(The Woodlands, TX - November 11, 2001)
WHO
Ralph Marquez, TNRCC Commissioner
Alan C. Lloyd, Ph.D. Chairman, California Air Resources Board
Also, Mayor Lee Brown (tentative), State Rep. Tommy Williams, Malcolm Jacobson, President, Fuel Cells Texas, Fuel Cell Initiative Advisory Committee private-public sector members
Brief Bios of press conference participants below
WHAT
H.B. No. 2845, passed by Texas lawmakers last May, authorized the creation of a Fuel Cell Commercialization Initiative to promote fuel cell technologies in Texas. The bill calls on the State Energy Conservation Office to work with the fuel cell industry, energy service companies, utilities and other state and local agencies in developing a statewide plan to accelerate the commercialization of fuel cells in Texas. The committee appointed to advise the energy office will hold its first meeting at the Houston Advanced Research Center on November 12 and 13. (Additional meetings are planned around the state through next summer). The Committee will look at ways to encourage the manufacture, marketing and installation of fuel cells in residential, commercial or industrial applications.
WHEN
News Conference, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 13
(Committee in session 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Nov. 13)
WHERE
News Conference: Fuel Cell Laboratory, Bldg. 2 (Photo Op: Working Fuel Cells)
Committee meeting: Fondren Lecture Hall, Bldg 1, HARC, 4800 Research Forest, The Woodlands
WHY
Can fuel cells make a major impact in improving our air quality? Population and industrial growth in the state's urban areas have increased the demand for reliable electric power. While small-scale distributed generation (DG) technologies may ease the strain on the electrical grid and reduce the potential for power outages, some DG technologies emit significantly more emissions per-kilowatt-hour than large central power plants and therefore would contribute to increased air pollution if widely used. Fuel cells are the exception and hold significant promise to meet increased demand for power. Affordable fuel cell technologies are not quite ready for market. House Bill 2845, passed by the 77th Legislative Session, requires the State Energy Conservation Office to develop a plan to accelerate the commercialization of fuel cells in Texas and to find ways to encourage their use in Texas homes and businesses.
CONTACTS
Charles Bredwell, Energy Efficiency Program Administrator, State Energy Conservation Office, 512-463-1947,512/463-1947, charles.bredwell@cpa.state.tx.us
or
Barbara Peyton, HARC, Public Relations, 281-363-7908 bpeyton@harc.edu
or
Dana Showalter, Fuel Cells Texas, 512/480-2218 Exec. Dir. dshowalter@goodcompanyassociates.com
News Conference Participants
Alan C. Lloyd, Ph.D., Chair, California Air Resources Board
With a budget of $150 million budget, the Board works to promote and protect public health, welfare and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. As Chairman, Dr. Lloyd seeks to cultivate a mindset and an attitude throughout government, industry and society that zero- and near-zero emission technologies can be put to use now or in the immediate future to help the state meet its air-quality goals. An alternative fuels expert, Dr. Lloyd has lectured here and abroad on the viable future of advanced technology and renewable fuels, with attention to the urban air quality challenges California faces. He is author of numerous articles on alternative fuels and air pollution control technology, including Fuel Cells and Air Quality: A California Perspective; Electric Vehicles and Future Air Quality in Los Angeles; and Air Quality Management in Los Angeles: Perspectives on Past and Future Emission Control Strategies.
R.B. "Ralph" Marquez, Commissioner, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC)
The lead environmental agency for the state of Texas, the TNRCC, strives to protect the state's human and natural resources consistent with sustainable economic development. The goal is clean air, clean water, and the safe management of waste. Marquez was first appointed as commissioner in 1995 and re-appointed to a second term in 1999. He has been heavily involved in air, Mexico border, and regulatory innovation issues during his two terms on the commission. He also serves on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Act Advisory Committee and the Governmental Advisory Committee to the U.S. Representative to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation.
Lee P. Brown, Mayor of Houston
Lee P. Brown became Houston's 50th mayor in 1998, coming to the position from a law enforcement background and having served as chief of police in both Houston and New York City. He was also President Clinton's Director of National Drug Control Policy for one term. Mayor Brown has identified the issue of air quality as a number one public policy priority and has provided strong leadership in addressing air pollution issues in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Region. Under his direction, the City of Houston was central in developing a State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Regional reduction of NOx emissions.
Representative Tommy Williams, District 15
Representative Tommy Williams serves as the elected representative for voters in Montgomery, Grimes, Madison and Waller Counties. An outspoken advocate for Texas taxpayers and a recognized leader in annexation reforms and school funding, Rep. Williams serves on the House Energy and Pension and Investment Committees in the Texas House of Representatives. The Texas Association of Business & Chambers of Commerce and others have acknowledged his pro-business record. Since 1983 he has been involved in the insurance and financial services field and presently serves as President of Woodforest Financial Services, headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.
Malcolm Jacobson, Vice President, of Market Development, Fuel Cell Energy, Danbury, Connecticut
His responsibilities include developing strategic alliances in the energy sector and identifying early adopter markets for the company's Direct FuelCell? technology. Jacobson has 17 years' experience in strategic planning, marketing, and business development roles in the energy industry. He is also President of Fuel Cells Texas, an industry association organized to accelerate the commercialization of fuel cells throughout Texas.
Patrice "Pete" Parsons, Houston Advanced Research Center
Patrice "Pete" Parsons joined the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) as Director of its Fuel Cell Research and Applications Center in July of 1998 and became Director of Development for HARC in 2001. Among her initial responsibilities were securing the startup funding for the Center, which included a $2 million Congressional earmark, crafting the initial scope of work, and finding corporate and government collaborators. She currently directs the Center's research and applications projects - focusing on new distributed power generation options for utilities, industry and government.
Bruce R. Rauhe, Energy Group Manager, Technical Director of Fuel Cell Center, Houston Advanced Research Center
As Manager of the Energy Group at HARC, Rauhe coordinates resources and projects related to development of energy technologies in support of HARC's focus on sustainability. As Technical Director of the Fuel Cell Center he develops and leads demonstration projects designed to evaluate fuel cell systems under real or simulated end-use applications. Beginning with graduate work at the University of California at Berkeley, Rauhe has worked in fuel cells and batteries for 13 years, including seven years at Southern Company, managing battery and fuel cell projects with budgets over $13 million.
William E. (Dub) Taylor, Director, Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO)
Under his direction, SECO administers and delivers a variety of efficiency and renewable programs that significantly impact energy costs and consumption in Texas' institutional, industrial, transportation and residential sectors. Prior to joining SECO, Taylor served six years as program administrator and project director with the Texas Railroad Commission's Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division. He currently serves on the State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB), the advisory board of the Industrial Energy Technology Conference, and is the Comptroller's representative on the Texas Council on Competitive Government.
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