Congress Restores Hydrogen Funding With $187 Million in Appropriations Bill

by Sebastian Blanco

Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu is not getting his way in Washington. Recently (and, at this point, still allegedly) he said that he “would put every cent into electric cars.” The Senate, though, has other plans and has now restored almost all of the hydrogen funding money that the DOE slashed in May. Back in July, the Senate hinted that it would fight back against the DOE cuts when the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee marked up the FY 2010 DOE budget and then restored hydrogen vehicle funding. Yesterday, the full Senate made it official.

As part of an appropriations bill that the House had previously approved, Congress has appropriated $187 million for continued research and development for hydrogen fuel cell cars. Jerome Hinkle, vice president of government affairs for the National Hydrogen Association, said he believes that the Obama Administration has “made peace” with the idea of hydrogen cars. Obama is expected to sign the appropriations bill when it reaches his desk.