Hydrogen hype.

Byline: The Register-Guard

THERE'S BEEN A LOT of hot air emerging from snowbound Washington, D.C., ever since President Bush's recent announcement of a five-year commitment of $1.2 billion to develop cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Suddenly, members of Congress are talking hydrogen with a high-pitched sense of urgency that sounds as though they've been taking hits off a helium balloon. It would be reassuring to hear them and the president express similar levels of enthusiasm for other, more readily achievable, measures that can help reduce air pollution and promote energy conservation.

Hydrogen technology does indeed have immense potential for eventually reducing the country's reliance on polluting gasoline cars. The operative word here is "eventually." It may take years, perhaps even decades, before hydrogen fuel cell cars become an affordable, mainstream alternative to cars with gasoline-fired internal combustion engines.

It's estimated that the replacement of all existing vehicles with fuel-cell alternatives would reduce this nation's production of carbon dioxide - the main culprit in global warming - by at least one-third. There is no shortage of the hydrogen that can fuel these cars - but it exists in combination with other elements, such as natural gas and water, and must be extracted. That requires energy.

For example, getting hydrogen from natural gas consumes supplies of a fuel that already is much in demand. The process also generates carbon dioxide - the same greenhouse gas that is supposed to be reduced by hydrogen technologies.

Extracting hydrogen from water requires electricity, and it makes little environmental sense if the electricity is generated by fossil fuels. If the electricity is generated by a renewable energy source such as the Northwest's abundant hydropower (see Jack Robertson's guest column in the Feb. 16 Commentary section), then its use must be weighed against other factors, such as competing demands and reduced power sales to other markets.

Other problems include hydrogen's explosiveness and the need for safe storage technologies. And fuel cell cars won't be streaming down the nation's highways until there is a nationwide hydrogen fuel distribution system that can keep the vehicles gassed up and rolling.

All these problems can be solved in time if the White House and Congress remain committed to development of hydrogen fuel cell technologies. A good first step would be to give serious consideration to legislation introduced this week by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., which aims to makes hydrogen fuel vehicles a viable market alternative within 10 years. The bill would establish tax incentives to encourage the creation of fuel, the purchase and development of hydrogen vehicles and the construction of a network of fueling stations.

As work continues on hydrogen technologies, Bush and Congress can take other important steps. They include the long-overdue toughening of federal fuel-efficiency standards for sport utility vehicles and light trucks.

The Bush administration has resisted even incremental changes in fuel efficiency that can have a significant impact on domestic oil consumption and reduce reliance on international oil markets. By reversing his opposition, the president can demonstrate the sincerity of his commitment to clean air and energy conservation.