Automotive News World Congress: Need National Energy Policy

It seems the need for a National Energy Policy was a hot topic at the Automotive News World Congress according to the DetroitNews. Unfortunately, what that energy policy should be was far from unanimous. Of course GM lobbied for biofuels, plus some help with batteries. Chrysler lobbied for hydrogen. Ford, well, Ford's reported comments surprised me the most. Nancy Gioia, director of sustainable mobility technologies and hybrid vehicle programs at Ford told the DetroitNews, "hydrogen is one of the most promising long-term solutions -- one that she said will require a national commitment comparable to the one required to put a man on the moon.

At the same time, Gioia pointed out that hydrogen is not a panacea. She said it takes a great deal of energy to extract hydrogen -- energy that might be better utilized by other technologies like plug-in hybrids."