What This Bill Does
This bill creates a new research program focused on fuel cell systems that run on biofuel (fuel made from plants or organic material) for vehicles. The Secretary will establish goals and timelines to make these fuel cell systems commercially available and working in real-world conditions.
Who It Affects
The Secretary (the head of the Department of Energy), the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Transportation, National Laboratories, and industry companies working on fuel cell and biofuel technology.
Key Provisions
• The Secretary must establish a research, development, and demonstration program for fuel cell systems that use biofuel as a fuel source for vehicles. (Sec. 2(i)(1))
• The Secretary must set interim research goals for demonstrating commercially viable fuel cell systems using biofuels, including work on stack designs (the core component of a fuel cell), catalysts (materials that speed up chemical reactions), membranes and electrolytes (materials that allow ion movement), interconnects, seals, and metal or electrolyte-supported stack cell designs. (Sec. 2(i)(2)(A))
• The research program must explore a variety of renewable energy sources, including ethanol and other biomass (plant material). (Sec. 2(i)(2)(B))
• The program must develop technologies for fuel cell durability and testing methods to measure how long fuel cells last. (Sec. 2(i)(2)(C))
• The program must focus on system designs and component integration that maximize efficiency, lower costs, improve response time, and extend lifetime. (Sec. 2(i)(2)(D))
• The Secretary must coordinate with appropriate federal agencies, National Laboratories, and industry stakeholders, non-government organizations, and trade associations. (Sec. 2(i)(3))
What Changes
Section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 will be amended to add this new biofuel and fuel cell vehicle research program.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 910
To amend section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to create a biofuel
and fuel cell vehicle research, development, and demonstration program,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 9, 2023
Mr. FEENSTRA (for himself, Mr. FLOOD, Mr. FINSTAD, and Mrs. MILLER-
MEEKS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology
A BILL
To amend section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
to create a biofuel and fuel cell vehicle research, develop-
ment, and demonstration program, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Biofuel Cell Research
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Act’’.
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•HR 910 IH
SEC. 2. BIOFUEL AND FUEL CELL VEHICLE RESEARCH, DE-
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VELOPMENT,
AND
DEMONSTRATION
PRO-
2
GRAM.
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Section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
4
U.S.C. 16232) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
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lowing:
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‘‘(i) BIOFUEL AND FUEL CELL VEHICLE RESEARCH,
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DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.—
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
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lish a research, development, and demonstration pro-
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gram for a commercially viable fuel cell system that
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uses biofuel as a fuel source for a vehicle.
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‘‘(2) RESEARCH GOALS.—The Secretary shall
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establish interim research and development goals
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that will result in the demonstration of commercially
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viable fuel cell systems that utilize biofuels as a fuel
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source, including the following:
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‘‘(A) Innovative stack designs and compo-
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nents, including—
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‘‘(i) catalysts;
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‘‘(ii) membranes and electrolytes;
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‘‘(iii) interconnects;
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‘‘(iv) seals; and
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‘‘(v) metal- or electrolyte-supported
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stack cell designs.
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•HR 910 IH
‘‘(B) Variety of renewable energy sources,
1
including ethanol and other biomass.
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‘‘(C) Technologies that enable fuel cell du-
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rability and fuel cell durability testing.
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‘‘(D) Systems designs and component inte-
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gration that optimize efficiency, cost, transient
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response, and lifetime.
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‘‘(3) COORDINATION.—In carrying out the ac-
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tivities under this section, the Secretary shall coordi-
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nate with—
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‘‘(A) appropriate Federal agencies, includ-
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ing the Department of Agriculture and the De-
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partment of Transportation;
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‘‘(B) National Laboratories; and
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‘‘(C) relevant industry stakeholders, non-
15
government organizations, and trade associa-
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tions.’’.
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Æ
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