Fuel Cell Learning Center At CWU Unveiled

March 10, 2004

Contact: Jeff Morris (360-421-6027; morrisje@u.washington.edu),
Northwest Energy Collaborative (206-616-3098; www.nwetc.com)

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Just months ago Avista Labs delivered the first fuel cell to be installed in central Washington, and trained a team of engineering students at Central Washington University on its use.

On Monday, March 15, at 10 a.m. in the Power Technology Laboratory on the Ellensburg campus, CWU President Jerilyn S. McIntyre and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Vice President Mike Weedall will cut the ribbon to open CWU's Fuel Cell Learning Center.

The fuel cell is part of a Department of Energy grant to educate students and the public about hydrogen and fuel cells. The Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development received the grant and contracted with BPA to administer it in support of the Northwest Energy Technology Collaborative.

McIntyre, as well as representatives from BPA, Avista Labs, and the Northwest Energy Technology Collaborative will be on hand to dedicate the fuel cell, which is the focal point of the learning center.

"CWU has a strong engineering program and this provides one more tool for our students to be market skilled when they graduate," said McIntyre.

Weedall added: "Fuel cells are part of our clean energy future. Students who are familiar with fuel cells will help the region benefit from this technology."

As part of this grant, 200 teachers statewide have been trained to teach coursework on hydrogen and fuel cells, reaching more than 18,000 Washington students, building interest in science and technology.

The grant provides teachers with a reversible fuel cell car kit. The kit makes hydrogen using a solar cell, and the hydrogen powers the fuel cell on the model car. After completing the coursework, students can come to the CWU campus and see a fuel cell at work.

CWU engineering students served as project managers, designing the fuel cell installation.

"Not many graduating engineering students can say they served as a project manager for a fuel cell installation. This is a unique opportunity!" said Charles Harmon, from Lakewood, a senior mechanical engineering technology student at CWU, who also serves as the fuel cell project manager.

Jeff Morris, director of the Northwest Energy Technology Collaborative, said: "We are hoping to replicate this process in a few more locations across Washington and also in Idaho, Montana and Oregon, but it all started here in Ellensburg."

For more information, or to arrange tours of the new CWU Fuel Cell Learning Center, contact Dr. Walt Kaminski, Central's IET chair, at (509) 963-1756 or via e-mail at kaminski@cwu.edu. Persons of disability may arrange for reasonable accommodation by calling (509) 963-2171, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143.