Energy department awards $3M for solar hydrogen technology project

Nov. 24, 2004 — The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $3 million to an academic-industrial group to commercially develop solar hydrogen production technology and create a hydrogen refilling station, according to a news release.

Firms involved include Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTI, News Web) and Hydrogen Solar LLC, a subsidiary of Hydrogen Solar Ltd. UK. Academic partners include University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Research Foundation and Center for Energy Research.

The grant calls for developing Hydrogen Solar’s Tandem Cell, which converts light and water directly into hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen Solar has developed photocatalytic nanocrystalline thin films for the Tandem Cell, and Altair plans to use its nanomaterial synthesis technology to lower the costs and boost the performance of the thin films.

The university’s foundation already has begun work on the hydrogen filling station in Las Vegas. The project’s ultimate goal is to rapidly commercialize alternative energy vehicles throughout Nevada, and ultimately the rest of the United States, the release said.

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