Federal funds quitting hydrogen for plug-ins
Back during the Clinton era, Federal funds in the U.S. favored plug-in hybrids research. The money shifted during the Bush administration to hydrogen fuel-cell research. Candidate Obama pledged to have 1 million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on American roads in six years, and the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has taken Obama's pledge seriously. The general trend for federal money is not back to plug-ins. The stimulus package included $2 billion in grants (at least) for advance battery manufacturing, according to Steven Chalk, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Energy.
While I'm sure that most of our readers are likely to think this is a good change in direction, voices have been raised against this measure. "I hope that we will avoid again putting all of our eggs in one technology basket," U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D, WA) said. Then there's Kathryn Clay, director of research for The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, who said, "The DOE program should aim to promote technological diversity to the maximum extent feasible, including a wide range of alternative vehicle technologies."
[Source: Edmunds]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jharlan 6:15PM (4/06/2009)
I expect this administration to bring forth a comprehensive energy policy, with incentives that favor the technologies that can be implemented easily now, to first produce all our energy in the US, and 2nd to clean it up. As far as I could tell, we have not had this before. Talk is cheap. It's time for action. For once the good of the country should be taken into account before the lobbyists and campaign contributors.
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tim 5:48PM (4/07/2009)
HELLO, JHARLAN, H-Y-D-R-O-G-E-N is not a feasible source of energy without the oil industry being the source and is NOT considered a realistic solution...wake up a smell the coffee! This is CHANGE WE can believe in!
harlanx6 7:51PM (4/07/2009)
Tim:
Read my paragraph again. I have never been a hydrogen advocate. I advocate modern diesels and CH4, I said technologies available now. Hydrogen is for the dreamers. We have enormous natural gas reserves and it's available all over. We can make alcohols and biodiesel out of ag waste. I am on the side of reason here and H2 is just not practical.
I am also for nuclear power produced electricity.
John 7:09PM (4/06/2009)
it seems everybody but the scientists still believes in the hydrogen myth (gorr is lurking i know) this is a very good thing that they are funding the tech we have today to increase its feasibility. we should still have hydrogen research of course, just like we have nuclear fusion research or any number of possibilities that may be possible for the future.
"The general trend for federal money is not back to plug-ins." i am pretty sure the "not" should be a now. cheers!
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PatrickS 4:24PM (4/22/2009)
Hydrogen has more promise than you may think and the infrastructure costs aren't as sky high as most want to believe either:
http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/general/evolution.asp
Tohe 7:20PM (4/06/2009)
The naysayers will always engage in this kind of empty dialog. I'm sure they have their own interests and reasons. But this is about pursuing the greater good for our Nation. We need a focused energy strategy. One that identifies the best solution and applies it. I'm happy to see this administration working towards a well defined goal, and I'm confident in their ability to succeed.
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Chris M 8:03PM (4/06/2009)
About time! The government doesn't have unlimited funds, therefore, it must choose to fund those projects that will be of greatest benefit and holds the greatest promise to the nation.
When it comes to energy and transportation, plug-ins (both BEVs and PHEVs) are the closest to production and affordability. Diesels and non-plug hybrids will reduce oil consumption, but not to the same degree. Biofuels will have some use, mainly for older "legacy" vehicles, to power range extenders on PHEVs, and fuel commercial jets, but is insufficient to fuel all our transportation. .
But Hydrogen, I'm sorry to say, has too many problems to solve, is nowhere near affordable, and would require far more infrastructure construction.
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Colin McCullough 8:42PM (4/06/2009)
When will the bankrupt GM FINALLY pull the plug on Project Driveway?
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Chris M 8:58PM (4/14/2009)
When government H2 promotion subsidies end.
Mike!!ekiM 8:18PM (4/07/2009)
Federal Funds should go to the Most Efficient Solution. EV's.
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lawtrainee 6:15PM (4/07/2009)
Plugins are much more likely to be implemented than the pie in the sky hydrogen cars which are still 30 years off. When are they going to make those new nuclear power plants to produce the hydrogen? in 10-15 years, then the infrastructure has to be built, take another 10-15 years.
Besides, the cars require huge tanks to get the range and the hydrogen leaks. If I left my car outside for a week the tank would have evaporated away. Look at the BMW hydrogen car, this is a problem for it right now and they try and keep the hydrogen super cold and dense to fit inside their 7 series.
Fing A. at least batteries are coming online finally. Then we can have electric cars, note, we still need supercapacitors for fast charging if batteries can't manage in the long run a fast charging at an electric charge station every week.... However, a plug in has drawbacks.. How many people actually can charge at their house? only 1/3 of the population.
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Nick 2:28PM (4/08/2009)
Hydrogen is a good technology but we have more pressing technologies that can deliver better results, quicker than the few decades expected to make fuel cell work for mass production cars. We need to be careful where our money goes, and so far it has gone to some pretty outrageous directions.
Electricnick.com
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