The Fuel Cell Prototyping Center at Stark State College of Technology is ready to open its doors for business — or rather research. Or both. And it could become a magnet for an industry officials say will become one of the nation’s largest.

The center will serve as a preproduction facility and a bridge between research on production of fuel cells and the commercial sector that will produce and market them.

A fuel cell is a stand-alone generator — almost like a battery — that creates power from an electro-chemical reaction using hydrogen. Fuel cells are expected to save money, cut down on use of fossil fuels like coal and reduce reliance on foreign oil, along with cutting the harmful emissions that come with burning fossil fuels.

CAR POWER

Researchers say different types of fuel cells could power cars, provide clean sources of energy for homes and industries, and even act as emergency backups or off-peak suppliers for power generation facilities.

Research goes on into making the best fuel cells, but right now, the race is to find a profitable and efficient way to manufacture them. A number of companies can make fuel cells, but none have put them into production so that they can be sold at an affordable, but profitable price.

That’s the aim of the center — to allow companies like SOFCo-EFS of Alliance to test its prototypes with viable manufacturing systems. Officials say they couldn’t to do that testing themselves and the center will shorten the manufacturing research process, and allow companies to demonstrate prototypes for potential users.

Nearly $4 million in funding for the $5 million, 23,000-square-foot center came from Gov. Bob Taft’s Third Frontier Program.

Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson, who also is director of the state Department of Development, was here last week for the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition’s sixth annual symposium. He said passage of State Issue 1 last November gave the state the ability to issue $500 million in bonds to support technology research and development grants.

That funding, for the Third Frontier program, has $103 million earmarked for fuel cell development, Johnson said. The lieutenant governor said it is “inevitable” that fuel cells will move into mainstream America and become one of the country’s largest industries.
 

Steve Paquette, president of the Stark Development Board, said the center has “begun to build the platform for fuel cell technology” in Stark County. “Most of the work is in Cleveland and moving down here ... largely because of SOFCo.”

He has traveled and hears from other states that “Ohio has made a choice” to develop the reputation, funding and now the platform to be the leader in fuel cell development.

And the center will help to make sure that fuel cell don’t bump heads with Ohio’s traditional manufacturing sector. “It has the ability to take new technology and match it to old line companies,” Paquette said.

Funding an efficient way to manufacture fuel cells may bring other companies here, Paquette said. “They’re just starting to figure it out. You come to the place where the center of the action is.

One example of what Paquette said is Rolls Royce. The British company already has partnered with SOFCo on a project that has gathered more than $5 million in federal grants.

The project is aimed at developing a fuel processor combining SOFCo’s fuel cell technology with a power system under development by Rolls-Royce.

SOFCo will be the first tenant for the prototyping facility, and the project is the type SOFCo President Rodger McKain envisioned in October 2004, when ground was broken for the center.

McKain, who also is chairman of the fuel cell coalition, likened the plan to Briggs & Stratton, which sells engines to companies like John Deere for use in tractors and other equipment.

Once production begins components for the company’s products will be outsourced and assembled here until the market matures. SOFCo won’t make a large capital investment until the market is ready.

Paquette believes that time may be drawing near. “I think you’re going to see things change dramatically in the next year,” he said. He believes announcements may be coming as fuel cell companies cluster close to each other.

Johnson said fuel cells represent a “gazelle” industry. “It’s an industry that’s about to take off,” he said.

While fuel cells won’t be surpassing the traditional power supply industry anytime soon, Johnson smiles when he says with its strong foothold, “Northeast Ohio is in a very good position to capture its unfair share of fuel cell development.”