The development of hydrogen fuel technology is "central" to president George W. Bush's future energy plans, according to a senior US government official.

Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman made the comments as he announced the names of the representatives selected to sit on a committee responsible for advising him on hydrogen and fuel cell development.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee is made up of 25 people with various interests in the industry.

"Research, development and deployment of hydrogen is central to president Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative," Mr Bodman said. 

"Receiving candid advice from this committee is one of the many ways we are working to meet the president's goal of moving toward a hydrogen economy and reducing our dependence on foreign sources of oil."

A range of uses has already been found for platinum group metals in the early stages of hydrogen fuel technology.

The US government has taken out a patent on a hydrogen storage method using palladium.

The technology works by placing microscopic balls containing the metal in a pressurised hydrogen-filled tank. This causes the hydrogen to be taken in through pores in the spheres. It is then absorbed by the palladium.

Storing enough hydrogen to make fuel cell technology viable will become a key area of hydrogen fuel development.

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