Ballard Power report echoes the importance of fuel cells first lauded by the U.S. Department of DefenseDecember 5, 2011
Ballard Power Systems, a hydrogen and fuel cell technology company, has released a new report showing that the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) expectations for hydrogen are not only accurate, but promising as well.
The report shows that the progress of fuel cell technology over the past decade has made hydrogen a more attractive alternative energy for government agencies. The federal government has been torn on the issue of alternative energy, unsure of which energy to support. The report may help shed some light on the issue, as it corroborates the DoD’s stance on the matter.
The Department of Defense highlighted hydrogen as the most promising alternative energy for its operations both domestic and foreign. Earlier in the year, the DoD issued recommendations to Congress to hasten the nation’s adoption of hydrogen fuel. According to the DoD, the fuel can help the U.S. become energy independent and would help placate national security concerns as well.
Ballard Power’s report shows that fuel cell technology is advancing at a rapid pace.
Fuel cells are becoming more efficient and less expensive, which were two concerns keeping the government from adopting hydrogen in the past. Ballard suggests that fuel cells may soon become so advanced, that they will begin to dwarf other forms of alternative energy, especially as fuel cells begin to assimilate solar energy into their own functions.