Most think of Palm Springs as an upscale California desert enclave or winter golf haven. Few would think of this trendy town as the "Hydrogen Capital" of the United States and, yet, the mayor of Palm Springs has gone on record to try to become a leader in helping to develop America0s hydrogen highway network. The first fueling station for hydrogen-powered vehicles would be developed along the busy Interstate 10 which passes through Palm Springs, which already boasts huge acres of wind turbines.

Many of the wind turbines are operated by Wintec Energy of Palm Springs. A spokesperson for Wintec has announced it will donate land for the hydrogen filling station, as well as produce the energy for free to produce the hydrogen.

Because the power will come from wind, instead of coal- or natural gas-fired generators, the hydrogen would be a truly "green" fuel source, officials said.
"We have everything we need, the wind and the sun, here in Palm Springs to be the leader in producing hydrogen ... we just need the infrastructure," said Mayor Steve Pougnet at a news conference under Wintec's wind turbines.
Wintec President Fred Noble said his company will donate the land and electricity, but someone else will have to provide the electolyzer -- a device that can create hydrogen fuel out of water. Noble said the device and fueling station would cost approximately $1 million, and that Wintec currently has the technology in place to make hydrogen, from a time when the wind energy company made the fuel, before the U.S. Department of Energy took back its electrolyzer.

"The technology is here," said Pougnet, who also said he wants to help make Palm Springs the "hydrogen capital" of the United States. "If we become the hydrogen producing capital ... that creates a whole new industry that will generate jobs," he said.

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--Sue Mead