US Fuel Cell Council Adds 30 Members, Hears from Officials

    WASHINGTON, May 4 The US Fuel Cell Council added 30 new
members at its Annual Members Meeting, held May 2-3, in Washington, DC.  The
Council serves as the trade association dedicated to the commercialization of
fuel cell technologies in the United States.

    The Council's Board of Directors also approved its officers for the coming
year.  Continuing as the Board's President is Peter Ciampa of Delphi
Automotive Systems, Jim Stike of Porvair Fuel Cell Technologies agreed to
serve as the Board's new Treasurer, and Eric Simpkins of FuelCell Energy is
taking on another term as Secretary.

    "As one of the fastest growing trade associations in the nation's Capitol,
the US Fuel Cell Council provides this diverse industry with a strong voice in
Washington," said Mr. Ciampa.

    Rep. John B. Larson (D-CT), who has co-sponsored a bill in the House of
Representatives to provide tax credits for stationary fuel cell power systems
(H.R. 1275), spoke at the Annual Meeting's luncheon on May 2nd.  In his
remarks, Rep. Larson said the U.S. should set a 10-year goal to wean itself
off our dependence on OPEC, and that fuel cell technology is "a key component,
if not the key component" of such a goal.  Rep. Larson added that as the
threat of rolling brownouts moves across the country, and prices rise at the
gas pump, "I think we're at the point where fuel cell technology is going to
make a lot of sense."

    The U.S. Department of Energy's Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office
of Transportation Technologies, Thomas Gross, addressed the Council's Board of
Director's Meeting on the second day.  He remarked that in the U.S., oil
consumption currently exceeds domestic oil production by 11.3 million barrels
per day.  Mr. Gross noted that with its FY2001 funding of $41.5 million, the
Office of Transportation Technologies is working to develop fuel cell
technologies that will, over time, contribute to reducing transportation
sector fuel demand.

    The Council's Board of Directors approved the applications of 30 new
members, increasing its total number of members to 81.  New Council members
include: Proton Energy Systems; Graftech, Inc.; Stuart Energy USA; QuestAir
Technologies, Inc.; CONOCO; Engelhard Corporation; Asbury Graphite Mills,
Inc.; Tenneco Automotive; TIMCAL Limited; Mechanical Technology, Inc.;
Advanced Refractory Technologies; Dais-Analytic Corporation; NexTech
Materials, Ltd.; Woodward Industrial Controls; U.S. Army CERL; Independent
Electrical Contractors, Inc.; Gast Manufacturing, Inc.; Global Thermoelectric;
Advanced Elastomer Systems; Fuel Cell Technologies, Ltd.; Poco Graphite, Inc.;
Sure Power Corporation; Agile Systems, Inc.; Blue Star Sustainable
Technologies Corp.; De Nora North American, Inc.; Heliocentris; Bonneville
Power Adminstration; U.S. Department of Energy; Bayer Inc. - Rubber Division;
and Breakthrough Technologies Institute.

    "The fuel cell industry has a deep and strong bench," said Council
Executive Director Robert Rose.  "From fuel cell manufacturers, to component
and material suppliers, energy providers, and governmental agencies, the fuel
cell industry is ready to compete and win."