The Latest News from the Implementation
Plan Committee
by Lara Neer, Program Coordinator, National Hydrogen Association
An Implementation Plan Committee (IPC)
Workshop was held in Lake Tahoe, California [U.S.A.], at the Granlibakken
Conference Center on 26 October 1999. The workshop drew 26 attendees
from a broad spectrum of NHA membership categories. The attendees
convened to assess the progress of the hydrogen community in attaining
the goals set forth in the Hydrogen Commercialization Plan (HCP).
This entailed examination of the near-term goals as well as the
nongoal recommendations of the plan.
Dave Nahmias, Chairman of the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel,
led the discussion for Session 1 on the near-term goals of the
HCP, while Bud Beebe, of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District,
led discussion for Session 2, which covered the nongoal recommendations
of the HCP.
There were three types of recommendations that came out of the
Workshop: deletions, modifications, or topics for the IPC to consider
as new business in 2000. Only the nongoal recommendations contained
items selected for deletion.
The nongoal recommendations selected for deletion were largely
seen to be obsolete by the participants either because they are
being done, had been accomplished, or a superior action that accomplishes
the goal is being performed. The participants wanted to make clear
that none of these recommendations were seen as abandoned, rather
that the hydrogen community had met the parameters set forth and
needed to continue down the path of progress.
A preponderance of the recommendations from the Workshop were
in the form of modifications. Many of the recommendations simply
needed modification to keep up with the changing landscape of
hydrogen energy systems. Another aim was to raise the bar and
make these recommendations more aggressive so that the HCP kept
up with industry.
The IPC reviewed all the recommendations from the Workshop during
an IPC Conference Call that took place on 9 February 2000. All
IPC decisions will be referred to the NHA Board of Directors for
consideration at the next Board meeting, which occurs 29 February
2000, directly before the 11th Annual U.S. Hydrogen Meeting. Anything
decided at the Board meeting will then be presented to the membership
prior to the Annual Membership Meeting on 1 March 2000 from 5:00
p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Members may then vote to accept or reject these
recommended changes.
NHA staff are preparing a summary report that will be completed
and distributed after the IPC Conference Call. As soon as the
report is available, it will be mailed to the NHA membership at
large. If you are interested in becoming a part of the IPC, please
call me at +1.202.223.5547.