DE-FOA-0003213_MOD 1_Advance National Clean Hydrogen Strategy.pdf

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U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office FOA to Advance the National Clean Hydrogen Strategy

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0003213 FOA Type: Modification No. 0001 Assistance Listing Number: 81.087

FOA Issue Date: 12/15/2023 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: 1/26/2024 5:00 p.m. ET Submission Deadline for Full Applications: 3/22/2024 5:00 p.m. ET Expected Submission Deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments: 5/3/2024 5:00 p.m. ET Expected Date for EERE Selection Notifications: July 2024 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations: July – November 2024

• Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent and a Concept Paper by 5:00 p.m. ET on the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application.

• To apply to this FOA, applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov, EERE’s online application portal.

• Applicants must designate primary and backup points-of-contact in EERE eXCHANGE with whom EERE will communicate to conduct award negotiations. If an application is selected for award negotiations, it is not a commitment to issue an award. It is imperative that the applicant/selectee be responsive during award negotiations and meet negotiation deadlines. Failure to do so may result in cancelation of further award negotiations and rescission of the selection.

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) - Each applicant (unless the applicant is excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110) is required to: (1) register in the SAM at https://www.sam.gov before submitting an application; (2) provide a valid UEI number in the application; and (3) maintain an active SAM registration with current information when the applicant has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. DOE may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully mailto:H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/ complied with the requirements by the time DOE is ready to make a federal award, DOE will determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

NOTE: Due to the high number of UEI requests and SAM registrations, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process.

Entities should start the UEI and SAM registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the UEI validation or SAM registration process they should use the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will address service tickets in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service tickets for the same request or technical issue. Additional entity validation resources can be found here: GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base - Validating your Entity.

mailto:H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov https://sam.gov/content/help https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1

Modifications

All modifications to the FOA are HIGHLIGHTED in the body of the FOA.

Mod. No. Date Description of Modification 1 1/25/2024 In Section II.A.i. Estimated Funding on page 36, an edit was made to correct “Individual awards may vary between $250,000…” to “Individual awards may vary between $300,000…” In Section II.A.i. Estimated Funding on page 37, an edit was made to correct the table entry for Topic 4. In the Anticipated Award Size for Any One Individual Award (Fed Share) column, “$250,000 to $1,000,000” was corrected to “$500,000 to $1,000,000.”

In Section III.E.i.c., Requirements for DOE/NNSA and Non- DOE/NNSA FFRDCs Included as a Subrecipient on page 45, language was added to clarify when a CRADA is required.

In Section IV.D.iii. Content and Form of the Full Application on page 52 and 53, clarification specific to Topics 4 and 5 was added. The phrase “(or plan/approach, for Topics 4 and 5)” was added after instances of “technology…” as appropriate.

In Section IV.D.vii. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan on page 57, the Community Benefits Plan Template was added as a resource for applicants. The Community Benefits Plan template is available on EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov/.

In Section IV.D.vii. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan on page 57, clarification was added for page requirements specific to Topics 2 and 3. The RDD&D Community Benefits Plan must not exceed five [5] pages for Topics 1 and 4 and must not exceed ten [10] pages for Topics 2 and 3.

In Section VI.B.xiv. Reporting on page 98, reporting requirements were added as part of tracking progress toward key departmental goals, such as ensuring justice and equity, investing in the American workforce, boosting domestic manufacturing, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and advancing a pathway to private sector deployment.

iv

Table of Contents I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Background and Purpose

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals

iii. Teaming Partner List (Optional)

B. Topic Areas

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

ii. Topic 2: Standardized Hydrogen Refueling Station of the Future

iii. Topic 3: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Port Equipment

iv. Topic 4: Enabling Permitting and Safety for Hydrogen Deployment

v. Topic 5: Equitable Hydrogen Technology Community Engagement

C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest D. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan E. Authorizing Statutes

II. Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding

ii. Period of Performance

iii. New Applications Only

B. EERE Funding Agreements

i. Cooperative Agreements

ii. Funding Agreements with Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDCs)

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

i. Domestic Entities

ii. Foreign Entities

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

ii. Cost Share Allocation

iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

iv. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

v. Cost Share Verification

vi. Cost Share Payment

C. Compliance Criteria D. Responsiveness Criteria E. Other Eligibility Requirements

i. Requirements for DOE/NNSA and Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs Included as a Subrecipient F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Application Process

i. Additional Information on EERE eXCHANGE

B. Application Forms C. Content and Form of the Concept Paper D. Content and Form of the Full Application v

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

iii. Technical Volume

iv. Resumes

v. Letters of Commitment

vi. Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)

vii. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan

viii. Budget Justification Workbook

ix. Summary for Public Release

x. Summary Slide

xi. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

xii. Budget for DOE/NNSA FFRDC (if applicable)

xiii. Authorization for Non-DOE/NNSA or DOE/NNSA FFRDCs (if applicable)

xiv. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

xv. Waiver Requests (if applicable)

xvi. Open-Source Software Distribution Plan (if applicable)

xvii. Current and Pending Support

xviii. Locations of Work

xix. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xx. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

E. Content and Form of Replies to Reviewer Comments (Optional) F. Post Selection Information Requests G. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) H. Submission Dates and Times I. Intergovernmental Review J. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

iv. Construction

v. Foreign Travel

vi. Equipment and Supplies

vii. Build America Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

viii. Lobbying

ix. Risk Assessment

x. Invoice Review and Approval

xi. Prohibition Related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

xii. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements

xiii. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

V. Application Review Information

A. Technical Review Criteria

i. Concept Papers

ii. Full Applications

iii. Criteria for Replies to Reviewer Comments

B. Standards for Application Evaluation C. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors D. Evaluation and Selection Process

i. Overview vi

ii. Pre-Selection Interviews

iii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iv. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

v. Selection

E. Anticipated Notice of Selection and Award Negotiation Dates

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Concept Paper Notifications

iii. Full Application Notifications

iv. Applicants Selected for Award Negotiations

v. Alternate Selection Determinations

vi. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Foreign National Participation

iv. Subaward and Executive Reporting

v. National Policy Requirements

vi. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

vii. Flood Resilience

viii. Applicant Representations and Certifications

ix. Statement of Federal Stewardship

x. Statement of Substantial Involvement

xi. Intellectual Property Management Plan (if applicable)

xii. Subject Invention Utilization Reporting

xiii. Intellectual Property Provisions

xiv. Reporting

xv. Go/No-Go Review

xvi. Conference Spending

xvii. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

xviii. Real Property and Equipment

xix. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

xx. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xxi. Current and Pending Support

xxii. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

xxiii. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xxiv. Data Management Plan (if applicable)

xxv. Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

xxvi. Human Subjects Research

VII. Questions/Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

A. FOA Modifications B. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate C. Commitment of Public Funds D. Treatment of Application Information E. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel F. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities vii

G. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability H. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure I. Retention of Submissions J. Title to Subject Inventions K. Government Rights in Subject Inventions L. Rights in Technical Data M. Copyright N. Export Control O. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment P. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Q. Annual Independent Audits

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

Appendix B – Sample Cost Share Calculation for Blended Cost Share Percentage

Appendix C – Waiver Requests For: 1. Foreign Entity Participation; and 2. Foreign Work

Appendix D – Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

Appendix E – Open-Source Software

Appendix F – Definition of Technology Readiness Levels

Appendix G – List of Acronyms

Appendix H – RDD&D Community Benefits Plan Guidance

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Background and Purpose 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.1 These activities align with the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap,2 the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization,3 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 (EJ) and inclusion of underserved communities.

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,4 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 EarthshotTM (Hydrogen Shot),5 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 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.

1 Department of Energy Hydrogen Program Plan, www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/hydrogen-program-plan-2020.pdf 2 U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap, www.hydrogen.energy.gov/library/roadmaps-vision/clean-hydrogen-strategy-roadmap 3 U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, 4 H2@Scale Initiative, https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/h2scale 5 Hydrogen Shot, https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-shot mailto:H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/hydrogen-program-plan-2020.pdf https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/library/roadmaps-vision/clean-hydrogen-strategy-roadmap https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/h2scale https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-shot

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.

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals This FOA supports the vision outlined 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. It targets five topics of interest critical to enabling increased adoption of clean hydrogen technologies across sectors, particularly in medium- and heavy-duty (MD/HD) vehicles and other heavy-duty transportation applications. This FOA’s focus on MD/HD vehicles supports the vision of the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, including its emphasis on the buildout of fueling corridors.

Increased adoption of hydrogen technologies will help achieve economies of scale and drive down costs, supporting efforts to reach the Hydrogen Shot goal and achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. This FOA directly supports DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) Program,6 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.

Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are part of a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to address the climate crisis and position America as a global leader in clean energy technology and clean energy jobs. As shown in the H2@Scale vision illustrated in Figure 1, hydrogen is a uniquely versatile energy carrier that it can be produced using any form of energy, in almost any part of the country, and it can be used across all sectors of the economy. This versatility means that clean hydrogen can be used in high-impact applications, particularly in the hardest-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy (such as heavy-duty transportation and industrial applications). It can also support the expansion of clean-power generation by providing a means for long-duration energy storage and offering

6 Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs | Department of Energy https://www.energy.gov/oced/regional-clean-hydrogen-hubs-0 subject line.

flexibility and multiple revenue streams for clean-power generators and providers. For hydrogen to achieve its potential as an energy carrier, key challenges around affordability, durability, and reliability must still be addressed.

Innovations are needed to reduce the cost and improve the performance of technologies throughout the clean-hydrogen value chain, from production to storage, transportation, and use.

Figure 1. The H2@Scale vision

Achieving the Hydrogen Shot goal will unlock a significant increase in markets for clean hydrogen, including clean steel manufacturing, clean ammonia, energy storage, and heavy-duty transportation. This will, in turn, create more clean energy jobs, reduce GHG and criteria pollutant emissions, increase energy security and resiliency, and position America for leadership in global markets for clean hydrogen and its derivatives.

HFTO supports a broad portfolio of RDD&D projects for materials, components, and systems throughout the clean hydrogen value chain. These efforts are advancing technologies for renewable hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, hydrogen delivery and fueling infrastructure, and fuel cells (e.g., for MD/HD transportation applications), among others. HFTO also conducts demonstrations of systems in real-world operating conditions, including first-of-a-kind demonstrations of integrated energy systems. To support deployment and commercialization, HFTO supports a variety of enabling activities to advance processes and technologies for manufacturing hydrogen and fuel cell components and systems; improve supply chains and workforce capacity;

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improve safety practices and awareness; enable the adoption of essential codes and standards; and support partnerships and activities that ensure the economic and environmental benefits of HFTO investments are available to disadvantaged communities.

The topics in this FOA are summarized below. More-detailed technical descriptions of each topic are provided in the sections that follow.

Topic 1: Components for Hydrogen Fueling of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles This topic seeks proposals to develop advanced components that will enable gaseous and/or liquid hydrogen fueling at refueling stations for MD/HD hydrogen-powered vehicles. The U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap identifies MD/HD transportation as a key sector where clean hydrogen can help achieve decarbonization goals, and where limited alternatives exist.

Today, the manufacturers of MD/HD hydrogen vehicles have not yet achieved consensus on whether compressed gas or liquid hydrogen will be the preferred mode for onboard storage. Without significant research and development (R&D) advances, components currently employed at compressed gas stations for refueling light-duty vehicles (LDVs) cannot provide the high flowrates needed for fueling MD/HD trucks. The ultimate DOE MD/HD targets for fueling flowrates are an average of 10 kg H2/minute over a 100 kg H2 fill, with a peak capability of at least 18 kg H2/minute.

Topic 2: Standardized Hydrogen Refueling Station of the Future This topic seeks proposals to develop and demonstrate a low-cost, standardized, and replicable advanced hydrogen fueling station of the future – one that can meet the needs of commercial scale MD/HD truck fueling. Outcomes from this topic will help support several of the recently announced H2Hubs, which include significant plans for rollout of MD/HD trucks and buses, including the necessary hydrogen infrastructure such as hydrogen fueling stations. Projects proposed under this topic will be required to include station designs that not only reduce operating and capital cost but also offer scalability, standardization, reliability, and hydrogen fuel flexibility (i.e., different modes of onboard hydrogen storage).

Proposed station designs will need to provide fast fueling for MD/HD trucks up to 100 kg per fill using 700-bar hydrogen tanks. However, DOE encourages designs that offer flexibility to accommodate other hydrogen applications, such as LDVs (using 700 bar hydrogen storage) and buses (potentially using 350-bar storage), and the potential for build-out and retrofitting to accommodate onboard liquid hydrogen fueling.

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Topic 3: Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Powered Port Equipment This topic seeks proposals to develop innovative zero-emissions port equipment.

The recent announcement of H2Hubs includes significant plans for rollout of hydrogen fuel-cell powered port equipment. To support this rollout, projects funded under this topic will design, develop, and demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell port equipment such as cargo-handling equipment or shore power to docked vessels. Innovative equipment with new designs or retrofit kits of existing port equipment are both encouraged. Of particular interest are designs that offer the potential for significant emission reductions and large-scale offtake of hydrogen that can be replicable across many ports.

Topic 4: Enabling Permitting and Safety for Hydrogen Deployment This topic seeks proposals to help determine the primary challenges to siting, permitting, and installation across the value chain from hydrogen production through end-use, and help identify opportunities to address them. A robust permitting process is essential for ensuring equitable deployment of energy infrastructure (e.g., by ensuring disadvantaged communities are not overburdened with health concerns and safety risks), but the current variation in permitting requirements throughout the United States can introduce significant obstacles to deployment. In addition, widespread availability and dissemination of safety-related information are crucial to enabling the safe use of hydrogen in all applications.

Topic 5: Equitable Hydrogen Technology Community Engagement This topic seeks proposals to improve the capacity of DOE and DOE-funded projects to conduct effective community-engagement activities. Ensuring that the benefits (as well as any potential negative impacts) of clean-hydrogen installations are equitably shared across communities and that sustainability and EJ are addressed are key priorities for DOE and other federal agencies, as laid out in the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap. To address these priorities, it will be essential to improve understanding of how to effectively engage with communities (particularly disadvantaged communities). Projects funded under this topic will conduct engagement activities with a disadvantaged community to gain better understanding of their concerns and provide them with important information about hydrogen and related technologies. To help inform future community engagement, projects will use their experience conducting these activities to develop lessons learned and best practices.

iii. Teaming Partner List (Optional)

DOE is compiling a Teaming Partner List to facilitate the formation of project teams for this FOA. The Teaming Partner List allows organizations that may wish to participate on a project to express their interest to other applicants and explore potential partnerships.

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The Teaming Partner List will be available on EERE eXCHANGE and will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization’s information.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: View the Teaming Partner List by visiting the EERE eXCHANGE homepage and clicking on “Teaming Partners” within the left-hand navigation pane. This page allows users to view published Teaming Partner Lists.

To join the Teaming Partner List, submit a request within eXCHANGE. Select the appropriate Teaming Partner List from the drop-down menu and fill in the following information: Investigator Name, Organization Name, Organization Type, Topic Area, Background and Capabilities, Website, Contact Address, Contact Email, and Contact Phone.

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 the Teaming Partner List, DOE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are 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.

B. Topic Areas

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

Topic 1: Introduction and Background As identified in the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap and the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, hydrogen and fuel cell technologies can play a key role in decarbonizing the MD/HD transportation sector.

MD/HD vehicles have significantly different demands from LDVs, the hydrogen fueling infrastructure necessary for MD/HD requires the development of advanced hydrogen fueling components that address the challenges of fueling/transfer times, hydrogen losses, materials compatibility, cost, and safety. The development of these technologies will also support several of the H2Hubs, which are planning to deploy hydrogen-fueled MD/HD vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations.

While current LDV hydrogen fueling stations may be able to operate using compressed gaseous hydrogen (GH2) delivered via tube trailers, fueling stations for MD/HD vehicles and for other heavy-transportation applications, such as marine and rail, are expected to require tons of hydrogen per day, and thus tube trailer delivery subject line.

of GH2 is not expected to be viable. In a previous FOA, EERE sought proposals for projects to advance liquid hydrogen (LH2) fueling and transfer systems and components. While progress is being made in this area, there is no consensus in the MD/HD transportation sector on whether GH2, LH2, or a combination of both, will be the preferred mode for onboard hydrogen storage, particularly in the near term.

MD/HD hydrogen fueling will require hydrogen flowrates that are at least five times greater (at least 10 kg/min)7 than those in current LDV hydrogen fueling stations.8

The high flowrates required for both GH2 and LH2 MD/HD fueling will require upgraded transfer and fueling components such as cryogenic transfer lines, large-bore piping, couplings, valves, and meters. Today’s components cannot reliably or cost-effectively meet these demands. Currently available GH2 LDV fueling station components (such as chillers, dispensers, couplings, and meters) have limited capabilities and cannot be easily adapted to achieve high flowrates without major RDD&D advances. Improvements in cryogenic transfer lines are needed to reduce heat ingress, thereby mitigating hydrogen losses. In addition, ensuring durability and reliability of components is needed, particularly from two-phase flow operation, where both liquid and gaseous hydrogen are simultaneously present. Furthermore, there are limited material and configuration options for GH2 piping and fittings that will enable high flowrates. This can increase piping costs, limit the performance of junctions, and reduce options for welding. With higher flowrates, accurately controlling and measuring hydrogen delivered in fueling and transfer operations is also challenging and will require improved valves and meters. To enable large-scale deployment of vehicles using LH2, a full suite of cryogenic fueling components must be developed. To provide expected fueling flowrates, RDD&D advances are needed to develop components and subsystems, such as high-flow pumps and high-pressure pumps.

To achieve the anticipated delivered cost of hydrogen needed for widespread deployment of hydrogen-fueled MD/HD vehicles, the availability/up-time of hydrogen fueling stations needs to be increased. This will require improvements in cycle life, reliability, and repair/replacement times for both GH2 and LH2 fueling station components.

Enabling the large-scale hydrogen fueling operations necessary for MD/HD transportation requires the development of advanced GH2 and LH2 fueling

7 U.S. Department of Energy “Hydrogen Class 8 Long Haul Truck Targets” Program Record, December 12, 2019, https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/19006_hydrogen_class8_long_haul_truck_targets.pdf.

8 https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j2601_202005/ https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/19006_hydrogen_class8_long_haul_truck_targets.pdf https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j2601_202005/ subject line.

components that address the challenges of fueling times, hydrogen losses, reliability, and cost. The development of these fueling components is needed to facilitate the adoption of hydrogen to support decarbonization in the MD/HD transportation sector.

Topic 1: Anticipated Funding and Award Details DOE’s anticipated funding levels, including the federal funding per award are given below:

Topic Area

Total Funding Level

Anticipated Number of

Awards

Federal Funding per

Award

Max. Project Duration (Months)

Min Required Non-Federal Cost Share %

Topic 1:

Components for Hydrogen Fueling of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Up to $10,000,000 4 to 5 $1,000,000 to

$3,000,000 36 20%

Topic 1: Description and Objectives Through this topic, EERE seeks proposals to develop advanced components that will enable GH2 and/or LH2 fueling at MD/HD vehicle refueling stations. Proposed components should address the challenges and barriers related to high-flow hydrogen fueling, which include fueling times, hydrogen losses and loss recovery, reliability, and cost. Applications will be evaluated based on the expected performance, projected cost, and commercialization potential of the proposed technologies. Ultimate MD/HD targets for fueling flowrates are an average of 10 kg H2/min over a 100 kg H2 fill, with a peak capability of at least 18 kg H2/min.

EERE is particularly interested in proposals for projects with a high likelihood of successfully demonstrating components with a clear pathway to commercial adoption. Examples of components of interest include, but are not limited to:

• High-flow LH2 pumps;

• High-performance LH2 transfer lines (durable, low-degradation, and with either low-loss or loss recovery);

• Advanced LH2 flow meters, preferably capable of handling two-phase flow;

• Novel LH2 vaporizers (e.g., with reduced footprint, icing mitigation/elimination);

• Advanced LH2 transfer/fueling couplings (reliable, durable, preferably not requiring more than low grade personal protective equipment);

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• Economic, scalable cryocoolers (e.g., for loss mitigation/recovery or supporting subcooled LH2 fueling systems); and

• Components that include novel, advanced cryogenic sealing materials for improved durability and operability under cryogenic hydrogen transfer and fueling conditions.

Topic 1: General Requirements Applications must include a detailed description of the component(s) to be developed, the relevant hydrogen refueling modes (e.g., liquid, compressed gas), and the specific performance metrics that will be targeted by the proposed work.

They should provide sufficient justification supported by analysis that the proposed technology has the potential to achieve stated performance targets. Applicants should include a detailed description and evaluation of how the proposed technology relates to the current state-of-the-art, and its relevance to future MD/HD station needs and designs. Applications should also address the scalability of the proposed technology, including clearly identifying cost, manufacturing, and any other adoption challenges. If addressing such challenges is not in the scope of the proposal, applications must provide sufficient evidence of commercial viability of the proposed technology and clearly identify pathways to commercial success.

By the end of the project, it is expected that the performance of the proposed technology will be validated against stated performance targets. Projects should target the technical readiness level (TRL) range of 3-6 over the project period. This range represents the bridge from scientific research to engineering. Projects should not rely solely on the successful development of new materials to achieve the stated project objectives. Subscale demonstrations are allowed, but they must be convincingly translatable (via detailed analysis) to a full-scale fueling component technology. Designs should conform to available safety codes and standards to the greatest extent possible.

Topic 1: Community Benefits Plan A Community Benefits Plan (CBP) is required for this topic to ensure the federal investments advance the following three objectives: (1) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA); (2) energy equity; and (3) investing in America’s workforce.

The applicant’s RDD&D Community Benefits Plan must include at least one Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART) milestone per budget period to measure progress on the proposed actions. These milestones should also be included in the Work Plan, in the SOPO and accounted for in the project budget.

Please see Section IV.D.vii. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan for details.

Topic 1: Project Structure Applicants should propose projects up to three years in length for a maximum total DOE funding of $3,000,000 per project plus a minimum 20% non-federal cost share subject line.

(e.g., $3,000,000 DOE share and at least $600,000 applicant cost share for up to $3,600,000 total). The funding request should be commensurate with the level of work proposed. Applicants should plan projects with two or three phases with a quantitative go/no-go decision point separating each phase (budget period). Each budget period should nominally be 12 to 18 months long.

Projects must satisfy the agreed upon quantitative performance criteria for each go/no-go decision point before DOE will commit support for additional phases. DOE anticipates that not all selected projects will achieve their go/no-go criteria. A no-go decision will result in a discontinuation of support beyond the applicable phase.

Projects must include at least 20% cost share, consistent with other DOE-funded R&D projects.

Topic 1: Teaming Arrangements Teaming arrangements that include multiple stakeholders across industry, academia, and national laboratories (as appropriate) are encouraged. Applicants should succinctly describe the qualifications, experience, and capabilities of the proposed project team to execute the project plan successfully. If the project lead does not have the facilities/capabilities to carry out the component manufacturing, or operability and performance testing, it will be necessary to include a project partner or partners who can perform that role. Strong preference will be given to applicants with domestic manufacturing capabilities and intent to manufacture in the United States.

Topic 1: Applications Specifically Not of Interest Under this topic, EERE is not interested in applications focused primarily on the following:

• Materials development studies;

• Materials compatibility studies;

• Development of components that are not relevant to MD/HD fueling stations; and

• Complete systems such as fueling stations or mobile refuelers.

ii. Topic 2: Standardized Hydrogen Refueling Station of the Future

Topic 2: Introduction and Background Low-cost hydrogen fueling stations will be essential for enabling the deployment of hydrogen-powered MD/HD vehicles, and for successful operation of several of the recently announced H2Hubs, which include significant rollout plans of MD/HD trucks and buses. Today, however, there are very few MD/HD hydrogen fueling stations in operation. Those that exist, such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s subject line.

research fueling station,9 are challenged with high capital and operating costs driven by complex designs and components that are either custom built or over-designed as they are typically borrowed from other applications and modified. Hydrogen fueling stations also have a history of reliability challenges10 and are typically designed and built on a one-off basis. As a result, there is a lack of standardized key subsystems such as bulk storage, compression, and dispensing. Furthermore, operational data from California show that when hydrogen is produced offsite and delivered to a fueling station, the total cost of hydrogen dispensed to a vehicle at that station can be more than $13/kg, more than three times higher than the cost required to be competitive.11

To simultaneously address the three primary drivers of the levelized cost of hydrogen at fueling stations (compression, storage, and dispensing), innovation to reduce costs, improving reliability, and increasing throughput will need to take an integrated total-system approach, addressing the design of the entire station. In addition, standardization, replication, and scalability of station components and designs will further bring down costs and improve quality and durability. This topic seeks proposals to develop and demonstrate a low-cost, standardized, and replicable hydrogen fueling station. Outcomes will help achieve DOE’s 2030 target of $4/kg hydrogen produced, delivered, and dispensed.12

Topic 2: Anticipated Funding and Award Details DOE’s anticipated funding levels, including the federal funding per award are given below:

9 Innovating Hydrogen Station: Heavy-Duty Fueling (energy.gov) 10 Next Generation Hydrogen Station Composite Data Products: Retail Stations | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells | NREL 11 California Fuel Cell Partnership, “Cost to refill,” https://cafcp.org/content/cost-refill (reflects costs pre-COVID supply chain constraints) 12 U.S. DOE Hydrogen Program Annual Merit Review (AMR) Plenary Remarks (energy.gov) (slide #28)

Topic Area Total Funding

Level

Anticipated Number of

Awards

Federal Funding per

Award

Max. Project Duration (Months)

Min Required Non-Federal Cost Share %

Topic 2:

Standardized Hydrogen Refueling Station of the Future

Up to $30,000,000 2 to 3 Up to

$10,000,000 48 50% mailto:H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/docs/hydrogenprogramlibraries/pdfs/review22/h2061_onorato_2022_p-pdf.pdf https://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/infrastructure-cdps-retail.html https://cafcp.org/content/cost-refill https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/docs/hydrogenprogramlibraries/pdfs/review23/plenary1_satyapal_2023_o.pdf subject line.

Topic 2: Description and Objectives

This topic seeks proposals for station designs using delivered hydrogen that optimize across a range of station performance metrics such as fill time, station reliability and up-time, overall hydrogen capacity (including per-hour throughput), operational costs, and construction costs. Proposed projects must include both a standardized, low-cost station design and at least one actual station demonstration validating that design.

Station designs should also incorporate design for manufacturing13 approaches to enable modularized stations that can be built off-site in controlled factory environments and then transported to fueling sites. This approach will reduce construction times, and consistency in the designs will help streamline permitting and local approval. Designs should be forward-thinking with emphasis on reducing cost as much as possible through innovative operating approaches that minimize both station components and overall footprint.

Proposals must consider and reference relevant codes within NFPA 2, relevant MD/HD fueling protocols within SAE (e.g., J2601-5, J2799) and ISO, and any future heavy-duty protocols that are currently under development, which cover key station operating parameters such as fill rates, ramp rates, vehicle-station communications, fuel purity, and setback distances, among others. Proposed stations should also include hydrogen flow meters that comply with applicable metrology standards (e.g., NIST Handbook 44 – 2023 3.39. Hydrogen Gas-Measuring Device of 5.0 % accuracy).14

Proposed station designs must have a throughput capacity of at least two metric tons per day, at least 100 kg per fill, and at least 250 kg of H2/hour. Preference will be given to proposed station designs that can accommodate back-to-back fills and meet DOE’s 2030 and Ultimate average fill rate targets of 8 and 10 kg H2/min respectively.15 Proposals should balance these performance metrics with other metrics for reliability as well as operating and capital costs. The station should be capable of fueling MD/HD trucks that utilize 700 bar onboard tanks while ideally also having the flexibility to fuel light-duty applications and 350 bar for applications such as buses. Some truck manufactures are also looking at onboard LH2 storage, so the station should be designed and built to accommodate onboard LH2 storage or at least have the potential for easily building out or retrofitting in the future to accommodate onboard LH2 refueling in case the need arises.

13 https://www.unm.edu/~bgreen/ME360/dfm.pdf 14 T. Tolerances, NIST3-39-23-HB44 (1).pdf 15 DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program Record 19006: Hydrogen Class 8 Long Haul Truck Targets (energy.gov) mailto:H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov https://www.unm.edu/%7Ebgreen/ME360/dfm.pdf file://eerefs8.doe.local/Org_Data/EE-3H/-%20SYSTEMS%20DEVELOPMENT%20&%20INTEGRATION/1-%20TA%20Program%20Planning/SDI%20FY24%20FOA%20Planning/NIST3-39-23-HB44%20(1).pdf https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/docs/hydrogenprogramlibraries/pdfs/19006_hydrogen_class8_long_haul_truck_targets.pdf subject line.

Proposed fueling stations should minimize hydrogen releases, leaks, and fugitive emissions. Station designs involving LH2 should also include boil-off capture and management, with the aim of less than 1% losses (or at most 2% in the near term with a pathway to less than 1% in the long term) of the station’s daily throughput capacity. Hydrogen sensors to detect and minimize hydrogen leakage must be included in fueling station designs. If hydrogen is delivered as a liquid, hydrogen venting should be minimized during truck delivery and unloading and ideally, any controlled venting during fuel transfer should be captured and utilized (or at least flared/oxidized) to minimize hydrogen release to the atmosphere.

This topic also seeks proposals that aim for at least 50% utilization once the station is operational. High station utilization is essential to reduce the cost of hydrogen to the end user. To ensure sufficient demand and help establish higher utilization, teams submitting proposals are encouraged to include (or have established agreements with) end-users such as trucking fleets. User agreements such as letters of intent submitted with the application are highly encouraged.

Proposed station designs should aim for up-time and station availability of at least 95% (including scheduled maintenance). This is an essential aspect of the design as it will ensure end-users have reliable fueling service for their trucks. Interruptions or delays in service could be very costly to fleet operators.

Proposed station demonstrations should have at least one dispenser that is publicly accessible (i.e., allowing non-contract users access to the station), with standard user interfaces such as credit card readers and digital displays. This will encourage and support future deployments of fuel cell electric trucks. While not a firm requirement, preference will be given to proposed station demonstrations co-located with existing fueling stations, as they will provide customer conveniences such as convenience stores, dining and restroom facilities, and overnight parking. To minimize potential environmental and community impacts, projects are encouraged to leverage existing/former fueling stations or previously developed/disturbed land and utilize existing facility infrastructure to the maximum extent possible.

EERE expects station performance to be shared with EERE and/or a third party selected by EERE such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which has traditionally collected and compiled data for a variety of transportation and fueling station projects.16 In addition, projects will be required to provide publicly available station reference designs with flow diagrams and bills of material, to the extent practicable (excluding intellectual property).

Proposals should include an initial technoeconomic analysis (TEA) that details how the proposed station design will reduce both capital and operating costs over

16 Next Generation Hydrogen Station Analysis (energy.gov) https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/docs/hydrogenprogramlibraries/pdfs/review23/ta042_saur_2023_o-pdf.pdf subject line.

traditional approaches. Once awarded, projects will also be required to further refine their TEA throughout the life of the project and validate the TEA model against the final station demonstration.

Finally, all proposals should describe in detail their plans to obtain bulk hydrogen since on-site hydrogen production should not be included. Proposals are encouraged, but not required, to use hydrogen produced at the H2Hubs. Proposals should also highlight any other government agency programs that will be leveraged in the execution of their project and clearly specify how duplication is avoided.

Topic 2: General Requirements This topic requires: (i) proposals for fueling station designs that can meet metrics as noted above and any applicable codes and standards, such as SAE J2601-5 and J2799 and NFPA 2, as well as future heavy-duty protocols that are currently under development; (ii) proposals for designs that emphasize reducing hydrogen releases, including leakage, venting, and purging; (iii) detailed technoeconomic analysis comparing proposed designs with traditional approaches; (iv) a detailed community benefits plan (more information provided below); and (v) processes to collect and share data with DOE and/or DOE-selected third-parties. Proposals should describe the station’s overall concepts and basic parameters to achieve the topic’s goals.

Topic 2: Community Benefits Plan A Community Benefits Plan (CBP) is required for this topic to ensure the federal investments advance the following three objectives: (1) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA); (2) energy equity; and (3) investing in America’s workforce.

The applicant’s RDD&D Community Benefits Plan must include at least one Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART) milestone per budget period to measure progress on the proposed actions. These milestones should also be included the Work Plan in the SOPO and accounted for in the project budget. Please see Section IV.D.vii. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan for details.

When writing CBPs, applicants are encouraged to include opportunities for projects to benefit disadvantaged communities (DACs). Applicants should use consent-based siting for their project, particularly if siting in a DAC.17 Projects should coordinate with the local community during the station design, construction, and demonstration. The project workplan and SMART milestones to engage communities should be outlined and integrated in the Technical Volume/SOPO, with a clear description and explanation of tasks in the CBP.

17 https://www.energy.gov/ne/consent-based-siting https://www.energy.gov/ne/consent-based-siting subject line.

CBPs are required to describe how the project will:

• Engage underserved communities to discuss how investments in fueling station can benefit the community;

• Determine which fueling station benefits align with community priorities;

• Identify potential fueling station sites that benefit the surrounding communities;

• Evaluate whether the fueling station provides the anticipated benefits;

• Examples of benefits from fueling station demonstration that could flow to communities include:

o Reduced exposure to transportation emissions for communities;

o Increased enterprise creation and economic development opportunities in communities;

o Increased clean energy job pipeline and job training for communities;

o Increased energy resiliency;

o Increased energy democracy;18 and o Reduced noise from conventional internal combustion engine trucks.

Additional Requirements:

Project teams are required to:

1. Engage with potential site hosts and surrounding communities in priority fueling station locations and secure site host commitments for fueling station installation during the Design and Development phase;

2. Install the fueling station in a location that benefits underserved communities, based on information received from community engagement activities; and

3. Develop a plan for tracking and reporting metrics on the benefits that flow to underserved communities from the demonstrated fueling station.

4. Projects are encouraged to leverage and repurpose current/former fueling stations or previously developed/disturbed land and utilize existing facility infrastructure to the greatest extent possible to minimize…