President Obama might be slashing funding for hydrogen research, but Aiken County officials aren't giving up on the alternative fueling source.

Rick West, of Clifton Construction Inc., digs a hole for a sign next to a solar panel in the Center for Hydrogen Research solar garden.

"I think everybody understands that our nation needs alternative energy sources," said Aiken County Administrator Clay Killian. "And that's one that has not reached its full potential and hasn't been developed out yet, and we'd like to be a part of that. And I think we're going to continue to do that."

The county has invested about $10 million to build the Center for Hydrogen Research, Mr. Killian said, adding that it also received a loan of about $600,000 for the recently opened hydrogen fueling station, the first on the East Coast.

Fred Humes, the director of the Aiken/Edgefield Economic Development Partnership and the Center for Hydrogen Research, said the center doesn't receive federal funds. But he said the cuts could affect the Savannah River National Laboratory, which has collaborated with the center on hydrogen research.

"Is there an impact? Yes," Mr. Humes said.

Angeline French, a spokeswoman for the lab, said it's too early to tell how federal cuts would affect it.

"It's really premature for us to comment on what sort of impact it would have," she said. "As it goes through the full budgeting process we will know more."

Mr. Humes said he has been working with the area's congressmen to restore funding. He expects to know in a couple of weeks.

Many other hydrogen technology opportunities exist, Mr. Humes said. Although the current federal proposal calls for a 60 percent cut -- almost $100 million -- for research, "there's still money in the fuel cells area, and specifically there's money for a systems approach," he said.

Last week, the center unveiled a solar panel venture from a $230,000 donation by Santee Cooper, a wholesale power generator. The panels convert sunlight into electricity, which produces hydrogen by electrolyzing water. The hydrogen is converted back to electricity.

Mr. Humes said several automakers remain interested in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. And Bridgestone Firestone has 43 fuel-cell forklifts, he said, "and there's another company that looks like they're going to purchase another 25 fuel-cell forklifts."