I

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.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hydrogen Future Act

5 of 1995’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress finds that—

8 (1) fossil fuels, the main energy source of the

9 present, have provided this country with tremendous
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1 supply but are limited and polluting, and their pro2 duction and utilization technologies are mature;

3 (2) the basic scientific fundamentals are needed

4 for private sector investment and development of

5 new and better energy sources and enabling tech6 nologies;

7 (3) hydrogen holds tremendous promise as a

8 new and better energy source because it secures a

9 practically infinite supply from water and combusts

10 purely to water;

11 (4) hydrogen production efficiency is a major

12 technical barrier to society collectively benefitting

13 from one of the great energy sources of the future;

14 (5) an aggressive, results-oriented, multiyear re15 search initiative on efficient hydrogen fuel produc16 tion and use should continue; and

17 (6) the current Federal effort to develop hydro18 gen as a fuel is inadequate.

19 SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

20 The purposes of this Act are—

21 (1) to provide for the research and development

22 of the basic scientific fundamentals, and the dem23 onstration of the processes and technologies, needed

24 to produce, store, transport, and utilize hydrogen for
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1 transportation, industrial, residential, and utility ap2 plications; and

3 (2) to foster industry participation during each

4 stage of the Department of Energy hydrogen re5 search, development, and demonstration program to

6 ensure that technology transfer to the private sector

7 occurs to develop viable, marketable products.

8 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

9 For purposes of this Act—

10 (1) the term ‘‘demonstration’’ means a dem11 onstration to determine technical feasibility;

12 (2) the term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart13 ment of Energy; and

14 (3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary

15 of Energy.

16 SEC. 5. RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION.

17 (a) PROGRAM GOAL.—The goal of the program de18 scribed in this section is the demonstration of the technical

19 feasibility of efficiently utilizing hydrogen for transpor20 tation, industrial, residential and utility applications by

21 the year 2000.

22 (b) PRODUCTION.—The Secretary shall support hy23 drogen energy production research and development in the

24 following areas, leading to at least 2 technical demonstra25 tions in each such area:
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1 (1) Chemical conversion, including

2 photoproduction.

3 (2) Bioconversion.

4 (3) Electrolysis.

5 (c) STORAGE.—The Secretary shall support research

6 and development of safe and economical storage of hydro7 gen, both for onboard vehicle and stationary use. Such re8 search and development should be aimed at improving ex9 isting methods and developing new approaches in each of

10 the following areas, leading to at least 1 technical dem11 onstration in each such area:

12 (1) Hydrides and porous materials.

13 (2) Liquefaction and cryogenics.

14 (3) Compressed gas.

15 (4) Advanced methods, such as microspheres

16 and new materials.

17 (d) TRANSPORTATION.—The Secretary shall support

18 research and development of efficient, hydrogen-based

19 transportation vehicles of the following types, leading to

20 at least 1 technical demonstration of each such type:

21 (1) An economically feasible, low emission

22 motor vehicle using hydrogen, in pure form or mixed

23 with other fuels, as a combustible power supply.

24 (2) An economically feasible, zero emission

25 motor vehicle using hydrogen.
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1 (e) OTHER USES.—The Secretary shall support hy2 drogen energy research and development for each of the

3 following uses, leading to at least 1 technical demonstra4 tion in each such area:

5 (1) Electricity generation using hydrogen as a

6 fuel source for utility and industrial applications.

7 (2) Heating and cooling using hydrogen.

8 (3) Hydrogen fuel jet engine.

9 (f) SCHEDULE.—Within 180 days after the date of

10 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall solicit proposals

11 for carrying out the research and development activities

12 authorized under this section. Awards of financial assist13 ance shall be made within 1 year after such date of enact14 ment.

15 (g) COST SHARING.—(1) Except as otherwise pro16 vided in section 6, for research and development programs

17 carried out under this Act, the Secretary shall require a

18 commitment from non-Federal sources of at least 20 per19 cent of the cost of the project. The Secretary may reduce

20 or eliminate the non-Federal requirement under this para21 graph if the Secretary determines that the research and

22 development is of a basic or fundamental nature.

23 (2) The Secretary shall require at least 50 percent

24 of the costs directly and specifically related to any dem25 onstration project under this Act to be provided from non-
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1 Federal sources. The Secretary may reduce the non-Fed2 eral requirement under this paragraph if the Secretary de3 termines that the reduction is necessary and appropriate

4 considering the technological risks involved in the project

5 and is necessary to serve the purposes and goals of this

6 Act.

7 (3) In calculating the amount of the non-Federal

8 commitment under paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary

9 shall include cash, personnel, services, equipment, and

10 other resources.

11 (h) DUPLICATION OF PROGRAMS.—Nothing in this

12 Act shall require the duplication of activities carried out

13 under otherwise authorized programs of the Department.

14 SEC. 6. HIGHLY INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.

15 Of the amounts made available for carrying out sec16 tion 5, up to 5 percent shall be used to support research

17 on highly innovative energy technologies. Such amounts

18 shall not be subject to the cost sharing requirements in

19 section 5(g).

20 SEC. 7. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

21 The Secretary shall foster the exchange of generic,

22 nonproprietary information and technology developed pur23 suant to section 5, or other similar Federal programs,

24 among industry, academia, and the Federal Government.
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1 SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

2 Within 18 months after the date of enactment of this

3 Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall transmit

4 to the Congress a detailed report on the status and

5 progress of the Department’s hydrogen research, develop6 ment, and demonstration programs. Such report shall in7 clude an analysis of the effectiveness of such programs,

8 to be prepared and submitted by the Hydrogen Technical

9 Advisory Panel established under section 108 of the Spark

10 M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and

11 Demonstration Act of 1990. Such Panel shall also make

12 recommendations for improvements to such programs if

13 needed, including recommendations for additional legisla14 tion.

15 SEC. 9. COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION.

16 (a) COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL AGEN17 CIES.—The Secretary shall coordinate all hydrogen re18 search, development, and demonstration activities with

19 other Federal agencies involved in similar research, devel20 opment, and demonstration, including the Department of

21 Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis22 tration.

23 (b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall consult

24 with the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel established

25 under section 108 of the Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen
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1 Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990

2 as necessary in carrying out this Act.

3 SEC. 10. REPEAL.

4 Sections 104 and 105 of the Spark M. Matsunaga

5 Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act

6 of 1990 are repealed.

7 SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

8 (a) GENERAL AUTHORIZATION.—There are author9 ized to be appropriated, to carry out the purposes of this

10 Act, in addition to any amounts made available for such

11 purposes under other Acts—

12 (1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1996;

13 (2) $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1997; and

14 (3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 1998.

15 (b) USE OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Of the amounts ap16 propriated under subsection (a) for each fiscal year—

17 (1) 30 percent shall be used for programs

18 under section 5(b);

19 (2) 20 percent shall be used for programs

20 under section 5(c);

21 (3) 30 percent shall be used for programs

22 under section 5(d); and

23 (4) 20 percent shall be used for programs

24 under section 5(e).
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1 (c) RELATED AUTHORIZATIONS.—(1) For each of the

2 fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998, the total amount which

3 may be obligated for Energy Supply Research and Devel4 opment Activities shall not exceed the total amount obli5 gated for such activities in fiscal year 1995.

6 (2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection does not author7 ize the appropriation of any Federal funds.

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