The US Department of Energy (DoE) wants more private-sector fuel -cell projects along with cost-share projects now proceeding through demonstration phases.

DoE's office of energy efficiency and renewable energy is interested in industry feedback on the initiatives and seeks to validate potential value propositions.

Among the fuel cells program targets: increased productivity and lower cost versus battery power.

Some of the funding came from the USD787-billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, but "we hope to get out of Recovery Act projects," says Rick Farmer, the office's fuel cells program manager. "We would like to back away from having to prime the pump."

The establishment of hydrogen infrastructure at operational fuel cell refueling sites is proving costly and prompting an exploration of alternative power sources. "We are looking at direct methanol or liquid alcohol fuel cells as a way around that," says Pete Devlin, the program's manufacturing research and development and market transformation team leader. Either is "cheaper and easier" than hydrogen and involves a liquid tank rather than a gas tank.

The DoE, fuel cell providers and hydrogen suppliers are involved with forklift-intense pilot programs in various stages at the US Defence Logistics Agency's Susquehanna distribution depot in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania; the defence depot at Warner Robins, Georgia; the US Army's Fort Lewis in Pierce County, Washington; and the San Joaquin Valley defence depot in Tracy, California (Forkliftaction.com News #405).

The Susquehanna demonstration project has 40 fuel cell-powered forklifts now and plans to add 20 more forklifts, according to Devlin. Getting to 60 units, however, might not work in a commercial setting.

Farmer's organisation envisions the federal government's deployment of fuel cell-powered forklifts as a way to lead by example and wants to see more private-industry fuel-cell adoption such as the new Joliet, Illinois distribution centre of Central Grocers Inc (Forkliftaction.com News #404) and the Pottsville, Pennsylvania retail service centre of Wegmans Food Markets Inc (Forkliftaction.com News #426).