Montana Legislature asked to fund hydrogen study

If you ask Paul Williamson, he’ll tell you that Montana could lead the way in a hydrogen revolution. Now, he just has to convince the Legislature that his idea can work.

By MARTIN J. KIDSTON, IR Staff Writer

Williamson, the dean of the College of Technology in Missoula, stood before the Federal Relations, Energy and Telecommunications Committee Monday, asking members to support HB 377, which would allow the state to issue $30 million in bonds to create the Hydrogen Futures Park.

"It’s seed money to get business into the state," Williamson said. "The park will operate as a funnel — as a gateway for hydrogen development in Montana."

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Cindy Younkin, R-Bozeman, would authorize the board of examiners to issue and sell general obligation bonds, not exceeding $30 million, to educate a workforce skilled in carrying out a hydrogen-based economy.

The bonds could also be used to finance the infrastructure and purchase equipment for the Hydrogen Futures Park, which would be based in Missoula.

Williamson, who refers to Montana as the Saudi Arabia of the hydrogen market, is hoping to convince the state to support the park. If the plan is successful, he said, and the state climbs aboard the technological wave, the financial rewards could be high.

"We’re making progress slowly — I didn’t expect anything to happen overnight," Williamson said. "Montana is poised to be a national leader in the hydrogen field. We have on our doorstep a golden opportunity."

Williamson said the park would begin as a model in Missoula before spreading across the state, where different schools would pursue their vocational strengths.

Backers of the park have cited Canada and its burgeoning hydrogen industry, which has created $97 million in revenue and more than 1,700 new jobs spread across 28 hydrogen-based businesses.

This year, Canada expects that growth to continue with revenues reaching $165 million and 2,600 hydrogen-based jobs.

"The biggest thing about hydrogen production is that one leg of the stool is missing," Williamson said. "Right now, there is no large producer of hydrogen, and that’s the key. If we start moving in that direction, we can carve out a niche in the market and create a strong economy."

Williamson said funding exists to explore technologies needed to generate hydrogen, including coal gasification, petroleum reforming, biomass burning, and electrolysis of water. Renewable resources, such as wind and sun, could also play a role.

"We need to use our renewable resources, that’s a key," Williamson said. "But we can’t leave behind or forget our other resources in coal and methane."

Williamson said Montana is uniquely poised to produce, market and distribute hydrogen fuel, bolstering its economy and providing technical jobs in the process. Younkin’s bill notes that Montana lags behind the nation in average per capita income, has no fiscal driver for its economy, and that its natural resources are being shipped out of state in raw form.

The bill also notes that Montana is the only state in the nation with all the natural resources necessary to place it in the lead in the production of hydrogen and hydrogen-based products.

Rich in oil, gas, coal, wind, biomass, water, solar, carbon and platinum, the state could drive a hydrogen revolution, Williamson said.

According to Brookhaven Labs, Montana’s annual hydrogen production potential stands in excess of 1.72 trillion cubic feet each year, which translates to more than $7.4 billion.

Reporter Martin Kidston can be reached at 447-4086, or by e-mail at [email protected].

http://helenair.com/articles/2003/02/04/montana/a01020403_05.txt