Kaptur Announces DOE Grants For Two Northeast Ohio Organizations

Press Release

Congresswoman Kaptur announced that the U.S. Department of Energy today selected two Northeast Ohio organizations to promote the development of energy from hydrogen and fuel cells.

Congresswoman Kaptur, ranking member on the Energy and Water Subcommittee of House Appropriations, said the Cleveland-based Westside Industrial Retention & Expansion Network (WIRE-net) has been awarded $695,000 and Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition, headquartered at Lorain County Community College (LCCC), $450,000 through the federal Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative.

The only other project that the Energy Department announced was the Virginia Clean Cities Initiative at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.

"WIRE-net and the Fuel Cell Coalition are pushing the edge of the envelope on manufacturing competitiveness for hydrogen and fuel cells," said Congresswoman Kaptur.

"The bottom line is competitiveness in a tough global marketplace," said Kaptur. "The strategy behind the Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative is to leverage our manufacturing know-how with supply chain innovations. This is how Make in America will help our nation achieve energy independence."

With its federal award, WIRE-net will complete a detailed manufacturing analysis of fuel cell systems, both automotive and stationary, along with high-pressure hydrogen storage systems and fuel cell subsystems and components. The analysis will span systems and components manufactured in the U.S., Europe and Asia to identify best current manufacturing processes, key factors that determine competitiveness, and potential ways to cut costs. WIRE-net is a manufacturing consortium serving businesses in Cuyahoga, Lorain, Lake, Medina, Geauga, Portage and Summit counties.

The Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition, based at LCCC, will develop a robust supply chain model for fuel cell and hydrogen storage systems that will accelerate mass production while also reducing cost and improving performance and durability. The Coalition will establish an integrated network of four Regional Technical Exchange Centers to increase communication between original equipment manufacturers and component suppliers. It will also establish a nationwide database, accessible on the web, that will contain input from manufacturers and suppliers as well as a supplier contact list.

The Coalition consists of industry, academic and government leaders with the goal of positioning Northeast Ohio as a global leader in fuel cell technology.

Congresswoman Kaptur said the Department of Energy under Secretary Ernest Moniz is focused on creating a dynamic supply chain that will allow technologies to grow. The two Ohio projects, she said, will support activities to develop and expand the domestic supply chain of components and systems to manufacture and scale up hydrogen and fuel cell systems in the United States.

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