Program
The theme for WHEC2008 - Supplying Energy To A Changing World - recognises that hydrogen is an energy carrier, and that the global energy business is changing. Two significant changes are occurring. On the one hand, the developed nations are acknowledging and responding to the impact that continuing use of fossil fuels has on both global climate and local air quality. In contrast, the forecasted economic growth by developing nations such as China is likely to severely constrain global supplies as the demand for energy increases. In the future, will accepted market forces and economic theory shape the way we produce and use energy? Will other factors such as social and environmental impact gain in importance in the coming years? The program will address the role of hydrogen energy in the future world, debating the issues and highlighting significant progress both in technologies and in our understanding of energy systems.
Delegates will have the unique opportunity to hear first hand of the experiences in Perth, Western Australia, of running hydrogen fuel cell buses - the first in the southern hemisphere. Other Australian initiatives such as leading edge research and development in hydrogen materials and fuel cell technologies are also expected to attract much interest.
Keynote Speaker
Invited Speakers
Dr Klaus Bonhoff
Managing Director, NOW National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technologies
Dr.-Ing. Klaus Bonhoff, born in 1968, studied Mechanical Engineering at the RWTH Aachen, Germany and ENSTA, Paris, France. He finalized his PhD in energy process engineering at the Research Center Jülich, Germany in 1998. He then started his professional carrerr as assistent to the Board of Directors at the Reserch Center Jülich in the field of energy and materials research and became then head of Fuel Cell Project at Research Center Jülich. In 2001 he joined Ballard Power Systems GmbH as Manager for business development Europe. In 2003 he started working for DaimlerChrysler AG where he held various positions within DaimlerChrysler's fuel cell activities including responsibilities for strategy, communications, global demonstration projects, political programs and market development. In 2007 he received a contract with the German National Government to coordinate the German National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies (NIP). Since February 2008 he is managing director (chair) of NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, which was estabilshed to run the NIP as a public-private-partnership.
Dr Ulrich Buenger
Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Bünger Studied mechanical engineering, energy and chemical engineering at the University of Hannover, Purdue University/West Lafayette/Indiana USA and Georgia Institute of Technology / Atlanta USA. He spent 5 years as systems analyst and in customer service for 2 software companies in Stuttgart and Munich. He spent 15 years as senior consultant for Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik in Ottobrunn in the field of sustainable energy- and fuel supply concepts with a focus on hydrogen, natural gas and fuel cells for transport and stationary end-use. Since 2002 he has been co-ordinator of the European Thematic Network on Hydrogen Energy (HyNet), initiator, WP-co-ordinator of the European Hydrogen Roadmap Project (HyWays) and coordinator of the European H2&FC demo-project planning activity HyLights, and has participated in various hydrogen strategy bodies and roadmap projects such as the transport group of the Implementation Panel (2006), NorWays (2007) and GermanHy (2007). In 2003 Dr Bunger was Assistant Professor for "hydrogen energy systems for distribution, storage and end-use" at the Technical University of Norway (NTNU) in Trondheim, and since 2004 he has been a partner of Ludwig-Bölkow Systemtechnik/Ottobrunn.
Mr Randy Dey
Chair, ISO TC/197 Hydrogen Technologies and President CCS Global
Randy Dey is president of The CCS Global Group, a Strategy consulting company established in 1977. He is an expert in international regulations, codes & standards (RCS) with a focus on hydrogen, fuel cells and other sustainable energy technologies.
Mr. Dey holds leadership positions in several RCS forums including chair of ISO/TC 197, the technical committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on Hydrogen technologies. He is active in the UN ECE World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicles Regulations (WP.29). Mr. Dey is a vice-chair of Canadian Hydrogen Association.
Contact: Randy Dey, The CCS Global Group
E-mail: rdey@ccsglobalgroup.com
Dr Barry Jones
Hon. Dr. Barry Jones, AO, FAA, FAHA, FTSE, FASSA, FRSA, FRSV, FACE, FAIM is a writer, broadcaster and former Labor Minister.
A Member of the House of Representatives for the Victorian Electorate of Lalor 1977-98, in the first three Hawke Governments he became Australia’s longest serving Science Minister 1983-90. He was a Victorian State MP 1972-77. He served as National President of the Australian Labor Party 1992-2000 and 2005-06.
In 1985 he became the only Australian Minister invited to address a Summit meeting of the ‘Group of Seven’ northern industrial powers, in Ottawa. In 1987 he chaired OECD’s review of the Yugoslavian economy.
He is the only person to have been elected as a Fellow of all four Australian learned Academies: Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) in 1992, the Humanities (FAHA) in 1993, Science (FAA) in 1996, and Social Sciences (FASSA) in 2003.
In June 1990 he took part in an international think tank invited to investigate ‘perestroika’ in the USSR and make recommendations to Mikhail Gorbachev.
He served on the Executive Board of UNESCO in Paris 1991-95, as Vice President of the World Heritage Committee 1995-96 and a consultant to OECD.
In 1999 he was appointed an Adjunct Professor at Monash University and elected as a Visiting Fellow Commoner at Trinity College, Cambridge. He became Chair of the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority PAHSMA) in 2000, a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne 2005-07 and a Professorial Fellow from 2007.
Dr David Hart
Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London
David Hart has consulted and carried out research on fuel cell and hydrogen issues for a wide range of organisations worldwide, including national governments, major industrial companies, financial organisations and NGOs. In addition to his work as a Director of E4tech, he is also Head of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research at Imperial College London's Centre for Energy Policy and Technology (ICEPT), and sits on the Steering Committee of the Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, one of the leading global fora for fuel cell experts.
David is recognised as one of the leading experts in hydrogen energy technology and infrastructure, and the associated policy and environmental issues; and in fuel cells used for transport, portable and stationary decentralised power generation. He has led over a dozen fuel cell and hydrogen assessments for due diligence work, in addition to strategic analyses and a wide variety of reports and papers, and has been an invited keynote speaker on fuel cell and hydrogen issues on five continents. David holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering with German from the University of Bath and in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, and his PhD at Imperial College was in Hydrogen Energy Systems. He has worked in Germany and Japan as a control systems engineer, and speaks English, German, Japanese and French.
Dr Alan Lloyd
President, The International Centre for Clean Transportation
Dr Alan C. Lloyd is the President of the International Council on Clean Transportation. He served as the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency from 2004 through February 2006 and as the Chairman of the California Air Resources Board from 1999 to 2004. Prior to joining CARB, Dr Lloyd was the Executive Director of the Energy and Environmental Engineering Center for the Desert Research Institute at the University and Community College System of Nevada, Reno, and the chief scientist at the South Coast Air Quality Management District from 1988 to 1996. Dr. Lloyd's work focuses on the viable future of advanced technology and renewable fuels, with attention to urban air quality issues and global climate change. A proponent of alternate fuels, electric drive and fuel cell vehicles eventually leading to a hydrogen economy, Dr. Lloyd was the 2003 Chairman of the California Fuel Cell Partnership and is a co-founder of the California Stationary Fuel Cell collaborative. He earned both his B.S. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Gas Kinetics at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, U.K.
Mr Bob Rose
Robert Rose founded and manages the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, the business association of the industry, and the Breakthrough Technologies Institute, which manages the internationally known Fuel Cells 2000 program.
Rose has served as a US Senate aide, advised state and regional governments, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector, and supported adoption of environmentally beneficial technologies and policies.
Rose wrote Fuel Cells and Hydrogen: The Path Forward, a comprehensive public-private partnership for fuel cells and hydrogen. He has many other writing and speaking credits and is a frequent news source. Rose received the prestigious Fuel Cell Seminar Award in 2004.
Dr Kelly Thambimuthu
Chief Executive, Centre for Low Emission Technology, Queensland
Dr Kelly Thambimuthu heads the Centre for Low Emission Technology as its Chief Executive Officer and brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge as a result of having worked in the field of low emission technology for over 20 years. He is highly respected by governments and research organisations throughout the world. His ongoing commitment to our environment includes other roles such as: Chairman since 1995 of the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme, the leading group within the International Energy Agency/Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (IEA/OECD) evaluating options to achieve deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil energy use; an editorial panel member and coordinating lead author of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) group formed to write a special report on CO2 Capture and Storage as a climate change mitigation option; and a member of the Technical Expert's Panel for the FutureGen Project. Kelly has also recently been appointed to the Queensland Government's Clean Coal Technology Projects Board.
Kelly holds degrees at the Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate levels in chemical engineering from the University of Birmingham, UK, McGill University, Canada and the University of Cambridge, UK.
Mr Gregory Solomon
Executive Chairman, Eden Energy Ltd
Mr. Solomon is Executive Chairman of Eden Energy Ltd. and Tasman Resources NL. His primary responsibilities within the group relate to corporate, legal and commercial matters as well as the marketing of Hythane® in the Asian Pacific region. He has had more than 20 years experience as a director of technology and resource companies in Australia and has been involved in establishing a wide range of projects and joint ventures in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia. Additionally, over the past 20 years he has been a director of seven companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and has wide experience in all aspects of corporate & commercial law, compliance, management, fundraising and finance. He is a founding director of Hythane Company LLC and Eden Innovations Ltd. Mr. Solomon is based in Perth, Western Australia, and holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Western Australia.
Eden Energy Ltd is a fully integrated global hydrogen company, specializing in hydrogen production, storage & transport fuel systems, including the near-zero emission Hythane (a hydrogen-methane fuel blend). Eden was just chosen to supply and install the first public hydrogen dispensing station in India to supply fuel to motor vehicles running on either hydrogen or Hythane®.
Dr John Wright
Dr John Wright is the Director of the CSIRO Flagship Program, "Energy Transformed". This is one of six CSIRO Flagship Programs aimed at focusing R&D on issues of national importance in key areas of the Australian economy and environment. Previously, Dr Wright was Chief of CSIRO Energy Technology, a position he held from 1994 to April 2002. In this role, Dr Wright was also the coordinator of the CSIRO Energy Sector, responsible for the strategic development of all CSIRO's energy portfolio and activities.