Lipinski: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels Will Promote Energy Independence and Cost Savings
NAPERVILLE, IL - Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-IL) spoke in strong support of gasoline alternatives to power our transportation needs at today’s hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Science’s Subcommittee on Energy. The hearing focused on the commercialization and development progress of alternative vehicles and fuels.
"Working families, small businesses, and consumers in the Third District and across the country are feeling the pinch of high gas prices, with no end in sight," said Lipinski. "As the President has stated, we are addicted to oil. This addiction threatens our national security, environment and public health, as well as our pocketbooks. Alternative vehicles, like hybrid or electric cars, and alternative fuels, such as ethanol and hydrogen, will help us lower costs and lessen our dependence on foreign oil."
"Hydrogen is an especially promising energy source," stated Lipinski. "It has great potential to supply much of our transportation energy needs and be environmentally friendly when produced from renewable fuels. I am pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed hydrogen legislation."
Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed hydrogen legislation co-sponsored by Congressman Lipinski. H.R. 5143, The H-Prize Act of 2006, establishes competitively-awarded cash prizes for scientific breakthroughs in the advancement of hydrogen energy technology.
There are other forms of alternative vehicles and fuels already on American streets, helping individuals and companies lower their fuel costs and emissions. Fuels such as ethanol and other biofuels produce much lower polluting emissions and are made here in the USA. Unfortunately, these fuels are nearly impossible to find across much of the country and not all cars can handle them. Some cars already use hybrid technology to use previously wasted energy to increase gas mileage. However, these cars are still more expensive then their standard counterpart and are less than five percent of the US car market.
"I am proud to drive an American made hybrid car, which has served me very well," added Lipinski. "However, neither hybrids nor any one solution will solve all of our transportation energy needs and we must continue to look for new technologies."
"Research and development, along with creative ideas like the H-Prize, will help us harness American intellect and ingenuity to solve the energy challenges that face this country," stated Lipinski. "We must continue to invest in research and development to provide for our energy needs for the future. Otherwise, we will be no better off 20 years from now than we are today, and likely we will be much worse off."
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