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On October 18, 2012, the Hydrogen Energy Center of Portland, Maine and the University of Maine College of Engineering in Orono will present a free workshop to brief Maine's business community on the technologies, products, economics and manufacturing opportunities associated with the rapidly evolving fuel cell and hydrogen energy industry. The workshop, entitled, "Technology & Economics of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy for Maine Businesses" will feature speakers from leading firms in the hydrogen energy industry and will be held in simultaneous, live, interactive video-conference sessions at five locations around Maine. Background Through the past 25 to 30 years, fuel cell and related technologies have evolved from theoretical promise, through the ups and downs of technology change, to a point where recent advances are now putting commercial fuel cell and hydrogen energy systems into the marketplace. Where does this technology currently stand? Most major automobile manufacturers are committed to fuel cell vehicle roll-outs within the next 3 to 5 years, and in Europe and Japan, the fueling infrastructure is growing steadily. Many fuel cell systems are now deployed for very clean, quiet and reliable power supply applications ranging from urban commercial and industrial deployments to remote, off-grid power supply solutions. Compelling value propositions are being realized for applications as specific as warehouse lift truck fueling and telecommunications power supplies. Home-scale combined heat and power fuel cell systems from numerous manufacturers are now being fine-tuned for cost-effective introduction to high-volume markets. European wind power operations are designing hydrogen energy storage methods to smooth out the flow of energy from intermittent wind power facilities. These technologies are now hitting the market with potential solutions for our region's problems of high energy consumption, unacceptable carbon emissions and high energy costs in business operations. Workshop Program This concentrated half-day workshop for Maine's business community, presenting the current technologies and economics of fuel cell & hydrogen energy products for four specifc applications that are very important in Maine: On-site combined heat, power, cooling and fuel production systems for buildings, industrial applications and utility power supply. Energy storage used in conjunction with wind energy generation and other intermittent energy production technologies – hydrogen energy storage technologies being developed in Europe and the US. Fuel cell energy and associated fuel and chemical production to enhance the biomass product outputs from pulp and paper manufacturing. Current technology status and future economic prospects for fuel cell -powered vehicle fleets. At this session, the Maine business community will receive an update on the technologies, economics realistic capabilities and challenges of these tools. Conversely, the fuel cell and hydrogen industry needs to hear the responses from Maine's potential technology users to make these products more cost-effective. Presenters Here in New England, we are in one of the world's foremost areas for fuel cell technology research, development and equipment manufacturing. The workshop presenters are key technology organizations and firms from our New England / New York region and beyond – organizations developing, manufacturing and supplying fuel cell / hydrogen equipment for these key applications in Maine: Forest Bioproducts Research Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME – Development of production subsystems using fuel cells and hydrogen production in conjunction with other process enhancements to expand the product output and revenue generation from wood-based pulp and paper manufacturing. Fuel Cell Energy, Inc., Danbury, CT – Fuel cell combined heat and power systems, fuel cell equipment for distributed grid energy, fuel cell energy from biomass & wastewater methane, systems for energy and chemical production in conjunction with pulp and paper manufacturing. General Motors Company, Detroit, MI – GM Fuel Cell Activities division of GM Powertrain, Honeoye Falls, NY – This division within General Motors conducts research, development and engineering of fuel cell propulsion systems for light-duty vehicles. ITM Power Plc, Sheffield, UK and Surry, BC (Canada)– Component equipment for hydrogen production from water. Hydrogen production and dispensing systems for vehicle fueling, technologies and methods for energy storage in conjunction with European wind power production. Nuvera Fuel Cells, Billerica, MA– Fuel cell systems for vehicle power, equipment for hydrogen production from natural gas plus storage & dispensing equipment for hydrogen fueling of fuel cell powered fleet vehicles. Plug Power, Inc., Latham, NY– Fuel cell power systems for materials handling equipment & lift truck fleets. Proton OnSite, Wallingford, CT– Equipment for industrial scale production of hydrogen from water, hydrogen production from renewable power, hydrogen-based energy storage systems for wind energy and other renewable power production, hydrogen dispensing systems for commercial fueling of fuel cell vehicles. UTC Power (United Technologies, Inc.), South Windsor, CT– Natural gas fuel cell combined heat and power systems for industrial, commercial and institutional facilities power plus hydrogen fuel cell power systems for emergency power and transit vehicles. Workshop Locations The HEC is presenting this workshop using two-way video/audio conferencing that will simultaneously link remote presenters with a statewide workshop audiences at 5 locations: Portland– Wishcamper Center Atrium, University of Southern Maine, 34 Bedford St., Portland, ME 04101. (Access the parking garage by taking the 2nd left immediately after the overhead skywalk on Bedford Street.) Lewiston – University of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College, Room 106, at 51 Westminster St., Lewiston, ME 04240 (Located off route 196 east of I-95 exit 80 – visitor parking on campus). Orono – Target Technology Center conference room, 20 Godfrey Drive, Orono, ME 04473 (I-95 Stillwater Ave. Orono & Old Town exit - convenient parking on site). Orono– 118 Boardman Hall – College of Engineering, University of Maine campus, Orono, ME 04469. (non-student campus parking in visitor areas only – for easier parking attend this event at the Target Technology Center, Orono – see above) Presque Isle– Pullen Hall room 115, University of Maine at Presque Isle, 181 Main Street, Presque Isle, ME 04769 How to Attend There is no charge to attend. Feel free to attend for only the presentation(s) that are of interest to you. Organizers request that people sign up in advance for planning purposes, then simply come to October 18 at the University of Maine site nearest you – Portland, Lewiston, Orono (2 sites) or Presque Isle. To sign up, Lewiston location is room 162L Presque Isle location is Pullen Hall room 112 Event registration can be done at the HEC website, or simply call or email Gary Higginbottom of HEC at 207-233-1273. Final agenda and times for each presentation session will be on-line shortly at the HEC website. Continuing education credits will be available for some professions. Other Maine, New England and New York organizations may wish to join this event by connecting via video-conferencing sites in their areas. For more information, contact Gary Higginbottom of the Hydrogen Energy Center as above. Special Thanks to Dr. David Dvorak, of the University of Maine College of Engineering in Orono, Maine, for assistance in planning and hosting this event. About the Hydrogen Energy Center: The Hydrogen Energy Center is a non-profit organization run by visionary volunteers who are acting on their commitment to a better energy future. Membership fees fund these operations. The knowledge and energy of our members fuel everything we do. Our members share the desire to see hydrogen energy help correct the problems of dirty air, climate disruption, world conflicts and poverty which have been caused by our fossil fuel economy.

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