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S.C. unveils fuel cell strategy

S.C. set to unveil fuel cell strategy

A 20-year strategy to make South Carolina a leader in the emerging hydrogen and fuel cell economy relies heavily on regional cooperation.

But the plan also recognizes the need to create an “aggressive state organization” to work on public and private policies and actions.

The S.C. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Economy Strategy will be launched today at the Engenuity ’05 conference at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into energy while emitting only water vapor. They can be used for stationary or portable power systems, or in automobiles or other vehicles. Hydrogen has been touted as a replacement for oil and other fossil fuels, which are nonrenewable resources. Energy officials say it is not a debate about whether the world’s supply of oil will run out, but when.

By 2021, the hydrogen and fuel cell industries are projected to generate more than $2.6 trillion. Successfully positioning South Carolina to compete in that market has huge economic implications for the state.

The 20-year plan projects that a minimum of 8,000 to 12,000 primary jobs can be created in South Carolina in hydrogen and fuel cell industries, with two to three times that number in secondary employment.

The strategy says “those states able to develop and commercialize technologies based on these emerging energy innovations will be able to create jobs and wealth for their citizens — while others will be, essentially, customers and users and miss this significant opportunity.”

The plan was crafted as part of the S.C. Next Energy Initiative, a project of EngenuitySC, with the help of business, university, national laboratory and community leaders from across three state regions, as well as ICF Consulting.

Funding was provided by USC and Clemson University, the city of Columbia, the Savannah River Site, the Aiken Center for Hydrogen Research and private industry.

The effort began with Columbia Mayor Bob Coble asking local entrepreneur Larry Wilson and Harris Pastides, USC vice president for research, to lead an effort to make Columbia a “Hydrogen City.” It quickly morphed into a statewide effort concentrated in three regions:

• Midlands: Where USC has expertise in fuel cells and related technologies

• Aiken: Where the Savannah River National Lab and the new Center for Hydrogen Research focus on hydrogen production and storage

• Upstate: Where Clemson University focuses on end-user applications, such as transportation

Each of those regions will work on the specific pieces of the strategy related to their particular strengths.

They will be brought together under three statewide flagship initiatives geared t

• Achieve and sustain a critical mass of basic and applied research

• Commercialize hydrogen and fuel cell technology

• Grow and cluster hydrogen and fuel cell technology-based industry in the state.

The strategy has attracted the interest of South Carolina’s state and congressional leadership.

S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell is scheduled to speak at the conference. Also expected are four of the state’s six U.S. House members: Reps. Bob Inglis, R-S.C., a founding member of the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus; Jim Clyburn and John Spratt, D-S.C., and Gresham Barrett, R-S.C.

The conference also will feature General Motors Corp.’s HydroGen3 fuel cell car.

General Motors has made a huge bet in the new market. “Fuel cells are very important to GM’s future,” CEO Rick Waggoner told Fortune magazine. “We’ve spent hundreds of millions already, and we’re going to spend a lot more than that until we get into production vehicle.”

Toyota Motor Corp. also is looking to hydrogen as a future energy source. The company announced earlier this month that it has partnered with Savannah River National Laboratory to develop a lighter-weight and cost-effective hydrogen fuel storage system for future hydrogen-powered automobiles. It is investing about $1 million in the project.