US funds hydrogen energy research, cleaner grid
The US Department of Energy this week announced that more than $25mn in funding would support hydrogen energy research and a cleaner grid.
On March 17, the department announced that up to $24.5mn would support updates to electricity infrastructure that would align with president Joe Biden’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
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Much of that funding targets battery technology that could store power generated from renewable energy resources.
“The key to unlocking the full potential of solar and wind energy is to store it for use around the clock,” US Representative Diana DeGette, a Democrat representing Colorado, said.
Earlier in the week, the department said it awarded $2mn for research and development to advance hydrogen as a source of energy. US energy secretary Jennifer Granholm said getting an early start on hydrogen technology advances Biden’s clean-energy ambitions.
“One of the important ways to achieve net-zero carbon emissions is to find innovative approaches to create clean sources of energy like hydrogen,” she said March 15.
Hydrogen used for energy resources is derived from natural gas through a process known as co-gasification, which utilises various feedstocks to facilitate production.
“When combined with carbon capture and storage, this process may even lead to net-negative emissions,” the department explained.
The hydrogen funding mechanism targets research projects at Auburn University in Alabama, the Electric Power Research Institute in California, the University of Utah and the University of Kentucky.
“The University of Kentucky continues exploring the future of energy production to encourage cutting-edge job growth in our commonwealth,” Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said.