U.S. and Europe officially create the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy

Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, joined by ministers representing 14 nations and the European Commission, has signed an agreement formally establishing the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE). Abraham called for the creation of the IPHE in his speech to the International Energy Agency Ministerial in Paris last April.

"The vision of the (IPHE) is that a participating country's consumers will have the practical option of purchasing a competitively priced hydrogen power vehicle, and be able to refuel it near their homes and places of work, by 2020," Abraham said.

Representatives from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Commission, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States joined in formally creating the IPHE. The countries share a common interest in precompetitive research and development cooperation that will support the future deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

The IPHE will provide an international mechanism to organize, evaluate and coordinate multinational research, development and deployment programs that advance the transition to a global hydrogen economy. See www.energy.gov.