Hydrogen Research and Infrastructure Funding – The Quick and Dirty

If you have been paying attention to it, government Hydrogen funding programs have come under political fire on both the national and California stages.  At this point, it appears fairly certain that hydrogen funding will not be cut in FY 2010.  However, as evidenced by the events highlighted below, public stakeholders need to remain engaged to ensure that we continue to make progress towards a zero-emissions energy and transportation economy.  Here is a brief history of the hydrogen funding squabbles so far:

Federal Funding:

•    May 7, 2009:  DOE Secretary Steven Chu proposes a $100 million cut in the hydrogen program in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), leaving $68 million for fuel cell research and development for FY 2010.

•    July 17, 2009.  The US House of Representatives passes their Energy and Water Appropriations Bill for FY 2010 (H.Res. 645) by a vote of 320-97.  The bill contains $153 million for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for the EERE program.

•    July 29, 2009:  The U.S. Senate passes their Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill (S. 1436) by a vote of 85-9.  This bill calls for $190 million for EERE’s Hydrogen program.

•    August, 2009, tentative:  The Senate and House Energy and Water appropriation bill versions will be sent to a Senate/House conference committee to determine how to merge them into one bill.  Regardless, it looks like Congress’ appropriations budget will continue to fund hydrogen

California State Funding:

•    April 23, 2009:  The California Energy Commission adoptes the state’s first Investment Plan For The Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, developed under Assembly Bill 118.  The plan includes stakeholder input from a wide range of interests and is designed to establish priorities and opportunities for the program.  It calls for $40 million investments in hydrogen fueling infrastructure in both FY 2008-09 and FY 2009-10.

•    May 6, 2009:  Assembly Budget Subcommittee Number 3 gave the first indication that hydrogen funding may not be safe in California.  Its staff recommended restricting CEC hydrogen funding under AB 118 to $6 million per year ($34 million less than recommended by the AB 118 Investment Plan).  This item was heard on May 13, 2009.

•    July 23rd, 2009:  The California State Legislature passes the AB 1 (4X) budget amendment.  One of the budget amendments states that the State “shall not make any expenditures from this appropriation for hydrogen refueling stations in the 2009-10 fiscal year”.

•    July 28th, 2009:  Governor Schwarzenegger signs AB 1 after deleting the provision that would have prevented spending on hydrogen refueling stations.  The Governor states that innovative technologies (e.g. hydrogen) that transform California’s fuel and vehicle types are needed to help attain the state’s climate change policies.  The Energy Commission thus maintains authority to fund hydrogen infrastructure development.

We have a tremendous amount of ground to cover, and air to clean, in our transition to a zero-emissions transportation economy.  Thus far, only hydrogen and battery-electric cars offer truly zero-emissions transportation potential.  These technologies are unlikely to succeed in the timeframes we need without public investment.  Even in these tough financial times, we need to keep our eyes on the prize: zero emissions transportation fueled by 100-percent-renewable, homegrown energy.

~Tyson Eckerle

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