U.S. Fuel Cell Council Proposes “New Partnership” on Fuel Cells & Hydrogen
Robert Rose, Executive Director of the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, announced the “New Partnership” at the 2004 Fuel Cell Seminar in November in San Antonio, Texas. The Partnership seeks a public investment of $60 billion over 15 years in fuel cells and hydrogen infrastructure. Half the investment would support a commercial transition via government purchases, purchase subsidies and tax incentives.
The commercialization targets are:
• 8 million fuel cell vehicles (3% of the fleet)
• 20 gigaWatts of fuel cell power generation (2% of capacity)
• 20 percent fuel cell penetration in “personal power” markets
A “Freedom Fee” would also raise about $4 billion a year in the U.S. and between $12 and $20 billion if applied worldwide:
• A 3-cent increase in the gasoline tax.
• A 1.6 mill fee on utility generation -1/6 of one cent.
• A 60 cent per barrel fee on oil.
• A $4 dollar a ton fee on coal sales.
• A 60 cent per ton fee on greenhouse gas emissions.
• A $17 annual federal motor vehicle registration fee. Such a fee on registrations, if applied worldwide, would produce nearly $13 billion a year. +
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