Hydrogen prize
Encyclopedia
The Hydrogen Prize is a proposed financial award to encourage research into hydrogen
as an alternative fuel
.
Legislation for the prize, , was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives
on May 10, 2006 and in August 2007 it became part of the House's comprehensive energy bill, (which passed). A companion bill, , was introduced in the Senate
and had very few cosponsors before it was passed as part of a more comprehensive energy bill in December 2007. President Bush signed it into law later that month.
Proponents of the hydrogen prize cite benefits of reduced dependence on foreign oil, cleaner air from burning pollution-free hydrogen and new jobs.
that resulted in the first privately developed crewed rocket to reach space twice.
If Congress approves funding, a single prize of $1 million will be awarded in February, 2011.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
as an alternative fuel
Alternative fuel
Alternative fuels, known as non-conventional or advanced fuels, are any materials or substances that can be used as fuels, other than conventional fuels...
.
Legislative status
During October 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announced that the Hydrogen Education Foundation of Washington, D.C. has been selected for negotiation of award to work with the DOE Hydrogen Program to administer the H-Prize along with SCRA.org.Legislation for the prize, , was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
on May 10, 2006 and in August 2007 it became part of the House's comprehensive energy bill, (which passed). A companion bill, , was introduced in the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and had very few cosponsors before it was passed as part of a more comprehensive energy bill in December 2007. President Bush signed it into law later that month.
Proponents of the hydrogen prize cite benefits of reduced dependence on foreign oil, cleaner air from burning pollution-free hydrogen and new jobs.
Prize description
The prize is modeled after the privately funded Ansari X PrizeAnsari X Prize
The Ansari X Prize was a space competition in which the X Prize Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks...
that resulted in the first privately developed crewed rocket to reach space twice.
If Congress approves funding, a single prize of $1 million will be awarded in February, 2011.
External links
Other U.S. government agency-funded high tech. competitive prizes:- Official H-Prize Website
- Hydrogen Education Foundation: Administrator
- SCRA: H-Prize Administrator Partner
- DARPA's Grand Challenge
- NASA Centennial Challenges
- Hydrogen Economy
- Defense Department's OTHER prizes
- International Mars Society's University Rover Challenge
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal's / PETA's million dollar in vitro meat production prize
- Virginia's V Prize for spaceflight breakthroughs
- Innocentive's technical challenges page
- X Prize Foundation
- America's Rocketry Contest (for students)