National Hydrogen Association Activities in 2005
By Brian Schorr, Program Coordinator, National Hydrogen Association
 

2005 is underway and the National Hydrogen Association (NHA) is off to a busy start!  The following is a brief look at NHA activities on the horizon for the association’s Annual Conference, Policy and Government Affairs, Codes and Standards, and Education and Outreach.

Annual Conference

At this time, preparations continue for the 16^th Annual U.S. Hydrogen Conference and Hydrogen Expo USA.  This conference is the NHA’s biggest event and draws the largest gathering of hydrogen industry representatives in the country.  The theme for this year’s conference is Partnering for the Global Hydrogen Future.  The National Hydrogen Association has created a special conference website, located at www.HydrogenConference.org for more information including, registration and hotel information, as well as information on how to sponsor and exhibit.  A conference program will also be posted to the site soon.

This year, the conference will be hosted at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC March 29-April 1, 2005.  Please mark those dates on your calendars and plan to attend!

Policy and Government Affairs

The legislative priorities identified by the Policy Committee and included in the Program Plan for 2005 are as follows:

• Support the Technology Validation Project funded through the HFCIT Program in DOE as a top priority. Support full funding of President George W. Bush’s hydrogen program.
• A strong message against Congressionally-directed spending projects.
• Support an education spending priority within DOE that leads to education and outreach among code officials, fire marshals, emergency responders, and state and local energy officials, etc. as a higher priority than has been demonstrated.
• Support additional legislation which aids in the development of hydrogen infrastructure for portable, stationary and transportation end-users and their related technologies.

Other Policy activities planned for 2005 include:

• The Policy Committee plans a CEO congressional briefing in conjunction with the NHA Annual Conference. The purpose of the briefing is to convey strong, clear messages to elected officials for continued, dependable funding of the technology validation program.
• Monthly conference calls between the NHA, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Fuel Cell Council and the California Air Resources Board will continue.
• Subject to availability of funds, regular meetings with NHA staff and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will expand to Fossil Energy and Nuclear Energy divisions of DOE.

Codes and Standards

In 2005, the NHA will continue to provide technical expertise and keep its association members informed on activities impacting hydrogen safety, codes and standards. The NHA will work in five areas:

• Technical conferences for hydrogen codes and standards,
• Interdisciplinary Consensus Building,
• International Standards and Global Technical Regulations,
• Technical Support for State and Regional Hydrogen Programs, and
• U.S. Model Code Support.

The following activities are planned for 2005 as a result of an NREL grant which provides cost-shared funding:

• Publishing and distribution of a technical monthly electronic newsletter, the Hydrogen Safety Report. 
• Publish and post proceedings of semi-annual workshops on codes and standards.
• Support information transfer and exchange for the activities of the DOE Hydrogen Codes and Standards Coordinating Committee.
• A quarterly report on technical requirements of Canadian and Japanese hydrogen standards and codes (PATH is the subcontractor).

Education and Outreach

As a result of a SWOT (“Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats”) analysis activity conducted by the membership in 2004, the Education and Outreach Committee of the NHA determined that the association needed to revise outreach materials, which includes formalizing hydrogen messages that will be used both internally and to target audiences, which include code officials, media, policymakers, government representatives, teachers, students, and the public at large.

These messages will be incorporated into presentations given at meetings, promotional material to prospective member organizations, and dialogue among interested individuals.

The E&O Committee defined the following work items as priorities for 2005:

• Beyond revising the communication tools listed above, complete the following:
  • Remaining hydrogen fact sheets (supported by DOE) and began in 2004,
  • Technology information (product availability, costs, how they work)
• Implement the results from a Messaging Workshop held in November, to clarify the NHA’s communications and identity.

• Continue the NHA’s presence at events that the association creates and those that the NHA does not create.

The NHA’s chief source of outreach will continue to be via its website, located at www.HydrogenAssociation.org  In addition to links to members’ websites, users may find general information about hydrogen from the newly created Hydrogen Fact Sheets, links to other hydrogen organizations, read the latest hydrogen news, search employment opportunities in hydrogen, and receive information on important upcoming hydrogen conferences and events.  Please refer to the NHA’s website often, as it will be continuously updated as the NHA enters its 16^th year of operation.