The funds are expected to be available "in the coming months," according to DOE.
DOE also requested information on Feb. 14 regarding the design, construction, and operation of a new demonstration facility for full-scale rare earth element and critical minerals extraction and refining. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dedicated $140 million to what the DOE calls a "first-of-a-kind" facility.
“Applying next-generation technology to convert legacy fossil fuel waste into a domestic source of critical minerals needed to strengthen our supply chains is a win-win — delivering a healthier environment and driving us forward to our clean energy goals,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
Responses to the RFI are due by March 31.
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Hydrogen
The Biden administration is requesting information on the formation of the Regional Hydrogen Hub and the Electrolysis and Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing and Recycling Programs. Support for the programs will come from $9.5 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Hydrogen, when produced using electrolysis from clean energy sources, presents significant opportunities to bring the energy transition to so-called difficult to decarbonize sectors, like shipping and steel manufacturing.
In the U.S., 95% of hydrogen is produced using natural gas, according to DOE. So-called "blue hydrogen" incorporates carbon capture and storage, though recent studies suggest the practice could produce even more carbon emissions in heat generation than using natural gas alone. Green hydrogen capacity in the U.S. is limited.
The Biden administration has said it hopes to cut the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per 1 kilogram in one decade.