http://www.fuelcells.org/fuelpr.htmlDOE FY2001

Budget Requests Over $100 Million For Fuel Cell Programs

(Washington, D.C. -- February 14, 2000) - The U.S. Department of Energy has released its budget request for Fiscal Year 2001 (FY01) programs. Within the request, well over $100 million dollars is slated for fuel cell related programs, including the following:

Stationary Fuel Cells -- $42.2 million -- Programs to be funded in this section will continue R&D to reduce costs and improve performance leading to market ready fuel cell power systems within three years. In FY01, the program will begin testing a 300kW to 1MW size prototype solid oxide fuel cell distributed power generator at a commercial site. Funding will also focus on developing hybrid fuel cell power systems and reducing fabrication costs. The request is 12.2% higher than FY2000 enacted funding for this program.

Transportation Fuel Cells - $41.5 million -- Through the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV), the FY01 budget includes funding for integrating fuel cell stacks with fuel processors and balance-of-plant technologies for testing. The program will also address technology barriers to fuel-flexible fuel cell systems for automotive applications. The request is 12.1% higher than FY2000 enacted funding for this program.

Cogeneration/Fuel Cells -- $5.5 million -- Formerly the "Fuel Cells for Buildings" program, the Cogeneration/Fuel Cells funding will go towards: developing a prototype fuel processor for a low-temperature fuel cell system; completing the design competition for a 50kW PEMFC cogenerator for buildings; and continuing R&D of a membrane that will operate in the 120-140ºC temperature range. The request is 55% higher than FY2000 enacted funding for this program.

Hydrogen Research & Development -- $23.0 million -- Funded within the DOE's "Solar and Renewable Resources Technologies'" budget, the Hydrogen Program performs R&D of integrated hydrogen systems for power generation and transportation applications. The FY01 budget includes funding for R&D of hydrogen generation processes, technologies for fueling hydrogen vehicles, and development of a regenerative wind/fuel cell system.

The Hydrogen Program's request, while substantial, is actually 6.5% lower than FY2000 enacted funding, and 18% lower than DOE's budget request for the program in FY2000. Bernadette Geyer, Director of Fuel Cells 2000, says "This leaves unfunded important work in cost reduction, durability testing, and validation of hydrogen generation, storage and transmission technologies." At the same time, funding requests for other advanced technology programs were far above FY2000 enacted funding: Wind Energy Systems, $50.5 million (up 55.5%); Biomass/Biofuels Energy Systems, $102.4 million (up 44.8%); and Photovoltaic Energy Systems $82.0 million (up 24.4%).

Authorized

The White House highlighted additional FY2001 budget programs of interest to the fuel cell community, including programs such as:

Promoting Clean Energy at Home And Abroad -- $289 million - This program's goal is to develop technologies that convert crops and other "biomass" into clean fuels and other products. Over $200 million of the funding is to promote the export of clean energy technologies to developing nations.

Moving New Technology into the Marketplace -- $9 billion over 10 years - The program would provide tax relief to encourage the purchase of energy-efficient cars, homes, and appliances, and the production of power from wind, solar, and biomass.

Advancing Clean Energy Research -- $1.4 billion - This would fund development and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies for buildings, transportation, industry and utility sectors, as well as to increase research on coal and natural gas efficiency and carbon sequestration.

The U.S. Department of Defense also has several fuel cell programs with funding not specified in the President's request. Further information can also be found at www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/01budget/index.htm and at www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/00Budget.