DoT 'believes hydrogen power is the answer'

The US Department of Transport (DoT) will throw its weight behind the use of hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles in the near future, it has been reported.

According to Paul Brubaker, administrator of the DoT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, the department will spell out its position vis-a-vis the potential creation of a hydrogen economy and its implications for the transportation industry before the end of the year.

"The department is going to come out with a statement, probably in two or three weeks, [that] is going to describe the hydrogen economy and why we think that is the long-term answer for the transportation infrastructure going forward," he told Government Computer News.

According to Mr Brubaker, researchers and engineers have overcome the main technical issues which have until now held up hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development, and the auto industry has told the DoT that mass production of fuel cell vehicles will have commenced by 2012.

The remaining barrier to fuel cell vehicle adoption is a lack of supportive infrastructure, Mr Brubaker explained.


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Source: Adfero