Competition offers $1 million for advances in hydrogen storage.
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Press Release Summary:
Launched by Department of Energy, H-Prize Competition is offering $1 million cash award to individual or team that creates most advanced materials for hydrogen storage in vehicles. U.S. Congress authorized H-Prize in Section 654 of Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. In all, Act could provide up to $4 million/year and single $10 million cash prize in public funding over 10-year period for most significant innovations in hydrogen storage, production, utilization, and distribution.
Original Press Release:
National H-Prize Competition Offers $1 Million for Advances in Hydrogen Storage
Sponsors and Contestants are Encouraged to Participate. Deadline is February 15, 2010.
Washington DC--September 30, 2009--The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched the H-Prize competition, offering a $1 million cash award to the individual or team that creates the most advanced materials for hydrogen storage in vehicles.
The H-Prize is open to U.S. companies, U.S. citizens and legal U.S. residents, with certain restrictions. Participants must register on the H-Prize website by February 15, 2010.
The U.S. Congress authorized the H-Prize in Section 654 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and directed the Secretary of Energy to implement a robust competition that awards large cash prizes in three categories. In all, the Act could provide up to $4 million per year and a single $10 million cash prize in public funding over a 10-year period for the most significant innovations in hydrogen storage, production, utilization and distribution. To augment prize funds, private donors are encouraged to contribute. In a competitive solicitation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected the National Hydrogen Association's Hydrogen Education Foundation, Technology Transition Corporation and SCRA to assist in administering the initial, pilot prize competition.
"The hydrogen and fuel cell industry has come a long way in expanding the use of hydrogen from its common use as an industrial chemical in making fertilizers and cleaning gasoline. New emerging markets for materials handling and emergency power are providing real benefits - but in some technology areas innovations in materials, efficiency and cost will make those benefits even more substantial," said Jeffrey Serfass, President of the Hydrogen Education Foundation.
"The H-Prize has the potential to unite researchers to create new advancements that will utilize domestic resources to sharply lower greenhouse gases in transportation and distributed electricity generation."
"SCRA is pleased to be a partner in administering the H-Prize for the DOE and the Hydrogen Education Foundation," said Bill Mahoney, SCRA CEO. "This not only reflects SCRA's consistent ability to achieve assured outcomes, but it also demonstrates our excellence as a partner in deploying important alternative energy technologies."
SCRA has demonstrated proven ability to manage and execute both national and regional hydrogen fuel cell programs, from the Department of Energy's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell "Market Transform" program that is deploying fuel cell technology at Ft. Jackson, SC, to the nationally recognized Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge. SCRA's principal role within the administration team will be as fundraiser for the competition, a role which has proven successful in similar responsibilities executed by SCRA's affiliate, SC Launch, in raising private funds to support knowledge economy initiatives within South Carolina.
The H-Prize bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Bob Inglis of South Carolina and Dan Lipinski of Illinois. The bill has been authorized to include up to $40 million in additional funds from non-federal sources, including up to $10 million in "transformational technologies." These technologies include innovations that exceed established criteria, with minimal environmental impact and a significant potential for market success. Sponsors are needed and are encouraged to contact HEF or SCRA to support this effort.
More info about the H-Prize competition, including eligibility, the registration process and technical criteria, as published in the Federal Register, is available at www.HydrogenPrize.org.
CONTACT:
Patrick Serfass
Hydrogen Education Foundation
202-223-5547, ext. 366
serfassp@HydrogenAssocation.org
Jill Hirsekorn
SCRA
843-760-3329
jhirsekorn@scra.org
About the Hydrogen Education Foundation
HEF is the charitable, education-focused arm of the National Hydrogen Association, the largest hydrogen trade association in the world. The HEF currently administers three hallmark programs: the H2 & You outreach program, the Hydrogen Student Design contest and the H-Prize Competition. www.HydrogenEducationFoundation.org
About SCRA
SCRA is a global leader in applied research and commercialization services with offices in South Carolina, Ohio and in the Washington, D.C. area. SCRA collaborates to advance technology, providing technology-based solutions with assured outcomes to industry, government, and research universities in SC, the US and worldwide. www.scra.org
