Fuel Cell Research Receives Backing

A new report by the National Research Council has urged the FreedomCar and Fuel Partnership – a research collaboration among the US Department of Energy, US Council for Automotive Research, two electric utility companies and five energy companies – to continue to include fuel cells and hydrogen technologies in its research.

In what is the third review of the programme, long-range goals were outlined that included a transition to a transportation system that uses sustainable energy resources and reduces emissions.

Even though the partnership has recently focused on advanced combustion engines and plug-in electric vehicles, research and development on hydrogen and fuel cells is also needed according to the report, especially given the high costs and challenges associated with many of the technologies before they can be made available for widespread use.

According to the NRC committee, there are three primary alternative ways to reduce petrol consumption and reduce greenhouse gases – these are improving internal combustion engines and increasing the use of biofuels; a shift from traditional transportation energy to the grid through battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; and the transition to hydrogen as a major transportation fuel.

Previously, the programme had focused on developing technologies to allow US automakers to make production decisions about hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2015. However, last year the partnership changed direction in an effort to push shorter term technologies so this latest development is a welcome reassurance for the future of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Source: Paul Lucas, TheGreenCarWebsite