High Technology Challenge comes to South Carolina

January 31st, 2006: Fred Hume, Director of Economic Development Partnership, highlighted his challenging talk by stating “Hydrogen and Fuel Cells have real potential in the State of South Carolina.” The Center for Hydrogen Research in Aiken is a new 60,000 sq. ft. laboratory especially designed for hydrogen research and has space available for scientists and entrepreneurs who are ready to join the effort. The time for hydrogen is now, because:

1. Fossil fuel is limited. The supply is unstable. The nation imports 60% of its fuel, and is on the way to the 70% mark. Two thirds of the fuel is used for transportation.
2. Urban polution is caused by fossil fuels.
3.Climate change is being affected by the burning.

Hydrogen is the most serious contender as a replacement and should be in place by the end of the next 20 to 30 years. South Carolina has the potential to secure a significant part of the hydrogen market because:

1. The Savannah River Site has 50 years of experience with hydrogen research including production and storage capability.
2. 40,000 jobs are possible with a 10 billion dollar research budget expected to be spent by the Federal government in the next 20 years.

Looming on the horizon are the Hypercar and on site Hydrogen generators to supply all of the power needs for a hospital, for example, with no dependence on wiring to the site which can be shut down by storms, hurricanes, accidents, etc.

Unfortunately, up to this time there has not been a coordinated effort in the state to make use of our experience and assets and set out to be the nations’ research center we can be. It will be necessary to seek congressional support to coordinate innovation, finance, human resources, infrastructure and facilities, and marketing. Some meetings have been held but a master plan must be put in place to leverage our assets among many agencies. The goal is to make South Carolina the hydrogen capital of the nation, if not the world.

Reported by Fred Sales, Keyway Committee