US GOVERNMENT FUNDS H2 ECONOMY’S PROLIFERATION PREVENTION PROJECT
ArmRadio.am
12.04.2007 17:11
On April 12, 2007, H2 ECOnomy unveiled a renewable energy system that
it developed as part of the U.S. government’s Global Initiatives for
Proliferation Prevention (GIPP) project. The U.S. Department of Energy
has provided about 1.5 million USD for this project, of which 620
thousand USD has been allocated to H2 ECOnomy. SolarEn International,
a U.S. company specializing in renewable energy, provided a matching
in-kind and cash contribution.
The GIPP program helps re-direct scientists and engineers who formerly
engaged in industries related to the production of weapons of mass
destruction to sustainable, non-military employment. The aim of the
program is to create employment opportunities for these scientists
and engineers by establishing a partnership among the scientists,
U.S. industrial firms, and U.S. national laboratories. This provides
them with a way to put their skills to use in the civilian sector,
and also helps lead to advances in such sectors as homeland security,
medicine, and energy. The program thus achieves nonproliferation
goals while leading to innovations that benefit all countries.
As part of this program, H2 ECOnomy began participating in a GIPP
project on fuel cell components in 2004. Based on these components,
in 2006-2007 H2 ECOnomy prototyped and installed a new fuel cell
system coupled with solar panels that can provide an uninterrupted
power supply of up to 1000 W during power outages. This system has
the potential to help develop Armenia’s renewable energy sector.