Fuel cell companies push for federal funding

In report called "Fuel Cells and Hydrogen: The Path Forward," the coalition calls for a national fuel cell and hydrogen strategy, laying out a 10-year cost-shared program to bring fuel cells to the American marketplace.

The federal share of the program over 10 years would be $5.5 billion, a commitment comparable to the current federal investment in conventional fuels and other advanced energy technologies, the group said.

Fuel cells provide vehicle power by using hydrogen gas as a fuel source, emitting only water vapor and oxygen as exhaust. In the transportation industry, fuel cells have been demonstrated on transit buses and as prototype auxiliary power units on Class 8 trucks.

Estimates of annual private sector investment in fuel cell technology range from $1 billion to $3 billion.