This development will be supported by federal funding to be awarded to AIChE for the Hydrogen Electrolyzer and Fuel Cell Recycling Consortium, which totals $50 million over five years.
Additional DOE funding is being awarded for projects including low-cost, high-throughput electrolyzer manufacturing; electrolyzer component and supply chain development; advanced technology and component development; advanced manufacturing of fuel cell assemblies and stacks; and fuel cell supply chain development.
H2CIRC includes partners across the value chain of electrolyzers and fuel cells: Accelera by Cummins; Delaware State University; General Motors, LLC; Heraeus Precious Metals; Johnson Matthey; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Nel Hydrogen; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Plug Power; The Chemours Company; University of Delaware; University of Houston; and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
AIChE and its consortium partners will establish a blueprint across the industry for recycling electrolyzer and fuel cell systems and components, aimed at securing long-term supply chain security and environmental sustainability.
The DOE’s announcement represents the first phase of implementation of two provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which authorizes $1 billion for research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) activities to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen produced via electrolysis and $500 million for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of improved processes and technologies for manufacturing and recycling clean hydrogen systems and materials.