Posted on 06/07/2007 9:09:21 PM PDT by Shuttle Shucker
The government would offer a series of cash prizes for innovations in hydrogen energy under a bill the House passed Wednesday. The bill (HR 632), by Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill., would be intended to bring clean-burning hydrogen-powered vehicles closer to reality. It passed by a 408-8 vote. “The future possibilities of this energy source are enormous,” Lipinski said. The government-sponsored competition, which would be called the “H-Prize,” is modeled after the programs of the Ansari X Prize Foundation, which gives multimillion-dollar awards to teams that achieve specific scientific and engineering goals. Lipinski pointed out that such prizes continue a tradition dating back to famed aviator Charles Lindbergh. Lindbergh, competing against other aviators, attempted his most well-known feat — the first successful solo, nonstop flight between New York City and Paris — in an effort to win a $25,000 purse.
(Excerpt) Read more at public.cq.com ...
Have you noticed how the various Senate presidential candidates claim to be pro-environment or at least pro-alternative energy (Hillary & Obama, not to mention Kerry) and in John McCain’s case we hear a lot of anti-government pork talk too and yet NONE of them have bothered to sign on as co-sponsors for the H Prize in the Senate, specifically for S.365.IS which one can track at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s.00365:
? Is it due to hypocrisy, laziness, or selling out to the petroleum industry or what?
This procurement reform sure worked well for DARPA, and is even working for the traditional anti-entrepreneurial NASA too as this helps document:
http://www.spaceprojects.com/prizes
The DOD, NASA and the DOE have the U.S. government’s 3 largest procurement budgets. If only the DOE’s first ever competitive prize were passed in the Senate, we’d have the makings of a paradigm shift towards competitive sourcing which the Bush Administration at least used to vigorously embrace. I’m skeptical of them now because they didn’t include the House-approved H Prize endeavor of last year in the DOE’s proposed budget to try and force the Democrat Senate’s hand more aggressively. Perhaps the petro sector played a role in that inaction?
It’s fitting that you’d mention a link involving Newt Gingrich since he’s by far the only potential candidate who seems to give the prizes concept much airtime or thought. Anyhow, I look forward to checking out that link which you’ve shared. Thanks.
Newt’s a smart guy,... I’ve been thinking it’s a more cost effective way to do things. People want to get that money, but they have to show results....which as small government as I am...I think alternatives are that necessary, that incentives like this should be given.
Well, thermodynamics has yet to show itself capable of being cheated by man. Something has to generate the hydrogen and that something will have to consume energy in some fashion. If it were possible to harvest the solar energy over the entirety of a vast sun drenched desert region (say, most of New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada) with the best processes known to man, would that give us enough energy to fuel the nation’s transportation fleet without purchasing any more Arab oil? I’m skeptical but haven’t done the math.
Well said. But lately Newt’s said there’s a 4:1 chance that he won’t run for president (even as other candidates are remaining silent about the prizes issue). Sobering news, isn’t it?
The beauty of competitive prizes is that if results don’t emerge, taxpayers don’t have to pay. And at least with NASA prizes, independent companies and organizations endure the costs of running the prize competition too (not NASA, itself).
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