Sen. Ossoff, Commissioner Tim Echols Launch Georgia Hydrogen Energy Braintrust
US Senator Jon Ossoff and Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols today launched the Georgia Hydrogen Energy Braintrust to strengthen energy security and attract new economic investment to the state.
The Georgia Hydrogen Energy Braintrust will work with Georgia businesses, public and private partners, energy companies, universities, transportation agencies, and more to make Georgia a national leader in the hydrogen energy space.
“I look forward to working with Commissioner Echols and other Georgia leaders to bring more jobs and investment to our state,” Sen. Ossoff said. “This new hydrogen energy braintrust continues my bipartisan leadership to strengthen energy security and affordability for Georgia families and businesses.”
“Hydrogen utilization is attracting interest and investments across our country, and Georgia wants to be at the forefront,” said Commissioner Echols. “This Braintrust that the Senator and I are convening will explore generation, demand, use, delivery, storage, chemicals, materials, and transportation of hydrogen.”
Georgia Tech joins Sen. Ossoff and Commissioner Echols as a Founding Partner of the Georgia Hydrogen Braintrust.
The Braintrust will also support and advocate for Georgia’s participation in the Southeast Hydrogen Hub Coalition, which is bidding to win funding from the Department of Energy’s Regional Hydrogen Hub grant program, established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Georgia Tech has been working on advanced hydrogen technologies for decades, and we are delighted to leverage this expertise right here in Georgia,” said Dr. Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Tech. “Comas Haynes, research faculty member of the Georgia Tech Research Institute and a highly regarded hydrogen fuel cells expert serves as our Hydrogen Initiative Lead, coordinating Georgia Tech’s activities across technical, federal engagement, workforce development, and HBCU/MSI partnerships.”
In April, Sen. Ossoff convened Georgia business and research leaders to plan Georgia’s development of hydrogen energy infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Then, in June, Sen. Ossoff led a coalition of Georgia energy companies, universities, public transportation agencies, and clean energy advocates in support of a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. In October, Sen. Ossoff’s office convened key partners in Camden County to discuss coastal Georgia’s vital role in this cutting-edge energy infrastructure.
Commissioner Echols has been serving on Georgia’s Public Service Commission for over a decade. His leadership in innovation includes solar, electric vehicles, smart grid technologies, biogas, and nuclear energy. Echols has a weekly radio show called Energy Matters. He founded the Clean Energy Roadshow and the EV Braintrust.
Georgia Tech has over 1,000 researchers working across the energy value chain, including electric power, hydrogen and other clean fuels, energy efficiency, and energy policy/economics. It has a large portfolio of activities in production and utilization of hydrogen, working with federal partners and industry.
Many of the key technologies that have been developed for the gas turbine electric power sector were co-developed and tested at Georgia Tech, in collaboration with gas turbine OEMs. For example, the world-leading demonstration at Plant McDonough was performed on a gas turbine from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with whom Georgia Tech has closely collaborated with on hydrogen and other clean technologies for a decade.
