CGFCC in the News

U.S. Secretary of Energy, Samuel Bodman, visits CGFCC

On the morning of June 2, 2006 the CGFCC hosted U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, Undersecretary Raymond Orbach, and U.S. Congressman (CT) Rob Simmons. Secretary Bodman was invited to the CGFCC by Dr. Amir Faghri, United Technologies Endowed Chair Professor in Thermal-Fluids Engineering and former Dean of the School of Engineering. Secretary Bodman visited the CGFCC to gain an understanding of the current research activities and to meet with the some of the largest fuel cell manufacturers in the U.S., which happen to be based in the State of Connecticut.

During an invitation-only roundtable discussion, Secretary Bodman spoke with officials from the CGFCC, CL&P, FuelCell Energy, UTC Power, Distributed Energy Systems Corp. and the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. CGFCC Director Kenneth Reifsnider, the Pratt & Whitney Chair Professor in Design & Reliability, said Secretary Bodman informed Connecticut's fuel cell companies and researchers that he expected them to quickly refocus their efforts in pure research to effect more practical applications. He alluded to various factors that demand more immediate action by alternative energy companies, including global warming and the continued rise in fossil fuel costs.

During his tour of the center, Secretary Bodman was interested in understanding the details of the various demonstrations that were available for his visit. Some of the demonstrations and posters presented during Secretary Bodman's visit were focused on hydrogen storage for PEM fuel cells, an air passive 25 watt PEM fuel cell, membrane durability for PEM fuel cells, a tubular solid oxide fuel cell, and a passive direct methanol fuel cell operating on both methanol and ethanol. Secretary Bodman also viewed a number of ongoing research and demonstration projects that currently reside within the CGFCC and are operated by FuelCell Energy, GenCell, UTC Power and Distributed Energy Systems Corp.

Press Releases Available for Reading

At UConn, Energy Chief Sounds Upbeat, The Hartford Courant, June 3, 2006

Fuel Cell Technology has officials pumped, The Willimantic Chronicle, June 3, 2006

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U.S. Secretary of Energy, Samuel Bodman CGFCC visit