Ohio House Of Representatives Alternative Energy Committee July 31, 2009

OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ALTERNATIVE ENERGY COMMITTEE
TO DISCUSS INITIATIVES IN NORTHEAST OHIO

Ohio Aerospace Institute hosts panel discussion on alternative energy in the region

CLEVELAND –– The Ohio House of Representatives Alternative Energy Committee will hold a field hearing on the types and breadth of alternative energy work underway in Northeast Ohio on Friday, July 31, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI). OAI, NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC), NorTech and the Greater Cleveland Partnership assisted the Committee in organizing this hearing. The event is free and open to the public.

The hearing, beginning at 10 a.m., will focus on projects at GRC, OAI, large and small companies, universities, and nonprofit intermediary organizations such as Nortech and the Greater Cleveland Partnership. In addition, interested members of the public are invited to provide public comments.

Officials scheduled to participate as witnesses to the field hearing include:
• Ramon “Ray” Lugo, deputy director, NASA GRC
• Dr. Michael Heil, president and CEO, OAI
• David Karpinski, vice president, Nortech
• Jane Harf, director, University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio
• Peter Reimers, president, Arisdyne Systems
• Mark Fleiner, CEO, Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems US, Inc.

Following the hearing, committee members and witnesses will answer questions from the news media from approximately 12:05 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Companies working in the alternative energy arena will have informational exhibits in the lobby that will be available for viewing beginning at 9 a.m. Scheduled participants to date include Belcan, Contained Energy, GrafTech, Orbital Research, Tremont Electric, Kent State University, SunPower and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Those interested in exhibiting should contact Roxanne Summers at 440-962-3113.

The Committee, chaired by Representative Ted Celeste (D-Grandview Heights), plans to hold up to five regional field hearings to learn more about the alternative energy research and commercial activities in Ohio. The July 31 hearing is the first of these field hearings held in the state.