§16161c Clean hydrogen manufacturing and recycling

Summary

The Secretary must award multiyear grants and sign contracts, cooperative agreements, or other federal agreements with eligible groups to fund research, development, and demonstrations for making clean hydrogen equipment. The program must, as much as possible, give priority to projects that cut manufacturing costs and save resources (including using existing energy systems), strengthen U.S. supply chains, use safer alternative materials, work with Tribal and related organizations, or sit in economically distressed parts of major natural gas-producing regions. The Secretary must also do an independent review of project progress not later than 3 years after November 15, 2021, and at least once every 4 years after that, and share the review with the public and the relevant congressional committees. The Secretary must also fund similar multiyear projects to improve reuse and recycling of clean hydrogen technologies. These projects should boost recovery of raw materials from parts like electrolyzers and fuel cells, cut environmental harm from disposal, solve barriers to disassembly and recycling, develop alternative materials and designs, and grow consumer recycling of fuel cells. Results and outreach materials must be shared with the public and relevant committees. Up to $500,000,000 is authorized for fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to carry out these activities.