UTC Fuel Cells is among 100 partner companies teamed with 30 lead organizations that will receive a total of $350 million to develop hydrogen and fuel cell technology needed to usher in the hydrogen economy. UTC Fuel Cells is teaming with ChevronTexaco and Hyundai on a five-year project that will include hydrogen fueling stations primarily in California. The stations will fuel a fleet of Hyundai Tucson vehicles equipped with UTC Fuel Cells' 80- kilowatt, all-weather proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell power plants.

"There is no substitute for real world technology validation," said Jan van Dokkum, president of UTC Power.

"UTC Fuel Cells is excited by this opportunity to demonstrate the performance of its power plant as part of the Department of Energy's integrated system solution approach in an operating environment," he said. "Public-private partnerships are essential components of the government's flagship transportation fuel cell initiative."

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the winners today. Grant amounts have not yet been determined but companies that participate will match the DOE funding they receive. The DOE has allocated a total of $190 million for the automotive research. The $350 million represents one-third of the $1.2 billion committed to the Hydrogen Research Initiative, with a determination on commercial viability expected in 2015.

United Technologies Corp (UTX) , based in Hartford, Conn., provides high technology products and services to the commercial building and the aerospace industries. Its UTC Power unit, based in South Windsor, Conn., provides on-site power generation solutions including commercial fuel cell systems as well as transportation power plants produced by UTC Fuel Cells.