Midlands Technical College Formally Joins USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative

Thu, 2012/02/02

By Emily Brady

Columbia, S.C. – (February 2, 2012) – Today Midlands Technical College (MTC) announces

that it will join the USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative, a collaboration of SCRA,

EngenuitySC, the University of South Carolina and the City of Columbia, to position Columbia,

S.C., as a leader for fuel cell innovation and technology. Dr. Sonny White, MTC President, will

join the Collaborative’s executive committee, and Tom Ledbetter, executive director for MTC’s

Enterprise Campus, will join the Collaborative’s management team to advise operations.

MTC has actively participated with the Fuel Cell Collaborative’s efforts in building Columbia’s

fuel cell economy since its inception in 2006. In August 2008, MTC hosted the Hydrogen Road

Tour, a public event that featured ten hydrogen vehicles as part of a cross-country trek of clean,

efficient hydrogen vehicles. And in 2009, MTC worked with the Collaborative as a partner of the

National Hydrogen Association’s Hydrogen Conference and Expo held in Columbia, S.C., and

showcased some of its fuel cell programs.

Currently, MTC houses two fuel cell solutions firms within its state-of-the-art business

accelerator located at the MTC Enterprise Campus in northeast Columbia. LOGANEnergy, a

leading fuel cell solutions firm, opened its newest mobile power systems facility in June 2011,

LOGANEnergy Carolina. Trulite, Inc., relocated to Columbia, S.C., in 2009 and is currently the

only fuel cell company to offer both fuel cell and fuel source in one fully integrated system.

Trulite recently made national industry news when its Trulite Hydrocell was selected by the U.S.

Department of Energy to power the tree at its annual holiday party. MTC also uses Trulite

products to power its irrigation system on campus.

“Midlands Technical College is proud to officially become a partner of the USC-Columbia Fuel

Cell Collaborative after years of supporting its mission and furthering the fuel cell economy in

the Midlands,” said Dr. Sonny White, President of MTC. “We look forward to bringing the

industry and workforce training expertise we have gained from having two fuel cell firms at our

facilities to the Collaborative and further enhancing Columbia’s reputation as a global leader of

fuel cell solutions....

EngenuitySC