The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Act of 2005, presented by senators Byron Dorgan and Lindsay Graham, is a 10-year initiative. It aims to accelerate the widespread commercialisation and adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technology through research spending, demonstration programs and government purchase programs.

The Act also aims to establish codes and standards for the industry, and, if successful, would authorise the expenditure of $US4.2 billion over a five-year period or almost $US8 billion over a decade.

“If enacted, this legislation will not only help us realise the commercialisation of fuel cell vehicles sooner, it will help Americans power their homes and businesses more efficiently and help us to better utilise currently imported fuels,” said executive director of the US Fuel Cell Council, Robert Rose.

“The adoption of these technologies will also hasten the movement to produce hydrogen from renewable energy resources like wind, solar and a variety of biofuels.”

Congresswoman Nancy Johnson and senator Olympia Snowe have introduced two tax-incentive bills to their respective assemblies, aiming to lower the procurement cost of non-vehicle fuel cells through five-year investment tax credit bills.

The bills would each present a 30% tax credit, capped at $US1000/kW, for the purchase of a fuel cell unit, alleviating the high cost of adopting newly-developed technologies, according to Rose.

“Fuel cells have matured enough to necessitate an incentive program for those who would like to use the technology to provide power for their homes and businesses. Enacting these tax credit bills will broaden existing clean energy credits and give early adopters the incentive to adopt clean, quiet and reliable energy generation units,” he said.