December 2004

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State-to-state links across the ocean: California and Germany’s state of Northrhine-Westfalia agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding in mid-November to cooperate on hydrogen and fuel cell activities.

California Gov. Schwarzenegger shakes hands with Minister Axel Horstmann of Germany’s state of Northrhine-Westfalia, with CARB chairman Alan Lloyd looking on. The two states agreed to cooperate in hydrogen and fuel cell development.

The Memorandum, signed by Alan Lloyd, chairman of the California Air Resources Board, and Axel Horstmann, the state’s minister for Transport, Energy and Spatial Planning, says both sides will encourage hydrogen and fuel cell-related activities, the increased use of alternative energy technologies for hydrogen production and the development of an adequate hydrogen-related infrastructure. The agreement seeks to foster links between clusters of fuel cell and hydrogen activities politically and financially to facilitate networking, information exchange and creation of partnerships, research and science cooperation, consistent codes and standards, demonstration of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies, and public education. Contact: California Air Resources Board, www.arb.ca.gov.