New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Demos Hydrogen-Fueled Vehicle

March 2004

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, right, demos a hydrogen-powered Toyota Highlander mid-size SUV. (Credit: Rene Parker, New State Energy Office)

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson called attention to New Mexico's leadership role in hydrogen fuel cell technology in December 2003, during a demonstration of a hydrogen-powered Toyota Highlander mid-size SUV.

The New Mexico State Energy Office — Energy Conservation and Management Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department — currently participates in the Hydrogen Technology Partnership (HyTeP). The Energy Office is focusing its HyTeP efforts on financing and developing hydrogen-refueling infrastructure for strategic New Mexico locations, as well as stationary fuel cell applications.

In addition, U.S. Department of Energy laboratories located in New Mexico and New Mexico universities have strong capabilities in:

• Fuel cell research. Los Alamos National Laboratory has more than 25 years experience.
  
  
• Hydrogen storage. Sandia National Laboratories is a leader in research and development, and the University of New Mexico researches nanotechnology.
  
  
• Hybrid power systems controls. New Mexico State University is developing these controls.
  
  
• Testing. New Mexico is home to the country's leading testing environments at New Mexico Tech and White Sands Missile Range.

"We'll continue to grow our outstanding research universities and we'll build a cutting-edge workforce that will be very attractive to high-tech businesses looking to start up or relocate," said Governor Richardson.