The US department of energy (DoE) has announced a huge funding initiative designed to provide greater fuel cell development.

Twenty-five hydrogen and fuel cell development companies will be given a share of the $100 million (£53.3 million) in funding to boost research and improve the potential for fuel cells to become used in a variety of projects.

Among the projects to be provided with funding will be schemes looking at how to improve the fuel cell stack and the further development of advanced catalysts to deliver more efficient fuel cells.

UTC Power is one of the companies to be provided with funding from the US government and its research will focus on catalysts.

Making the announcement of the new funding, the DoE's secretary Samuel W Bodman said "The department of energy is committed to breaking our addiction to oil by creating a diverse portfolio of clean, affordable and domestically produced energy choices."

"We expect hydrogen to play an integral role in our energy portfolio and we are eager to see hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road in the near future."

Ÿ Adfero Ltd