US achieves new milestones with latest hydrogen, fuel cell technologiesWith support from the US Department of Energy, private industry and the DOE’s national laboratories have already achieved significant advances in fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.
The US is demonstrating leadership in clean-energy innovation
and providing businesses with more affordable, cleaner
transportation and power options.
According to three new reports, the US continues to be one of
the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets for fuel cell
and hydrogen technologies. In 2012, nearly 8% of total
investment in the global fuel cell industry was made in US
companies.
“Building a (US) fuel cell and hydrogen technologies industry
over the past few years is helping to pave the way to a cleaner,
more sustainable energy future that protects air and water,
gives businesses more transportation options and reduces oil
dependence,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.
“As part of an all-of-the-above energy approach, fuel cell
technologies are paving the way to competitiveness in the global
clean-energy market and to new jobs and business creation across
the country.”
With support from the DOE, private industry and the DOE’s
national laboratories have already achieved significant advances
in fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. These research and
development (R&D) efforts have helped reduce automotive fuel
cell costs by more than 50% since 2006 and by more than 30%
since 2008.
At the same time, fuel cell durability has doubled, and the
amount of expensive platinum needed in fuel cells has fallen by
80% since 2005.
Building on this progress, the DOE recently awarded over $7
million to help bring cost-effective, advanced hydrogen and fuel
cell technologies online faster. The three DOE reports detail
continued strength in the US fuel cell and hydrogen technologies
market as well as efforts by domestic businesses and states to
increase competitiveness in this growing global industry.
According to a report, the DOE’s fuel cell R&D efforts over the
last decade have helped manufacture about 40 new commercial
technologies, support 65 new technologies that are expected to
reach commercial-scale within the next three to five years and
issue more than 450 US patents.
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