Fixing the transportation trust fund, once and for all.

Discussions on Highway Trust Fund Fix Ongoing, White House Official Says

WASHINGTON - With President Donald Trump declaring infrastructure funding a legislative priority for the year, coming up with a long-term fix for the Highway Trust Fund remains a matter under discussion between the White House and congressional leaders, a White House official said Jan. 8.

From article, (The administration and transportation policymakers on Capitol Hill recognize the importance behind identifying a way to ensure a sustainable revenue source for the trust fund, Herrgott explained. Previously, he was a transportation aide for Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), and participated in high-level highway policy negotiations.

The trust fund account backs states with funding assistance through revenue collected from the federal gas and diesel tax. Improvements in fuel consumption and shifting driving habits contribute to the account’s steady decline, prompting several general fund transfers in recent years to maintain its solvency.

A White House official last month said Trump had not ruled out calling for an increase in federal fuel taxes, a move strongly supported by nearly every infrastructure stakeholder. Since 1993, the gas tax has been 18.4 cents per gallon, and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel. Key Democrats on Capitol Hill support raising federal fuel taxes to restore the trust fund. Republican leaders oppose increasing the taxes.

According to an outline of the plan unveiled last year, the White House will call for $200 billion in federal funds as a way to incentivize $800 billion in private capital. Rural projects would receive $25 billion, and the administration would streamline the permitting process for construction projects from 10 years to 2 years, while encouraging tolling, and the transfer of public assets to private firms.)
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The steps to a Hydrogen Economy are taking shape, but should hydrogen be used for transportation? or heating and cooking?

Largest hydrogen-from-wind project proposed

AkzoNobel Speciality Chemicals and Gasunie New Energy said the project could eventually lead to a 100MW installation. The planned site for the project is in Delfzijl in the province of Groningen, in the north-east of the Netherlands. A final decision on the project is expected in 2019.

From article, (NETHERLANDS: The special chemical arm of AkzoNobel and a research unit of natural gas company Gasunie have joined forces to investigate the potential of a 20MW water-electrolysis plant powered by renewable energy to produce hydrogen.

AkzoNobel Speciality Chemicals and Gasunie New Energy said the project could eventually lead to a 100MW installation.

The planned site for the project is in Delfzijl in the province of Groningen, in the north-east of the Netherlands. A final decision on the project is expected in 2019. The hydrogen produced will be used to fuel buses, the partners said.

 Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The reaction occurs in an electrolyser.

The project partners said it would be the largest green-powered electrolysis unit in Europe. It is planned a combination of wind and solar capacity will be used to power the electrolysis unit.

Around 3,000 tonnes of hydrogen could be produced each year, enough for 300 buses.

Find out more At.)

 Me, "Hydrogen is best used as a replacement for Natural Gas. The pipe network already exists. All you have to do is just change your home's Heating and Cooking equipment to burn Hydrogen. Hydrogen as a transportation fuel does not make sense. You have to find ways of storing hydrogen in a car, at the refuel station, and you can only go 200 miles on a tank of Hydrogen. You can go 200-300 miles now on present day batteries and 300-600+ miles on near future batteries. And that is being conservative. 
Why go with a limited range fuel, such as Hydrogen? 

So, I believed that while hydrogen will be a part of countries heating and cooking infrastructure, using it as a transportation fuel does not make sense. It would be best to focus on better battery technology. Battery technology, in cars, has been proven to surpass anything hydrogen can do.

But I do believe in this technology start up, where hydrogen will be created from wind and solar power. The technological learnings from this endeavor will help produce cheap hydrogen and help figure out how best to handle this fuel."