Planning Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Deployment to Increase Energy Equity

When President Biden created the Justice40 Initiative , directing 40% of benefits from certain U.S. investments to flow to disadvantaged communities for the first time in American history, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) responded by increasing its existing efforts to fund projects that will not only decarbonize our energy system but ones that will meet or exceed the President’s goal.? The Executive Order that established Justice40 applies to most of DOE’s work, including investments in clean energy and energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and training and workforce development. Our Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) funds research and development in many of these areas and is building on existing work to help reach Justice40 goals.?

To rectify injustices in communities that have been marginalized, underserved, and overburdened with pollution primarily from our energy system, DOE has increased its efforts to better understand who is being left out and where they are located, as well as to improve how we engage with people in underserved communities to ensure they are not left behind in the clean energy transition. Through a series of outreach efforts, listening sessions, and new tools, DOE is designing new projects and reaching new partners around the country.??

HFTO launched the H2 Matchmaker as part of an effort to facilitate new partnerships. It’s an online tool that allows hydrogen suppliers and users to identify collaborators and opportunities to expand hydrogen development around the country. The tool features an interactive map showing hydrogen activities and provides users an opportunity to connect with stakeholders and self-identify business opportunities.? It includes all the national laboratories and their primary capabilities. Some labs have specific environmental justice capabilities that can help DOE funding applicants meet their Justice 40 goals.??

In June, DOE announced an $8 billion program to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs — networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier—across America. Selecting the locations and project teams will include considerations of environmental justice, community engagement, equity, and workforce development.??

HFTO is also working with partners and contractors to increase the accessibility of hydrogen and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) for all Americans, including disadvantaged communities. One 10-year project that began in 2014 is working to address three major technical barriers to commercializing FCEVs: lack of FCEV performance data, general market uncertainties around hydrogen and hydrogen infrastructure, and inadequate user experience. This project is also converting UPS diesel-powered vans into FCEVs, and an opportunity was present to shift the goals of the project to include benefits for disadvantaged communities. HFTO pivoted quickly to take advantage of the opportunity.?

With the help of data tools like DOE’s? Disadvantaged Communities Reporter and EPA’s EJSCREEN tool, HFTO, in partnership with Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) and UPS, has been able to identify California’s disadvantaged communities via census tracts. HFTO has a financial assistance award with the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) to strategically deploy the converted FCEVs to disadvantaged communities in California. During the first phase of the award, CTE focused on converting the diesel-powered UPS delivery vans into hybrid electric vehicles using both batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. First the team converted one van, trained UPS fleet and support staff, and demonstrated and validated the vehicle for over a year. This work generated data to inform the second, and current phase of the project: building and deploying 15 more vehicles. Each van will have approximately 10 kilograms of onboard hydrogen, 32-kilowatt fuel cells, and a 51-kilowatt-hour battery pack. After these vehicles complete commissioning, they will be sent out on the roads, using the screening tools and other equipment that help track where emissions are avoided and ensure the van benefits are tracked in time for disadvantaged communities.??

Twelve of the 15 new vehicles have completed the conversion and are undergoing validation prior to their deployment. CTE is setting up the data collection process so mileage and time spent in disadvantaged communities will be accurately tracked.?