The funds are meant to be used for research and development of efficient zero-emission technology.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that it will be sending almost $6.2 million in federal funds to support their research and development projects focused on hydrogen gas turbines.

The goal is advancing H2 as a carbon emission-free fuel for efficient turbine-based electricity generation.

The DOE wants the university projects to boost the efficiency, reliability, and performance of hydrogen gas turbines for producing clean electricity. The hope is that the tech advancements will play an important role in moving ahead in the Biden-Harris administration’s goal for generation 100 percent greenhouse gas emission-free electricity by 2035.

“Our economic competitors are getting serious about harnessing carbon emissions free power from hydrogen, and so the U.S. must as well,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Congress has entrusted DOE as the nation’s leading funder of the physical sciences, and we’re proud to invest in the brilliant scientific minds in our nation’s university system that are helping us ensure every American can access reliable, zero-carbon power.”

The DOE funds for hydrogen gas turbines research have been divided among eight university projects.

The funds for the research have come from the DOE Office of Fossil Energy’s “University Turbines System Research” (USTR) program. Each one of the projects will examine critical scientific challenges. They will look into applied engineering issues required for the advancement of efficiency and performance of combustion turbines powered by pure H2, hydrogen blends with natural gas, and other carbon-free fuels containing hydrogen.

Each of the projects receiving the funds is led by a principal investigator or faculty member with solid graduate student engagement. The eight university projects receiving the awards for researching hydrogen gas turbines are:

• Georgia Tech ($799,997 award)
• The University of Central Florida ($800,000 award)
• San Diego State University ($600,000 award)
• Purdue University ($800,000 award)
• Ohio State University ($800,000 award)
• The University of California, Irvine ($800,000 award)
• The University of Alabama ($800,000 award)

More information about the hydrogen gas turbines research projects can be found on the Department of Energy website.