The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $7 million to projects expected to advance the development of hydrogen fuel cell systems for variously sized vehicles.

The funds will go toward improving on-board hydrogen storage that will "be critical to the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies," according to a release.

The grants have been given as follows:

• Materia of Pasadena, Calif. will receive $2 million to reduce the cost of compressed hydrogen storage systems. The project will demonstrate a novel resin system that reduces the use of expensive carbon fiber composites for high pressure storage tanks.

• PPG Industries of Greensboro, N.C., will receive $1.2 million to demonstrate a novel high strength glass fiber that is stronger than the carbon fibers used today at half of the cost.

• Sandia National Laboratories of Livermore, Calif., will receive $1.2 million to systematically screen low cost alternative materials for use in hydrogen storage systems.

• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory of Livermore, Calif., will receive $1.2 million to develop a reversible, high-capacity storage material that can bond to and release hydrogen in a vehicle, reducing the amount of hydrogen that needs to be pumped in the tank.

• Ardica of San Francisco, Calif., will receive $1.2 million to transition and scale-up a low-cost production process for the production of aluminum hydride, a potential high-capacity hydrogen storage material.

• HRL Laboratories of Malibu, Calif., will receive $1 million to develop high capacity reversible hydrogen storage materials that have properties needed for practical hydrogen storage applications.

The Department of Energy produced a primer about how fuel cell technology works. View that video here.