H2 @ Scale: US DOE’s Request for Information

By Stephen H. Crolius on October 07, 2016

The ammonia energy community has an opportunity to provide input to the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) as it defines priority areas for its new “H2 @ Scale” initiative. The USDOE posted a Request for Information (RFI) on September 9. Interested parties are invited to comment on all aspects of the H2 @ Scale concept. The deadline for comments is November 4. A link to the RFI is provided below.

The H2 @ Scale initiative is the work of a cross-institutional team drawn from the United States’ National Laboratories. In April 2016, the team presented its concept at a USDOE “Big Idea Summit.” The concept was embraced and is now being pursued by a Steering Committee and seven specialist teams, including Low-Temperature Generation, High-Temperature Generation, Storage and Distribution, Utilization, and Future Electric Grid.

The RFI seeks “input on priority RD&D areas to enable deep decarbonization of industrial, transportation, and power generation sectors through wide-scale deployment of hydrogen.” Its stated purpose is to “solicit feedback, project ideas, and other guidance” on six topics:

  1. The overall concept of H2@Scale
  2. Integration of hydrogen production with the electricity grid, and with storage and pipeline infrastructure
  3. Integration of hydrogen production with process heat, such as from nuclear generation, industrial waste heat sources, or concentrated solar power
  4. Leveraging stranded renewables, and value-added applications for hydrogen
  5. Hydrogen from fossil fuels
  6. Other

Although ammonia as a complementary energy carrier is not mentioned in the RFI, it does figure in the thinking of the H2 @ Scale proponents. In the initiative’s introductory Webinar (links below), the Steering Committee presenter mentioned ammonia several times, including as a vector that could move energy from stranded wind resources to geographically distant markets.

Long-term ammonia energy proponent Bill Leighty, who brought the H2 @ Scale initiative to our attention, believes that a strong response from the ammonia energy community can meaningfully and constructively influence the thinking of the H2 @ Scale leaders.

LINKS:
See the RFI online.
View the Webinar.