Hydrogen Fuel Cells – Not Ready
A North Dakota Democrat is admitting that hydrogen fuel cells are not practical, but says that the U.S. Energy Department should continue funding them anyway.
Sen. Byron Dorgan made the comments after he re-inserted $140 million into the federal boondoggle … err, budget for hydrogen fuel cell research – money which even President Barack Obama believes is an unwise investment.
From The Wall Street Journal:
Mr. Dorgan acknowledged that hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are “not near term.” But he said that “if somebody is going to look at things that are…essential in the longer term, who but the Department of Energy should do that?”
You know, it’s been awhile since we’ve used our “handy dandy bureaucratic translator,” but we think Dorgan’s comment warrants busting it out.
Here’s what he really said …
My state has bet the farm on this technology and now that nobody in the private sector wants to fund it because it, we desperately need government money to keep it afloat.
You know, this is precisely why government shouldn’t be picking winners and losers in the marketplace – once it’s picked a clear “loser,” the answer is always to keep spending, no matter what.
Basically, it’s the crack addict’s mentality, or the ideology of the cancer cell- except all dolled up in futuristic rhetoric and promises of job creation that never materialize.
Led by S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell, South Carolina has also “bet the farm” on hydrogen fuel cell technology – investing tens of millions of taxpayer dollars – although in our case the promised private sector job creation and capital investment has been virtually non-existent.
Comments
By confused on July 28th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
while the premise is acceptable, i think you’re being a little simplistic. the automotive market is not “free” enough to pick actual winners and losers. if it was, you never would’ve heard of the gm/chrysler bankruptcies/bailouts. if hydrogen can’t compete against gasoline (or ethanol–talk about your damn money pits. we’ve been funding that nonsense to kiss iowa’s ass for years), it might not necessarily be because it’s a loser–just that it’s playing against a stacked deck. the only way to level the playing field is to either subsidize nothing (good luck getting that through with the oil and gas industry and the UAW on the same side of that debate) or subsidize everything. i know which is preferable in principle, but the workable reality is that if we have a chance to move from something that is expensive, nasty, and keeps us beholden to the middle east to something that’s essentially renewable, clean and (ultimately) cheap as the air we breathe, why on earth shouldn’t we push that?
By Liberty for me on July 28th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I dont think it is near term…But I think this is our best way to fuel car in the future.Private sector will poor money into it when it is ready to go..Government has no business funding anything except the military.
Stop taxing us you jerks!!!…That will build the economy
By PatrickS on July 28th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Two clarifications are needed here.
First, the fact that Senator Dorgan said the technology (for vehicles) is “not near term” does NOT mean they are not practical. Hydrogen vehicles are practical. What Sen Dorgan is pointing out is that they’re not in the showrooms yet–just like several other alternative vehicles. Something near-term would be in showrooms next year. Many automakers are looking at 5 years for hydrogen vehicles: http://bit.ly/VWOdO
Second, North Dakota and Senator Dorgan are NOT trying to pick technology winners; the conclusion that they are is incorrect. In fact, Sen Dorgan is speaking up for hydrogen because the Administration tried to pick a technology winner in plug-ins (which are only part of the solution)and eliminate hydrogen funding. Sen Dorgan’s committee action to put money back in to the federal budget DIVERSIFIES the gov’t’s spending and supports what many other smart people think: that we need to pursue a variety of alternative vehicle technologies.
To be more exact, here’s a quote from what he said during the Appropriations process (see especially the last sentence):
“This funding with save and continue to develop valuable scientific information that will help our nation transition to what I think is a better energy future. Abandoning research and development projects in the middle of those projects does not serve our interests well and so we’re going to continue that funding.
“I happen to believe we are moving towards an electric drive future in this nation and that is in the short and the intermediate term, and in the longer term I really believe we will be moving towards a hydrogen fuel cell future. The research for ALL OF THAT is very important.”
By My 2 Cents... on July 29th, 2009 at 12:31 am
I’m no expert on politics, science, or government but at least this senator and our government is not kissing ass with the Middle East like Papa Bush and Georgie. I’m sick of taxes too, but if it’s for the sake of improvement for future generations and well researched, then I’m behind it.
Senator Dorgan explained himself well.
Linked to PatrickS’ site and it’s a good idea.
Impeach politicos like Sanfraud and we’ll have more money in our pockets.
I’m not behind Obama on everything, and I hope U.S. citizens have woken up and smelled the stench from the White House that’s been emitted from there for the past 8 years and will now keep present government in check.
However, based on my research, gotta support the Obama administration. Keep it in check, but support it.
By Bill on July 29th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Well it goes to show that the author doesn’t know his @#$% from a hole in the ground on this one, and is another blind faith lackey following Barack and Chu based on his simplistic and idiodic comments.
Had he/she bothered to do even a little bit of investigation rather than puking out the whiney, bleeding heart liberal party line, then he/she would have realized that not only has North Dakota not “bet the farm” on this technology, that they don’t even have a dog in the hunt here. The leading states are Claifornia, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Of course all of these states are following Canada, Japan, and China. If we listen to this idiot author, we will all be looking backwards 20 years from now wondering how the Japanese/Chinese ate our lunch in fuel cells the same way they did in hybrids! God, liberals are stupid!
By Elmo on July 29th, 2009 at 11:47 am
This socialistic Senator thinks he can predict the future. So typical of most of our politicians. They win an election and think that gives them superhuman powers.
If there is one certain fact in our lives, it is that no one can predict the future. We have no idea what will be powering our transportation needs in 30-50 years. But we can assume if we let the free market work and keep the government out of it we will be at the forefront of whatever new technology some small group of entreprenuers invent.
By jim on July 29th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Can anyone name 3 major inventions created by our federal government that help the average citizen? I didn’t think so.
By confused on July 29th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
uhm, jim, how about just one: the internet? and if you consider nasa part of the federal government, i got about 10,000 more for you.
don’t get me wrong–government screws up nearly everything–but a hell of a lot of useful things have been developed by some division of government.
By anon on July 29th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
The poster “PatrickS” above is probably Patrick Serfass, VP of the National Hydrogen Association (NHA).
http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/about/board.asp
NHA obviously does have a dog in this hunt. NHA represents and lobbies for the hydrogen research community, which has become another special interest group that has a vested interest in maintaining its funding and will say pretty much anything to further that aim.
By My 2 Cents... on July 29th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Bill, Bill, Bill…
Surely you aren’t in a position to be dumping on liberals, what with Sanfraud and other C Street conservatives have been doing of late, are you?
Bet SFraud and others would be grateful to play on the bleeding heart symapthy of anyone who will listen.