Columbia's Energy
(full article)
07.22.2006
Hydrogen Event a Boon for Columbia
(full article)
07.21.2006
South Carolina Lands National Hydrogen Association Annual Conference for 2009
(full article)
07.19.2006
Millennium Cell Joins USC Fuel Cell Research Center
(full article)
July 29, 2006
(view original article)
Columbia's Energy
THE MAIN BARRIER blocking South Carolina from taking a key role
in the growth of hydrogen as an energy source might be decidedly nontechnical:
Not enough people know about the state’s assets.
That why it’s such good
news that the National Hydrogen Association will hold its 2009 convention at the
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, the first national gathering to be
booked there. The event should help investors and others in the field see South
Carolina’s impressive core of hydrogen research institutions.
The state
can boast the only national Science Foundation-recognized center for fuel cell
research, at USC. Other major assets: the Savannah River National Laboratory
near Aiken and Clemson’s International Center for Automotive Research.
Altogether, the state has many of the key ingredients to build an economic base
in power production using hydrogen.
But South Carolina also risks being
overlooked, especially when bigger states, some with an ex-movie star for
governor, promote their hydrogen resources. That’s why it's great to hear that
many of the national leaders in this emerging technology will be gathering
here.
Columbia, in cooperation with USC, has worked hard to promote this
city’s hydrogen future, and that is paying dividends. Congratulations to all who
worked to land this important event.
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July 21, 2006
(original PDF press
release)
SC Lands NHA Annual Conference in Columbia for 2009
The South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance (SCHFCA),
comprised of USC, the Savannah River National Laboratory, Clemson University,
South Carolina State University and the Center for Hydrogen Research, and allies
win proposal to host the National Hydrogen Alliance Annual conference in
2009.
Columbia, SC - The National
Hydrogen Association, headquartered in Washington, DC, announced that it has
selected Columbia, SC to host its annual conference in 2009. More than 1,200
attendees are expected to travel from around the world to attend the conference
according to forecasted NHA registration numbers.
The SCHFCA submitted a
proposal to the NHA Board of Directors indicating its interest in hosting the
event. The University of South Carolina, as one of the NHA member institutions
and a member of the NHA Board of Directors, assisted the SCHFCA in its efforts.
The university's developments with its Innovista innovation district and the
Center for Hydrogen Research in Aiken helped cement the NHA's decision to bring
the conference to Columbia because of the many hydrogen and fuel cell related
attractions that will be available to attendees.
Also assisting the
Alliance in securing the conference was the Columbia Convention Center Bureau,
EngenuitySC, the South Carolina Research Authority, the South Carolina
Department of Commerce and the City of Columbia.
The complementary areas
of expertise in hydrogen and fuel cells that exist in South Carolina among the
SCHFCA members was a major factor in the conference coming to Columbia. The
SCHFCA boasts of world-class technology with the nation's only
Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Fuel Cells at USC, which is
funded by the National Science Foundation; the nation's largest staff of
hydrogen storage and production scientists at the Savannah River National
Laboratory and Center for Hydrogen Research and; Clemson University and the
Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research and its
automotive expertise. Collaboration among the various member organizations has
been a top priority.
The 2009 Annual NHA Conference is expected to
catapult the state's many related hydrogen and fuel cell initiatives into
national prominence.
Fred Humes, Chairman of the SCHFCA Board of
Directors said, "the selection of South Carolina and Columbia as the site of the
Annual NHA Conference is a great step forward in the state's efforts to
establish itself as one of the leaders in the hydrogen economy." He added, "it
is a recognition of the work the state and the organization have accomplished in
just a few months' time. Since our inception in January of this year, all our
members and allies have worked hard to promote South Carolina's capability in
hydrogen and fuel cell technology."
The economic benefit to the City of
Columbia hosting a conference of this size will be significant. Hotels,
restaurants and attractions in the Midlands all stand to gain from the
event.
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July 22, 2006
(view original article)
Hydrogen event a boon for Columbia
Call the National Hydrogen Association’s decision to hold its
2009 annual meeting in Columbia an economic development twofer.
With an
estimated $1 million local impact, the hydrogen meeting will be the first
national business or trade association meeting booked into the Columbia
Metropolitan Convention Center since it was completed in September
2004.
But more importantly to South Carolina’s economy in the long run,
it’s an acknowledgment the state has “a lot going on” in the development of
hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
“A lot of people are very impressed
with the resources in South Carolina and the level of activity for developing
hydrogen technologies,” said Patrick Serfass, spokesman for the National
Hydrogen Association.
"We all want to learn about that and make sure that
we are involving S.C. businesses and companies in the hydrogen industry as much
as they can be.”
Landing the 20th Annual Hydrogen Conference — the
largest hydrogen conference in the country and the longest running annual
hydrogen conference in the world — was a statewide effort led by the S.C.
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance.
While the principal meetings will be in
Columbia, other parts of the state will be involved, said Fred Humes, alliance
chairman.
One of the things that sparked the association’s interest in
coming to South Carolina was the Center for Hydrogen Research in Aiken, along
with the work being done by the Savannah River National Laboratory, Humes
said.
The association intends to hold an event at the Center for Hydrogen
Research before or after the annual meeting, he said.
‘SOMETHING
SPECIAL’
An estimated 1,200 people will attend the four-day meeting March
31-April 3, 2009, as well as pre- and post-meeting sessions that will be held in
Columbia and other places around the state.
The total economic impact
should be at least $1 million said Steve Camp, president and CEO of the Midlands
Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism.
“This is the kind of
meeting and convention that we dream about,” Camp said. “This is what we have
been striving for. It is a good reward for all the hard work.”
The
attendees will stay at the new Hilton hotel scheduled to open next year at
Senate and Park streets across from the convention center in the Congaree Vista,
as well as other hotels in the area.
The availability of the convention
center hotel was a key part of the city’s being able to land the meeting, Camp
said.
The University of South Carolina’s role also was
critical.
Tony Boccanfuso, USC’s director of research and economic
development, is on the National Hydrogen Association’s board of
directors.
Having the meeting in Columbia, he said, “clearly demonstrates
that people outside the state recognize that South Carolina has a lot going on
as it relates to hydrogen research, development, procurement, deployment and
demonstration.
“We were able to convince the National Hydrogen
Association staff who visited that we have something special going on
here.”
PUBLIC INTEREST
The annual hydrogen meeting usually is held
in a larger city. The 2006 meeting was in Long Beach, Calif.; the 2007 meeting
will be in San Antonio; and the 2008 meeting will be in Sacramento, Calif.
Columbia beat out Albuquerque, N.M., for the 2009 meeting.
In addition to
the attendees, Serfass said the conference generally attracts about 100
exhibitors.
The conference is about three days long with side events and
workshops held before and after, Serfass said. “It ends up being about a week of
hydrogen activity.”
While it is an industry conference, over the past
couple of years it has begun to attract more public interest.
One of the
main attractions is the “Ride and Drive,” Serfass said, and one of the largest
displays of hydrogen vehicles in the country.
Columbia Mayor Bob Coble
probably will be first in line for a test drive.
“This convention will
clearly put Columbia on the map for the hydrogen economy,” Coble said.
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July 19, 2006
(view original
article)
Millennium Cell Joins USC Fuel Cell Research Center
Millennium Cell Inc., a leading developer of hydrogen battery
technology, has joined the University of South Carolina's Industry/University
Cooperative Research Center for Fuel Cells.
The nation's only National
Science Foundation-sponsored fuel cell center, IUCRC was established in 2003 to
foster the commercialization of fuel-cell technologies.
Like the center's
other members, Millennium Cell will partner with USC faculty and students to
advance research in hydrogen storage materials, fuel cell development, boron
chemistry, and hydrogen battery systems.
"We are pleased to join the USC
Fuel Cell Research Center and add our approaches to those of the well-known
companies already partnering with USC researchers in the seeking innovative
solutions to advance the commercial applications and deployment of hydrogen
batteries," Millennium Cell CEO David Ramm said.
Dr. John Van Zee, the
director of USC's fuel cell research center and a professor of chemical
engineering, said Millennium Cell's decision "to join our center is another
important step in our efforts to create a Future FuelsTM research hub in
Columbia."
In addition to Millennium Cell, center members include Air
Liquide, BASF AG, Boeing, DANA Corporation, ePower Technologies, General Motors
Corporation, John Deere, LG Electronics, and Westinghouse Savannah River
Co.
Millennium Cell develops hydrogen battery technology to power
portable devices military, medical, industrial and consumer electronics.
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