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The NHA's Structure

The NHA is governed by a 25+ member Board of Directors, representing all elements of the hydrogen community. In addition to the Board, members participate actively in the following committees and working groups:

Education and Outreach Committee
Chair: Becki Young, Ballard Power Systems
Vice Chair: Tim O'Leary, Shell Hydrogen

An educated public is the key to the transition to hydrogen. To reach different sectors, the NHA creates education materials, organizes workshops and conferences, conducts press interviews, produces a variety of hydrogen publications and runs the H2U Student Design Competition. Overall, the mission of the E&O Program is for target audiences to achieve a level of understanding so they can make informed choices about
their energy options.

Codes and Standards Committee
Chair: Christine Sloane, General Motors
Vice-Chair: Tom Joseph, Air Products

The adoption of safety- and performance-based codes is
imperative to the commercial development of hydrogen as an energy carrier.

The NHA is actively engaged in national and international codes and standards development in over a dozen working groups through approximately ten different organizations. In these groups, the NHA represents multiple member interests and technologies to make sure developing codes and standards create an atmosphere where new technologies can flourish.

Policy Committee
Chair: Dave Guro, Air Products
Vice Chair: Tony Boccanfuso, University of South Carolina

Most of the NHA's Legislative Affairs activity takes place at
the federal level in Washington, DC. The top priority, as identified by the Policy Committee and ratified by the Board, is to protect the funding for the President's Hydrogen Initiative as it moves through the legislative process.

Within the context of protecting the Hydrogen Initiative, the NHA has adopted a position of No Earmarks. Additionally, the NHA works to support legislation enabling the entry of hydrogen technologies to the marketplace and to oppose legislation that hinders entry. The NHA collaborated with other organizations
to foster the passage of the National Energy Policy Act of 2005. NHA staff participates in scheduled White House Energy Briefings and Briefings of the International Partnership for Hydrogen Energy. Information is transferred to NHA Membership via email and publications.

NHA Working Groups
The goals of NHA Working Groups are to:

1. Expand the NHA role in developing business opportunities in hydrogen for its members
   
   
2. Provide increased communication and networking opportunities for NHA members
   
   
3. Increase the value of membership in the NHA and provide more services to specific member interests
   
   
4. Improve the attractiveness of the NHA to potential members, offering services not provided elsewhere
   
   
5. Increase member input into the policy and program activities of the NHA

• Broaden the representation and types of NHA membership
  
  
• Expand the areas of concern that the NHA can help address
  
  
• Help promote the overall agenda towards a hydrogen economy

• Renewable Hydrogen Working Group
  
  
• Small Business Working Group
  
  
• University Working Group

1. Develop a market entry model and transition schedule vision for the rollout of renewable hydrogen
   
   
2. Explore and develop the role of state incentives for renewable energy sources for renewable energy to produce hydrogen
   
   
3. Define economic, environmental, and strategic relationships between renewable energy and hydrogen

The Renewable Hydrogen Working Group aims to be involved with various renewable energy associations, with the goal of increased awareness of renewable hydrogen energy strategies. The Working Group will also steer the development of the first NHA Renewable Hydrogen Forum planned for the fall of 2006.

Chair: Dale Gardner, NREL
Vice Chair: Keith Avery, West Wind Works

Members:

ARES Corporation Arizona Public Service Company Avalence, LLC BOC Chevron Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. EmPower CES General Atomics Global Renewable Energy Hydrogen Solar, LLC Hydrogenics Corporation ISE Corporation Kettering University NREL New York Power Authority Penn State University

Plug Power Praxair, Inc. Proton Energy Systems, Inc. Protium Energy Technologies Santa Monica Utility District Solar Integrated Technologies South Carolina Research Authority Southern California Edison University of Albany University of North Dakota Upper Midwest Hydrogen Initiative U.S. Merchant Marine Academy UTC Power Virent Energy Systems West Wind Works Xcel Energy

1. Expand the NHA role in developing business opportunities for small businesses in the hydrogen industry
   
   
2. Increase the value of membership in the NHA and provide more services to small business member interests
   
   
3. Improve the attractiveness of the NHA to potential members, offering a service not gained elsewhere

Working Group Profile
This Working Group will be open to all NHA Small Business Members.

Co-Chairs:

• Lee Arikara, Jadoo Power
  
  
• Rex Luzader, Millennium Cell
  
  
• Sandy Thomas, H2Gen Innovations, Inc.

Potential priorities for consideration by the NHA Small Business Working Group:

1. Provide a forum in which Small Business can combine experiences and resources
   
   
2. Track federal and local government activity and projects
   
   
3. Disseminate NHA updates of bid and grant opportunities
   
   
4. Act as a liaison to inform potential members and attract them to increase membership in the NHA and the Working Group itself
   
   
5. Give direct leadership for NHA Small Business members from a source external from NHA
   
   
6. Provide direct dialogue between Small Business Members and other member organizations
   
   
7. Keep a database of contacts, relay partnership opportunities and act as a conduit of information
   

1. Expand the NHA role in developing funding and research opportunities for Universities with Hydrogen Programs
   
   
2. Increase the value of membership in the NHA and provide more services to University Member interests
   
   
3. Improve the attractiveness of the NHA to potential members, offering a service not gained elsewhere

Working Group Profile
This Working Group will be open to all NHA Members with an interest in education.

Committee Chair: Bruce Logan, Penn State University

Priority Activities of the Working Group

1. Establish a Working Group Website on the NHA site
   a) List Working Group Members and Contact Information
   b) Create a "UWG" news section for new activities
   
   
2. Implement the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Job Board
   a) Free as a part of membership benefits
   b) Tool for interns, researchers, etc.
   
   
3. Implement quarterly teleconferences
   
   
4. Redesign and implement the H2U design contest
   a) New schedule - 14 months for planning/contest
   b) Greater focus on the site for contest - increase funding
   c) Engage non-engineering students - marketing, architecture
   d) Engage NHA board to support the contest
   
   
5. Act as a liaison to Businesses and National Labs
   a) Improve results for University and Commercial Projects
   b) Develop a link between UWG and the International Association for Hydrogen Energy - WHEC
   c) Interact with other Professional Societies
   
   
6. Increase Influence of Universities in NHA activity
   
   
7. Specify value of the NHA to other Universities
   a) Recruit more members
   b) Increase personal interaction with non-members
   c) Help increase student involvement - Student who get a school to join as a member gain a free registration?
   
   
8. Increase focus on students
   a) Link students between Universities
   b) Build a student group that interacts with the UWG
   c) Go to National Chapters to Communicate Developments