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Fuel Cells/Government 050614
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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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(May 2004) The U.S. Department of Defense issues pre-solicitation notice on Climate Change Fuel Cell Grant Program. The program provides funding of $1,000/kW of installed fuel cell capacity, or one-third, of the total project costs. Deadline for proposals is June 1, 2004. See the following website for additional information http://www.eps.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA38/52985/SynopsisP.html
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(May 2004) The U.S. Department of Energy is seeking financial assistance applications for three categories of research projects in support of the Hydrogen Safety, Codes and Standards Program: Hydrogen System, Sensors, Pipeline Materials and Sensors, and Process Plant Sensors. Approximately $2 million per fiscal year will be available in FY 2005 though FY 2007. Deadline for proposals is May 20, 2003. See Website: https://e-center.doe.gov/lips/faopor.nsf/UNID/DB2AA42EC016800A85256E4600576D38?OpenDocument.
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(April 2004) Manhattan Scientifics delivers fuel cell to U.S. Army. Manhattan Scientifics has delivered a 700-Watt NovArs prototype fuel cell system to the U.S. Army for evaluation as a possible battery charger for tactical units.
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(April 2004) The U. S. Department of Commerceand the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has opened its 2004 Advanced Technology Program (ATP) Competition. ATP’s early stage investment is accelerating the development of innovative technologies that promise significant commercial payoffs and wide spread benefits for the nation, including fuel cell and hydrogen projects. (For more information see the website: http://www.atp.nist.gov.)
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 Meeting in late April 2003, The California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed a new required timetable for the number of fuel cell vehicles. In response to the mandate, Eron Shosteck, a spokesperson for the Alliance of Automakers said, “We all want the technology to be there, but passing a mandate doesn’t make it so. Automakers are working furiously to make fuel cells available to the market in a timely and cost -effective manner, but you can’t place a date and a mandate on it.”
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joins California Fuel Cell Partnership. “EPA is excited about the potential for fuel cells to be the long term solution for reconciling transportation and the environment,” said Margo T. Oge, Director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality. “We look forward to supporting the ambitious goals of the California Fuel Cell Partnership by making our testing facilities available and by providing objective assessments of the emissions’ performance and fuel efficiency of the new fuel cell vehicles as they emerge.”(08-02BD77-10)
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