Braintrust will work to strengthen energy security and attract economic investment to Georgia
Senator Ossoff continues to lead Georgia job creation efforts
Atlanta, GA. – US Senator Jon Ossoff and Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols today launched the Georgia Hydrogen Energy Braintrust to strengthen energy security and attract new economic investment to the state.
The Georgia Hydrogen Energy Braintrust will work with Georgian corporations, public and private partners, energy companies, universities, transportation agencies and more to transform Georgia into a national leader in hydrogen energy.
“I look forward to working with Commissioner Echols and other Georgian leaders to bring more jobs and investment to our state.” said Senator Ossoff. “This new hydrogen energy braintrust continues my bipartisan leadership to strengthen energy security and affordability for families and businesses in Georgia.”
“The use of hydrogen is attracting interest and investment across our country, and Georgia wants to be at the forefront.” said Commissioner Echols. “This braintrust that the Senator and I are convening will examine hydrogen production, demand, use, supply, storage, chemicals, materials and transportation.”
Georgia Tech is a founding partner of the Georgia Hydrogen Braintrust along with Senator Ossoff and Commissioner Echols.
The Braintrust will also support and encourage Georgia’s participation in the Southeast Hydrogen Hub Coalition, which is bidding for funding from the Department of Energy’s Regional Hydrogen Hub grant program established by the bipartisan Infrastructure Act.
“Georgia Tech has been working on advanced hydrogen technologies for decades and we are excited to be able to leverage that expertise here in Georgia.” said dr Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Tech. “Comas Haynes, a research faculty member at Georgia Tech Research Institute and a well-respected expert on hydrogen fuel cells, serves as the leader of our hydrogen initiative and coordinates Georgia Tech’s engineering, federal engagement, workforce development and HBCU/MSI partnership activities.”
In April, Senator Ossoff convened Georgian business and research leaders to plan the development of hydrogen energy infrastructure in Georgia through the bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Then, in June, Senator Ossoff led a coalition of Georgian energy companies, universities, public transportation officials and clean energy advocates to support a partnership with the US Department of Energy. In October, Senator Ossoff’s office met key partners in Camden County to discuss coastal Georgia’s critical role in this cutting-edge energy infrastructure.
Commissioner Echols has been a member of the Georgia Public Service Commission for over a decade. Its innovation leadership includes solar energy, electric vehicles, smart grid technologies, biogas and nuclear energy. Echols has a weekly radio show called Energy Matters. He founded the Clean Energy Roadshow and the EV Braintrust.
Georgia Tech employs over 1,000 researchers working across the energy value chain, including power, hydrogen and other clean fuels, energy efficiency, and energy policy/economics. It has a large portfolio of activities in the production and use of hydrogen and works with federal partners and industry.
Many of the key technologies developed for the gas turbine power sector were co-developed and tested at Georgia Tech in collaboration with gas turbine OEMs. For example, the world’s leading demonstration at the McDonough plant was on a gas turbine from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with which Georgia Tech has worked closely on hydrogen and other clean technologies for a decade.
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