Just when you thought that the powers that be in Washington DC had turned their backs on hydrogen fuel cell cars and infrastructure a round of new hope is underfoot. I talked about the first sign of hope on July 11, 2012 when U. S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu said he’s had a change of heart in regard to hydrogen fuel cells.
The second sign of hope has come this week in the U. S. Senate as several Republican and Democrats have come together in a bipartisan fashion to form the Senate Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Caucus.
The members of the caucus will include: U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and John Tester (D-Mont.).
According to U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, “A truly secure energy future for the United States will depend largely on the diversity and availability of our energy sources. Fuel cells and hydrogen-based technologies have enormous potential and should be an important part of our energy mix. They are already having an impact in Delaware, where Bloom Energy just broke ground on a new manufacturing facility that could eventually employ 900 people. This caucus is an opportunity not only to advocate for public and private investments in hydrogen and fuel cell technology, but to educate businesses and consumers about the important role they can play in our energy future.”
Yes, if you remember there was a Senate Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Caucus that has existed before but it has been inactive since 2010. That is why this act by the Senators is just short of amazing. Usually during an election year voters expect the U. S. Representatives and Senators to get very little done, especially in a bipartisan manner.
So to see Senators reaching across the aisle with regard to hydrogen is a site for sore eyes. And us hydrogen advocates have needed Visine for a long, long time now.
Ron Wyden is the Oregon Senator, so there is an error in this posting.
I suppose Stabenow is from Hawaii, not sure though.
Depending on who is elected President, I suspect that will make a huge difference as to whether or not this goes anywhere. Stephen Chu might be changing his mind on hydrogen, but I seriously doubt that Obama is. Congress holds the purse strings, but Congress does not spend the money, the executive branch does. If the President is not on board, nothing will happen. When federal loans and grants become available to support commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen storage technologies, then and only then will something happen. It is just too risky right now for most private businesses.
Yes, the list reads kind of oddly, but I do have Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) listed (I haven’t changed the post, I swear). You may be right about Obama, but I tend to think he may be “evolving” as well especially if his Energy Secretary is starting to come around.