DEEE0011323

The technical goal is to demonstrate the accelerated discovery, design, and laser convergent manufacturing of low-temperature (< 650°C) oxygen-conducting solid oxide electrolyzer cell (LT-O-SOEC) with a minimum active area > 15 cm², to achieve or exceed the targets of = 1.2 A/cm² at 1.3 V/cell with = 3 mV/khr degradation rate.

The goal of the Community Benefits Plan (CBP) is to help ensure the results from the project have a wide and equitable positive impact across United States (US) communities while avoiding inequitable negative impacts on any specific community, particularly those historically at risk from energy-related technologies or deindustrialization.

To achieve the above-stated project goal, we will achieve the following objectives:

During Budget Period 1:

Objective 1: Design and validate the performance of novel electrolyte, electrode, buffer materials and interfaces.

Objective 2: High throughput fabrication, characterization, and testing of micro-sample array to (1) efficiently screen and down-select vast combinatory possibilities of interface, microstructure, and cell architecture for optimal performances; and (2) quickly establish datasets of processing-material-performance links for machine learning (ML) training.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)

Objective 1: “Recruitment”. Support recruitment activities to ensure equitable opportunities for student researchers from diverse communities.

Energy Equity

Objective 2: “Hydrogen-Orange Start-Up Prize.” Initiate and award the “Hydrogen-Orange Prize” each year to the team or individuals to present the most viable business opportunity related to hydrogen and clean energy technologies.

Workforce

Objective 2: “Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Supplement.” Provide a new opportunity for 1 or 2 additional teachers per year to participate and work on projects related to clean energy and hydrogen research.

During Budget Period 2:

Objective 3: Establish and validate ML models to predict and design the materials and interface for the high-performance LT-O-SOEC, and the appropriate processing parameters for the ultra-fast, laser-selective convergent manufacturing (ULCM) of LT-O-SOEC.

Objective 4: Computational modeling to predict the defect-free laser processing parameters and design the optimal thermomechanical stability at both membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and stack levels.

Objective 5: Establish ML-based, in-process monitoring of microstructure and defects for quality assurance.

DEIA

Objective 2: “Mentor-Learner.” Establish a DEIA “Mentor-Learner” program, matching researchers (graduate, small business) with the diversity of next-generation learners (schools, teachers, etc.).

Energy Equity

Objective 1: “Summer Energy Equity Workshop and Project.” Establish a workshop each year, focusing on challenges and opportunities to advance energy equity through hydrogen and related clean energy technologies.

During Budget Period 3:

Objective 6: ULCM of large area (> 15 cm²) MEA with precisely controlled microstructure and crystalline phase of dense electrolyte, porous electrodes, and heterogeneous interface.

Objective 7: SOEC stack packaging and testing to validate the long-term performance stability of LT-O-SOEC stacks.

Clemson University

THE HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE (HFTO) IS ISSUING THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA). AWARDS MADE UNDER THIS FOA WILL BE FUNDED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, WITH FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT, 2 MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW (BIL).

81.087 - Renewable Energy Research and Development

Golden Field Office (GFO) [DOE - EERE]

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) [DOE]

Anderson, South Carolina 29625-6554 United States

Single Zip Code

DE-FOA-0002922