Hi Insiders - in case you haven’t seen them, there have been a few great mentions for fuel cells in the news recently.

First off, a White House press release about the Pittsburgh summit last week had the following to say.  There is a 5kW solid oxide fuel cell in the Phipps Conservatory garden, where the event was held.

The 5 kW solid oxide fuel cell generates 26,000 kWh of electricity per year from natural gas with remarkable efficiency and minimal emissions. A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, although it does not rundown or require charging. Fuel cells are highly efficient because they directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy without combustion. A fuel cell is twice as efficient as a traditional combustion engine and produces significantly less CO2. Fuel cells are incredibly clean power sources, creating byproducts of only heat, water, and less carbon dioxide than combustion. Phipps uses the waste heat to heat the Conservatory’s tepid water system which is used for irrigation. Phipps offsets the CO2 emissions from the fuel cell with the purchase of carbon credits. Phipps offsets all of the other electricity used on the entire campus with renewable energy credits from wind power.

Secondly, Daimler Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche declared on September 15 at the Frankfurt Auto Show that

hydrogen fuel cells, not batteries, are the ultimate way to move beyond oil. “The chances further down the road seem to me better on the fuel-cell side than on the battery-electric side,” Zetsche told reporters at the show. Hydrogen, he said, beats electric batteries at moving cars long distances without refueling. Hydrogen can also power big, roomy sedans much more readily than batteries.

What else have you all seen in the news recently? Let us know!

A quick note to brighten a rainy day in Washington: Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced plans to work with advocates of hydrogen vehicle technology, rather than to continue efforts to cut funding for hydrogen programs.

Earlier, the Nobel laureate stated his belief that hydrogen technology for vehicles would not be commercially viable for years to come, and used this as justifications for the program cuts. He wanted to funnel the money away from hydrogen vehicle programs, towards programs that he deemed closer to commercialization.

Opposition to the cuts quickly amassed, and Congress is ready to restore funding to these activities.

.

Chu’s change of heart is encouraging news. First, it embraces a more holistic, “all of the above strategy” for energy technologies that avoids picking winners. Second, it recognizes the reality of fuel cell and hydrogen technology – that they are clean, efficient and necessary to mitigating carbon emissions and relieving our addiction to imported fuels. Finally, it keeps us competitive. Maintaining a robust federal program that includes fuel cells and hydrogen will keep us competitive with our foreign industrial competitors.

Although Secretary Chu still has his reservations, he agreed to work with supporters to continue to fund worthwhile pathways. In a statement to E&E PM, Chu said, “Given the reality of that [restored funding], I think it would be foolish if I next year said, ‘No, I’m still going to insist.’ They are going to stick it [funding] back again.” Now, Chu plans on working with lawmakers to ensure the funds are “invested wisely”.

Areas of research that most concern the secretary: hydrogen storage and infrastructure. However, he believes that stationary fuel cells are a mature market, and there might be lessons learned in stationary applications for vehicles.

Again, we applaud the change in position. Considering the tremendous amount of tax-payer money going to advanced batteries and biofuels, the relatively modest fuel cell and hydrogen program is a prudent hedge.

From GM’s Britta Gross on Mon, 8.31:

We have a very aggressive development program for the fuel cell. [...] The only way we can reach a lot of the targets we have set as a society - for, as an example, greenhouse gas emissions - is to have a very broad approach to bringing in alternative fuel programs. And hydrogen gets you certain performance benefits that you don’t get from other alternative fuels. The advantages are too big to discard. We can’t just assume batteries are going to solve all our problems.

Via AutoBlogGreen