Informational Only
This challenge is no longer accepting new submissions.
H2 Refuel H-Prize Competition
Develop affordable systems for small-scale hydrogen fueling. Focus on systems used at homes or multi-use sites to supplement the current development of hydrogen fueling station infrastructure.
Department of Energy - Energy Programs
Type of Challenge: Scientific
Partner Agencies | Non-federal: Hydrogen Education Foundation
Submission Start: 10/29/2014 12:00 AM ET
Submission End: 10/29/2015 12:00 AM ET
This challenge is externally hosted.
You can view the challenge details here: http://hydrogenprize.org/
Description
The H2 Refuel H-Prize competition challenges America’s engineers and entrepreneurs to develop affordable systems for small-scale hydrogen fueling. The $1 million prize targets systems used at homes or multi-use sites to supplement the current development of hydrogen fueling station infrastructure. Successful entries will install and test systems that generate hydrogen from resources available to most homes, electricity and/or natural gas, and dispense the hydrogen into vehicles. Winners will demonstrate that they can meet the technical and cost criteria outlined in the final guidelines. The contestant that demonstrates the best system will be awarded a $1 million cash prize.Prizes
H2 Refuel H-Prize CompetitionCash Prize Amount: $1000000
The H2 Refuel H-Prize competition challenges America’s engineers and entrepreneurs to develop affordable systems for small-scale hydrogen fueling. The $1 million prize targets systems used at homes or multi-use sites to supplement the current development of hydrogen fueling station infrastructure. Successful entries will install and test systems that generate hydrogen from resources available to most homes, electricity and/or natural gas, and dispense the hydrogen into vehicles. Winners will demonstrate that they can meet the technical and cost criteria outlined in the final guidelines. The contestant that demonstrates the best system will be awarded a $1 million cash prize.
Rules
H2 Refuel H-Prize Guidelines
Introduction Fuel cells powered by hydrogen from renewable or low-carbon resources can lead to substantial energy savings and reductions in imported petroleum and carbon emissions. Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) are much more efficient than today’s gasoline vehicles, and when fueled with hydrogen, produce only water vapor at the tailpipe. The hydrogen fuel can be generated from a range of domestic sources. While the commercial sale of FCEVs is rapidly approaching, infrastructure remains a major challenge, with only approximately 50 fueling stations in the United States, only 10 of which are operating as public stations.
The H-Prize was authorized under section 654 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-140). As efforts to build a hydrogen fueling station infrastructure are getting underway, the H2 Refuel H-Prize is intended to incentivize the development of small-scale systems for non-commercial fueling to supplement the larger-scale infrastructure development.
The H2 Refuel H-Prize anticipates award of a $1 million prize to the top refueler system entry that can produce hydrogen using electricity and/or natural gas, energy sources commonly available to residential locations, and dispense the hydrogen to a vehicle, providing at least 1 kg per refueling. Systems considered would be at the home scale and able to generate and dispense 1-5 kg H2/day for use at residences, or the medium scale, generating and dispensing 5-50 kg H2/day. Medium scale systems would serve a larger community with multiple users daily, such as a large apartment complex or retail centers to fuel small fleets of vehicles (e.g., light duty automobiles, forklifts or tractors).
Interested parties can register and find more information, updates and pages where teams can discuss the prize at the H-Prize website: http://hydrogenprize.org. The Hydrogen Education Foundation (HEF) is currently administering the prize for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and DOE will coordinate prize activities with HEF.
Teams will have a year to design a system that generates and dispenses hydrogen fuel that meets the criteria and identify a location where it can be installed and used. Twelve months after the competition opens, teams will be required to complete registration and submit system designs and blue prints, plans for installation, and preliminary data to demonstrate that the system satisfies the minimum criteria (see Criteria section). Teams will also need to provide documented evidence of cooperation from the installation site. Of the teams that meet all of the minimum criteria, the top entries will be selected as finalists to enter the testing phase. The selected teams will then have seven months to install and begin operating their systems. The systems must be compatible with remote monitoring equipment to allow remote monitoring for the testing period; compatibility requirements will be posted on the H-Prize website. Starting 21 months after the competition opens, the finalist systems will be remotely monitored and tested, and approximately two months of data will be collected. At least one on-site visit will be performed to verify data and perform tests that cannot be done remotely. Teams must also provide requested information to a DOE designated entity for independent verification of the cost of the system and the cost of the generated hydrogen. The scoring criteria will be ranked and weighted.
Proposed Timeline
| Current tentative date | Activity |
| March 2014 | Draft Guidelines posted for public comment |
| April 2014 | Comment period closes |
| October 2014 | Competition opensH-Prize Website opens, including an online system to facilitate teaming and partnershipsTeams design systems, collect data, identify installation location, and registers for the prize ahead of data submission deadline |
| October 2015 | Preliminary data submission deadlineTeams will submit data, provide designs and blueprints and information about installation site, to indicate that the system is capable of meeting the base criteria |
| December 2015 | Finalist teams are announced – go to testing stageFinalist Teams install systems and get them up and runningBefore the testing period begins, remote monitoring equipment will be installed by the designated data analysis team |
| July 2016 | System testing begins |
| October 2016 | Competition ends – data is analyzed to determine winner |
| December 2016 (tentative) | Anticipated winner announcement |
Prize criteria and testing
Finalist selection phase Twelve months after the competition opens, teams interested in competing must have completed registering for the competition and submit all required information. To be considered, an entry must meet the initial selection criteria defined below. Teams will be required to submit data that demonstrates the system’s ability to meet the indicated criteria. The top teams to provide convincing evidence that the entry could satisfy the minimum criteria will be selected for testing. Specific instructions will be posted on the H-Prize website detailing the required information. In addition to the required technical criteria data, teams will submit system descriptions and preliminary designs and installation concepts which will be evaluated by an expert panel to determine if the entries are likely to meet reasonable usability, cost and safety criteria. Usability refers to the ability of the system to be installed and used at the intended locations (e.g., considering footprint and noise), and to be easily operated by the average user (e.g., with minimum training and time). Because a goal of the H-Prize is to advance commercial applications of hydrogen energy technologies, the potential of the systems to ultimately be commercialized will also be evaluated, and a description of a pathway to commercial production of the systems, including manufacturing, will be requested. To evaluate the potential safety of the system, certain information will be requested, including a safety plan and a hazard analysis; specific instructions will be available at the H-Prize website. A safety page on the H-Prize website will provide updated information on safety issues and requirements for the safety plan and hazard analysis. To be selected as a finalist, contestant designs, installation details and safety plans must be judged adequately safe by a panel of safety professionals.
Minimum/Maximum Criteria Table
| Criteria | Home | Community |
| Minimum dispensing pressure | 350 bar | |
| Maximum dispensing time (standard fill) | 10 hours | 60 minutes |
| Min. hydrogen dispensed per day | 1 kg | 5 kg |
| Hydrogen purity | Meets SAE J2719 (Hydrogen Fuel Quality for Fuel Cell Vehicles) | |
| Fill method | Compliant with relevant codes (for automobiles, SAE J2601 Fueling Protocols for Light Duty Gaseous Hydrogen Surface Vehicles) and ensures that delivered hydrogen does not exceed the pressure and temperature limits of the vehicle storage tank. | |
| Safety | Meets relevant safety codes and standards for installation in target location | |
- Dispensing pressure
- Dispensing time
- Number of standard fills per day
- Tested availability
- Total installed system cost
- Direct user cost per kg The criteria and scoring ranges are listed in more detail below. Testing for the technical criteria will be performed remotely over a period of 2 to 3 months, with at least one on-site inspection to verify data and perform testing that cannot be done remotely. Summary level testing results will be published. The base criteria listed in Minimum/Maximum Criteria Table will be tested to ensure that all entries meet those requirements. A standard fill is defined as the delivery of 1 kg of hydrogen to a vehicle tank. The cost criteria will be evaluated by an independent auditing entity. Teams will be required to submit cost information, such as the bill of materials for the system installation and system operating costs during the testing period. Specific details on required information will be provided to finalist teams after selection. Entries will receive scores for the tested criteria as described below, with different multipliers for each of the criteria. When testing is complete, the data will be analyzed to determine scores. Once all results have been analyzed, judges will evaluate the results and determine the scores based on the published scoring criteria, and confirm entry eligibility based on the base criteria and eligibility requirements. After resolving any ties (see tie resolution process below), the eligible team with the highest score will be the winner.
Installation site criteria Any site in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia can be used for the installation of the refueler, as long as there is access for installing equipment for remote monitoring, at least one on-site visit for in-depth testing, and at least one visit by the press and public. To meet testing requirements, the fueling system should be used at an average of at least 50% planned capacity per week (e.g., for a home system designed to dispense 1 kg/day, at least four 1-kg “fills” per week; for a community system designed to produce 20 kg/day, it should dispense at least 70 1-kg “fills” per week). If on-site use is below this level, simulated fills can be used for testing. Simulated fill protocols will be posted on the H-Prize website before testing begins. Entries must meet the safety codes and standards in effect at the installation location. Teams are encouraged to consider the relevant SAE, ASME and NFPA codes and standards.[1]
Prize criteria The criteria were developed through discussion with experts in the field, including members of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee, other DOE offices, and federal agencies, and from responses to a Request for Information (DE-FOA-0000907: RFI - Home Hydrogen Refueler H-Prize Topic,http://www1.eere.energy.gov/financing/solicitations_detail.html?sol_id=600) and public comments on the draft criteria (79 FR 15737). Each of the criteria is assigned a 1-5 point scale connected to different ranges. To be eligible, entries must receive at least the minimum score for each category. For some criteria, the ranges for home and community systems may be different. A score multiplying factor will be used to weight the different criteria.
| Dispensing Pressure | ||
| Score | Home | Community |
| 1 | 350 bar or higher | |
| 2 | 400 bar or higher | |
| 3 | 500 bar or higher | |
| 4 | 600 bar or higher | |
| 5 | 700 bar or higher (ultimate goal) | |
| Dispensing time | ||
| Score | Home | Community |
| 1 | 10 hours/kg or less | 60 minutes/kg or less |
| 2 | 8 hours/kg or less | 30 minutes/kg or less |
| 3 | 5 hours/kg or less | 15 minutes/kg or less |
| 4 | 2 hours/kg or less | 10 minutes/kg or less |
| 5 | 30 minutes/g or less | 3 minutes/kg or less |
| Number of standard fills per day | ||
| Score | Home | Community |
| 1 | 1 or more | 5 or more |
| 2 | 2 or more | 10 or more |
| 3 | 3 or more | 20 or more |
| 4 | 4 or more | 40 or more |
| 5 | 5 or more | 50 or more |
| Tested Availability | ||
| Score | Home | Community |
| 1 | 80% or higher | |
| 2 | 85% or higher | |
| 3 | 90% or higher | |
| 4 | 95% or higher | |
| 5 | 98% or higher | |
| Total Installed System Cost (capital + installation) | ||
| Score | Home | Community |
| 1 | $25k/kg/day or less | $15k/kg/day or less |
| 2 | $20k/kg/day or less | $12.5k/kg/day or less |
| 3 | $15k/kg/day or less | $10k/kg/day or less |
| 4 | $10k/kg/day or less | $7.5k/kg/day or less |
| 5 | $5k/kg/day or less | $5k/kg/day or less |
| Direct user cost per kg | ||
| Score | Home | Community |
| 1 | $20 or less | |
| 2 | $17 or less | |
| 3 | $14 or less | |
| 4 | $11 or less | |
| 5 | $8 or less | |
| Criteria Category | Score multiplier |
| Dispensing pressure | 3 |
| Dispensing time | 1 |
| Standard fills per day | 1 |
| Tested Availability | 2 |
| System installation cost | 2 |
| Direct user cost per kg | 1 |
| Bonus points | |
| Points | Heat or power supplied |
| 1 | Supply at least 35 gallons of hot water per day |
| 1 | Supply at least 25,000 BTU/hr of space heating |
| 1 | Supply at least 10 kWh electricity per day |
| Criteria Category | Result | Category Score | Score multiplier | Total scores |
| Dispensing pressure | 360 bar | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Dispensing time | 8 hours | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Standard fills per day | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tested Availability | 81% | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| System installation cost | $23k/kg | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Direct user cost per kg | $19/kg | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bonus categories | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | -- | -- | -- | 10 |
| Criteria Category | Result | Category Score | Score multiplier | Total scores |
| Dispensing pressure | 475 bar | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Dispensing time | 3 hours | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Standard fills per day | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Tested Availability | 88% | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| System installation cost | $18k/kg | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Direct user cost per kg | $11/kg | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Bonus categories | Supplies hot water | 1 | -- | 1 |
| Total | -- | -- | -- | 25 |
Competition requirements and process
Eligibility This H-Prize Competition is open to contestants, defined as individuals, entities, or teams that meet the following requirements:
- Comply with all Registration and H-Prize Competition Rules and Requirements as listed in this document and in any updates posted on the H-Prize website and/or the Federal Register;
- In the case of an entity: be organized or incorporated in the United States, and maintain for the duration of the H-Prize Competition a primary place of business in the United States;
- In the case of all individuals (whether participating singly or as part of an entity or team): be a citizen of, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence into, the United States as of the date of Registration in the H-Prize Competition and maintain that status for the duration of the H-Prize Competition;
- A team may consist of two or more individuals, entities, or any combination of both. All team members listed on the contestant roster must meet the requirements of individuals or entities.
- Provide the following documentation:
- In the case of U.S. Citizens: provide proof of U.S. Citizenship with Registration, as follows:
- Notarized copy of U.S. Passport, or
- Notarized copies of both a current state-issued photo ID issued from one of the 50 States or a U.S. Territory and a birth certificate;
- In the case of aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States: Provide notarized copy of Permanent Resident Card (Form 1-551)(green card) with Registration;
- In the case of entities: Provide a copy of the entity formation documentation (e.g. Articles of Incorporation) showing the place of formation, as well as a self-certification of the primary place of business;
- The contestant, or any member of a contestant, shall not be a Federal entity, a Federal employee acting within the scope of his or her employment, or an employee of a National Laboratory acting within the scope of his or her employment;
- Sign a waiver of claims against the Federal Government and the HEF. See 42 U.S.C. § 16396(f)(5)(A);
- Obtain liability insurance, or satisfactorily demonstrate financial responsibility, during the period of the H-Prize Competition. See 42 U.S.C. 16396(f)(5)(B)(i);
- Name the Federal Government as an additional insured under the registered participants’ insurance policy and agree to indemnify the Federal Government against third party claims. See 42 U.S.C. 16396(f)(5)(B)(ii);
- Teams and Entities:
- Each team or entity will designate a team leader as the sole point of contact with H-Prize Competition officials.
- Team or entity members will be identified at the time of Registration on the contestant roster. Members participating on multiple teams will be required to disclose participation to each team.
- Changes to contestant rosters will be allowed up to 72 hours prior to the award presentation, provided citizenship and immigration requirements are met.
H-Prize Competition Schedule Once registered, teams will receive all notices and rules updates, including answers to questions asked by the contestants. The public web site, http://hydrogenprize.org, will also post this same information, including publicity about various teams and sponsors. Contestants are encouraged to utilize the web site as a means of highlighting any information they would like to convey to the public or potential sponsors. There are no entry fees.
On October 29, 2015 contestants will be required to submit initial data (including information on how the data was gathered and measured) and requested financial information for evaluation by a designated panel of judges. Instructions for the initial data submission will be posted on the web site and sent electronically to the designated contact person for each contestant. Testing and evaluations are planned to be completed in October 2016. The winner will be determined after all testing data has been analyzed to determine scoring and any ties resolved as described above. DOE plans select and announce a winner within three months after the close of the competition.
Intellectual property Intellectual property rights developed by the contestant for H-Prize technology are set forth in 42 U.S.C. § 16396(f)(4). No parties managing the contest, including the U.S. Government, their testing laboratories, judges or H-Prize administrators will claim rights to the intellectual property derived by a registered contestant as a consequence of, or in direct relation to, their participation in this H-Prize Competition. The Government and the contestant may negotiate a license for the Government to use the intellectual property developed by the contestant.
Cancellation and team disqualification A contestant may be disqualified for the following reasons:
- At the request of the registered individual or team leader;
- Failure to meet or maintain eligibility requirements (note that at the time of the prize award, if it is determined that a contestant has not met or maintained all eligibility requirements, they shall be disqualified without regard to H-Prize Competition performance);
- Failure to submit required documents or materials on time;
- Fraudulent acts, statements or misrepresentations involving any H-Prize participation or documentation; or,
- Violation of any federal, state or local law or regulation.
Liability and competition costs The Department of Energy, H-Prize, the Hydrogen Education Foundation and any sponsoring or supporting organization assume no liability or responsibility for accidents or injury related to the Prize. The entrants are responsible for costs associated with participating in the competitionincluding but not limited to designing, installing and operating their systems.
Key Dates
- October 29, 2014: Competition opens
- October 29, 2015: Preliminary data submission date
- July 2016: Finalist system testing begins
- October 31, 2016: Competitionends, data will be analyzed to determine winnerAward of $1 million prize, if the Panel of Judges determines that there is a winning entry. (DATES caption contains information as how long a comment period will be, or when any hearings will be held, etc. When calculation dates, you can insert an instruction for the Federal Register office to tie the date to the date of publication.)
- December 2016: Anticipatedaward of $1 million prize, if the Panel of Judges determines that there is a winning entry. (DATES caption contains information as how long a comment period will be, or when any hearings will be held, etc. When calculation dates, you can insert an instruction for the Federal Register office to tie the date to the date of publication.) [1] Codes and standards to consider include but are not limited to SAE J2719, ASME B31-12, ASME B31-3, ASME BPV Code, NFPA 2 and NFPA 70. Depending on the system, some codes and standards may not apply.
Judging Criteria
See Guidlines at: http://hydrogenprize.org/ for more details