[neverdem]

He said he would probably reverse another Bush administration decision and restore funds for FutureGen, a program to build a power plant prototype. The plant would turn coal into gas, separate out the carbon dioxide — a major contributor to the greenhouse gases that cause global warming — and pump it underground. Then it would burn the hydrogen, which is nearly pollution-free.

Besides taking every possible opportunity to undo decisions made by GWB's administration, why don't they repeal the Second Law of Thermodynamics?

[4rcane]

its more of a rebranding than an undo

[RFEngineer]

“Cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells, once hailed by President George W. Bush as a pollution-free solution for reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, will not be practical over the next 10 to 20 years, the energy secretary said Thursday, and the government will cut off funds for the vehicles’ development.”

If one believes that electric cars are our future (I’m not one of those folks) then fuel-cell powered electric cars is probably the only way it can be done and end up with a vehicle that is recognizable in performance as compared with any of todays internal-combustion powered vehicles.

I suspect that in the end, it’s not how it’s powered, but the fact that folks want something larger than a golf-cart that is the problem.

[manc]

yet another issue which bozo and his ilk are undermining everything Bush did

It must really grate the left that Bush kept us safe and Iraq was successful. They might go on about how some want bozo to fail but the fact is the left wanted Bush to fail in protecting us and in Iraq

If one person thinks for one minute bozo is a friend of this country then I despair.

Soros has bought the presidency and used his puppet to lead his agenda while having his foot soldiers like move on and ACORN do their intimidation

Hitler and Stalin would be proud of how the left have manipulated the public with their propaganda and how they have took over.

[R_Kangel]

"...Mr. Bush’s prediction in 2003 that “the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen..."

GEEEEZ!!.......Was Bush ever wrong on that!

The vehicles of the future will be powered completely by .... Barack Obama's ego!!

[Cicero]

Well, I never thought fuel cells made any sense UNLESS they developed nuclear power plants to charge them up.

But I also don’t know if it makes sense to eliminate ALL research into fuel cells at once. How about just cutting back on it?

And how about those nuclear plants.

The problem of course, is not only that Obama wants to reverse everything Bush did, but he wants these efforts to fail. He wants to make us more dependent on imported oil, not less. Which isn’t too far from what the Democrat plan has been ever since Jimmuh Carter.

Chu, of course, is a total jackass, which is why Obama chose him to be energy Czar.

[dila813]

Bush funded this because he knew that an all electric car would be too small for our automakers to make money off of.

What this administration doesn’t understand is, the UAW makes the production of small cars in this country impossible.

If you want small cars you have to build them in another part of the country and where the UAW isn’t there.

Bush was being nice to them, trying to provide the UAW (his political enemies) with jobs. I don’t think the Democrats are going to be as nice.

[Nachum]

The list, ping

[DakotaRed]

Hydrogen fuel cell cars hold a great deal more potential than do embryonic stem cells. Yet, they will fund that research.

Electric cars have a limited range and in hilly areas, that drops drastically. Hybrids are a little better, but fossil fuels are still used.

This is pure BDS from the Obama cabal to the detriment of the nation.

[freeangel]

“The obama administration will develop ‘eight innovation energy hubs’”

Why do I get the “soylent green” feeling that these will exist to turn the elderly, frail and aborted babies into an alternative enery? It will be patriotic to give lives so that others may use their microwaves or drive to worship the “one”.

[Honorary Serb]

The REAL problem is that Zero has no serious interest in beating the muzzies!!!!

At this point, no one can predict what will be the most successful advanced, PRACTICAL renewal energy technologies. Putting all ones eggs in one basket—”plug-in hybrids” (for which current battery technology is not practical)—makes no sense. That is, it makes no sense to those of us who want 1. to get us independent of islamic oil in order to help CRUSH Muhammadan world domination, and 2. to make the US the leader in advanced energy technologies, thus helping to foster American jobs and a vibrant US economy based on manufacturing, NOT financial services.

Barack Hussein Obama is not on board of either one of these goals. More’s the pity!!!!

[truthguy]

Another incredibly stupid move by Obama Administration. Steven Chu is proving he isn't up to the job at Department of Energy. In fact he is proving himself to be a clown.

Yes it's known that hydrogen fuel cells aren't going to be feasible in immediate future. That's why this program was basic research and development. It was a relative small amount of money. And besides 10 years (low end) isn't that far away. I sill have a car from 1989 and that's 20 years.

If the Volt proves to be a success (and I believe it will) then Electrics are the future. The car can be developed and refined. The battery can be improved and made less expensive. But the source of electricity? It doesn't matter. It can be a gasoline ICE. It can be E85 or Diesel or Ethanol (I hope not) or any other. It doesn't matter So the cars can be developed independent of the Electric Generator. If Hydrogen Fuel Cell pans out then it will marry to to EREV concept without a hitch.

Again another move of stupidity from the Obama people.

[Venturer]

Why doesnt Dr. Chu realise that windmills and solar power,will be at least that long before they produce any energy that we can economically use.

[Old Flat Toad]

The reason for this came across FR a few hours ago-
US government to lease GM hydrogen cars for $84,000 a year.

I’m Html ignorant so it was posted somewhere around 9:00.

[RoadTest]

Fuel cells are the engines of the future, at least of a decent future. It has already appeared, though, that this administration has other ideas.

[expatpat]

Chu is totally screwed up about global warming, but at least he got this right.

[wolf78]

Developing those cells and coming up with a way to transport the hydrogen is a big challenge, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in releasing energy-related details of the administration’s budget for the year beginning Oct. 1. Dr. Chu said the government preferred to focus on projects that would bear fruit more quickly.

Except for the fact that Honda is already selling limited numbers of their FCX Clarity fuel cell car and Mercedes will join in 2009/10 with their B-Class "BlueZero F-Cell" (B-Class currently not sold in the US) and ramp up production by 2015.

If the Mercedes can store 250 miles worth of hydrogen today, how is the storage issue a dealbreaker? The only problem is lack of infrastructure, which is an economic problem, not an engineering problem (If you have already built a natural gas distribution infrastructure for several billions, how should doing the same for hydrogen be impossible?).

[Brilliant]

It was the libs who wanted to spend the money on fuel cells to begin with. Now that it’s a failure, why should we expect the next liberal gimmick to do any better?

[upchuck]

Dr. Chu said the government preferred to focus on projects that would bear fruit more quickly.

Ya mean like Drill Here, Drill Now? Cool!!

[element92]

the electric (battery) car is coming,
or is already here, depending on details.

the fuel-cell-concept was foolish from
the beginning. why bother with an additional
electric-chemical conversion,
when we have batteries that can do the job.

millions of people would be happy with an electric car with
a range of 40-100 miles, the US is not the whole
\world. any gasoline not used anywhere in the
world is less money for the ragheads.

[smokingfrog]

Fuel cells are now being used to power buses. No reason it could not work with cars.

The state and federal governments have a pretty good deal now with all the tax money they get from gasoline. Why would they want to change that?