Monday, Mar. 02, 2009

Bang for the buck

Taxpayers have chipped in $40.7 million over the past five years for hydrogen and fuel cell research, administration and projects in the Midlands. Here’s the breakdown of what was spent and what it has returned so far.

INVESTMENTS

State Government and USC Grants: $35.3 million

• $19 million for the percentage of the Innovista Horizon 1 building dedicated to hydrogen and fuel cells. The rest of the building will house research in other technologies.

• $16.3 million, the majority for: USC’s John Van Zee’s National Science Foundation Center for Fuel Cells; USC’s endowed chair Kenneth Reifsnider’s Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Center of Economic Excellencer; and, USC’s endowed chair Brian Benicewicz’ Polymer Nanocomposites/Center of Economic Excellence.

City of Columbia, USC, Engenuity and S.C. Research Authority grants and in-kind contributions: $5.4 million

• Fuel Cell Collaborative operations: $2.1 million for personnel, marketing, recruiting and project management

• Project Grants/Awards: $2.7 million for demonstrations, market tests and deployment funds

• Industry Conferences & Events: $600,000 in funding for recruiting industry events such as National Hydrogen Association Conference 2009, Fuel Cell South and National Hydrogen Association Military Forum

RETURNS

Federal/Private Sector Research grants:

• $15.2 million in federal grants awarded to Van Zee, Reifsnider, Benicewicz and others for hydrogen and fuel cell research.

• $8.2 million in private sector grants to Van Zee, Reifsnider, Benicewicz and others for hydrogen and fuel cell research.

• $35.8 million in grants applied for and pending for hydrogen and fuel cell research.

Job Creation

• Private Sector: 20 jobs

• USC Researchers: 70 jobs

• Administrative: 10 jobs

Other

• 30-plus partnerships with private companies, mostly through USC’s National Science Foundation Center for Fuel Cells

• 20-plus commercial fuel cell projects, mostly through the Fuel Cell Challenge

• 40-plus research patents and licenses from which products can emerge

• 11 start-up companies, all in their infancy

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