| In a bid to reduce the United States’ growing | | | | power, or possibly coal. |
| dependence on Middle East oil for the | | | | Turning to hydrogen fuel instead of using gasoline |
| country’s petroleum needs, President George | | | | can eliminate the country's dependence on other |
| Bush declared a $1.2 billion hydrogen fuel program | | | | countries for energy. Hydrogen is readily available |
| in his 2003 State of the Union speech. This | | | | and even abundant domestically. It can be found |
| substantial budget allocation for the advancement | | | | along with natural gas, coal, biomass and even |
| of technological studies for hydrogen-driven fuel | | | | water. The hydrogen fuel project, according to |
| cells also sought the significant, if not the total, | | | | the Department of Energy, can help lessen our |
| reduction of pollutants like greenhouse gases | | | | country’s import demands by more than 11 |
| emitted by vehicles, homes and business | | | | million barrels a day--the estimated amount of oil |
| establishments dependent on foreign petroleum. | | | | the US buys from abroad today--by 2040. |
| Today, more and more vehicles are being | | | | Taking significant steps to making our air free |
| powered by hydrogen fuel. Automobile giant | | | | from pollution caused by gasoline-powered |
| General Motors has been producing a one hundred | | | | vehicles is another agenda spoused by the |
| per cent hydrogen-powered vehicle prototype, | | | | country’s hydrogen fuel program. Hydrogen |
| something which augurs well for the country since | | | | fuel cells produce electricity instead of gasoline to |
| President Bush’ 2003 announcement of the | | | | power vehicles. This will eliminate pollution and |
| hydrogen fuel project. To date, fresh funding | | | | lessen the country’s greenhouse gas |
| continues to pour in for hydrogen fuel | | | | discharges caused by gasoline-guzzling vehicles by |
| development as an alternative fuel. The current | | | | over 500 million metric tons of carbon emissions |
| technology requires fuel cells for storage and for | | | | every year by 2040. |
| processing of gas that in turn powers the vehicle | | | | The high efficiency ratio of hydrogen as energy |
| or other fuel-dependent machinery and equipment. | | | | source limits the emission of compounds that |
| But while hydrogen certainly makes a good fuel | | | | harm the environment. When burned to generate |
| alternative, it too has its downside. Even if | | | | electricity and power an engine, hydrogen emits |
| generated from natural gas, considered today as | | | | nothing but water vapor. Hydrogen-powered |
| the cheapest energy source ever, hydrogen fuel | | | | machines and equipment can therefore help us |
| is still four times more expensive to manufacture | | | | achieve a cleaner and healthier environment. |
| than gasoline. The Bush administration’s | | | | Hydrogen fuel looms as the newest and most |
| initiative has considered reducing this cost to the | | | | exciting discovery of this decade. Owning a car |
| level of gasoline-generated power by year 2010, | | | | because of the fuel cell technology has never |
| as well as to seek ways of deriving hydrogen | | | | become more gratifying than today. We might as |
| power from renewable sources of energy, nuclear | | | | well enjoy our road trips more often. |