Hydrogen fuel cell organization wins funding in Ohio
June 5, 2014Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition receives financial support from state’s Controlling Board
The Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition has won funding from the state’s Controlling Board this week. The funding is expected to help in the development of fuel cell technology and promote the adoption of fuel cells for various purposes. The funding is also likely to be used by the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition to support local manufacturing projects that are focused on fuel cell technology. As fuel cells begin to receive more attention, especially in the form of financial aid, Ohio may soon become a very active market for this clean technology.
$300,000 in funding will help organization in many ways
The Controlling Board has approved nearly $300,000 in funding for the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition. While this money is expected to have a significant impact on the organization’s operations, the sum is considered quite small when compared to the costs seen in the energy field. Fuel cells themselves are very expensive to produce because of their use of platinum and other costly materials. Moreover, there are concerns regarding the cost of hydrogen fuel, which fuel cells use to produce electrical power. Producing hydrogen is an energy intensive process that can quickly become inordinately expensive.
Organization aims to overcome the challenges that fuel cells face
Organizations like the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition are not blind to the challenges that fuel cells face, of course. These organizations often devote their resources to finding ways to reduce the costs of fuel cell production and support research focused on finding more efficient ways to produce hydrogen fuel. National organizations tend to focus on overarching problems that the global fuel cell industry faces, while state organizations, such as the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition, tend to focus on more localized issues that could have some impact on the fuel cell market.
State officials show promising interest in fuel cells
The Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition intends to strengthen the state’s position in the U.S. fuel cell industry. In doing so, the organization may be able to help the state become more environmentally friendly and increase energy security by reducing Ohio’s reliance on fossil-fuels. The organization has managed to win strong support from many state officials whom are interested in the prospects of renewable energy.