Chris Przirembel, Clemson’s vice president for research and economic development, said this grant is great news for Clemson in more ways than one.

"First of all, we are excited that the scope of this project and the team's work on this topic will contribute to the body of knowledge in this critically important field. Beyond that, the fact that this was a highly competitive program emphasizes Clemson's growing research capabilities in the university’s emphasis area of sustainable energy and shows we can compete -- and win -- on a national scale."

The grant is part of a $119-million package announced by the DOE and is part of the $1.2 billion Hydrogen Fuel Initiative announced by President Bush in the 2003 State of the Union Address. The funding is designed to create a roadmap aimed at identifying and overcoming the technical and manufacturing challenges associated with developing hydrogen fuel cell cars. DOE seeks to improve performance and to lower the cost of fuel cell-related technology by 2010.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), co-chair of the Senate Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus, said that as a nation we need to become less dependent on foreign oil.

“Clemson University and other research institutes across South Carolina will play a prominent role in helping push hydrogen research forward. What Detroit was to the automotive industry, South Carolina can be to hydrogen,” Graham said.

Clemson electrochemist Steve Creager and fluorine chemist Darryl Desmarteau will lead the research. Creager said the recognition by DOE is built upon 23 years of Clemson experience in the area of fluorinated electrolytes, which are the central material in hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles.

“These are especially promising as fuel cell electrolytes, and Clemson is in a unique position to develop them,” said Creager.

The contract will be managed at Clemson, with a portion of it being allocated to the University of Utah ($729,000) for computer modeling.