WASHINGTON, DC. -- U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham today congratulated the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE) on its successful first year. Led by the United States, fifteen nations and the European Commission signed the Terms of Reference establishing the IPHE on November 20, 2003. 

“The broad international participation in the IPHE is evidence of the visionary leadership demonstrated by President Bush with regard to hydrogen,” Secretary Abraham said. “Other nations are following the President’s lead because they recognize that in the long-term hydrogen can deliver greater energy independence and significant positive environmental benefits.”

The IPHE serves as a mechanism to organize and implement effective, efficient, and focused international research, development, demonstration and commercial utilization activities related to hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

In 2004, the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the first $350 million of the $1.2 billion President Bush commitment to hydrogen research. The awards went to 130 domestic and international research laboratories, universities and private companies that submitted proposals in response to a competitive solicitation process. These investments are laying the foundation for the hydrogen economy and the good-paying jobs that it will create IPHE partners include Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Commission, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, and the United States. Together, the IPHE partners account for $35 trillion in gross domestic product, two-thirds of global energy consumption and two-thirds of global carbon dioxide emissions.

The IPHE partners recognize energy systems of the future must be cleaner and much more efficient, flexible, and reliable to meet growing global consumer demands. A hydrogen based energy economy offers a potential solution to satisfying global energy requirements while reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy security.

Although the potential benefits of hydrogen and fuel cells are significant, many challenges, technical and otherwise, must be overcome before they will offer a competitive alternative for consumers. The IPHE partners are working to overcome these challenges by facilitating international research designed to reduce the cost of hydrogen production, improve hydrogen storage technologies, improve the durability of fuel cell technology, and harmonize international codes and standards for hydrogen and fuel cell technology.

In its second year, the IPHE partners will produce an integrated roadmap to better coordinate national hydrogen and fuel cell research and development programs. The partners will develop a digital world atlas cataloging global hydrogen and fuel cell technology demonstration projects. The IPHE will also conduct two major international conferences for leading researchers on hydrogen storage technologies and the production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources.

Media contact:  Tom Welch, 202/586-5806