TIAX Chosen by DOE for Hydrogen Storage Research Project; $1.5 million project will assess hydrogen storage technologies in an effort to make hydrogen fueled vehicles a reality

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--June 17, 2004--TIAX, a leading collaborative product and technology development firm, today announced it has been selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate various hydrogen storage technologies being pursued by DOE's Hydrogen Storage Centers of Excellence and other developers. This project will be instrumental in helping guide DOE and developers toward promising research, development, and commercialization pathways.

TIAX's $1.5 million contract is part of the DOE Hydrogen Storage Grand Challenge issued in support of President Bush's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, which he unveiled in his 2003 State of the Union address. The goal of the "Grand Challenge" is to develop effective and cost-efficient hydrogen storage options for both vehicular and off-board applications.

TIAX will work with a team of industry experts to evaluate the four categories of on-board hydrogen storage - compressed hydrogen, metal hydride, carbon-based materials, and chemical hydrogen storage - on a regular basis. The team will compare the different approaches in terms of lifecycle costs, energy efficiency, and environmental impact, with the goal of helping the DOE and developers identify the most promising technology options and approaches to pursue.

"We are excited about the opportunity to work with the DOE on improving the path toward a hydrogen economy and we applaud the agency's commitment to investing in this important research," said Kenan Sahin, President of TIAX LLC. "TIAX has a long history of working with clients to speed the introduction of cleaner fuel alternatives for consumers. This DOE project to determine the most efficient and cost effective method of storing hydrogen is essential to finally realizing all the benefits this clean energy has to offer, including more environmentally sound vehicles and a reduced dependence on foreign oil."

TIAX's analysis of on-board hydrogen storage technologies is an important first step in the research and development process of both hydrogen fueled vehicles and the infrastructure to support these vehicles. By evaluating the cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and environmental soundness of the storage technologies and determining which areas need improvement, the DOE and hydrogen storage developers will be able to focus their efforts on the most promising technologies and approaches.

TIAX is a leading resource for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, with members of its staff having completed much of the pioneering work in fuel processing technologies in the 1990s. TIAX continues to be heavily involved in design, modeling, and cost assessment of hydrogen and fuel cell systems for numerous applications and has extensive capabilities in enabling and competitive technologies.

About TIAX LLC

TIAX LLC (www.tiaxllc.com) is a leading collaborative product and technology development firm that accelerates innovation to help its clients create an impact in the market--and in people's lives. We integrate business, industry, and hands-on technology expertise to transform ideas into products and problems into solutions. Formed out of Arthur D. Little's Technology & Innovation business, TIAX builds on more than a century of breakthrough innovation and client success using collaborative R&D. TIAX was selected as a Technology Pioneer 2003 by the World Economic Forum and is ISO 9001 certified with more than 50 research and development laboratories.