FuelCellsWorks

Washington, DC–The National Hydrogen Association presented Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) with the Spark Matsunaga Memorial Hydrogen Award Thursday in recognition of his long history of leadership in Congress to advance America’s hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The other 2010 recipients are Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Hydrogen energy technology will help drive America’s energy future and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” Senator Dorgan said. “I’ve long been a supporter of boosting the use of hydrogen energy in our country, and I’ve worked to increase funding for hydrogen research and development. In fact, I helped to create the first-ever national Center for Hydrogen Technology located at the University of North Dakota.”

“For many years Senator Dorgan has been a tireless champion for hydrogen and fuel cells, working to advance the legislation and appropriations necessary to bring these important clean energy technologies significantly closer to commercialization,” said Jeffrey Serfass, President of the National Hydrogen Association. “As the popularity of hydrogen has waxed and waned, Senator Dorgan’s steady support has ensured that the technologies have improved by leaps and bounds. Many rapid R&D achievements recorded by the U.S. Department of Energy and industry are a direct result of Senator Dorgan’s vision, leadership, and commitment.”

Senator Dorgan is a founding Co-Chair of the Senate Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus, and had an integral role in advancing hydrogen and fuel cell provisions in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The National Hydrogen Association, founded in 1989, is a membership organization composed of university, research, and business members. Its mission is to foster the development of hydrogen technologies and their utilization in industrial, commercial, and consumer applications and promote the role of hydrogen in the energy field. http://www.hydrogenassociation.org

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA,– SOLARVEST BIOENERGY INC. (CA:SVS ) (”Solarvest” or the “Company”), wishes to announce that Solarvest (P.E.I.) Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, has received funding of $100,000 for one year from the Government of Prince Edward Island. The aim of the funding is to engineer Solarvest’s proprietary hydrogen producing strains of algae to express commercial products from the algal biomass while co-producing hydrogen. The Company will initially focus on one protein for the animal health industry and one enzyme that is presently used in biofuel production. The Company intends to exploit the novel characteristics of Solarvests’ micro-algae in order to decrease the cost of production and expand the marketplace (e.g., veterinary use) for these products. Having the flexibility to produce high value proteins, as well as a carbon neutral sustainable energy source using the same biological production system, will diversify the risk associated with the Company and increase significantly the short-term revenue potentials.

“Solarvest is honoured to be one of 10 businesses across Prince Edward Island that Innovation PEI will invest in through the Discovery and Development Fund,” says Gerri Greenham, CEO of Solarvest, “This funding will allow Solarvest to expand its research and, potentially, could lead to some exciting new discoveries.”

Innovation PEI received 55 applications for the Discovery and Development Fund and has offered funding to the top 10 projects this round. The projects were evaluated by a peer review committee made up of members from various government departments, crown corporations, private business and academia.

About Solarvest: Solarvest is committed to the development of sustainable and renewable energy sources to meet growing energy demands and environmental challenges. Solarvest’s intellectual property is a biologically-based hydrogen producing technology, which provides a method for controlling key genes in algae resulting in the continuous production of hydrogen gas. Solarvest’s bio-energy production system utilizes light and carbon dioxide to produce hydrogen leaving a clean positive environmental footprint.

Polaris-Backed Seed-Stage MIT Spin-Out Now Focused on ARPA-E Development

Cambridge – Sun Catalytix Corporation, an energy storage and renewable fuels company, today announced that Tom Jarvi will join as Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Jarvi is to begin his new role at the Polaris-backed MIT spin-out on July 6.

Dr. Jarvi is currently finishing up as Director, Cell Stack Engineering at UTC Power Corporation, a world leader in fuel cell technology and deployment. In this role, Dr. Jarvi has had product and technology development responsibility for all UTC Power cell stack programs.

Previously, Dr. Jarvi served as UTC Power’s Director of Technology Development. In that capacity he focused on technology portfolio development and execution, including definition of technical program focus areas and associated technical partnerships.

Dr. Jarvi started his industrial career at United Technologies Research Center in 1998, and served in project and technology management roles of increasing responsibility there and at UTC Power, where he has worked since 2003. In these roles, Dr. Jarvi focused on proton exchange membrane and phosphoric acid fuel cell technology development.

Dr. Jarvi received his Ph.D. and B.S. degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Washington and the University of Illinois, respectively. He has published thirteen papers in electrochemistry and fuel cells, and he is co-inventor on ten issued or pending patents.

“I am incredibly excited to join the Sun Catalytix team. The company has great potential to make a significant impact, and has launched with a carefully chosen core team of technical and business professionals,” said Dr. Jarvi.

“We are very fortunate, especially at this early stage, to have attracted an executive and electrochemist of Tom’s caliber to lead our technology and ARPA-E development efforts,” added Bob Metcalfe, a General Partner of Polaris Venture Partners and board member of Sun Catalytix.

Sun Catalytix is a seed-stage start-up spun out of MIT to commercialize recent water-splitting discoveries coming out of the labs of MIT Chemistry Professor Daniel Nocera.