Hydrogen has the potential to be an important component of the long-term solution to U.S. energy needs, but most hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and systems are not yet ready for deployment. These technologies are complex and will require many significant advances—particularly in hydrogen production and delivery, hydrogen storage, and fuel cell cost and durability—before our nation can realize a hydrogen future. DOE anticipates a transition period of several decades as technologies mature and begin to replace today's conventional energy systems.
So, rather than deployment, the role of the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program is to stimulate and support the early, high-risk research with the most significant potential payback, and to test the most promising technologies in real-world conditions. These small vehicle and infrastructure "learning demonstrations" will be used to validate technologies in integrated systems, identify areas for improvement and research priorities, and provide feedback on progress toward a future hydrogen economy.