The Southern Fuel Cell Coalition
July-September 2005

CTE’s Fall Meeting Features SFCC
The SFCC work program, including current project updates, prospective project ideas, funding opportunities, and new members, received special attention at the Fall 2005 meeting of CTE’s members and board of directors on September 14th and 15th in Atlanta. In addition to the new member presentations provided by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Savannah River National Laboratory, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the meeting featured a special tour and overview of the Georgia Tech fuel cell research facilities and programs hosted by Dr. Meilin Liu and Dr. Tom Fuller.

Although the meeting had to be relocated to Atlanta from the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi due to Hurricane Katrina, attendance by members and visitors was exceptional. Special thanks to board Treasurer, Amy Curry, of Kim King Associates, for providing the meeting facilities and hosting a tour at the company’s headquarters in the new Technology Square development.

SFCC Advisory Panel Develops Conceptual Plan for Atlantic Station Project

Leaders of the largest urban brownfield redevelopment project in the United States, Atlanta’s Atlantic Station, are partnering with the SFCC, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration, the Department of Energy, Georgia Tech, the State of Georgia, and others to demonstrate a variety of advanced energy technologies to power the project. Among the partners, a panel of energy and fuel cell experts assembled by the SFCC is leading the effort to recommend an implementation plan for installation of an innovative fuel cell system that will generate nearly 8.2 megawatts of combined heat and electrical fuel cell power.

The Advisory Panel, together with Atlantic Station representatives, met on September 15th to begin work on a plan for the project’s estimated 10-year implementation. The start-up requirements for the project are to deliver a high-level concept document that includes the project background, panel description, project requirements and objectives, conceptual level recommendations, and further implementation plans. The concept document has been delivered to the Atlantic Station developers who, in turn, will deliver it to the Environmental Protection Agency as part of a proposal to acquire energy bonds.

The SFCC Advisory Panel, which was chosen from the SFCC membership, consists of:

• Dr. Tom Fuller, Director, Georgia Tech Center for Innovative Fuel Cell and Battery Technologies; Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Dr. Rajat Sen, President & CEO, SENTECH, Inc.
• Dr. Tim Armstrong, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Program Manager, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Dr. Ted Motyka, Manager, Hydrogen Technology Laboratory, Savannah River National Laboratory
• Chris Davis, COO, Logan Energy Corporation
• Jason Hanlin, Director of Engineering Research, CTE

SFCC to Lead Data Collection for Chattanooga Hybrid Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration

The third of three projects to receive seed funding from the SFCC in 2005 has been selected. The project will focus on the collection of data that will lead to development of a hybrid fuel cell bus demonstration located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and will involve a partnership with General Hydrogen Corporation, the Chattanooga Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA), the Advanced Transportation Technology Institute, and the City of Chattanooga’s Enterprise Center. Preliminary project plans call for the collection of data to determine the appropriate sizing of a replacement fuel cell pack for a hybrid electric bus. The project will demonstrate General Hydrogen’s Fuel Cell Pack retrofit on an existing electric bus in the CARTA fleet. For further project information, contact Jason Hanlin at jason@cte.tv.

CTE/SFCC Welcomes Our Newest Members
We are excited to be working with the following new members: General Hydrogen Corporation, Savannah River National Laboratory, the City of Sevierville, TN, The Chattanooga Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA), LOGANEnergy Corporation, and Eka Chemicals, Inc.

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL)
As the applied research and development laboratory at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) puts science to work to create and deploy practical, high-value, cost-effective technology solutions in three major program areas: Energy Security, National and Homeland Security, and Environmental and Chemical Process Technology.

In the area of Energy Security, SRNL performs research and development that supports President Bush's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative to ensure our nation's long-term energy security and a clean environment. Using hydrogen to fuel our economy can reduce dependence on imported petroleum, diversify energy resources, and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

For over 50 years, SRNL’s hydrogen experts have supported the Savannah River Site’s work with tritium, the radioactive form of hydrogen used in national defense. That experience has led to the development of technologies for the safe, cost-effective handling of hydrogen. Today, SRNL’s 80-plus hydrogen researchers are applying that same expertise to provide solutions to some of the most important challenges that must be addressed to make the hydrogen economy a reality. Among these are the development of technologies for the safe, lightweight, cost-effective storage of hydrogen on-board a vehicle, and technologies for the safe, clean production of hydrogen.

CTE/SFCC welcomes Dr. Ted Motyka, Manager of the Hydrogen Technology Laboratory, as SRNL’s representative and we appreciate his participation as a member of the Atlantic Station Advisory Panel.

Special Thanks from SFCC to Senators Shelby, Isakson, and Chambliss
The SFCC has extended its appreciation to Alabama Senator Richard Shelby and Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson for their continued support of programs and legislation designed to foster economic development in the southeastern region. Of particular importance in the recently passed SAFETEA-LU surface transportation legislation is language contained in the Fuel Cell Bus Program section that will enable more equitable competition for demonstration project funding.

Southern Fuel Cell Coalition Sponsors Booth at 2005 Fuel Cell Seminar
The Southern Fuel Cell Coalition (SFCC) will be represented by CTE’s Jason Hanlin at the 2005 Fuel Cell Seminar to be held November 14-18 in Palm Springs, California. Jason will be hosting an SFCC display booth designed to promote the coalition, our members, and our projects. The SFCC booth will be located in space #507 near the food and beverage section of the exhibit hall.
Since its inception in 1976, the Fuel Cell Seminar has presented key technical information regarding fuel cell technology and has become the premier meeting for the fuel cell industry. The 2005 Seminar will build on the success of the 2004 event where some 2,200 participants from over 36 different countries met to discuss technical papers, visit international exhibitors, and learn about the latest technical advances in the field.

Please plan to stop by the SFCC booth and say hello! We look forward to seeing you.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Bruce A. Burney
Director of Development
The Center for Transportation and the Environment
1401 Peachtree Street, Suite 440
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
678-244-4159
www.cte.tv
bruce@cte.tv