These fuel cells and hydrogen storage systems will be used mainly for transportation purposes. The autonomous projects will focus largely on applications, manufacturing volumes, and system sizes not only for transportation purposes but also for handling equipments and backup power mechanisms. These projects will help the US Department of Energy in terms of fuel efficiency.

The autonomous cost analyses will go through the National Laboratories’ system models, literature and patent research, development presentations, and peer review. Here’s a rundown of the four autonomous projects that have been selected for an award:

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, whose home base is located in Berkeley, CA, has been awarded with $1.9 million. They are to develop cost models for high and low temperature immobile fuel cell systems at 250 kilowatts.

Direct Technologies, Inc., whose home base is located in Arlington, VA, has been awarded with almost $3 million for their two projects. The first project will focus on transportation fuel cell systems while the second one will focus on hydrogen storage systems.

Battelle Memorial Institute, whose home base is located at Columbus OH, has been awarded with $2 million for them to produce cost assessments for immobile fuel cell applications that includes backup power units, a combination of power and heat systems, primary power, and forklifts.

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Cars2go is an auxiliary of the Daimler North America Corporation. During a recently held press conference, Cars2go made an announcement that San Diego, California will be the first city in North America to experience the full benefits of their program, which is the use of pure-electric vehicles through a car “sharing” program.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders has expressed his excitement about the Cars2go program. He added that this move supports their goal to make the city America’s capital for EVs. The Cars2go program in San Diego will kick off with 300 Smart ForTwo EVs and will commence before 2011 ends.

According to the President and COO of Cars2go, Nicholas Cole, the San Diego launch is monumental as it signifies the start of a new era in car-sharing in the North America region. The company’s goal is to aid in meeting the transportation needs of the city as well as giving them the option of using emission-free vehicles to conserve fuel and save the environment.

The funding comes after a feasibility study conducted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change or UK DECC which granted release of funds worth $6.6 million. Other investments will come from Regional Development Agency One North East amounting to $4.1 million.

The plant will be built in Tees Valley in the United Kingdom where the INEOS Seal Sands is. The factory is expected to come up with 30 million liters of carbon-neutral fuel and produce electricity that will be for expert amounting to 3 MW from about 100,000 tons of commercial and household biodegradable wastes. This amount of fuel production can cover for the electricity demand of about 6,000 households and 250,000 vehicles running on E10 fuel.

The advanced factory is scheduled to for completion by 2012 pending certain final agreements. The project will also create 350 construction jobs and 40 permanent positions when the factory is operational. There are also plans to integrate a biorefinery plant and high technology waste treatment come 2015.

The technology used by INEOS combines biochemical and thermochemical processes to complete the process of biofuel production using industrial and household waste materials.