The United States Postal Service takes a leading role in reducing reliance on foreign oil and in improving the environment. One way we do this is by working with companies that incorporate advanced technologies in the design of delivery vehicles that use alternative fuels.

The technology that many experts agree presents the greatest long-term potential is hydrogen fuel-cells. Why? Because they produce zero emissions and are potentially twice as energy efficient as today's gasoline engines.

Please join officials of the U.S. Postal Service and General Motors...and other professionals in the environmental, energy, and public arenas...in an exciting development for this promising power source: the unveiling of a hydrogen fuel-cell mail delivery minivan.

And learn how this alternative fuel source holds promise for the future.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006
10 A.M.

Irvine Post Office
15642 Sand Canyon Avenue
Irvine, CA 92619-9998

For more information, or to RSVP, contact:

Patricia Licata at patricia.licata@usps.gov or
202-268-2783
Or
Brent Kurapatskie at brent.c.kurapatskie@usps.gov or
202-268-6485

What Is a Fuel Cell?

A fuel cell is an electrochemical device with no moving parts that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Unlike a gasoline-powered engine that creates electricity through combustion, a fuel-cell engine combines hydrogen and oxygen into water, producing electrical current as a byproduct.

Fuel-cell technology promises the benefits of no greenhouse gases, no air pollutants, greater energy efficiency, and less reliance on oil. By serving as a test bed for this technology, the Postal Service is helping suppliers advance fuel-cell technology.

The Postal Service has a history of taking steps on a national level to integrate environmental considerations into its delivery operations. These include the acquisition of alternative fuel vehicles, increasing the use of alternative fuels when appropriate, and joining with industry and governmental organizations to acquire, test, and demonstrate advanced fuels and vehicle technologies—such as hybrid-electric vehicles and clean diesel vehicles—on Postal Service delivery routes.