New Mexico took another step forward this week in development of more hydrogen research after the state failed, like Oklahoma, to land one of the regional hydrogen hubs eligible for billions of dollars from the federal government.
An Australia-based company, Star Scientific Limited announced it will build a campus in New Mexico to carry out more research into hydrogen fuel as a heat source for industry. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was in Australia last week and signed a letter of intent with the hydrogen-technology research and development. She was there to attend a summit on hydrogen and the energy sector.
The Associated Press reported the company wants to acquire enough land to locate up to 10 buildings for laboratory research, testing and eventual manufacturing.
The wire service quoted Andrew Horvath, global group chairman at Star Scientific as indicating the new facilities to be located in Albuquerque would increase research and development of its hydrogen technology.
Horvath said the company is developing a chemical catalyst system for use in combining hydrogen and oxygen to produce heat directly, with water as a byproduct. The system is different from hydrogen fuel cells that provide electricity, he said.
Click here for Associated Press