Fuel Cell Seminar incubates fresh, real world thinking on the future of fuel cells

Every year the organizers of the Fuel Cell Seminar & Exposition (FCS&E) seek to celebrate advances in fuel cell innovation. This year the Fuel Cell Seminar R&D award goes to Dr. Richard Carlin and Dr. Mark Debe for their individual work. Dr. Carlin is the Head of Sea Warfare and Weapons Department in the Office of Naval Research. Dr. Debe is a Technical Manager at 3M.

As the Department Head for the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department at the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Dr. Carlin oversees a broad range of fuel cell related programs for surface ships, submarines and undersea weapons. Immediately prior to his current position, he was the Director for the Undersea Weapons and Naval Materials Division with responsibilities in undersea weapons and countermeasures, advanced energetics, structural materials, materials for power systems, and maintenance reduction technologies. Carlin also serves as the Navy Science & Technology representative on various energy advisory groups.

Before joining ONR, Dr. Carlin held several positions in academia, industry, and government. These included employment at Air Products and Chemicals as a Senior Research Chemist carrying out research on gas-separation membranes; a faculty appointment at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa performing research on ionic liquids as solvents and electrolytes and teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses; and federal service as the Electrochemistry Division Chief at the Frank J. Seiler Research Laboratory (FJSRL) located at the United States Air Force Academy leading research on the use of ionic liquids as electrolytes for batteries, supercapacitors, and metal-alloy electrodeposition. Dr. Carlin has published over 100 technical papers including 57 reviewed papers and one book chapter, and he is also co-inventor on seven United States patents.

As Sr. Staff Scientist and Technical Manager in 3M’s Fuel Cell Components Program, Dr. Debe is a long time member of the fuel cell community and no stranger to award-winning work. In 32 years with 3M, he has initiated programs in surface and interface research, vacuum deposited organic materials, microgravity materials processing, nanostructured films, gas sensors, and fuel cells. He began a research program in 1995 on PEM fuel cells, which transitioned in 1999 to a new business development opportunity for 3M. Dr. Debe has been Principal Investigator for a total of four 3M/ U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) cooperative agreements/grants. He has twice won the US Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies R&D award for his achievements in advancing polymer electrolyte membrane catalyst development. Dr. Debe holds 48 issued patents and has over 30 more pending for basic and applied inventions directed to optical recording, thermal imaging, electronic displays, gas sensors, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells.

Besides the award ceremony on Tuesday morning, October 19, 2010, the FCS&E has planned three days of key events, most of which will take place in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Kicking off the seminar are two plenary speakers that know a thing or two about real world applications, shortcomings, and the commercialization of fuel cell technology. Mr. Charles Freese is GM’s Vice President of Renewable Energy and Mr. Ikutoshi Matsumura is JX Nippon Oil’s Executive Consultant for new energy technology and business areas, such as fuel cell, hydrogen, photovoltaic power generation, biofuels and GTL (Gas to Liquids). Their leadership in accelerating the commercialization of fuel cells in their respective business is widely respected.

Two sessions that are new to the FCS&E are Smart Grid: Emerging Opportunity for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells and Fuel Cells and Natural Gas: The “Natural Alliance” for America’s Clean Energy Future. Both subjects are intrinsically part of the future of fuel cells, but the relationship has occasionally been one of distinct separation. The Smart Grid Session is chaired by Mr. Pinakin Patel, FuelCell Energy and Mr. Dan Rastler, Electric Power Research Institute. The Natural Gas Session will include a panel of industry notables discussing and answering questions designed to accelerate the collaboration of natural gas resources and fuel cells.

The Early Market Success Stories Roundtable on Wednesday, October 20, 2010, will be dominated by a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Peter Devlin, Manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Fuel Cell Technologies Program. This will be a refreshingly candid session with real world users of fuel cells from Sysco Foods, Crown Equipment, Defense Distribution, and Pepperidge Farm. These organizations are ahead of the market transformation curve leading to energy security and greenhouse gas reductions. There’s also the Government Overview Session, chaired by long time fuel cell advocate Dr. Nancy Garland, Department of Energy, Fuel Cell Technologies Program. Dr. Carlin will be empanelled, as well as his counterpart from Korea, Dr. Chang-Soo Kim, of the Strategic Technologies Research Division. Rounding out the panel are Director Aksel Mortensgaard and representatives from the US DOE who will discuss progress on fuel cell initiatives.

The 2nd Women in Fuel Cells Luncheon will acknowledge and celebrate women who have excelled in the field. The Industry Reception on Wednesday evening will be held offsite at the famous Buckhorn Saloon in downtown San Antonio and catered by the one and only Don Strange of Texas. The event has consistently been a great way to renew old friendships and initiate new industry contacts at FCS&E and this year promises to be the best to date.