[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 8828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03088]



[[Page 8828]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Request for Information (RFI) on Clean Hydrogen 
Manufacturing, Recycling, and Electrolysis

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on 
its request for information (RFI) number DE-FOA-0002698 regarding clean 
hydrogen manufacturing, recycling, and electrolysis technology 
research, development, and demonstration (RD&D). The purpose of the RFI 
is to collect stakeholder feedback regarding RD&D efforts needed to 
meet the goals of the ``Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing Initiative;'' 
``Clean Hydrogen Technology Recycling Research, Development, and 
Demonstration Program;'' and the ``Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis 
Program.''

DATES: Responses to the RFI must be received by March 29, 2022, by 5:00 
p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: Comments to the RFI must be provided in writing. Interested 
parties are to submit comments electronically to [email protected]. 
Include ``Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing, Recycling, and Electrolysis RFI 
Response'' in the subject line of the email. If possible, copy and 
paste the RFI sections as a template for your responses. Email 
attachments can be provided as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file or an 
Adobe PDF (.pdf) file, prepared in accordance with the detailed 
instructions in the RFI. Documents submitted electronically should 
clearly indicate which topic areas and specific questions are being 
addressed and should be limited to no more than 25 MB in size. The 
complete RFI document is located at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions may be addressed to 
[email protected] or to Karen Dandridge at (202) 586-7768. Further 
instruction can be found in the RFI document posted on EERE Exchange at 
https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies 
Office (HFTO), in coordination with EERE's Advanced Manufacturing 
Office, seeks input on priority areas that will advance domestic 
manufacturing and recycling of clean hydrogen technologies, including 
fuel cells, storage equipment, and other hydrogen related components; 
and on priority areas that will advance electrolyzer technologies for 
affordable clean hydrogen production, in alignment with section 40314 
of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the mission of DOE's Hydrogen 
Energy Earthshot.\1\ This RFI is issued to obtain feedback on the 
status of and opportunities for technologies that support goals in BIL 
Sec. 40314, amending the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT). The BIL 
added a new section 815 on clean hydrogen manufacturing and recycling 
research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) and a new section 816 
for the establishment of the Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis Program to 
EPACT. Specifically, the EPACT Sec. 815 activities are grouped into a 
Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing Initiative (815a) focused on enhancing 
domestic manufacturing of clean hydrogen use, storage, and related 
equipment and a Clean Hydrogen Technology Recycling RD&D Program (815b) 
that covers recycling of equipment for clean hydrogen processing, 
delivery, storage, and use, including fuel cells. The Clean Hydrogen 
Electrolysis Program expands on DOE's existing, comprehensive Program 
on electrolysis and is a research, development, demonstration, 
commercialization, and deployment program aimed at improving 
efficiency, increasing durability, and reducing capital costs of 
electrolyzers, thus facilitating the commercialization of clean 
hydrogen electrolyzer technology.\2\
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    \1\ www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/hydrogen-shot.
    \2\ Public Law 109-58, Title VIII, sec. 816(b), as added Public 
Law 117-58, Div. D, Title III, sec. 40314(2), Nov. 15, 2021.
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    Specifically, this RFI seeks feedback and other guidance from 
industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, 
community groups, labor unions, energy users, environmental justice 
organizations, and other stakeholders regarding RD&D needs, critical 
barriers, or other activities needed in the following areas:

 New manufacturing technologies and techniques for clean 
hydrogen production, processing, delivery, storage and use equipment, 
including fuel cells
 Innovative and practical approaches to increase the reuse and 
recycling of clean hydrogen technologies
 Expanding research, development, demonstration, 
commercialization, and deployment of clean hydrogen electrolyzer 
technology to reach $2/kg H2 production cost by 2026
 Environmental justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion 
strategies, including significant and meaningful community engagement 
plans and workforce education and training strategies

    Specific questions can be found in the RFI. The RFI is available 
at: https://eere-Exchange.energy.gov/.
    Confidential Business Information: Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any 
person submitting information that he or she believes to be 
confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via 
email, postal mail, or hand delivery two well-marked copies: One copy 
of the document marked ``confidential'' including all the information 
believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document marked ``non-
confidential'' with the information believed to be confidential 
deleted. Submit these documents via email, if feasible. DOE will make 
its own determination about the confidential status of the information 
and treat it according to its determination.
    Signing Authority: This document of the Department of Energy was 
signed on February 7, 2022, by Kelly J. Speakes-Backman, Principal 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That 
document with the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For 
administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of 
the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal 
Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the 
document in electronic format for publication, as an official document 
of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way 
alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the 
Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on February 9, 2022.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2022-03088 Filed 2-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P