[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 9 (Monday, March 3, 2003)]
[Pages 253-254]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement Announcing the Hydrogen Powerplant Demonstration Project and 
the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum

February 27, 2003

    Today I am pleased to announce that the United States will sponsor a 
$1 billion, 10-year demonstration project to create the

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world's first coal-based, zero-emissions electricity and hydrogen 
powerplant. This project will be undertaken with international partners 
and power and advanced technology providers to dramatically reduce air 
pollution and capture and store emissions of greenhouse gases. We will 
work together on this important effort to meet the world's growing 
energy needs, while protecting the health of our people and our 
environment.
    Secretaries Powell and Abraham will also initiate an international 
Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, to collaborate with international 
partners on advancing the research, development, and commercial 
deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies in the next 
decade.
    Recently, my administration has proposed initiatives to accelerate 
research and development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to allow for 
commercialization by 2020, and fusion energy by the middle of this 
century. This demonstration project and the Carbon Sequestration 
Leadership Forum will build on these initiatives to provide the American 
people and the world with advanced technologies to meet the world's 
energy needs, while improving our global environment for future 
generations.