NEWLY EMERGING ENERGY SYSTEMS IGNORED BY “OLD FOSSIL” CONGRESS
The possibility of using hydrogen to power motor vehicles is a long way off, judging from the lack of interest Congress is showing in the resource.
In fact, hydrogen was left completely out of catalog of possible energy sources when the House of Representatives drew up its priorities in the Energy Resource and Development Act. It was the Senate which at least got hydrogen included.
Representative Phillip H. Hayes (D-Ind.), who is a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, said that his colleagues are in fact, “old fossils.”
“The Congress is concerned about fossils fuels because our whole industry is a fossil-fuel oriented complex,” the Hoosier said “The problem that the Congress gives priority is keeping doors open at factories that run entirely on fossil fuels.”
Hence, emphasis is being given to development of synthetic fossil fuels from coal and shale and other resources. Even promising solar developments get slight attention, although Senator John Glenn (D-Ohio), the former astronaut, has succeeded in the last week in getting $75 million added to various energy related bills for solar research.
Senator Frank Moss (D-Utah) has taken an interest in the hydrogen development worked on by a constitution. Roger E. Billings, formerly of the University of Utah. A member of Moss’ staff said Billings has his own Volkswagen fitted out with the hydrogen equipment, but that there has not been a government-sponsored program of sizable dimensions approved to push the project.
The high hurdle for the hydrogen program is translation from the drawing board to industrial development. At an estimated $425 a car to convert automobiles to hydrogen.
Taken from the Indianapolis Star-December 14, 1975
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