A quick update on the DOE budget decisions:

The House of Representatives voted this week on the FY 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill.  This spending measure will fund the Department of Energy and their fuel cell and hydrogen activities.  The bill featured an amendment offered by Messrs. Israel (NY), Larson (CT), Dent (PA), Massa (NY), Inglis (SC), and Doyle (PA).

It restored $45 Million in funding for a variety of EERE’s activities including: the Market Transformation Program, Hydrogen Research-Fuels Research and Development, the Enabling Activities Program, Hydrogen Infrastructure, and Fuel Cell Manufacturing Research.

In total, the House has put forward $153 million for EERE activities.  Less than FY 2009, but considerably higher than the DOE request of $68 million.  If you remember, last week, the Senate Appropriations committee passed their version of the E&W bill that would provide $190 million for EERE activities.

For Fossil Energy, $54 million was approved for the SECA program, as requested by DOE.
The full Senate will vote on their version of the E&W bill shortly and then a final bill will be written by a conference committee of House and Senate leaders.