Hydrogen Budding in New England

Hydrogen refueling stations and the idea of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are taking root in New England, which surprisingly, given the region’s technology and innovation prowess, has lagged behind the leaders, California and the Mid-Atlantic states. The Public Works Dept. in Hampden, Conn., has one now to fuel public transit vehicles and Nuvera, a fuel cell company, opened a PowerTap station in Billerica, Mass. What’s more, a DOT-backed 31-stop/18-state tour of FCVs from nine manufacturers just kicked off in Portland, Maine.

So hydrogen doubters, take note: the momentum is building. It’s too early for FCVs to put a dent in gasoline consumption, but they will. Crude is falling (it’s up $3 today to $116), and in a lasting sense, the decline is driven by consumers abandoning SUVs, pickup and gas-guzzling sedans for more fuel efficient vehicles (a point which seems to have been overlooked).