Philippines: Arroyo Visit Reinvigorates 400-Year Ties With Spain

President Arroyo, escorted by Spanish King Juan Carlos I, troops the line of the Royal Honor Guards during the arrival honors and welcome ceremony for the President at the Palacio Real de el Pardo Front Courtyard

Mike Cohen, Pacific News Center Correspondent 05.DEC.07
5:19 p.m. Manila - Philippine-Spanish relations have moved forward in the wake of a four-day state visit to Madrid by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"Spain has always defended my government, and once again, we are seeking the support of the Spanish government and business community to help us realize our vision of a modern Philippines in 20 years," the President said during a meeting with the leaders of Spain's Senate at the Plaza
de la Marina Espanola.

Escorted through Madrid's traffic-heavy streets by a contingent of Palace guards, national security officers and members of the municipal police, the President met with Spain's congressional leaders after the welcome ceremonies for her at the Palacio Real de El Pardo. The President, who speaks fluent Spanish, said "Our four-day state visit here reaffirms the deep historical, cultural, economic and
political ties between the Philippines and Spain."

She informed the Spanish legislators that she had directed government colleges and universities in the Philippines to reintegrate the Spanish language in their curricula. President Arroyo expressed her appreciation for the assistance Spain has extended to her administration in the fight against terrorism, particularly in Mindanao.

She said that now is the best time for Spanish business leaders to invest in the Philippines, particularly in renewable energy development, tourism and agriculture. President Arroyo also informed the Spanish legislators that through the initiative of Sen. Edgardo Angara, a member of her official delegation, she has declared June 30 of every year as the Fil-Hispano Day as a tribute to the shared history, values and traditions of the two nations.

Spanish Senate President Senor Don Francisco Rojo presented to President Arroyo a Senate Medal and a copy of the Atlas of the Iberian Peninsula and Spanish Overseas Territories, while Senor Manuel Marin Gonzales, president of Spain's Chamber of Deputies, presented her a Congressional Medal and a copy of the Spanish Constitution of 1812.

Rojo said the Philippines is a country to which the Spanish people "feel so much sentiment."

He echoed the President's previous statement that economic prosperity can only be achieved in a peaceful and stable environment, citing Spain's own experience with terrorism.

The Spanish Senate leader also expressed gratitude to the Philippine Senate's ratification of the Treaty on the Exchange of Sentenced Prisoners (TESP) between the two countries.

From the Senate, the President proceeded to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Plaza de Lealtad to lay a wreath before her private lunch with their Majesties King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia at the Palacio de la Zarzuela, the official residence of the King and Queen.

Spain: "Bullish on RP investments"

"The business community in is bullish on the Philippines as some companies here have already signified their interests in investing in the country," according to Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila.

Favila, who is among those accompanying Arroyo in her four-day state visit to Spain, said he had talked with executives of two business groups here who are planning to invest in shipping, food and beverage industries in the Philippines. "It's still exploratory but they have signified their interests," Favila said.

The San Miguel Corp. in Spain said they are interested to develop with San Miguel Philippines its new non-alcoholic beer. Another venture, the CMA-CGM, the world's third largest container shipping line, is keen on pouring its money into the Batangas Port. The full development of Batangas Port is needed to carry out the President's super regions economic grouping, as it plays a critical role in the economic and social development of the forelands such as Mindoro. Also, it is the primary port in the area used in the transfer of goods such as agricultural produce that includes copra, cement and logs to the market. The Batangas Port is also an important link in the President's Nautical Highway project. Favila said more meetings are scheduled with Spanish business leaders in a move to lure more investments.

Royal Honors for Arroyo

President Arroyo had a taste of the pomp and pageantry of royalty during the arrival ceremony given in her honor by Spanish King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia on Monday at the sprawling courtyard of the Palacio Real del El Pardo.

The President, dressed in a red coat paired with beige pump shoes, and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo were met by the King and Queen at the entrance to the Royal Palace.

Alighting from a vintage Rolls Royce, the President, the First Gentleman and the Royal Couple engaged in an animated conversation before trooping the line of the Palace guardsmen.

The band then played the national anthem of the Philippines, followed by the national anthem of Spain and the traditional 21-gun salute accorded to visiting heads of state.

After the introduction of her delegation to the King and Queen, the President and the First Gentleman were ushered to the Tribune of Honor where they viewed the parade of the Royal Honor Guards.

The welcome ceremony for the President and the First Gentleman, which lasted 40 minutes, followed the tradition of the royalties in honoring their guests, complete with guardsmen in elaborate costumes and horse-riding Palace guards.

The President arrived in Madrid Sunday afternoon for a four-day state visit to Spain upon the invitation of the King and Queen.

The President and the First Gentleman are staying at the Palacio Real de El Pardo, an old royal hunting lodge dating back to the period of the Hapsburgs and Franceso Sabatini in the 18th century.

Richly decorated with frescoes and tapestries, the Royal Palace is located in a 15-kilometer square wooded parkland known as the Monte de el Pardo, one of the largest natural areas north of Madrid.

King Juan Carlos: Praise for end of death penalty

President Arroyo on Monday night earned the praises of His Majesty King Juan Carlos I for the abolition of the death penalty in the Philippines last year.

"The Philippines returned on 24 June last year to the forefront of liberties and the defense of human rights with the abolition of the death penalty, a gesture which gave us great satisfaction," his
Majesty said in his speech at the gala dinner in honor of the President who is on a four-day state visit to Spain from Dec. 2 to 5.

His Majesty noted that the repeal of the capital punishment in the Philippines was one of the reasons the President would "deservedly" receive the University of Alcala de Henares Gold Medal Tuesday.

"The move was applauded by the international community and by Spain in particular, and for which you will tomorrow, and deservedly, receive the University of Alcala de Henares Gold Medal," he said.

At the same time, the King mentioned the estimated 50,000 Filipinos living and working in Spain. "May I address all our affection and gratitude to the large Philippine community living in Spain and contributing to our well-being," he said.

His Majesty said Spain was committed to help the Philippines achieve peace and progress.

"Your country has been and will continue to be a target of special attention by Spanish Cooperation in Asia…We wish to reiterate to you our willingness to actively back the peace processes you have begun," he said.

Quoting Filipino national hero Jose Rizal, who said that the Philippines was "the Pearl of the Orient Sea," His Majesty noted that his country's former colony was "privileged by nature."

He said the Philippines' "prudent and intelligent use" of its natural resources would guarantee sustainable development.

King Juan Carlos I toasted the President's "personal venture, and that of your husband, and the fraternal ties linking the Philippines and Spain."

In response, the President thanked King Juan Carlos I and his wife, Queen Sofia de Grecia, for the warm welcome she and her delegation received from the Spanish government and the Spanish people.

The President also spoke in fluent Spanish when she thanked the Spanish government for its continued support of her administration, which "represents constitutional order."

"My government has overcome the attempts of undemocratic [forces]. Ihope that Spain always continues to support my government," she added.

The President also said the relationship between the two countries was further enhanced by the presence of a large Filipino community in Spain.

"We are proud of their contributions to this country," she said.

Like King Juan Carlos I, the President quoted Rizal. "Espana esta allí, alli donde deja sentir su influencia bienhechora, y aunque desapareciese su bandera, quedaría su recuerdo, eterno, imperecedero. (Spain is there, there where she lets us feel her beneficent influence, and although her flag has disappeared, she would be left in our eternal memory)," she said, citing this quote from the Filipino Renaissance man whose works inspired the 1896 revolution against Spain.

The President also offered her condolences to the Spanish people for the death of a "guardia civil" (policeman) in the hands of the Basque separatist group ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or Basque for "Basque Homeland and Freedom"). ETA has been banned as a terrorist organization by both the Spanish and French authorities as well as the European Union, the United States, and the United Nations.

The President also mentioned the Philippines’ ratification of the Treaty for the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and her directive ordering the promotion of the Spanish language throughout the country. She talked of the various opportunities for trade and investments in the
Philippines. The President toasted to Their Majesties' "health, well-being, and happiness."

The menu at the gala dinner included potato cream with mild olive oil, medley of vegetables with cured beef, hake (a kind of fish) in two wines with fried spinach leaf, and chocolate brownie to be washed down with aged dry sherry, Vina Mein 2006, Hacienda Monasterio 2001 Reserve, and Gran Juve y Camps Grand Reserve. Music at the gala dinner was provided by the Royal Guard, led by its
director, Music Colonel Francisco Grau Vegara. Their pieces included 1492, Filipinas y Espana, Gigantes y Cabezudos, Musicales en Madrid, Serenata Filipina, Pepita Jimenez, Los Ultimos de Filipinas, and Aida.
- Pacific News Center International

RP broadband

Basketball, Broadband, and, Beyond

September 30th, 2007 · No Comments

As I watched the U.A.A.P. coverage between Ateneo vs. DLSU, in the games on TV’s Studio 23, I couldn’t help but think of the comparison of the two deals of ZTE and ‘the Joey’ one, both moving down to the wire and both ending in close fights. But unlike in the Basketball fight, the broadband […]

[Read more →]

A story I wrote for a Guam based website that i think is what may from the sources I interviewed a likely outcome of the crisis in Burma.

Burma Crisis: Drug flood fears across region

PNC Special Report: Myanmar Crisis

The U.S. State Department released its International Narcotics report for 2008, which warns that the political problems in Burma are leaving drug production centers unchecked, and corruption problems in government mean that it has become Asia’s central distribution area for meth pills and production point for many criminal trafficking groups. Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. West Coast could feel the impact

“Burma’s military regime has not made the necessary efforts to curb production and has also been very lackluster in the areas of demand reduction,” Christy McCampbell , Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs told reporters at a briefing.
Worse, even prior to the crisis, there seemed to be little effort to stem the trade and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) believes this may indicate large scale participation of security forces in the protection of the production center, “We think these are important, interdiction that’s very important and combating corruption. ” McCampbell added.

CRISIS DEEPENING TENSION RISING

On the streets of what the military junta calls, Yangoon, Myanmar, there is fear. Last Thursday night, reports of arrests and deaths surfaced, as a crackdown began against over 100,000 people who had been filling the streets daily in protest. Led by Buddhist monks, the brave marched in over violent dispersals from an earlier smaller march. There is mass anger over fuel price increases that have hit the poor, and most Burmese, hard.

The marches in Yangoon were seeking a formal apology from the country’s military rulers, as earlier protests had been met by military force. It all started on August 15th when the Myanmar government raised the price of fuel by 500%, taking away subsidies that had kept life liveable for the poorest of the people once called Burmese.

“This sparked a series of peaceful demonstrations all over the country, beginning with demonstrations in Rangoon, now called Yangon, the former capital of the country. They have since spread to Pakokku and Mandalay in Northern Burma.” Free Foreign Policy center reported Thursday, “In Pakokku, Buddhist monks reportedly took army officers hostage for a few hours, then in Mandalay, where traditionally monks have been highly politicized and aware, the army has units surrounding the city in readiness for an inevitable clampdown.”

The US government and European Union have warned Myanmar’s military rulers to respect human rights, allow the will of the people and free elected leaders it has kept under house arrest for nearly two decades. Burma’s government had earlier been hit hard by the United States a week ago when it was named a major narcotics producer.

‘MAJOR’ NARCOTICS PRODUCING COUNTRY

Burma’s narcotics labs produce a blended pill form of crystal methamphetamine – Yaba, Ecstasy, and other street terms - and continues to be a major source of problems for the Asia Pacific region, so reports the U.S. DEA.

In the recent briefing held in Washington D.C., Burma’s drugs are trans-shipped though other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, the Philippines, and Cambodia, and onto Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI). The State Department says it continues to be a threat to the people of Guam, Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States.

“Burma is the largest source of methamphetamine pills in Asia and pill production continues to grow.” McCampbell pointed to a marked shift in Burma from opium to ‘meth pills’ and ‘ice’ production, “The country’s declining poppy cultivation has been matched by a sharp increase in methamphetamine production.”

Burma was singled out in the report along with Venezuela, but the Burmese problem is more directly effecting Americans living in the Pacific Rim, with drug trafficking organizations believed using the American Pacific islands, Guam, the CNMI, and Hawaii as larger dollar earning markets for the products they make. Pill form methamphetamine, is often considered by drug enforcement agencies as the most deadly, often causing severe mental side effects and instant addiction. Burma’s continued failure to act on its growing role as a narcotics trade center will lead to the imposition of trade and economic penalties under U.S. law.

DEA Issues warning to Law Enforcement to expect more ‘Burma pills’

The DEA reports, “Methamphetamine tablets are produced primarily in Burma and usually contain a combination of powder methamphetamine and caffeine.” Description and types of pills seized over the years vary, “Methamphetamine tablets found in the United States typically are green or orange-red in color, imprinted with a variety of symbols, most commonly WY or R.

“The pills are approximately the size of a pencil eraser.” The use often varies. “Methamphetamine tablets typically are ingested orally and often are flavored and scented like candy grape, orange, or vanilla.” Tablets also are smoked by placing the tablet on a piece of aluminum foil and passing a heat source underneath the foil until the tablet melts and vapors - which are inhaled -are released.

Regional narcotics experts fear that with the Burmese military engaged in a crackdown on dissidents, there may be a rise in the smuggling operations of pill-based and more traditional opium deliveries along the ‘Golden Triangle’. - PNC International

Cell Phone Stuff i never knew..well sorta didn't know...

Emergency

THE CLAIM: The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked.

THE FACTS: Calling 112 on your cell phone will (in some parts of the world, primarily Europe) connect you to local emergency services, even if you are outside your provider's service area (i.e., even if you are not authorized to relay signals through the cell tower that handles your call), and many cell phones allow the user to place 112 calls even if the phone lacks a SIM card or its keypad is locked. However, the 112 number does not have (as is sometimes claimed) special properties that enable callers to use it in areas where all cellular signals are blocked (or otherwise unavailable).


Have you locked your keys in the car?

THE CLAIM: Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday.

Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

THE FACTS: Cars with remote keyless entry (RKE) systems cannot be unlocked by relaying a key fob transmitter signal via a cellular telephone. RKE systems and cell phones utilize different types of signals and transmit them at different frequencies.


Hidden Battery Power

THE CLAIM: Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370#

Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.


THE FACTS: The claim that pressing the sequence *3370# will unleash "hidden battery power" in a cell phone seems to be a misunderstanding of an option available on some brands of cell phone (such as Nokia) for Half Rate Codec, which provides about 30% more talk time on a battery charge at the expense of lower sound quality. However, this option is enabled by pressing the sequence *#4720# — the sequence *3370# actually enables Enhanced Full Rate Codec, which provides better sound quality at the expense of shorter battery life.

Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF): ‘Philippines 9 dead in Dengue epidemic?’

August 20th, 2006t

Reports from the wire services seem to say something we have NOT heard pronounced yet in the official circles about an epidemic.- there have been epidemics in the past.

“ Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), a potentially lethal complication, was first recognized in the 1950s during the dengue epidemics in the Philippines and Thailand, but today DHF affects most Asian countries and has become a leading cause of hospitalisation and death among children in several of them. “ -WHO

RELATED LINKS

- Dengue haemorrhagic fever: diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control
Information on dengue, including a list of those countries where outbreaks have occurred
- Dengue

People I work with; and those I know have had several cases reported in many schools around metro manila - and elsewhere - some have also had these cases heard of in large numbers in Malabon and Pangasinan yet there seems to be no major effort to raise an alarm.

More so say experts because the best thing here is for people not to panic - Dengue is curable if caught in time - but it is not something to be taken lightly.

[] …” Pangasinan dismisses dengue fears ABS CBN News, Philippines -Health officials in Pangasinan have allayed fears of a dengue outbreak after at least nine people died of dengue in the last six weeks, ANC reported Sunday. ... ” [] [] …” Dengue epidemic kills 9 in Philippines People's Daily Online, China -At least nine people were killed by a dengue epidemic in the province of Pangasinan 150 kilometers north of Manila in the past six weeks, the Philippine News ” []

While Government seems to be taking the issue as part of the usual season of dengue - it is after all endemic to the country - what is it ? Why is there not so many worries? Well medical reports do clearly show that if tested properly and taken care of at first notice the survival rate is high - with less than 1% resulting in death. But, that is the key- early detection - survival rate is 80 per cent if not taken into consideration and treated at home. the bottom line is those who are more affected are those people who in the danger group.

The world health organization has extensive information on the disease - and also the information that all parents should be aware of or those who have senior citizens in their homes since the two elderly and very young are the most susceptible to the disease.

Characteristics

Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death.

The clinical features of dengue fever vary according to the age of the patient. Infants and young children may have a non-specific febrile illness with rash. Older children and adults may have either a mild febrile syndrome or the classical incapacitating disease with abrupt onset and high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rash.

Dengue haemorrhagic fever is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, haemorrhagic phenomena–often with enlargement of the liver–and in severe cases, circulatory failure. The illness commonly begins with a sudden rise in temperature accompanied by facial flush and other non-specific constitutional symptoms of dengue fever. The fever usually continues for two to seven days and can be as high as 40-41°C, possibly with febrile convulsions and haemorrhagic phenomena.

In moderate DHF cases, all signs and symptoms abate after the fever subsides. In severe cases, the patient’s condition may suddenly deteriorate after a few days of fever; the temperature drops, followed by signs of circulatory failure, and the patient may rapidly go into a critical state of shock and die within 12-24 hours, or quickly recover following appropriate volume replacement therapy.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. However, careful clinical management by experienced physicians and nurses frequently saves the lives of DHF patients. With appropriate intensive supportive therapy, mortality may be reduced to less than 1%. Maintenance of the circulating fluid volume is the central feature of DHF case management.

news, News and politics, china, asia, Views, philippines, Filipino, freedom of speech, Global Warming, Pinoy, free speech, Palawan, Makati, filipino-american, biird flu, Arroyo, Dengue haemorrhagic fever, Dengue fever, haemorrhagic fever

Help Lebanon:Manila based aid group for OFW’s & Lebanese

At a meeting held in Manila’s Makati district groups of Filipino & Expat organizations are working together to seek out ways they can Helpl

The goal is to find ways to assist people in Lebanon by doing their part to make themselves available for those people in need. It’s not Politics, here or there.

But just people trying to help those both from there and here and families they worked for… Or companies that provided lively-hood to thirty thousand filipino’s get back on their feet.

In so many disasters here in the Philippines I have covered - both the man made and natural kind - people in places in Lebanon and the middle east did their part by making donations to the red cross and red crescent to assist people in the Philippines in their time of need - so now this group says it is time for them in their own way to their part. As those who can in some way or service or kind do their part to help people there regardless of ideology or faith or political color rebuild their lives after this war that has brought so much of the tragic things that Wars brings - they hope to do their part as well.

MikeinManila gives it’s space- to this and re-posts here the link and ways to reach this group.

God Bless all…

Mike

THE HELP LEBANON MEETING:

	Honorary Consulate of Lebanon, Manila Philippine National Red Cross With the assistance of International SOS IConnect Inc. Philippines

Lebanon: saving lives and restoring human dignity

The ongoing conflict in Lebanon is a human catastrophe with hundreds of civilians reported dead, thousands injured and hundreds of thousands displaced. The Lebanese Red Cross Society, through the efforts of its volunteers and with the full support of the ICRC, continues to help the most vulnerable. A report from the ICRC’s Marko Kokic and Ayad Al Mounzer of the Lebanese Red Cross.

A long prayer rings out through loudspeakers across the centre of Beirut. The sombre tone is in keeping with the city’s mood. Streets normally packed with people and traffic remain quiet. Many shops are closed. In the few that remain open, televisions bring today’s news of another day of fighting, another day of horror.

Images of dead and injured civilians caught in the crossfire and the heroic efforts of Lebanese Red Cross paramedics feature on the news bulletins every day. First on the scene, volunteer paramedics rescue the living and recover the dead. Their work is fraught with peril, with only the Red Cross emblem to protect them.

A recent incident proved just how dangerous their work can be. A rocket tore through the roof of an ambulance transporting the injured. It blew a melon-sized hole through the centre of the Red Cross emblem on top of the ambulance. Paramedics suffered minor wounds but a patient lost his leg in the incident.

Red Cross paramedics transport the seriously injured to Beirut’s hospitals. Thousands of civilians have already been wounded. One of them is nine-year old Samah Chihab who is recovering in Beirut Governmental University Hospital. A bomb cut her down as she played in front of her house in the town of Tyre.

The hospital is modern and well equipped but understaffed.

“We have received medical supplies, but no direct medical assistance,” explains Assistant General Manager, Bilal Masri, “Right now we are working at thirty percent of our capacity in terms of human resources because staff have been unable to reach the hospital”.

Many people have already fled raging battles in the south while others remain trapped. Leaving can be as dangerous as staying. Bombed cars litter the road leading south. Some still contain bodies but the security situation in many areas is still too dangerous for Red Cross volunteers to recover them.

An estimated million civilians have been displaced, many taking shelter in schools and other public buildings. Hassan Mohammed Abadi and his family are camped out in a school on Mount Lebanon near Beirut. They arrived only days ago from their southern village of Yatir where they remained amidst the fighting for almost two weeks. When it became unbearable they took a chance and fled, taking only what they could carry.

For those who are seeking to *restore* *contact* *with family members* who may have been impacted by the conflict, please click *HERE *to go to the International Committee of the Red Cross special web site called Family Links.

If you are reading this in a country other than the Philippines and wish to contribute to this effort, kindly contact the RED CROSS or RED CRESCENT society in you country of residence. For a complete list of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies throughout the world, please click *HERE*.

All donations are handled by the Philippine National Red Cross and are coursed
through the International Committee of the Red Cross to the Red Cross in Lebanon.
Donations are used solely by the Red Cross for humanitarian purposes.

For details on how you can HELP LEBANON!,
call the HELP LEBANON! HOTLINE at +632-6334060.
The HELP LEBANON! HOTLINE is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Best bet for H2 fuel comes from son of Texas Oilman?

I don't know whatever other legacy the bush administration will have- But if this son of texas Oilman who also himself worked for a Oil comnpany can pull off a H2 ecconomy...

oh well...

here's the speech-

2:41 P.M. PDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. (Applause.) Mr. Secretary. I'm really pleased to have Norman Mineta in my Cabinet. He is a really good guy. And I thank you for your service, friend, and thank you for being here to share in this testimony to what technology is going to do for our country to make it a better place for all of us to live.

First of all, happy Earth Day to you. It's a good place to spend Earth Day, here in California. I got to spend the first part of my day riding a mountain bike in Napa Valley -- it's a good place to ride. (Laughter.) A little hillier than I would have liked. (Laughter.) But it's a spectacular way to commune with nature. And I really appreciate you coming. I want all of us to understand that we have a serious responsibility to be good stewards of our land. And this is a day we unite together to recommit ourselves to be good stewards of our land.

I appreciate the good stewardship -- commitment to good stewardship at the heart of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. I bet a lot of our citizens don't understand what goes on here. This is a really interesting collaborative effort between automakers and energy companies and fuel cell technology companies and state and federal agencies, all united toward a great mission, which is to make hydrogen-powered automobiles and trucks and buses a reality for American drivers. And that will help us be good stewards of the environment, and that will help us become less dependent on foreign sources of oil.

Today I saw cars and buses that run on hydrogen instead of gasoline, and that emit pure water instead of exhaust fumes. This nation does not have to choose between a strong economy and a clean environment; we can have both at the same time. And investing in new technologies like hydrogen will enable this economy to be strong, people to be able to afford fuel, this country's national security not dependent on parts of the world that are unstable. And technology will once again make this country the leader in the world, and that's what we're here to celebrate.

And I want to thank Catherine Dunwoody, the executive director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. I appreciate your commitment. You know, you can tell when somebody is pretty enthusiastic about what she's doing, a true believer. And she's a believer because she's not only a person with vision, but she is a practical person. And she has seen firsthand the progress being made.

I want to thank Congressman John Doolittle, and Julie, for being here. And I also want to thank Congressman Dan Lundgren. Thank you all for joining us today. I appreciate your interest. (Applause.)

I want to thank the members and representatives of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. I want to thank the three guys from Ford Motor Company for giving me a tour. One guy was here, he's been 40 years, I think, at Ford? And here he is, describing what it's like to maintain a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. I bet you didn't think you'd be talking about that 10 years ago, 20 years ago, maybe five years ago. Things are changing for the better. And we're here to celebrate this nation's desire to improve the quality of life.

I would like to report to you on Earth Day that America's air is cleaner, our water is purer and the land is better cared for. And that's important for people to know. Over the past five years things have improved with air, land and water. And we're setting tough standards when it comes to air quality. We're implementing clean air rules that will reduce power plant pollution by 70 percent. We've established the first-ever national cap on mercury emissions from power plants, which will result in nearly a 70 percent decrease in those emissions, as well.

Two years ago I announced an important goal, and that is to end the no net loss policy of wetlands in the United States, and increase wetlands in this country. I set a goal to restore, improve and protect at least 3 million acres of wetlands over the next five years. So far we've restored, improved and protected 1.8 million acres of wetlands. We're doing our part with the federal government. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of our air, and our water, and our land.

You know, flying in here, Congressman Lundgren pointed out all the different farms. And I want to thank the farmers and ranchers for being good stewards of the land, as well. They've got a lot at stake when it comes to being mindful of maintaining good land practices. I don't know if you realize this or not, but in the farm bill we signed, and Congress passed, we provide about $40 billion over a 10-year period to encourage our farmers and ranchers to protect wildlife and conserve our natural resources.

Flying over the mountain ranges we saw the forests. In Washington, we passed the Healthy Forest Initiative, which will help us clear out dangerous underbrush that will help reduce the risk of catastrophic fires. We've got some common sense, practical things we're doing in Washington that I think the -- I know the American people expect us to do.

You know, riding my bike today in the park reminded me of how important it is to make sure those parks are maintained and accessible to the American people. After all, it's your park system. We pledged $5 billion -- $4.9 billion over five years to reduce the maintenance backlog in national parks, and we're honoring that commitment.

I'll tell you something I find very interesting. In the 36 years since the first Earth Day, air pollution in America has been reduced by 50 percent -- yet, our economy has tripled in size during that time. And there's one main reason why, and that's because of technology. We're a technologically competent nation. We must always be on the leading edge of research and development in this country if we expect to be good stewards of the environment and make sure our people are able to find good work. That's the challenge.

And so today we're here to honor a group of folks who are employing technology, using new ideas to help change the face of America. And it's important work we're doing here because we've got a real problem when it comes to oil. We're addicted, and it's harmful for the economy, and it's harmful for our national security, and we've got to do something about it in this country.

And so I want to share some ideas with you about what we can and must do. First of all, I understand the folks here, as well as other places in the country, are paying high gas prices. And you are because the primary component of gasoline is crude oil. And we live in a global marketplace, and when the demand for crude oil goes up in China or India, fast-growing economies, if the corresponding supply doesn't meet that demand, the price of gasoline is going to go up here in America. The American people have got to understand what happens elsewhere in the world affects the price of gasoline you pay here.

When that price of gasoline goes up, it hurts working people. It hurts our small businesses. And it's a serious problem we've got to do something about. The federal government has a responsibility, by the way, to make sure there is no such -- there is no price gouging, and we're watching real careful to make sure that people are treated fairly.

We're going to have a tough summer because people are beginning to drive now during tight supply. The Energy Department predicts gas prices are going to go up. Part of the reason, of course, is the escalating price of crude oil. Another reason why is we haven't had any refinery capacity in the United States in a long period of time. When you don't have refining capacity and demand goes up, you're going to see a price increase. And so this country has got to be wise about how we permit refineries, and encourage additional refining capacity, as well as, you know well in this state, we're changing the fuel mixes from MPBE to ethanol.

It was right to get rid of MPBE -- MPBE was polluting water. It's a product that wouldn't bio-degrade. It was a -- it's a terrible pollutant. And we're replacing that with ethanol, but there's a transition period that has to take place. And all these factors remind us that we got to do something about our dependence on oil. That's what the lessons at the pump say today.

I told you about national security. Let me talk a little bit about that. We get a lot of our oil from places that are unstable, and we get our oil sometimes from people that don't particularly care for us. That's what I mean about national security problems. We do not want to be reliant upon unstable parts of the world. We don't want the lives of our people affected because some nation may not like us.

And so here's a strategy to deal with it: One, we're spending a lot of money at the federal level to encourage research and development, with the goal of getting away from oil. Spent $10 billion over the last five years to develop cleaner and cheaper and more reliable energy sources. The goal is, as I mentioned in my State of the Union, to promote hydrogen and hybrid vehicles and ethanol. In other words, what technology will enable us to do is change our driving habits, is to figure out new ways to utilize fuels so that they're not -- so we can get away from oil-based fuels.

I strongly believe hydrogen is the fuel of the future. That's what we're talking about. Hydrogen is used in a fuel cell that can power a car that uses no gasoline, produces no pollution or greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen vehicles can be twice as efficient as gasoline vehicles. Hydrogen can be produced from domestic energy sources, which means it has the potential -- a vast potential -- to dramatically cut our dependence on foreign oil.

Hydrogen is clean; hydrogen is domestically produced; and hydrogen is the wave of the future. And the people here at the California Fuel Cell Partnership understand that.

What's interesting is that they're -- because of this collaborative effort, there are now 100 hydrogen-powered vehicles on California roads. That may not seem a lot to some of you, but what you're witnessing here is the beginning of a major change in the driving habits of the American people. That's what you're seeing. We're in a facility that is just at the beginning stage of some of the most exciting technological changes this country will ever see. Hydrogen cars are being used by companies like UPS, the governments of San Francisco and Los Angeles, UC-Davis and Irvine.

I met the bus man here and -- where is Bus Man -- there he is, yes. He is one enthusiastic guy. (Laughter.) He is -- he truly believes that urban America is going to be transformed in a very positive way because of hydrogen-powered buses. And if you don't believe me, just ask him. (Laughter.)

We saw a fueling station today where vehicles come -- they come to -- they drive in here to get hydrogen. About 6,000 automobiles have been fueled at this station since it's been up and running. I appreciate Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's declaration that California plans to build a hydrogen highway. Of all the states in the United States that has been on the leading edge of technological change -- has been California. That's a positive declaration on his part. Basically what he's saying is, we want California to continue to lead this country when it comes to innovative change. And we support him.

I believe that today's children will one day take a driver's test in a hydrogen-powered, pollution-free car. That's the goal of the United States. And it's a big goal, but it's an attainable goal. All you got to do is look at the progress that has been made thus far. In 2003, I pledged that we would spend $1.2 billion over five years for hydrogen research and development, and we're on track to meet that goal.

One of the reasons I have come here is because I want the American people to understand that their tax dollars are yielding important results, that we are making progress, that the idea of having a hydrogen-powered automobile is not a foolish dream. It's a reality that is going to come to be. The funding is getting results. Since 2003, researchers have used federal funding to double the lifetime of the hydrogen fuel cell stacks that power cars. In order for this to work there has to be longevity -- you just can't be changing your fuel cell stacks all the time. There has to be durability in order for this to be a product that people will want to buy.

We've cut the cost of manufacturing hydrogen fuel cells in half. That's pretty rapid progress when you think the funding started in 2003, and the cost of the fuel cells have been reduced in half. And that is important. In order for this to become a part of life, these fuel cells have to be affordable. People have got to be able to buy them in order for them to be able to function properly. And we're making progress. We're heading for a hydrocarbon economy -- from a hydrocarbon economy to a hydrogen economy. And that's a very positive development.

There's another positive development taking place in America today, and that's the advent of the hybrid vehicle. And it's a good way to reduce our oil consumption right now. Hybrid vehicles have both a gasoline-powered engine and an electric battery, and they travel about twice as far on a gallon of fuel as gasoline-only vehicles. We can affect our dependence on oil by encouraging people to purchase hybrid vehicles. And that's why the federal government passed a law that says you get a tax credit of up to $3,400 for a hybrid vehicle purchase. In other words, we're trying to make it worthwhile for you to go out and purchase a hybrid vehicle through the use of a tax credit.

What's really going to be interesting, however, is what's called plug-in hybrid vehicles. And we're spending $31 million annually to speed up research into these battery technologies. And what this means is, is that we're trying to develop a battery that will power your vehicle, where you plug it in at night and you drive the first 40 miles on electricity alone. Now, think about what that means for big cities. A lot of people don't drive more than 40 miles a day in big cities. So all of a sudden you've now -- we're developing a technology that says you'll drive by the use of electricity, and you won't use gasoline at all.

And one way to affect consumption is to speed up the development of these plug-in hybrids, and we're doing just that at the federal level. It's a promising technology that will help people change the way they drive. It'll be a transition to the hydrogen fuel cell batteries.

Finally, I want to talk a little bit about ethanol. I'm a big proponent of ethanol. I like the idea of America's farmers being able to grow fuel. I like the idea of people saying, my corn crop is up and, therefore, we're less dependent on oil from somewhere. And that's what we're beginning to do. We're beginning to change driving habits of the American people by changing the fuel mix in their cars. Any vehicle can use ethanol with a concentration of less than 10 percent. With minor modifications, cars and trucks can become what's called flex-fuel vehicles that run on a fuel blend called E-85, which is a mix of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

And there are a lot of E-85 fueling stations now, particularly in the Midwest where they grow a lot of corn. But the idea is to be able to use your money to figure out how to use other materials to be able to manufacture ethanol. And we're close to some interesting breakthroughs; we're close to breakthroughs to be able to make ethanol from wood chips and stalks and switch grass, and other natural materials. And it makes a lot of sense if we're trying to get off oil, and it makes sense to use taxpayers' money to research ways to use switch grass, for example, to become a fuel for your automobile. I think it does.

Catherine reminded me, however, in my discussions with her that switch grass can also be used to manufacture hydrogen. She wanted me to make sure -- (laughter) -- that in my description of what is possible in the United States that we -- make sure one technology does not pirate money for another technology. And it's not going to happen. What's going to happen is we'll have research on all fronts to achieve a grand national objective. And there's no doubt in my mind we'll be able to achieve this objective.

We've done a lot of things in this country in the past. We've changed ways of life in -- to make life qualitatively better for American people because we're innovators and we're thinkers, and we get things done. And on this Earth Day, what I wanted to come to California to say is, we're in the process of dreaming big dreams for the American people, but dreams that will be accomplished. We can't lose our nerve. We shouldn't lose our vision. We should remember where we've been and where we're going. And we're going to a day, and no doubt in my mind, where the United States of America will not be dependent on oil, will be good stewards of the environment, which will benefit the quality of life of the American people.

Thank you for letting me come by to talk to you. God bless. (Applause.)

END 3:03 P.M. PDT

A interesint alternative to Diesel Buesses

Reposted - from : http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/12/fuelcell_bus_wo.html

Fuel-Cell Bus Workshop Focuses on Data Sharing, Commercial Viability and Infrastructure

DaimlerChrysler has the most fuel-cell buses in service: 36 Citaro units

As the Electric Drive Transportation Association Conference and Exposition was gearing up to open today in Vancouver’s Harborside Convention Center, the smaller—but no less important—3rd International Fuel-Cell Bus Workshop was winding down in the same venue.

About 65 industry leaders, government officials, and fuel-cell engineers had convened from around the world to review the state of the fuel cell bus today, and to work on three core issues: data sharing, commercial feasibility, and hydrogen infrastructure.

Hydrogen fuel-cell buses have begun to mature beyond simple demonstration projects, and are currently deployed on five continents, carrying more than ten thousand passengers per day along regular transit routes.

Worldwide, operational fuel cell buses include:

• 33 DaimlerChrysler Citaro buses, three of each which have been distributed to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Perth (Australia), Porto (Portugal), Reykjavik (Iceland), Stockholm, and Stuttgart, as part of the CUTE (Clean Urban Transport for Europe) program. Three additional Citaro fuel cell buses that will be operated by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) prior to and during the 2008 Olympics. (Earlier post.)

• Fuel cell buses operated by three public transit agencies in California: Oakland’s AC Transit, the Santa Clara Transit Authority, and Sunline Transit in Palm Desert. (Earlier post.) The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) has set a fuel cell bus target of two times conventional cost per bus with a six-year fuel cell stack life by 2010 to 2015.

• A fuel cell bus operated by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe in Berlin, which uses fueling stations built by energy companies Hydro, Linde, Aral, and TOTAL as part of Berlin’s Clean Energy Partnership project.

• A New Flyer fuel cell hybrid bus in New Flyer’s hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, using a Hydrogenics fuel cell stack and Maxwell ultracapacitors, all integrated by ISE. (Earlier post.)

• Eight Toyota/Hino fuel cell hybrid buses, which were used as shuttles during the 2005 Aichi World Exposition. (Earlier post.)

The layout of the New Flyer fuel cell-ultracapacitor hybrid bus. Click to enlarge.

In addition, British Columbia’s state-owned BC Transit intends to put 20 hydrogen fuel-cell buses into service throughout the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) in time for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

BC Transit does not view this as a demonstration project, but expects to run these buses well after the Olympics have ended. As Ron Harmer, Vice President of Technical Services for BC Transit remarked, “we keep our buses for twenty years here.”

One of the specifications in the preliminary RFP (Request For Proposals) is that all fuel cell buses be ready for retrofitting with commercially available conventional powertrains should the fuel cell systems prematurely fail. Five bus manufacturers and four hydrogen infrastructure suppliers responded to the first RFP in August. Funding for the project is due to be approved in March 2006, after which a second RFP will be issued. BC Transit will then select one bus and one fueling supplier by June 2006.

Whistler, a well-known ski resort north of Vancouver, has adopted aggressive sustainability issues that touch almost every aspect of community life, and is hosting all Nordic Olympic events in 2010.

The BC Hydrogen Highway

BC Transit is also developing its own Whistler-to-Victoria Hydrogen Highway project, one that could conceivably lengthen to connect with California’s own Hydrogen Highway, creating a “BC to BC”—Baja California to British Columbia—hydrogen corridor.

One potential hydrogen fueling station would use waste hydrogen from a Vancouver sodium chlorate plant, which currently releases enough hydrogen into the atmosphere to fuel 20,000 fuel cell cars per year, according to BC Transit. (Earlier post.)

Conference participants explored the complex but crucial issue of data sharing. With limited funding available for fuel cell bus projects, co-operation is necessary to avoid duplication of research.

As many projects are at least partially funded by the public, project managers are somewhat obliged to be transparent with as much data as the public requires. However, many research partners are also competitors with one another, and “fast followers”—companies that have not participated in the research—could well leapfrog project partners if too much proprietary information is shared and made public.

The conference also focused heavily on hydrogen fueling infrastructure roadblocks. Most of today’s hydrogen fueling stations can handle no more than a few vehicles per day—a refueling station for more than ten 40-foot buses, in the words of one official, “is a huge undertaking” with today’s technology. The scope of demonstration projects is often limited by the reliability of refueling facilities as well as availability of fuel.

Hydrogen fueling sources range from wind or solar electrolysis to steam reformation to just plain trucking the hydrogen to the station, which must then fuel prototype vehicles, rather than production machinery. As one engineer explained, “Today we build a refueling station, and by refueling prototypes, we learn how each vehicle’s compressor works—but by then, it’s too late” to avoid performance problems.

Fuel purity, which directly affects fuel cell stack life, remains a problem, as it cannot be measured during the fueling process. Engineers at the conference appeared to be moving away from the oft-quoted hydrogen purity ideal of “six nines”—99.9999%—in favor of specific purity levels for each fuel contaminant.

Although most of today’s fuel cell buses simply transmit electrical current from the fuel cell system to the vehicle”s electric drive, almost all key vehicle and component manufacturers agree that the next generation of fuel cell buses will be fuel-cell hybrids, which add a high-voltage battery pack or capacitor bank to capture, store, and release energy during vehicle operation.

It can be argued that—for multiple reasons—fuel cell hybrid buses show greater promise for commercialization in the near future than do light-duty personal fuel cell cars and trucks.

The modern transit bus costs less than a tenth of its fuel cell counterpart. That’s a sobering difference, but not nearly as much as the commonly estimated 100-to-1 difference in cost between a standard automobile and a car powered by a fuel cell.

Public transit also uses centralized fueling with a known level of demand, which makes the fueling infrastructure easier to build, and refueling is carried out by trained personnel rather than the general public.

More design space is available on a full-size (40-foot) bus for hydrogen tanks, and fuel cell buses are more readily accepted in residential areas that are averse to the noise of conventional buses. Finally, public transit already moves people more efficiently than the private auto, and a high-profile fuel cell bus can serve as an effective rolling advertisement for hydrogen fuel cell technology.

—Jack Rosebro

It being Earth Day and all I decided to drift through and find alternative energy ideas for Philippine life.
Hydrogen is probably the easiest thing to produce in a Archepeligo surrounded by water.
And to get around on water most os know who have ventured outside the Capital that the ever reliable "Pump Boat" so called for the gasoline or diesel small engines designed for irigation pumps on farms have been in use for decades.
Now - whats the connection you say?
How about a small engine that could be used for fishermen and farmers and the ever relaible Put-put's that work and toil the fields? No- way you counter? Well I hope Kobota or DA or DTI people read this post.

There is such a engine -

Hydrogen Engine Center Unveils 3-Cylinder, 2.4L Mini Oxx

April 01, 2006

Hydrogen Engine Center (HEC) unveiled its new Mini Oxx three-cylinder 2.4L engine at the Aviation Industry Expo in Las Vegas, Nev. The Mini Oxx is a compact version of HEC’s Oxx Power six-cylinder 4.9L engine—the company’s basic product. (Earlier post.)

HEC is targeting the 65hp (48.5kW) Mini Oxx for applications such as luggage tractors and other airport ground support equipment.

The new three-cylinder engine features interchangeable parts with its six cylinder counterpart.

We wanted the engines to share some of the same components to increase efficiency in production and maintenance. Seventy-two of the 81 parts used in the six cylinder, 4.9L engine are the same for the new three cylinder Mini Oxx and are interchangeable.

—Ted Hollinger, president of HEC

HEC Engines produced at HEC are sold under the Oxx Power brand. In addition to their gasoline engines, HEC developed a family of engines that use fuels such as hydrogen, natural gas, propane, and methane. The engines include the same essential technologies and can be converted to use hydrogen when it is available.

HEC has targeted production of the Mini Oxx to begin in the first quarter of 2007.

So perhaps someone ought to contact these people... hmmm.... a dual use Put-put, farm craft or other thing... the best people who have the imagination for this are in Cebu - the Norkis company and the little mini-cars and mini-jeepneys they have could all be ready to run on hydrogen.

Anyone.... i'm already on the Phone to buy stock!

More on the mis-named watercar- H2car

Looking further into the issue of Mr. Dingels water car- the problem he seems to have had is not explaining the process -
A presentation of his vehicle a few years back at the DOST - he came- showed his car and didn't go into the scientific aspects of what his car runs on.
a review by a panel showed and explaimed it further.
"Daniel Dingel car uses the process of electrolysis. In electrolysis, electric current is passed through an electrolyte which splits the water into oxygen and hydrogen."

more detail:

"The important thing to note about this is that, it is not water, per see, that makes the vehicle run. It is the hydrogen, the lightest known element on earth that burns like a LPG and gasoline, that makes the car run. Hydrogen can be extracted from water. Hydrogen can be produce by splitting water (H20) into hydrogen and oxygen. That is, one water molecule can produce two hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom.

This is what supposedly happening inside the engine of Daniel Dingel's car and any water fueled vehicles, a water inside the tank is splitted into oxygen and hydrogen, then the hydrogen will be feed to the engine, just like a gasoline and the engine will burn the hydrogen to run the vehicle. The exhaust of the vehicle powered by hydrogen is purely water vapor, so it is clean."

The problem with the concept is the name- Water Car- it isn't- it runs on hydrogen - spliting water into two parts and leaving behind a trail of water vapor. A simple device can do this- problem is why has it not been done before?

Well it has... H2 cars abound in design and theory- the problem is what happens when people start using water instead of Oil.

The major Oil companies will collapse!!! Gas stations - would have to become water stations... a entire global economy built and maintained on the process of Oil extraction would fall aside into the way of say the horse and buggy industry.

So if indeed nothing more is needed than a small device to split water into Hydrogen and oxygen - and standard internal combustion engines are used - why isn't there a push from major car manufactures to do this? Why the need for furl cells rather than good old cyslnders piston power? to keep the infrastructure of fuel in place.

Perhaps somewhere --- sputtering along in a watercar - some inventor like Mr. Dingel is out there working on something like this.... Perhaps Ford or Chrysler or GM or Toyota or Mitsu can do the world a favor and save the global warming trend from getting worse by developing a safe and sure method for this technology.

Perhaps one city or town or province - can seriously look into this- if like below students could develop a pick-up truck in Arizona (see earlier post in full here - below)

skeptic's write after the DOST presentation - -
" It is important to note that in the process of splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen using electrolysis, the input energy required to split oxygen and hydrogen is exactly equal (assuming ideal reaction, usually it is greater than) to the energy given off in the reaction (burning of hydrogen) of combining hydrogen and oxygen to produce water, which is what is happening inside the engine when the hydrogen is burned to run the vehicle. In the case of Dingel's invention, he uses a DC battery for the electrolysis. So, in short, it is like the DC battery that runs the car, which is pretty much impossible because the energy stored in the DC battery is so small to run a car, like what Dingel showed. This is the point of discussion, how did Daniel Dingel do that? If he only uses the process of electrolysis to split the oxygen and hydrogen to run the vehicle,"

BUT - in the Arizona test... Hydrogen is produced from four Solar panels - and a combination solar power electrosis machine - the skeptics instead of looking at- new technology in light of possiblilites seem to be trapped in the box that see the process without looking at the overall impact of it. - perhaps more open minds can work more on developing and delivering a better message... Can you imagine the frustration this man is going through?

Oh well.... Science often ignores the innovators preferring the path already established... Computer technology improvements have shown this with new innovation every week.

Someday when a Chinese made watercar rolls past the DOST offices I wonder if anyone will remember that as far back as 1980.... a little red Toyota did it first... Driven by a man who perhaps may not have explained it properly. So sad...

H2 cars - Dingel was right

Mr. Dingel where are you?

For many years people in this country ridiculed the Dingel car- a water powered car that esentailly took a internal combustion engine and fiulled with water ran on the process of taking hydrogen from water through electrosis-change and burning the hydrogen in a normal car engine.

Problems persisted with the design and a lack of support for it - led the topic to come up only whenever the price of gasoline became - to costly... it's $3.00 a gallon at last check...

Now some history for those who still think the water car is dream.

" German inventor Rudolf Erren was among the first to study the use of hydrogen in combustion engines in the 1920s. He developed a successful method of conversion and built what is remembered as the Erren engine. It was said he put that engine into an estimated 2,000-3000 cars, busses and trucks. "

High school students in a simple High School science project ran a pickup truck - on water... which is H2O... explained.

"The easiest place to get hydrogen was by using electrolysis to split water. With the help of an alkali like potassium hydroxide, a current is passed through the water to generate bubbles of hydrogen that collects at the cathode, and the oxygen gathers at the anode. A simple generator running off the engine and/or a few solar panels like the ones used on their pickup might be enough to power the electrolysis device, or hydrogen generator."


Now buses- in Oakland, Los Angeles, and, many parts of the EU run on fuel cell powered hydrogen.

SOURCE: http://www.hydropole.ch/Hydropole/Intro/H2Transport.htm

The European Commission is allocating € 18.5 million to the CUTE (Clean Urban Transport for Europe) demonstration project in the 5^th European framwork program (1998 - 2002) to support 9 European cities in introducing hydrogen into their public transport system : Amsterdam (Netherlands), Barcelona (Spain), Hamburg (Germany), London (United Kingdom), Luxembourg, Madrid (Spain), Porto (Portugal), Stockholm (Sweden) and Stuttgart (Germany).
These cities want to demonstrate that hydrogen is an efficient and environmentally friendly power source for the future of their cities. Twenty seven fuel-cell powered buses, running on locally produced and refilled hydrogen, should prove that zero emission public transport is possible today when ambitious political will and innovative technology are combined.
In 1998 a bus based on the low-floor "Citaro" with a passenger capacity of 70 equiped with a 250 kW fuel cell on the roof in the center and the main electric motor is in the back was manufactured by Daimler-Chrysler. The compressed hydrogen is stored on the roof over the front axle in eight gas tanks with a total volume of 1845 l hydrogen at 350 bar. The range of the bus is 200 km and the top speed 80 km/h. The price tag of about € 1.2 million, including two years of comprehensive technical, consulting and on-the-top maintainance.
This hydrogen/fuel cell bus project is the first project world-wide which addresses at the same time the production of hydrogen, the hydrogen refilling in city centres and the operational use in commercial public transport systems. These buses are operated like conventional buses, on the same lines and under the same tight time schedule for best comparative assessment of performance and costs. CUTE Project Fuel Cell Bus Club