Pajarito Powder has been selected for $20m in US Department of Energy (DOE) funding to increase production and reduce catalysts and fuel cell costs.
As a developer and manufacturer of advanced catalysts in fuel cells and electrolysers, Pajarito Power will work on two projects that will each be backed by $10m from the DOE.
Funding of $750m was awarded to 52 clean hydrogen projects across 24 states by the DOE, with the aim of advancing electrolysis and fuel cell technologies and improve manufacturing. Electrolyser manufacturing is set to receive over 40% of the package with $316m.
Read more:US DOE backs 52 electrolyser and fuel cell manufacturing projects with $750m
Pajarito will work with Auris Noble and Nel Hydrogen to develop an increased supply of catalysts designed to reduce the amount of iridium needed for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis. This is anticipated to reduce the amount needed in green hydrogen production by 14-60%.
The company’s new manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will enable 200 times as much production of hydrogen fuel cell catalysts and 100 times as much production of green hydrogen catalysts.
On the fuel cell front, Pajarito will scale-up production of carbon supports and platinum alloy catalysts and reduce carbon-supported catalyst costs. This is expected to lead to lower costs commercial deployment of fuel cells and increase performance.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer and Board Chairman, Thomas Stephenson, claimed that through lower-cost catalysts, “fuel cells will become commercially viable for larger vehicles that need more energy.”
