Connecticut Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Coalition
Cluster Development
The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT), working in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), will be hosting a cluster strategy work session for the Connecticut Hydrogen and Fuel Cell industry. The strategy work session (agenda) will be held at 9:00 AM on October 11, 2007 at CCAT’s offices at 222 Pitkin Street, East Hartford, CT (directions).
The overall objective of the cluster is to facilitate interaction and opportunities among original equipment manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, economic foundation institutions, and customers to support economic development in the state around the hydrogen and fuel cell industry and supply chain. Participant will include the following:
Cluster Producers: These are the major firms whose products are or will be exported from the state—these are the anchors for the cluster session.
Cluster Suppliers: These are a broad continuum of in-state firms that produce technical components, materials and services needed by manufacturers of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. These may range from material suppliers (catalysts, metals, etc.) to precision fabrication and systems engineering firms to suppliers of components, such as cooling systems and system controls. Suppliers would also include marketing, legal and financial advisory services that may or could work with this producers and other cluster participants.
Economic Foundation Institutions: These are public and private organizations and agencies whose policies, programs and practices directly create advantages or disadvantages in the development of a cluster. Specific categories include the following:
- Human Resources: Community Colleges and Universities.
- Innovation: University research centers and institutes, special laboratories.
- Finance: Government and quasi-goverbnment agencies, private seed and venture capitalists, other sources of capital or debt financing.
- Resources: Power utilities and intermediaries.
- Logistics and Infrastructure: Transportation agencies or districts that have an interest in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
- Governance: Tax and regulatory agencies that influence supply or demand for fuel cells.
- Marketing: Any public or private agency that can help promote sales of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for CT.
Customers: These are prospective clients for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. In the case of fuel cells, customers could include major energy users, such as energy companies, hospitals, municipalities, public transit related infrastructure (ports, airports, stadiums, convention centers, etc.), and state agencies.
For more information, please email Joel M. Rinebold or Paul Aresta, or call at 860-291-8832.
