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S.C. Poised to Play Key Role in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Research

Posted on: Sunday, 17 July 2005, 18:00 CDT

Jul. 16--South Carolina has most of the right stuff to be a leader in hydrogen fuel cell research, but it will need more support both from government and private industry, USC research chief Harris Pastides told a group of about 30 business leaders Friday at the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

USC, Clemson University and the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory are trying to build support that would make South Carolina a leader in developing hydrogen fuel cells to power cars or homes.

Hydrogen fuel cells are alluring because they produce electricity and emit only water. The obstacles include high expenses and finding ways to let drivers fill up on hydrogen as easily as gas.

The schools, SRS and several companies are inviting business and community leaders to a series of meeting across the state, leading to the launch of the S.C. Next Energy Initiative on Oct. 4.

The group's ignition will occur as the General Assembly's starts its next session in January.

The initiative will present recommendations by the end of the month from a consulting firm hired to help the group figure out what the state has, and what it needs to have, to become a leader in hydrogen research.

Pastides, USC vice president for research and health sciences, said those recommendations could include ways the state could provide more assistance, but he said he did not know what form new state aid would take.

Already, USC is using state, university and some private funds to start construction of its downtown research campus. The campus will include two buildings for research into hydrogen fuel cells and other energy alternatives to fossil fuels. At least $58 million in state grants is expected to support construction.

The state has also provided about $100 million of the $157 million automotive research campus Clemson is building along Interstate 85 in Greenville.

Federal government support also is critical. One of South Carolina's chief assets is the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, built more than 50 years ago to make nuclear weapons. A key step in producing the nuclear material involves tritium, a form of hydrogen.

Savannah River Site has 750 technicians, engineers and researchers, including 400 with doctoral degrees. "This is probably the largest concentration of people experienced with dealing with hydrogen and tritium in the world," Pastides said.

Aiken County is building a $9 million Center for Hydrogen Research outside the gates of the Savannah River site to house 50 of the 80 hydrogen experts now working at the Savannah River National Laboratory.

USC has 15 professors and about 30 doctoral students researching hydrogen fuel cells, drawing about $3 million a year in grants.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The State, Columbia, S.C.

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Source: The State (Columbia, S.C.)

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