NHA News - Spring 2006

The NHA Welcomes Its Newest Members
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By Rex Hazelton
Membership Coordinator, National Hydrogen Association

Empower CES
EmPower CES, LLC is a clean energy development company that sells clean energy products and services to homeowners, businesses and institutions. Through the Community Energy Plan (CEP), EmPower generates community wide support for reducing demand of foreign sources of energy and improving the environment. EmPower is also involved in cutting edge research: after overseeing the development and construction of an advanced solar-hydrogen home for a Department of Energy competition, EmPower is working with its partners to further research and develop the hydrogen systems with the objective of achieving commercial viability in the medium-term. They are interested in the following technologies: Hydrogen Refueling Systems, Solar-Hydrogen Systems, and Clean Energy Distributed Generation Systems.

Global Renewable Energy
Global Renewable Energy LLC is a brand-new company that provides renewable energy applications and solutions in the US and around the world, enabling the worldwide transition to hydrogen as the fuel of choice in the 21st century. GRE's current projects focus on hydrogen, solar and photovoltaics, water and wind turbines, landfill gas to energy, and fuel cells. GRE's hydrogen projects range from the creation of hydrogen from water, hydrogen storage, hydrogen pumping, and the production of a hydrogen combustion engine. GRE focuses mostly on the conversion of vehicles with diesel engines into ICHE vehicles, as well as the production of hydrogen from renewable sources.

InnovaTek
Innovatek is committed to the advancement of fuel cell technology because of the benefits for the environment and its advantages in portable and distributed power generation. Rather than store energy like a battery, fuel cells use a continual supply of reactants to manufacture power without combustion or pollutants. This revolutionary technology can produce energy in both stationary and mobile applications. InnovaTek's expertise in catalyst, membrane, and microsystems technology gives them a competitive advantage in portable power applications.

Powergen International
Powergen International is a US based company that completed the Research and Development of the 'hydrojector' in Australia by a team of qualified engineers and scientists at the Victoria university of Technology .A demonstration of the 'hydrojector 'and Engine Management systems program are currently being completed at our global test facility in Seattle WA USA. Powergen is interested in hydrogen/syngas substitution on a diesel engine

United State Merchant Marine Academy, Alternative Power Program
The APP's mission in hydrogen is to educate & encourage student exploration, provide a platform for graduate level and industry related research & experimentation, and bring sustainable energy to maritime and transportation industries. The DOT Hydrogen Roadmap outlines plans to "...develop a hydrogen and fuel-cell transportation laboratory at the federally-owned US Merchant Marine Academy [which] will train students in the state-of-the-art hydrogen technologies and serve as a venue for community and professional outreach."

University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno has been involved the development of photochemical generation of hydrogen using solar light. The patent pending process is efficient and easy to scale. In addition, UNR has developed an embedded Nanotubular Titanium dioxide and Carbon Nanotube composites for reversible storage of hydrogen. The integrated hydrogen generation and storage approach has strong potential for vehicular and manufacturing application. UNR is working with Department of Energy and several industries to develop pilot scale demonstration of hydrogen technology

South Carolina Research Authority
The South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) is a $75 million per year global leader in applied research and technology transfer services. We are a publicly chartered, but privately funded, not-for-profit corporation that creates and manages consortia on behalf of government, industry, corporate and academic clients and partners to solve specific applied research and commercialization problems. SCRA is seeking to facilitate initiatives that will expand the knowledge economy within the state of South Carolina. Our nationally-recognized in-state research expertise offers us a near-term opportunity to demonstrate hydrogen and fuel cell technology and attract commercial interests who then will transition the research into new businesses in the knowledge economy. We believe our proven record in executing pervasive, cross-industry collaboration via active research networks positions us well to solve the specific applied research and commercialization challenges presented by the emerging hydrogen economy.

Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy's interests in hydrogen are primarily in the utility roles in developing the hydrogen-electric economy. To explore these interests, Xcel Energy is taking a major role in a pilot program with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory plan to use wind power to create hydrogen fuel. The idea is to increase the efficiency of wind generation by using it during off-peak hours to produce hydrogen. The hydrogen would be stored, then used later to produce electricity during periods of peak demand. The $1.75 million pilot program is titled "New Energy Technologies for Coloradans." The technology takes clean energy to even greener levels, using a renewable resource, wind, to make a nonpolluting fuel, hydrogen, in one of the nation's first attempts to combine the two energy resources.

NEW NHA AFFILIATES

New Mexico Hydrogen Business Council
The New Mexico Hydrogen Business Council was formed to help facilitate the creation of hydrogen energy businesses in New Mexico through its membership. It seeks to promote the conducive climate of New Mexico to hydrogen energy and promote New Mexico State Legislation to remove commercialization barriers.

Clean Air Now!
Clean Air Now was founded in 1969 to publicize the health effects of air pollution and to promote clean air strategies. Clean Air Now is unique - it conducts educational programs as well as projects that demonstrate ways to improve air quality. These programs and projects make a significant positive impact on the air quality in Southern California. In 1991 Clean Air Now adopted as its primary program the advocacy of clean, renewable hydrogen energy technologies. CAN continues this work along with its air quality policy advocacy.

Hydrogen Energy Systems Society of Japan (HESS)
The Hydrogen Energy Systems Society of Japan (HESS) was established almost thirty years ago, in July of 1973, to promote the importance of hydrogen energy systems. Headquartered at Yokohama University, HESS remains the leading center for hydrogen energy research in Japan. HESS is a center for research and development for ideal hydrogen energy systems utilizing renewable energy sources for betterment of the global environment. Research and development workshops are held quarterly and draw 70-100 attendees to discuss infrastructure, production, transportation storage safety and the WE-NET Program. HESS also publishes a journal on research and development twice a year.

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