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Hydrogen Commercialisation Plan of the NHA

HyWeb, 97-07-23: A Hydrogen Commercialization Plan has been developed by the National Hydrogen Association (www.ttcorp.com/nha) in the USA, that sets ambitious goals. Three market entry points were identified for which concrete goals are stated: in transportation, in natural gas powered (at least in an initial phase) stationary distributed power generation and in remote village electricity supply via renewable energies and hydrogen storage.

In transportation, the plan calls for at least three new hydrogen vehicle demonstration projects by 2000 and at least 100 hydrogen-fueled buses by 2005. In the stationary power sector, it calls for at least 50 MW of stationary fuel cell power plants by 2002 and at least two remote village power demonstration projects. It also includes long-term goals that represent the subsequent steps in commercialization. Furthermore, market barriers for hydrogen technologies are analyzed in detail and the approaches to overcoming them are identified.

The plan, developed by the industrial members of NHA, is based on the premise that hydrogen will eventually become the storage mechanism for intermittent renewable energy in a sustainable energy future. Government mandates or incentives can ease the transition to clean fuels like hydrogen for the short-term, but hydrogen must ultimately succeed in the market place on its own, according to the market-oriented strategy paper.

Members of NHA are such highly renowned companies as Air Liquide America, Air Products & Chemicals, Ballard Power Systems, Bechtel Nevada, BOC Gases, Daimler-Benz, Ford, Honda R&D North America, Hydro-Quebec, Mazda R&D of North America and others.