DTE Energy was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as its partner to develop, build and operate the project that will create hydrogen gas from tap water and use that gas in fuel cell generators and to refuel fuel cell vehicles.

DOE will provide 49 percent of the funding for the $3 million, three-year project, which will result in a system capable of delivering about 100,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year -- enough to power a small office building or about 20 homes -- and enough compressed hydrogen gas to fuel three vehicles per day. The project will be at Detroit Edison's Southfield Station on the northeast corner of 11 Mile and Inkster roads.

"Through our partnership with DOE, DTE Energy can continue its commitment to clean and renewable energy technologies," said Anthony F. Earley Jr., DTE Energy chairman and CEO. "The Hydrogen Technology Park will be the first of its kind to model a complete, multi-use hydrogen energy system and promises to provide insight into the technical and economic challenges of commercializing hydrogen."

Earley noted that DTE Energy's Hydrogen Technology Park would help Michigan become a world leader in advanced energy technologies that will eventually play an important role in the nation's energy system.

"The state and city of Southfield also have the opportunity to be at the center of new energy technology development and the associated job creation," Earley said. "The Hydrogen Technology Park will be a showcase that draws visitors from around the world."

The Technology Park is in one of Michigan's SmartZones, established by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to foster collaboration between technology-based businesses and research institutions. DTE Energy is working with Lawrence Technological University to provide student learning and research opportunities using the Technology Park as a working laboratory.

DTE Energy also announced recently that the Hydrogen Technology Park will participate in another DOE project that will focus on the co-development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and a supporting hydrogen infrastructure. DTE Energy's partners in the project are DaimlerChrysler and BP America.

One of five projects awarded by the DOE this year, the "Hydrogen to the Highways" project is part of a larger, $240 million DOE initiative to conduct demonstrations that emphasize co-developing hydrogen infrastructure in parallel with hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles. The project will test at least 20 DaimlerChrysler fuel cell vehicles and develop corresponding hydrogen re-fueling infrastructures in several geographic areas -- including Michigan and California.

The new program, which will run through 2008, will allow DTE Energy to extend its current activities at the Hydrogen Technology Park.

A number of DTE Energy subsidiaries will support the Hydrogen Technology Park, including DTE Energy Technologies of Farmington Hills, Mich., which will manage the overall design and installation of the system. Plug Power, a leading fuel cell developer that DTE Energy established and has a 14.5-percent stake in, will supply the fuel cell generation equipment.

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy- related businesses and services nationwide. Its largest operating units are Detroit Edison, an electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in Southeastern Michigan, and MichCon, a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan. Information about DTE Energy is available at http://www.dteenergy.com . SOURCE DTE Energy