[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 50 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4528-S4529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Kyl, 
        Mr. Reid, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Inouye, and Mr. Bingaman):
  S. 739. A bill to reauthorize and amend the Spark M. Matsunaga 
Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Domenici, 
Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and my 
colleagues Senator Lieberman, Senator Kyl, Senator Reid, Senator Bayh, 
and Senator Inouye, in introducing legislation that affirms the 
priority and importance of hydrogen programs in Federal research and 
development initiatives and charts a course of action toward the 
``hydrogen economy.'' The legislation reauthorizes the hydrogen 
programs in the Department of Energy and strengthens the Federal 
interagency effort to promote hydrogen research and development 
programs. It establishes a new program to demonstrate hydrogen 
technologies and their integration with fuel cells at Federal, State, 
and local government facilities.
  Growing numbers of my colleagues in the Senate and in the House have 
indicated their interest in and commitment to promoting a hydrogen 
economy for the future. This commitment comes from a substantial legacy 
in the House and the Senate. This bill carries the names of two former 
Congressmen--the late George E. Brown, Jr., and Robert S. Walker--to 
honor their formidable and dedicated advocacy of hydrogen as a fuel 
source. In the Senate, my predecessor, Senator Spark Matsunaga, created 
the first formal hydrogen research program in this country, designed to 
accelerate development of a domestic capability to produce an 
economically renewable energy source. He introduced legislation in 1982 
and his perseverance led to the Matsunaga Hydrogen Act, enacted in 1990 
shortly after his death. When I succeeded Spark in the Senate, I took 
up the cause of hydrogen and continue to believe that it is one of our 
best hopes for independence from fossil fuels.
  The Hydrogen Future Act of 1996, which followed the Matsunaga 
Hydrogen Act, expanded the research, development, and demonstration 
program. It authorized activities leading to production, storage, 
transformation, and use of hydrogen for industrial, residential, 
transportation, and utility applications. It has enjoyed bipartisan 
support in Congress.
  More recently in the 107th Congress, I have worked closely with 
Senator Harkin and my colleagues on the Energy Committee to reauthorize 
the Hydrogen Future Act. We were able to include it in the Energy 
Policy Act of 2002, the comprehensive energy policy bill considered by 
the Senate during the spring of 2002. While the Senate and House were 
unable to come to agreement on the omnibus bill itself, progress was 
made on the research and development provisions, including hydrogen. I 
am pleased that many of my colleagues have begun to recognize the 
potential of hydrogen as a clean source of energy. I expect the numbers 
will only increase.
  You may well ask, ``Why do we need the Hydrogen Future Act of 2003 
when we have the President's initiatives for hydrogen?'' Because we 
need to reauthorize the underlying Federal framework for the direction 
of and investment in hydrogen research and development. The 
authorization for the program expired at the end of calendar year 2001. 
While I share the President's enthusiasm for hydrogen, I believe we 
must provide a robust legislative foundation for research and 
development involving hydrogen--for fuel cells, for demonstration 
projects at Government facilities, stationary and mobile projects, and 
near- and short-term goals, as well as long-term goals. The Hydrogen 
Future Act of 2003 reauthorizes and improves this strong foundation. I 
like to call my bill a ``workhorse'' bill. It is not fancy, but we need 
it and it gets the job done.
  The bill highlights hydrogen's potential as an efficient and 
environmentally friendly source of energy. It emphasizes the need for 
strong partnerships between the Federal Government, industry, and 
academia; and it underscores the importance of hydrogen research. The 
bill also encourages private sector investment and cost sharing for the 
development of hydrogen as an energy source. These basic steps will 
move hydrogen closer to being a fuel we can rely on in many different 
aspects of our lives.
  In these days of soaring energy prices, oil cartels, air pollution, 
global climate change and greenhouse gases, hydrogen is a dazzling 
alternative. We can have a zero-pollution fuel. It can be produced 
domestically, ending our dependence on foreign oil. The question is not 
whether there will be a hydrogen age but when.
  Hydrogen as a fuel can help us resolve our energy problems and 
satisfy much of the world's energy needs. I am convinced that sometime 
in the 21st century, hydrogen will join electricity as one of our 
Nation's primary energy carriers, and hydrogen will ultimately be 
produced from renewable sources.
  In the next twenty years, increasing concerns about global climate 
change and energy security will help bring about the penetration of 
hydrogen in several niche markets. The growth of fuel cell technology 
will allow the introduction of hydrogen in both the transportation and 
electricity sectors. I realize that fossil fuels are and will continue 
to be a significant long-term transitional resource as we move toward 
renewables. I am optimistic, however, that in my lifetime I will be 
able to see hospitals, homes, military bases and cars running on 
locally-produced sources of hydrogen.
  Clearly, this is a long-term vision for hydrogen energy as a 
renewable resource. Progress on hydrogen technology is being made, and 
challenges and barriers are being surmounted, at an accelerating pace 
on a global scale. According to the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers 
Association, Toyota and Honda will sell or lease fuel cell vehicles in 
the U.S. and Japan this year. Ford Motor Company is now showing its new 
hydrogen powered prototype, the Ford Model U. Fuel cells for 
distributed stationary power are being commercialized and installed in 
various locations in the United States and worldwide. General Motors 
recently unveiled a stationary, hydrogen-powered generator that could 
be used to provide energy for homes and businesses. Transit bus 
demonstrations are underway in the U.S. and Europe. The Nation's 
capital city, Washington, DC, is one of the cities participating in the 
project.

  We are all familiar with Iceland's far-sighted bid to become the 
world's first hydrogen-based economy. It has already made great strides 
in using renewable resources for its heating and electricity needs. The 
Nation is committed to transforming its remaining fossil fuel-based 
transportation sector, and its economically important fishing fleet, to 
hydrogen power. Iceland will have no need to import oil. Now there is a 
revolutionary thought!
  Closer to home, I am particularly pleased that the State of Hawaii is 
taking the lead in ushering in the hydrogen era. The State has 
identified hydrogen-based renewable fuels, and the jobs it can create, 
as a high priority, high-tech opportunity that can jump-start and 
diversify our economy. The

[[Page S4529]]

cost of electricity and gasoline in Hawaii are important incentives for 
finding cheaper, home-grown power. The Hawaii Natural Energy Institute 
of the University of Hawaii concluded that large-scale hydrogen use for 
transportation can be competitive this decade.
  I am particularly pleased with the public-private partnership between 
the University of Hawaii's Natural Energy Institute, the Naval Research 
Laboratory, United Technologies Fuel Cells, and Hawaiian Electric 
Company. In January 2002, the Institute announced a partnership with 
the Department of Defense to establish a hydrogen fuel cell test 
facility in Honolulu. The facility will house up to eight state-of-the 
art fuel cell test stands and related operations supporting fuel cell 
development. The Institute has made Hawaii a leader in the development 
and testing of advanced fuel cell systems and fuels processing.
  In California, the State's zero emissions vehicle requirements favor 
early introduction of hydrogen-powered vehicles. The city of Richmond, 
CA, opened the area's first hydrogen fueling station in October, 2002. 
The hydrogen fueling station looks like a gasoline pump, and can supply 
the daily fueling needs of a small fleet of vehicles at a fueling rate 
of one to two minutes per vehicle. These are important initiatives and 
illustrate the value of public-private partnerships along the pathway 
to a different energy source that requires an entirely different 
infrastructure.
  Despite the progress, problems and challenges remain. First, hydrogen 
production costs from fossil and renewable energy sources remain high. 
Second, attractive low-cost storage technologies are not available. 
Third, the infrastructure is inadequate. We need to address these 
challenges and barriers if we are to enjoy the benefits of an efficient 
and environmentally friendly energy sources.
  An aggressive research and development program can help us overcome 
these challenges by reducing production costs from fossil and renewable 
sources, advancing storage technologies, and addressing safety concerns 
with efforts in establishing codes and standards. Our Nation needs a 
sustained and focused research, development, and demonstration program 
to make hydrogen a viable source of energy.
  The strategy should focus on mid-term and long-term goals. We must 
support development of technologies that enable distributed electric-
generation fuel cell systems and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for 
transportation applications. For the long term, we should look to 
hydrogen technologies that enhance renewable systems and offer us the 
promise of clean, abundant fuels.
  The current Hydrogen Program, administered by the Department of 
Energy, supports a broad range of research and development projects in 
the areas of hydrogen production, storage, and use in a safe and cost-
effective manner. Some of these new technologies may become available 
for wider use in the next few years. The most promising include 
advanced natural gas- and biomass-based hydrogen production 
technologies, high pressure gaseous and cryogas storage systems, and 
reversible Proton Exchange Membrane, PEM, fuel cell systems. Other 
projects lay the groundwork for long range opportunities. These 
activities need continued support if the Nation is to enjoy the 
benefits of a clean energy source.
  The Hydrogen Program utilizes the talents of our national 
laboratories and our universities. The Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, 
Sandia, and Oak Ridge National Laboratories, as well as Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, are involved in 
the program. The DOE Field Office at Golden, Colorado, and Nevada 
Operations Office in Nevada are also involved. University-led centers-
of-excellence have been established at the University of Miami and the 
University of Hawaii. U.S. participation in the International Energy 
Agency contributes to the advancement of DOE hydrogen research through 
international cooperation. The program has also built strong links with 
the industry. This has resulted in strong industry participation and 
cost sharing. Cooperation between government, industry, universities, 
and the national laboratories is key to the successful development and 
commercialization of new and environmentally friendly energy 
technologies.
  Today we are introducing legislation that reauthorizes and expands 
the Hydrogen Future Act of 1996. It highlights the need for a strong 
partnership between the Federal government, industry, and academia, and 
the importance of continued support for hydrogen research. It fosters 
collaboration between Federal agencies, state and local governments, 
universities, and industry, and modifies the current cost-sharing 
requirements to enable more participation in research projects by small 
companies. It adds provisions for the demonstration of hydrogen 
technologies at government facilities to expedite wider application of 
these technologies. The bill includes language to encourage 
international activities where appropriate in the DOE programs, both 
because of the need to develop world markets for our products and to 
encourage international development on a sustainable path. The 
legislation clarifies the composition of the Hydrogen Technical 
Advisory Panel that oversees the program for DOE and enhances inter-
agency and inter-governmental cooperation in the hydrogen program.
  The legislation we are introducing today authorizes $300 million over 
the next five years for research and development for hydrogen 
production, storage and use. This will allow advancement of 
technologies such as smaller-scale production systems that are 
applicable to distributed-generation and vehicle applications, advanced 
pressure vessels, photobiological and photocatalytic production of 
hydrogen, and carbon nanotubes, graphite nanofibers, and fullerenes.
  The bill also authorizes $135 million for conducting integrated 
demonstrations of hydrogen technologies at governmental facilities. 
This provision will help secure industry participation through 
competitive solicitations for technology development and testing. It 
will test the viability of hydrogen production, storage, and use, and 
lead to the development of hydrogen-based operating experience 
acceptable to meet safety codes and standards.
  By supporting this bill, we will be ushering in a new era of non-
polluting energy. I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation.
                                 ______