Geologic Hydrogen Resource Assessment and Characterization Request for Information

Background
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is exploring the feasibility of a competitive solicitation to prototype the assessment of geologic hydrogen resource availability, extractability, and economic viability on Air Force installations within the continental United States (CONUS) and outside the continental United States (OCONUS).

This initiative is driven by the need for mission continuity in national security, as mandated by Congress for all DoD mission critical loads to be 99.9% energy resilient by 2030. The DAF aims to reduce reliance on diesel-fueled backup generators and seek more reliable, locally sourced, and clean power sources to enhance energy independence and improve air quality around installations.

Work Details
The RFI seeks capability information regarding the assessment of geologic hydrogen resources. Key tasks include:

1. Characterizing geologic hydrogen resource existence using various methods such as non-invasive desktop analysis, air sensing, seismic sensing, and test wells.
2. Evaluating economic viability factors for extracting geological hydrogen including environmental considerations and capital costs.
3. Identifying potential scope elements that respondents can perform such as extraction, processing, storage, transportation, electricity generation, and interconnection of generation assets to existing infrastructure.

The DAF is conducting market research to determine whether geologic hydrogen exists under Air Force installations and how businesses are navigating regulatory environments.

Place of Performance
The contract will be performed at Air Force installations located within the continental United States (CONUS) and outside the continental United States (OCONUS).