Today In Washington, D.C., President Bush Visited The First North American Retail Hydrogen And Gasoline Fueling Station. The President has promoted greater energy security through the development of new, clean, and domestically available fuels like hydrogen.

Background: Greater Energy Security Through Clean Hydrogen Technologies

Hydrogen Can Provide Long-Term Energy Security Through Use Of Diverse Domestic Resources. The President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative and the FreedomCAR partnership will reduce America's need for imported oil and help clean the air by aiding the development of hydrogen fuel cells and affordable hydrogen-powered cars. Together, these two initiatives constitute a commitment of $1.7 billion over five years.

    * A New Infrastructure Is Needed To Support Hydrogen-Powered Cars. Two years ago, the President launched his Hydrogen Fuel Initiative to help develop the technology necessary for infrastructure to produce, store, and distribute hydrogen for use in fuel-cell vehicles. Hydrogen can be produced from domestic fossil, nuclear, or renewable resources.
    * With Hydrogen Fuel, A Zero-Emission Car Is Possible. The President's hydrogen initiatives promote development of technologies that will lead to safe and affordable hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles that would emit water vapor instead of exhaust fumes.

Turning Hydrogen Fuel Into A Reality. Over the past two years, the Department of Energy and its partners in the FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives have made tremendous progress toward the President's goal of enabling today's children to take their future driver's tests in completely pollution-free cars.

    * The President's Initiative Has Helped Lower The Cost Of Fuel Cells. Federal funding for research has helped develop new technologies that have reduced the cost of automotive fuel cells purchased in high-volume by more than 25 percent over just the past three years. Though more work is needed, this brings America closer to its goal of making fuel cells cost-competitive.
    * Hydrogen Fuel Has Become More Affordable. New technology has contributed to a reduction in the cost of natural gas-based hydrogen production from $5.00 per gallon in 2003 to $3.60 today.
    * More Than $440 Million In Federal Funding Has Been Awarded For Research. To bring hydrogen fuel-cell technology from the laboratory to the showroom, the government is funding research and development projects designed to overcome critical technology barriers in the production, transportation, storage, and use of hydrogen.
    * New Projects Totaling $64 Million In Federal Funding Announced Today. Over 70 projects at universities and federal laboratories have been selected to conduct basic research in support of the hydrogen economy.
    * New Partners Have Joined The President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives. Five major energy companies have joined as partners in the FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives, which will help identify and prioritize the research needed to overcome the technical and economic barriers of developing hydrogen fuel infrastructure and fuel-cell vehicle technologies.
    * The United States Has Organized Support From Around The World For Hydrogen Technology. Sixteen nations and the European Commission have joined the U.S.-initiated International Partnership for The Hydrogen Economy, an international effort to collaborate on hydrogen research and establish global codes and standards necessary for all countries to realize competitively priced hydrogen vehicles and fueling infrastructure by 2020.