDD&D Community Benefits Plan language for Topics 2 and 3;
• Add reporting requirements to track progress toward key departmental goals.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0003213 on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), which coordinates hydrogen activities with offices across DOE as described in the DOE Hydrogen Program Plan. These activities align with the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, and other DOE initiatives as described below.

Building a clean and equitable energy economy and addressing the climate crisis are top priorities of the Biden Administration. This FOA will advance the Biden Administration’s goals to achieve carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035, “to deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050, to the benefit of all Americans”. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering; catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D); and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities.

The research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA will support the goals of the H2@Scale Initiative, which aims to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors. These objectives align with DOE’s Hydrogen Energy Earthshot^TM (Hydrogen Shot), which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg by 2031. Advancing technologies that will facilitate the use of clean hydrogen will support the goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050.

In addition to RDD&D topics, this FOA will focus on enabling hydrogen deployments through safety and permitting support, equitable community engagement, and developing strategies for effective community benefits.

As part of the whole-of-government approach to advance equity, it is the policy of the Biden Administration that the federal government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. As part of this approach, this FOA encourages the participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups.

Topics Include:

Topic 1: Components for Hydrogen Fueling of Medium-and Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Topic 2: Standarized Hydrogen Refueling Station of the Future

Topic 3: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Port Equipment

Topic 4: Enabling Permitting and Safety for Hydrogen Deployment

Topic 5: Equitable Hydrogen Technology Community Engagement

Please see the 'Full FOA Document' in the DOCUMENTS section below.

Questions regarding the FOA must be submitted to H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov

The Teaming Partner List is transferred from Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0003212. The list will remain open and will be updated at least weekly until the close of the Full Application period, to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their information.

Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed in the FOA to be eligible to submit a Full Application. Concept Papers and Full Applications will only be accepted through EERE eXCHANGE.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the Deadline: In the event an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov).

The eXCHANGE system is designed to enforce hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The “APPLY” and “SUBMIT” buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants.

This teaming partner list is for DE-FOA-0003212/3213, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office FOA to Advance the National Clean Hydrogen Strategy.

This Teaming Partner List is being made available to facilitate the widest possible national participation in the formation of applicant teams for this potential FOA. The List allows organizations who may wish to participate on an application to express their interest to other applicants and explore potential partnerships, including representation from Minority Serving Institutions (e.g., Historically Black Colleges & Universities and Other Minority Serving Institutions), Minority Business Enterprises, Minority Owned Businesses, Woman Owned Businesses, Veteran Owned Businesses, Tribal Nations, workforce education/training/development groups or labor organizations.

DISCLAIMER: By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating this Teaming Partner List, DOE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are self-identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. DOE will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) entitled “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office FOA to Advance the National Clean Hydrogen Strategy.”

Clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are important elements of a comprehensive energy portfolio, particularly for use in hard-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy (such as heavy-duty transportation and industrial applications) and to enable long duration energy storage for a clean electric grid. These elements directly support the Administration’s goals of achieving carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050, benefiting all Americans.

This FOA supports the vision outlined in the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, affordable clean hydrogen for a net-zero carbon future and a sustainable, resilient, and equitable economy. The FOA will target Research, Development, Demonstration & Deployment (RDD&D) topics critical to enabling increased adoption of clean hydrogen across sectors, particularly in heavy-duty (HD) vehicles and other heavy-duty transportation applications, which supports the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, including the buildout of fueling corridors. Increased adoption of hydrogen technologies will help achieve economies of scale and drive down costs, directly supporting DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program, an $8 billion federal investment to create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier. Improvements in clean hydrogen technologies will also contribute to the long-term viability of the H2Hubs and other commercial-scale deployments. Activities funded under this FOA will also align with the H2@Scale Initiative, which aims to advance affordable hydrogen production, transport, storage, and utilization to enable decarbonization and revenue opportunities across multiple sectors. The FOA’s objectives support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot goal, which targets affordable clean hydrogen production at $1/kg within a decade. In addition to RD&D topics, this FOA will focus on enabling hydrogen deployments through safety and permitting support, equitable community engagement, and developing strategies for effective community benefits.

Hydrogen and fuel cells can help create opportunities and benefits for communities that have been historically underserved, such as improving air quality, providing resiliency, and creating jobs, including good-paying union jobs. Consistent with DOE’s commitment to benefit all Americans, this anticipated FOA will encourage the participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups.

EERE plans to issue the FOA before or in January 2024 via the EERE eXCHANGE website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. If Applicants wish to receive official notifications and information from EERE regarding this FOA, they should register in EERE eXCHANGE. When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through EERE eXCHANGE.

Navigate to TPL-0000033 in EERE Exchange to access the Teaming Partner List for this solicitation.

This notice of intent (NOI) is issued so that interested parties are aware of EERE’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All the information contained in this NOI is subject to change. EERE will not respond to questions concerning this NOI. Once the FOA has been released, EERE will provide an avenue for potential applicants to submit questions.