Argonne Researchers Share 1998 PNGV Medal

Argonne's Shabbir Ahmed, Michael Krumpelt, and Romesh Kumar are among a team of government and industry scientists who are being honored for their work toward making fuel-cell vehicles a reality. On March 17, 1999, Presidential Science Advisor Neal Lane, acting on behalf of Vice President Gore, presented the 15 researchers with Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) Medals.

"Automotive technology has progressed rapidly thanks to the achievements of this government-industry team," said Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson. "Their dedicated, hard work keeps us on the road to reaching the goal of the PNGV -- a safe, affordable family sedan with low emissions and much better fuel economy."

Until now, refueling has been a significant barrier to implementing fuel cells in vehicles. The award-winning research focuses on onboard fuel-processing technology that "reforms" easily obtainable fuels, such as gasoline, methanol, or ethanol, to produce the hydrogen needed by a fuel cell. Thus, the existing fuel infrastructure can continue to be used for vehicle refueling.

Because they are environmentally friendly and highly efficient, fuel cells are a leading candidate for powering clean vehicles. They work by combining hydrogen with oxygen in an electrochemical reaction that produces electricity.

Team members from Arthur D. Little/Epyx, General Motors Corporation, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Plug Power LLC were also honored.