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 The Future of Hydrogen: An Alternative Transportation Analysis for the 21st Century (Energy Evolution)
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Original Broadcast Date: October 23, 2008
Summary
This webinar features the analysis and models of 5-10 difference alternative fuel and vehicle combinations, recently heard in briefings on Capitol Hill and conferences across the globe. Dr. Sandy Thomas, President of H2Gen Innovations, Inc., reached out to industry executives and federal researchers to construct a computer model that projects, to 2100, the costs and benefits of prominent alternative transportation technologies: Hydrogen vehicles; battery electric vehicles; and plug-in hybrids fueled by gas, diesel, and cellulosic ethanol. The webinar shows their impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, oil consumption, urban air pollution and societal costs.
Each combination is analyzed on a 'well-to-wheels' basis and across a wide range of variables, making it one of the most thorough comparisons of next-generation transportation technologies.
 Frank Novachek
Director of Corporate Planning, Xcel Energy
Frank Novachek is the Director of Corporate Planning for Xcel Energy. He has 28 years of diverse experience with the Company. The first half of his career was spent at the Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Generating Station (the only commercial advanced high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor in the United States), where he was involved in its start-up, operation and final shutdown.
The most recent half of his career has been more corporately focused, serving in a variety of roles, from chief internal auditor to director of product development to his current position. Frank was also integration manager for the two multi-billion dollar mergers that created New Century Energies in the mid-1990’s and ultimately Xcel Energy in 2000. Over the past three and a half years, as a part of his role in Corporate Planning, Frank has become the Company’s focal point for the research and development of plans and strategies around energy storage and Xcel Energy’s possible roles in the future hydrogen-electric economy. He is also Chair of the Hydrogen Utility Group, which represents the hydrogen interests of electric utilities across North America and Korea.
Frank holds a B.S. in Physics from Colorado State University and an MBA from the University of Colorado.
 C.E. (Sandy) Thomas, Ph.D.
President,
H2Gen Innovations, Inc.
Dr. Thomas is co-founder and President of H2Gen Innovations, Inc., a company established in 2001 exclusively to manufacture low-cost hydrogen fueling systems. Previously, Dr. Thomas was Vice President at Directed Technologies, Inc., where in 1993-1997 he led a joint project with Ford and the U.S. DOE to evaluate hydrogen infrastructure options and hydrogen safety issues.
Prior to joining DTI, he served as a legislative assistant to Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa-D) from 1987 to 1993 covering national security, energy and environmental issues for the Senator. He assisted Senator Harkin in significantly expanding hydrogen energy and fuel cell research budgets at the Department of Energy. H2Gen is currently converting its steam methane reformer to produce hydrogen from ethanol, the lowest cost renewable hydrogen option, in addition to natural gas and propane. Previous research areas included coherent optical data processing, laser fusion and amorphous silicon photovoltaics.
Sandy received his BS, MS and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1961, 1963 and 1971. He serves on the Board of Directors of the National Hydrogen Association.
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