DOE Launches Hydrogen Education Workshop Series

3/23/2004

From: Tom Welch of the U.S. Department of Energy, 202-586-5806

LANSING, Mich., March 23 -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today held the first of six hydrogen education workshops for state and local government officials. The event, "Hydrogen Power: The Promise, The Challenge," was held at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Lansing, in partnership with Lansing Community College and Michigan's NextEnergy.

First announced by Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham on February 19, 2004, the hydrogen education workshop series is intended to provide "Hydrogen 101" to state and local officials who do not have a technical background, but are interested in learning more about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

"Achieving the vision of a hydrogen economy requires a revolution in the way we produce, use and store energy," Secretary of Energy Secretary Abraham said. "This revolution will succeed only through cooperation among federal, state and local partners. It's important that we share an understanding of how hydrogen fuel cell technology works, as well as challenges we face in realizing the vision."

Lansing attendees heard from technical experts about the vision of a hydrogen economy; how fuel cells work; how hydrogen is produced, delivered, and stored; and the facts about hydrogen safety. Leaders from various Midwest hydrogen and fuel cell initiatives also shared information about state-level activities to advance the technology

The second stop in the hydrogen education workshop series is Austin, Texas, on Friday, April 16, in cooperation with the Texas State Energy Conservation Office and the Texas Clean Air Working Group. The series will travel to select cities in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Northwest before wrapping up in the fall of 2004.

President Bush has called on the Department of Energy to pursue the promise of hydrogen. Over the next five years DOE will invest $1.7 billion in research and development of advanced hybrid vehicle components, fuel cells, and hydrogen infrastructure technologies, as part of the FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiative.

State and local governments play a critical role in achieving the hydrogen vision-facilitating the development of hydrogen codes and standards, laying the foundation for long-term change and building public acceptance. The hydrogen workshop series is a cornerstone of DOE's public education strategy for hydrogen, as recommended in President Bush's National Energy Policy.