DOE asks companies to self-identify hydrogen projects in database effort

After delays, the US Department of Energy has launched its first step towards creating a national database of hydrogen projects designed to help hydrogen companies attract federal dollars from within the infrastructure bill.

Originally announced in December, the H2 Matchmaker was designed by the DOE's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Office to gather information on planned or existing hydrogen-related projects, then present that information on an interactive map. Users will be able to see what hydrogen activities are occurring around them, as well as contact information of their hydrogen neighbors.

The database is intended to drive team-building between hydrogen companies – both on the demand side and supply side – so that co-located projects can collectively apply for hydrogen hub funding.

The H2 Matchmaker will rely on hydrogen producers, users or other stakeholders to self-identify and volunteer information about their operations. As a first step, the DOE released the H2 Matchmaker Self-Identification Form on its website Jan. 21.

Originally planned for release in December 2021, the project hit speedbumps that delayed release to this month, the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Office said. The department said it did not have a precise idea of when it plans to publish the map.

It's not the first effort to build a comprehensive picture of hydrogen activity in the US. Last year, the clean hydrogen advocacy coalition Hydrogen Forward released its own tool that records hydrogen deployments, research projects and other hydrogen-related activities across the country.

Hydrogen Forward's database pulls project information from publicly available sources and encourages companies to share project information through an online contact form. The database has over 330 hydrogen deployments, research projects or other opportunities listed.

A company spokesperson said Jan. 24 that while the initiative does its best to ensure all major projects are included, it can't claim that its map is fully comprehensive.

"The DOE's H2 Matchmaker program is an important next step in connecting the hydrogen dots that will continue to grow in number and impact with additional federal policy support," the spokesperson said.

The Biden administration's infrastructure bill dedicated $8 billion to help fund the creation of at least four regional hydrogen hubs. Signed by the president Nov. 15, the bill gives the DOE 180 days to issue a request for proposals, which would initiate an application process through which regional groups would compete for a slice of that funding.

According to the bill, proposals will be judged based on the opportunities they create for skill-training and long-term employment, their ability to help reduce the cost of hydrogen, and preexisting natural gas resources.

Competition is expected to be steep. Last year, the department issued a request for information from local groups interested in facilitating hydrogen hubs and received more than 200 responses. Many groups in major US cities have already articulated plans for applying, including in the Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, New York, Washington, the Pacific Northwest, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The hub funding is designed to help the DOE meet its goal of reducing the cost of clean hydrogen to $1/kg by 2030, with an interim target of $2/kg by 2026.

According to S&P Global Platts price assessments, the cost of producing hydrogen using PEM electrolysis (including capex) in Southern California was $4.26/kg as of Jan. 20, while the cost of producing hydrogen using steam methane reforming (including capex) without carbon capture was $1.37/kg.

Prices are slightly lower in the US Gulf Coast region, where hydrogen produced using PEM electrolysis cost $4.03/kg and hydrogen produced using steam methane reforming without carbon capture cost $1.11/kg.