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 NHA Hosts Annual Conference in SacramentoErika Witherspoon, Events Manager, NHA With the theme, Ramping Up Commercialization, over 1,200 attendees participated in the NHA Annual Hydrogen Conference and Hydrogen Expo US 2008 March 31-April 3 at the Sacramento Convention Center in Sacramento, California. Representatives from 30 countries (including the United States) participated in Hydrogen Week. James Heathcote, CEO, ITM Power stated, "From our prospective in England, this is the most important hydrogen conference in the world." The NHA set a record this year in the numbers of early bird and pre-registrations heading into the Conference. Anther record was set early on when over 150 abstracts were received for consideration as technical presentations. The 2008 Conference initiated another first, not only for the NHA but for hydrogen and fuel cell stakeholders as a whole---indoor use of fuel cells with hydrogen storage. The NHA registration area was powered by a 5kW GenCore® fuel cell system provided by Plug Power and a 10kW Altergy Freedom Power™ fuel cell system provided power within the Expo Hall in the live demo area. Plug Power also provided a fuel cell pallet truck powered by a GenDrive® fuel cell. We are grateful to Plug Power and Altergy for their cooperation! The following is a recap of the other Conference highlights:  Keynote SpeakersThe NHA was honored to have 18 keynote addresses this year during the three Keynote Sessions: Government as Early Adopters, Early Markets, and Vehicles and Infrastructure. Among noted presentations, the winners of the 2007-08 Hydrogen Student Design Contest addressed the audience on their solution to common airport problems using hydrogen fuel cells in the areas of pollution, groundwater contamination, and noise control. (See “2007-2008 Hydrogen Student Design Contest” later in this article.) Parallel Sessions Attendees were able to hear over 130 speakers covering a broad range of topics in morning and afternoon parallel sessions that were connected to various aspects of the Conference theme. This year, the conference was extended to three full days in order to accommodate important subject matter in the parallel sessions and other events.  Hydrogen Expo USThis year's Expo hosted 92 organizations from across the globe. A complete listing of all 2008 exhibitors has been uploaded to Hydrogen Expo’s website at www.hydrogenexpo.com. If your organization is interested in exhibiting in next year's Conference, please contact Ines Freesen at Hydrogen Expo in Germany at +49-2802-948484-0. Please hurry as space is already 50% sold-out! Ride & Drive and Media This year, the NHA Annual Hydrogen Conference and Hydrogen Expo US attracted an unprecedented number and variety of hydrogen vehicles using both fuel cell and hydrogen engine technologies. There were a total of 20 vehicles from 9 manufacturers present on site between the exhibition and Ride & Drive. Participants began their journey to Wyotech College, the site of the NHA Ride and Drive, on a hydrogen fuel cell bus provided by AC Transit and then drove vehicles provided by several auto manufacturers on a closed-loop course.  We thank General Motors, Honda, Daimler, Nissan, Volkswagen, Toyota, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, and AC Transit for their cooperation and the California Fuel Cell Partnership for managing the Ride & Drive again this year.As a result of interest in the Ride and Drive, exhibitors and a number of prominent speakers, the NHA also generated significant interest from the media. Over 30 members of the press attended the 2008 Conference and Expo and have so far published 27 stories we have been able to identify from the event. The stories covered a range of topics from keynote addresses (including one by GM's Larry Burns), vehicle technology, the station unveiling and more. For a list of press releases and other news announced at the conference, visit: http://www.hydrogenconference.org/content.asp?media 2008 NHA Award Winners Every year the NHA takes time at the Annual Conference to recognize the accomplishments of outstanding people and organizations in the hydrogen technology field. The NHA congratulates this year's Association award recipients: Special Member Award American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Stephen Ellis accepted the award on American Honda’s behalf) Dr. Robert M. Zweig Public Education Award Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta, VPC Energy Inc. (also serves on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Board and Los Angeles Unified School District’s Indoor Air Quality Advisory Board) Meritorious Service Award The NHA recognized three deserving individuals to receive the Meritorious Service Award:
Winners of the Hydrogen Education Foundation’s 2007-2008 Hydrogen Student Design Contest were unveiled at the NHA Conference. 23 teams from 8 countries registered for the 2007-2008 Hydrogen Student Design Contest. The theme for this year’s Contest was “Hydrogen Applications for Airports,” where students were challenged to design the most effective hydrogen system to address the three main challenges for airports: noise, pollution, and groundwater contamination, using a budget of $3 million. The Columbia Metropolitan Airport, in Columbia, South Carolina was used as the model for planning the hydrogen system.  The winning entry was submitted by the team from Missouri University of Science & Technology. The winner was announced by Dr. Shannon Baxter-Clemmons, Executive Director of the South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance (SCHFCA) during the opening keynote session of the NHA Annual Conference. The SCHFCA was this year’s title sponsor of the Contest.The winning team’s design highlighted technologies that are currently available for consumer purchase, including back-up and portable fuel cell power supply, hydrogen fork lifts, and on-site hydrogen production technologies. As the Grand Prize winner, the team from the Missouri University of Science and Technology received an all-expense paid trip to Sacramento to present their design during the opening keynote session of the Conference. In addition to the winning entry, four teams received honorable mentions: McMaster University (Ontario, Canada), University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada), and two teams from Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan). These teams presented their entries during the poster session in the Exhibition Hall at the Hydrogen Expo US. In addition to the South Carolina Hydrogen Fuel Cell Alliance as the Contest’s title sponsor, the following organizations also sponsored the Contest: U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Chevron Hydrogen, Natural Resources Canada, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and American Wind Power and Hydrogen. Conference Sponsors The NHA extends its deepest thanks and appreciation to all sponsoring organizations of the 2008 NHA Annual Hydrogen Conference with Hydrogen Expo US: Platinum • Chevron Hydrogen • ITM Power • Shell Hydrogen Gold • Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. • BMW • Daimler • General Motors Corporation • Honda • Linde • Toyota Silver • Hydrogen Energy • Praxair, Inc. Bronze • National Aeronautics and Space Administration “Perfect 10” Sponsors • Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC • South Coast Air Quality Management District “Lucky 7” Sponsors • Center for Environmental Economic Development (CEED) • Plug Power Without the generous support of these sponsors, the Conference could not be possible. NHA Annual Hydrogen Conference 2009 Preparations for the NHA's Annual Hydrogen Conference 2009: Celebrating Twenty Years of Growing the Hydrogen Industry, are already well underway. As the theme states, 2009 is a special year as the NHA celebrates its 20th anniversary! This Conference is one to be sure not to miss! It will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia, South Carolina March 30 – April 3, 2009. The NHA’s Conference website (www.hydrogenconference.org/20years) will be updated throughout the year with important announcements and information, including Call for Papers, hotel, venue, and sponsorship opportunities. NHA members interested in making early commitments to sponsor or join the NHA Conference Steering Committee, please contact Erika Witherspoon, NHA Events Manager, at 202-223-5547 ex. 304 or email witherspoone@hydrogenassociation.org. We look forward to seeing you in Columbia!  |
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 The NHA Website had over 125,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2008! Over 50,000 people visited in the last month alone, compared with the 15,692 monthly visitors when the site initially launched in 2001. |
News & Notes is a quarterly publication of the National Hydrogen Association.
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