DEP and Progress Energy jointly funded the project, and Toronto-based Hydrogenics Corp. provided the hydrogen generation system. The fully integrated fuel cell and 5-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) solar system are supplementing a portion of the electricity used at the park's Wildlife Encounter Pavilion, which provides educational programming to park visitors.

"Progress Energy is proud to be part of such an important project," said Bill Habermeyer, president and CEO of Progress Energy Florida. "Hydrogen is a potential fuel source for the future, and we are glad to partner with DEP, Hydrogenics and the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to test and develop that potential in our state."

PV cells -- frequently called solar cells -- convert sunlight into electricity. At Homosassa Springs, these PV cells power an electrolyzer that splits water into its two gaseous components, hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen gas is stored for later conversion into electricity by the fuel cell.

"This project uses existing, proven technologies to provide simple, cost- effective environmental benefits to one of the most pristine areas of natural Florida," said DEP Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs and Energy Allan Bedwell. "Visitors to Homosassa Springs will now experience more than the Real Florida -- they will glimpse our nation's energy future."

There are several reasons the energy industry is looking at hydrogen as a "green" fuel source for the future. Hydrogen is abundant and can be extracted from various sources including natural gas, biomass and water. Hydrogen, therefore, can be a renewable source of energy, which will never run out.

Hydrogen also provides a way to actually store electricity made from other renewable sources, such as the sun, and then use it with a fuel cell to make electricity when the sun isn't shining. When hydrogen is made from a renewable source and used in a fuel cell to make electricity, the only emission into the atmosphere is harmless water vapor.

Despite the abundance of hydrogen, however, hydrogen gas suitable for use as a fuel must be extracted from other substances, such as water or fossil fuels. The challenge is developing an economical way to extract hydrogen to justify replacing existing fuels. Right now, the electricity used to capture hydrogen is greater than the electricity gained from using hydrogen, making demonstration projects like the one at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park important.

"This project gives us research opportunities and experience with this technology," said John Masiello, Progress Energy's manager of alternative energy strategies. "Learning to use hydrogen effectively and safely is a key step in making this fuel source potentially viable in the future."

The fuel cell's output will be tracked, and that information will be available soon on Progress Energy's Web site at http://www.progress-energy.com/environment/ras/ .

About Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, located near Crystal River, is the most popular park in the region and hosted more than 300,000 visitors last year. The park is home to an underwater manatee observatory that provides rare year-round glimpses of Florida's famed "sea cows." Its 1,600-foot wildlife walk takes visitors along a boardwalk showcasing the natural habitats of bobcats, cougars, otters, bears and hundreds of species of birds. The park is part of the Florida Park Service, a division of the state Department of Environmental Protection. The Florida Park Service is one of the largest state park systems in the country, managing 158 parks that span more than 700,000 acres.

About Progress Energy

Progress Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN - News), provides electricity and related services to more than 1.5 million customers in Florida. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., and serves a territory encompassing over 20,000 square miles including the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as the Central Florida area surrounding Orlando. For more information about Progress Energy, visit the company's Web site at: http://www.progress-energy.com .