THUNDER BAY – In 2007, Ontario Premier promised that “Ontario would lead the world in hydrogen technology. This summer, without the Premier the world of hydrogen powered technology continues to advance. This summer, in Istanbul progress toward hydrogen powered rail will continue at the sixth annual International Hydrail Conference from July 1-2. The conference will focus on facilitating global collaboration among researchers, industry and government. The conference is the world’s only event dedicated to the development of a niche hydrogen transportation technology.
The conference is being co-hosted by the Istanbul-based International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies and Appalachian State University’s Energy Center.
The event will feature the latest research, deployment opportunities and industry developments in the Middle East, Japan, Korea, European Union and the United States, as well as a presentation by the first-ever doctoral candidate focused on hydrogen train technology.
“We see this conference as an opportunity for our leaders in Turkey to learn about technology options enabling a transition to non-fossil fuels, as well as for technology leaders around the world to learn about the opportunities in Turkey,” said Suha Yazici, director of fuel cell technology at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies (UNIDO-ICHET).
“Bringing together a global assortment of experts in hydrogen rail technologies to exchange information with transportation and energy leaders in countries around the world is why the International Hydrail Conference was started,” said Jason Hoyle, a research analyst at the Energy Center.
The event will be held at Bahcesehir University, with support from UNIDO-ICHET. While there is no attendance fee, space is limited and registration is required. Additional information and registration are available athttp://www.hydrail.org.
Previous conferences in the United States, Denmark and Spain have played a significant role in research coordination and global exchange of information regarding the development and deployment of hydrogen technology for rail-based applications.
The International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies is a project of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization founded in Istanbul in 2004 and supported by the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Its role is to support, demonstrate and promote viable hydrogen technologies, particularly in emerging countries, so as to enhance their future economic development, prevent the widening of the energy and technology gap between emerging and developed countries while helping skip over the fossil fuel phase.
The Appalachian State University Energy Center is a multi-disciplinary applied research center focused on energy. The Energy Center, as part of the recently formed Research Institute for the Environment, Energy and Economics, draws upon the knowledge resources from disciplines throughout the university in order to develop unique approaches and apply innovative solutions to meet the challenges of a changing global economy.