Hydrogen Gets More Funding from U.S. Congress

The U.S. Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill (S. 1436), which includes the Department of Energy’s (DOE) FY10 budget, passed on the floor of the Senate this week by a vote of 85-9. The bill contains hydrogen and fuel cell technologies provisions appropriating US $190 million for EERE’s Hydrogen program at DOE, as well as $10 million above the budget request for hydrogen from coal research and $4 million above the budget request for fuel cells at DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy.

These two versions will now be sent to a Senate/House conference committee that will determine how to merge them into one bill.

The House passed their Energy & Water appropriations bill on July 17. That bill contains a total of $153 million for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for DOE’s EERE program in FY10, as well as $25.5 million above the Administration’s request “for fuels” which can be used to fund hydrogen from coal research.

These two versions will now be sent to a Senate/House conference committee that will determine how to merge them into one bill. This will likely happen shortly after Congress returns from their August recess, and the Senate conferees have already been selected. The National Hydrogen Association said that it will continue to work with the Senate and House conferees until final passage into law.