NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURE: Osnabrock rep: Turn wind into hydrogen
North Dakota could be a leader in producing hydrogen for fuel cells
By Xiao Zhang
Herald Staff Writer
BISMARCK - Twenty-five years ago, a science teacher in Nekoma, N.D., had an idea for his school's science fair projects.
Today, as a state representative, David Monson is introducing the idea to the Legislature.
Monson, R-Osnabrock, is sponsoring a bill that would initiate a UND research project on the feasibility of producing hydrogen fuel from wind energy.
"Up in my corner of the state, we have lots of wind but no transmission lines," Monson said.
Electric transmission lines to carry wind energy to Minneapolis and Chicago are costly to build, but using wind energy to produce hydrogen would make that energy portable, he said.
The bill, HB1378, was heard Friday in the House Natural Resources Committee.
Monson said fuel cells, with hydrogen as a fuel source, are being considered seriously across the country. He cited Tuesday's State of the Union Address, in which President George W. Bush pledged money for fuel cell research. He also noted that U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., is advocating efforts to develop fuel cell technology for cars.
The bill originally proposed that the Energy and Environmental Research Center at UND would conduct the study, which resulted in a cost estimate of $50,000.
After learning from EERC that the center would expect to be paid for the study, Monson proposed that UND or North Dakota State University graduate students do the study instead.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Monson said he won't allocate any money for the project. But he believes in the value of such research.
Said Monson, "This is a very viable idea for North Dakota, especially with the wind resources that we have."
grandforks.com
I know how they could ship it.
Del |
