Princeton's Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) was selected to lead a DOE Energy Earthshot Research Center (EERC) as part of the Hydrogen Shot™, which aims to reduce the cost of hydrogen by 80%. 

The award provides $5 million over four years to study the use of plasma — the electrically charged fourth state of matter that makes up 99% of the visible universe — to produce hydrogen, a carbon-free fuel and a common feedstock used in chemicals and materials manufacturing.

“The Energy Earthshot idea is a variation of the moonshot effort of the 1960s in that the country is mobilizing to accomplish the grand goal of producing massive quantities of clean energy,” said Emily Carter, the senior strategic adviser and associate laboratory director for Applied Materials and Sustainability Sciences at PPPL.

“For 70 years, PPPL has been known as the place to go for fusion research, and we still are,” she said. “But a few years ago, PPPL scientists realized that the Lab’s expertise could also help improve many industrial processes that involve plasma. Producing hydrogen can be one of those.”