[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 655 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 655

  To authorize the hydrogen research, development, and demonstration 
     programs of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 1995

  Mr. Walker introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                          Committee on Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize the hydrogen research, development, and demonstration 
     programs of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hydrogen Future Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) fossil fuels, the main energy source of the present, 
        have provided this country with tremendous supply but are 
        limited and polluting, and their production and utilization 
        technologies are mature;
            (2) the basic scientific fundamentals are needed for 
        private sector investment and development of new and better 
        energy sources and enabling technologies;
            (3) hydrogen holds tremendous promise as a new and better 
        energy source because it secures a practically infinite supply 
        from water and combusts purely to water;
            (4) hydrogen production efficiency is a major technical 
        barrier to society collectively benefitting from one of the 
        great energy sources of the future;
            (5) an aggressive, results-oriented, multiyear research 
        initiative on efficient hydrogen fuel production and use should 
        continue; and
            (6) the current Federal effort to develop hydrogen as a 
        fuel is inadequate.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to provide for the research and development of the 
        basic scientific fundamentals, and the demonstration of the 
        processes and technologies, needed to produce, store, 
        transport, and utilize hydrogen for transportation, industrial, 
        residential, and utility applications; and
            (2) to foster industry participation during each stage of 
        the Department of Energy hydrogen research, development, and 
        demonstration program to ensure that technology transfer to the 
        private sector occurs to develop viable, marketable products.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``demonstration'' means a demonstration to 
        determine technical feasibility;
            (2) the term ``Department'' means the Department of Energy; 
        and
            (3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Energy.

SEC. 5. RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION.

    (a) Program Goal.--The goal of the program described in this 
section is the demonstration of the technical feasibility of 
efficiently utilizing hydrogen for transportation, industrial, 
residential and utility applications by the year 2000.
    (b) Production.--The Secretary shall support hydrogen energy 
production research and development in the following areas, leading to 
at least 2 technical demonstrations in each such area:
            (1) Chemical conversion, including photoproduction.
            (2) Bioconversion.
            (3) Electrolysis.
    (c) Storage.--The Secretary shall support research and development 
of safe and economical storage of hydrogen, both for onboard vehicle 
and stationary use. Such research and development should be aimed at 
improving existing methods and developing new approaches in each of the 
following areas, leading to at least 1 technical demonstration in each 
such area:
            (1) Hydrides and porous materials.
            (2) Liquefaction and cryogenics.
            (3) Compressed gas.
            (4) Advanced methods, such as microspheres and new 
        materials.
    (d) Transportation.--The Secretary shall support research and 
development of efficient, hydrogen-based transportation vehicles of the 
following types, leading to at least 1 technical demonstration of each 
such type:
            (1) An economically feasible, low emission motor vehicle 
        using hydrogen, in pure form or mixed with other fuels, as a 
        combustible power supply.
            (2) An economically feasible, zero emission motor vehicle 
        using hydrogen.
    (e) Other Uses.--The Secretary shall support hydrogen energy 
research and development for each of the following uses, leading to at 
least 1 technical demonstration in each such area:
            (1) Electricity generation using hydrogen as a fuel source 
        for utility and industrial applications.
            (2) Heating and cooling using hydrogen.
            (3) Hydrogen fuel jet engine.
    (f) Schedule.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall solicit proposals for carrying out the 
research and development activities authorized under this section. 
Awards of financial assistance shall be made within 1 year after such 
date of enactment.
    (g) Cost Sharing.--(1) Except as otherwise provided in section 6, 
for research and development programs carried out under this Act, the 
Secretary shall require a commitment from non-Federal sources of at 
least 20 percent of the cost of the project. The Secretary may reduce 
or eliminate the non-Federal requirement under this paragraph if the 
Secretary determines that the research and development is of a basic or 
fundamental nature.
    (2) The Secretary shall require at least 50 percent of the costs 
directly and specifically related to any demonstration project under 
this Act to be provided from non-Federal sources. The Secretary may 
reduce the non-Federal requirement under this paragraph if the 
Secretary determines that the reduction is necessary and appropriate 
considering the technological risks involved in the project and is 
necessary to serve the purposes and goals of this Act.
    (3) In calculating the amount of the non-Federal commitment under 
paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary shall include cash, personnel, 
services, equipment, and other resources.
    (h) Duplication of Programs.--Nothing in this Act shall require the 
duplication of activities carried out under otherwise authorized 
programs of the Department.

SEC. 6. HIGHLY INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.

    Of the amounts made available for carrying out section 5, up to 5 
percent shall be used to support research on highly innovative energy 
technologies. Such amounts shall not be subject to the cost sharing 
requirements in section 5(g).

SEC. 7. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

    The Secretary shall foster the exchange of generic, nonproprietary 
information and technology developed pursuant to section 5, or other 
similar Federal programs, among industry, academia, and the Federal 
Government.

SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    Within 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress a 
detailed report on the status and progress of the Department's hydrogen 
research, development, and demonstration programs. Such report shall 
include an analysis of the effectiveness of such programs, to be 
prepared and submitted by the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel 
established under section 108 of the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen 
Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990. Such Panel shall 
also make recommendations for improvements to such programs if needed, 
including recommendations for additional legislation.

SEC. 9. COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION.

    (a) Coordination With Other Federal Agencies.--The Secretary shall 
coordinate all hydrogen research, development, and demonstration 
activities with other Federal agencies involved in similar research, 
development, and demonstration, including the Department of Defense and 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
    (b) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the Hydrogen 
Technical Advisory Panel established under section 108 of the Spark M. 
Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990 
as necessary in carrying out this Act.

SEC. 10. REPEAL.

    Sections 104 and 105 of the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, 
Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990 are repealed.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) General Authorization.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated, to carry out the purposes of this Act, in addition to any 
amounts made available for such purposes under other Acts--
            (1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1996;
            (2) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1997; and
            (3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1998.
    (b) Use of Appropriations.--Of the amounts appropriated under 
subsection (a) for each fiscal year--
            (1) 30 percent shall be used for programs under section 
        5(b);
            (2) 20 percent shall be used for programs under section 
        5(c);
            (3) 30 percent shall be used for programs under section 
        5(d); and
            (4) 20 percent shall be used for programs under section 
        5(e).
    (c) Related Authorizations.--(1) For each of the fiscal years 1996, 
1997, and 1998, the total amount which may be obligated for Energy 
Supply Research and Development Activities shall not exceed the total 
amount obligated for such activities in fiscal year 1995.
    (2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not authorize the 
appropriation of any Federal funds.
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