While the Industrial Truck Association's new energy storage systems subcommittee met to discuss the challenges of integrating fuel cells into lift trucks, the U.S. Fuel Cell Council was applauding the House of Representatives' approval of the national bailout package—a portion of which affects both fuel cell and lift truck makers directly.

By granting an eight-year extension of the Investment Tax Credit for exploring and adopting environmentally sustainable power sources, including fuel cell technology, manufacturers hope to see an increase in demand for the product. The incentives will allow businesses to create more environmentally friendly jobs and purchase cleaner technologies, said Robert Rose, executive director of the U.S. Fuel Cell Council.

Earlier this year, most of the ITA supplier members that were surveyed said they doubted fuel cells would be adopted by more than 20% of the market within two years. But the tax credit extension, plus some $28 million in R&D funding being made available through the Department of Energy, could put fuel cells on a faster development track.

John Christensen, a guest speaker at ITA's meeting and subcontractor to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (part of the Department of Energy) told Modern that lift trucks are among the early adopters that will drive wider acceptance of fuel cells.

“Down the road if there is a hydrogen economy and reduction in greenhouse gases becomes reality, people may look back and say the key were the early adopters that proved the reliability and grew the domestic supply chain of fuel cell manufacturers,” he said. “Early markets are the key because right now vehicles are too expensive.”