SolFest Expands Role for Hydrogen
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Imagine clean air technology powering the Superbowl, the new Robert Redford movie on location and Sting’s performance at Carnegie Hall. Although we know that hydrogen power is making inroads with government agencies, auto manufacturers and other companies worldwide, nothing can spark interest in the technology faster than associating it with a national media event. That is the purpose of HydroGenny.

HydroGenny is being developed by the American Hydrogen Association in cooperation with the non-profit, Solar Living Institute, beneficiary of SolFest, the yearly Solar and Good Living Festival in Northern California. It will become the world’s first completely renewable mobile hydrogen generator.

Everywhere HydroGenny operates it will clean the air to produce less than zero or “minus emissions.” Minus Emissions means that HydroGenny will provide energy and reduce the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. More importantly, the atmosphere where HydroGenny operates will be cleaned as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, airborne tire particles, pollens, and diesel soot are turned into water vapor and traces of carbon dioxide.

The initial campaign will launch prior to SolFest in San Francisco where a top local radio station will be powered by HydroGenny. The goal is to debut HydroGenny in the San Francisco Bay Area a week prior to SolFest, which is slated for August 24 and 25, 2002 in Hopland, 90 miles north of San Francisco. HydroGenny will continue on the primary purpose of demonstrating throughout North America the best technologies for hydrogen production, storage, and application.

A 36-foot designer trailer will transport a 25 kW hydrogen fueled engine generator. This engine generator’s primary fuel will be hydrogen made from renewable resources including methane collected from sewage, garbage and farm waste disposal systems.

HydroGenny will also demonstrate how yard wastes, crop wastes, manure, etc., can be converted to methane and then further converted into hydrogen and sequestered carbon. The hydrogen will power advanced heat engines and fuel cells.

Other demos will also be displayed including various instrumentation, electrolyzer and fuel cell technologies.

Following the San Francisco event, the HydroGenny mobile generator will provide energy for the SolFest concert scheduled for Saturday, August 24 in Hopland as well as power for other portions of SolFest at the Real Goods Solar Living Center during the weekend.

The National Hydrogen Association assisted Sandia National Laboratories in conducting two seminars on hydrogen technologies at SolFest in 2001 (see article, SolFest 2001, NHA News, Autumn 2001). SolFest, now in its 7th year at the 12 acre Real Goods Solar Living Center in Hopland is a two day event that brings together the leading authorities and educators in renewable and sustainable living technologies. SolFest presents over 50 workshops in everything under the sun. Topics include: grid intertie, energy rebates, straw bale construction, fuel cell development, and hydrogen power. This year, the role of hydrogen at SolFest will be expanded. “SolFest has proven to be an excellent public education and outreach forum for hydrogen technologies. Participants in the weekend event represent the early adopters of clean energy technologies in the public sector,” says Karen Miller of the National Hydrogen Association.

Plans are being developed for HydroGenny appearances and to power events throughout the country to bring attention to hydrogen power. Opportunities to sponsor this project are available.

If you are interested in more information on SolFest 2002, or the HydroGenny project, please contact SolFest Co-Producer Belle Starr. She can be reached at +1-928-649-8180, and belle@sedona.net, or visit the Solar Living website at www.Solarliving.org. ©2002. All Rights Reserved. A Publication of the National Hydrogen Association.
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