Charleston Regional Development Alliance

Berkeley, Charleston & Dorchester Counties

Printed from www.crda.org

SCRA to administer US Dept. of Energy H-Prize

Dec. 3, 2008
TechJournal South
SCRA, a global leader in applied research and commercialization, has been selected as an administrator of the H-Prize, a US Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program initiative that competitively awards cash prizes to advance the research, development, demonstration and commercial applications of hydrogen energytechnologies.

Section 654 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 authorized the “H-Prize” competition. In the Act, the Secretary of Energy was directed to implement a competition that awards cash prizes to innovators who surmount critical barriers while helping to create a widespread hydrogen economy.

The Act would provide up to four $1 million prizes biennially for the most
significant breakthroughs in hydrogen storage, production, utilization and
distribution.

The legislation requires that a private, not-for-profit entity administer the
H Prize program.

The administration duties include, in conjunction with the Secretary of
Energy:
•Developing criteria for selecting prize winners;
•Determining the appropriate amount and funding sources for each prize
to be awarded;
•Providing advice and consultation on the selection of judges;
•Raising funds from private entities and individuals to pay for
administrative costs and to contribute to cash prizes, including funds
provided in exchange for the right to name a prize awarded;
•Promotion the prize competitions and their results.
SCRA has provided funding and support for 83 new knowledge-based
start-ups in South Carolina since inception of its SC Launch program in
April, 2006.

On the Web: scra.org .
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