By Vanessa Trejos, Energy Engineer in the Fuel Cell Technologies Office at Department of Energy
DC EcoWomen and the Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) at Department of Energy (DOE) partnered this year in a “Ride & Learn” to showcase two of the world’s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell cars. The activity drew women from diverse professional backgrounds – marketing, policy and engineering – with an interest in cutting-edge and sustainable technologies that may change the way we think about energy and transportation. Participants had the unique opportunity to drive and ride the cars and learn how hydrogen and fuel cells have the potential to enable a cleaner, more secure and flexible energy and transportation system.
Hydrogen fuel cell cars use a fuel cell that converts hydrogen into the electricity that powers the car’s electric motor. These cars are known for their 300+ mile range, quick refueling times and generating zero carbon emissions at the tailpipe – only emitting water vapor. For the first time, they are commercially available and on the streets. Hydrogen stations to fuel them are up and running in select U.S. regions.
The DOE FCTO focuses on early-stage research and development (R&D) to enable the advancement of this technology. Efforts from FCTO-funded early stage R&D have helped cut the cost of fuel cells by 60 percent and quadrupled their durability in the past decade. The cars used for this event are part of the DOE fleet and on loan from the automakers as an effort to collect data that guides the agency’s early stage R&D in this emerging technology.
To learn more about how fuel cells work and get involved, download the Increase your H2IQ to give a hydrogen and fuel cells presentation to your class or community and visit the DOE FCTO website.
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Vanessa Trejos works in the Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) at the Department of Energy (DOE) where she raises awareness of hydrogen and fuel cells as energy and transportation resources. She helped coordinate the “Ride & Learn” event with DC EcoWomen.