Originally published April 5 2005
Department of Energy official touts fuel cells at Macon State College
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Mark Williams, the Department of Energy's manager of distributed generation technology, spoke at Macon State College about the possibilities for development of fuel cell technology. Williams said that the Federal government was spending $1.2 billion on research and development on fuel cells, and spoke about safety and development issues.
As gas prices climb past $2 for a gallon of unleaded, a U.S. Department of Energy official touted the possibilities of hydrogen fuel cells to a Macon State College audience Thursday.
Hydrogen fuel cells can be used to power cars, houses, malls, power plants and even airplanes, but they have not been perfected for cost-efficient, widespread use.
The U.S. Department of energy is investing $1.2 billion in research, said Mark Williams, the department's manager of distributed generation technology.
Hydrogen has great potential because it would reduce American reliance on foreign oil, produce less pollution and potentially create jobs, he said.
"This is a great hope for job creation and export," Williams said, adding that Japan and Germany are competing with the United States to be the first to develop the technology.
The Department of Energy gives research and development grants only to American companies that agree to manufacture fuel cells in the United States, he said.
Nevertheless, many American companies have worked with Japanese carmakers on research.
And despite the taxpayer investment in helping U.S. automakers develop the technology, car companies are the ones who get to decide, in 2015, whether to even produce fuel cells commercially.
"All those gas stations had to be built, and there were people who wanted to ride horses and steam engines.
(The Hindenburg airship which burned spectacularly in 1937, claiming 35 lives, was filled with hydrogen.)
Williams said the risks of hydrogen probably could be controlled like natural gas.
And although nuclear power is a very efficient way to produce hydrogen, coal and other methods also can be used.
Someone working on their own car would need to be very careful to avoid electrocution.
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