This fall, university students from around the world are again in competition to design the most effective hydrogen and fuel cell system. The Hydrogen Student Design Contest has returned in 2007 to challenge students improve how airports deal with the issues of the air and water quality, noise pollution, energy efficiency, and safety and security by utilizing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies with this year’s theme “Hydrogen Application for Airports.”

The Hydrogen Student Design Contest provides undergraduate and graduate level students the opportunity for develop hydrogen and fuel cell designs for real-world applications. A Contest theme is developed by the staff of the Hydrogen Education Foundation (HEF) in association with Contest advisors that will help further the evolution toward a hydrogen economy. This year, students have been challenged to design a system utilizing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies at Columbia International Airport in Columbia, SC with a budget of $3 Million USD.

Over 100 students from four countries comprise the thirteen teams that have submitted design abstracts this year. Design ideas include waste to hydrogen, back-up and emergency power supply, fuel cell and Hydrogen ICE vehicle implementation, just to name a few. Final submissions are due on December 7, 2007 and winning teams are contacted in late February 2008.

Teams are judged upon the criteria energy efficiency, safety, financial planning and public education; winning teams will have students with backgrounds from multiple disciplines all working toward the common goal of furthering hydrogen technologies. The judging panel consists of HEF staff and Contest Sponsors, which this year includes the South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance, Department of Energy, Chevron, Natural Resources Canada, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and American Wind Power and Hydrogen.

Winning teams are given the opportunity to present their designs at the National Hydrogen Association’s Annual Hydrogen Conference in Sacramento, CA March 30 April 4, 2008. “The Hydrogen Student Design Contest is a perfect opportunity for students from different backgrounds to collaborate on clean energy designs” said NHA President Jeff Serfass, “their excitement extends throughout hydrogen industry as the students interact with attendees of the NHA Annual Hydrogen Conference, their presence has been missed the past two years.”

Past Contests have included the designing a hydrogen fueling station and a hydrogen power park. For both previous years, the winning designs gained funding for actual implementation and construction is well underway. For more information about this this year’s, past, or future Contests, please visit http://www.hydrogencontest.org