Release date: January 4, 2005
Fuel cell executive to lead national laboratory's energy programs
J. Michael Davis
(Original high-resolution image.)
RICHLAND, Wash. – The chairman of the National Hydrogen Association and former head of a successful fuel cell company is the new lead for energy science and technology at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
J. Michael Davis is the associate director for PNNL's Energy Science and Technology Directorate and will oversee the laboratory's wide-ranging projects in the energy sector.
Davis served as chief executive officer of ReliOn (formerly Avista Labs) and H2fuel LLC, until March 2004. ReliOn and H2fuel are both based in Spokane, Wash. ReliOn, a spin-off firm of Avista Corp., a regional energy company, delivers air-cooled fuel cell products to market. H2fuel is a joint venture between ReliOn and Unitel Technologies that is developing a low-cost, sulfur-tolerant hydrogen generator.
Davis served as DOE's assistant secretary for conservation and renewable energy from 1989-1993. He brings more than three decades of energy-related leadership, management and business development experience to PNNL and has expertise in taking technologies from concept to market.
Davis replaces Mike Lawrence, who for the past year has served as deputy laboratory director for campus development in addition to leading the lab's Energy Science & Technology Directorate. Lawrence will now focus completely on planning for PNNL's research campus of the future. That task includes relocating a large part of PNNL's capabilities, equipment and staff from the nearby Hanford Site to accommodate accelerated cleanup at Hanford.
"Mike Davis is a leader who will successfully build upon PNNL's strengths in its energy programs-including power grid technologies, fuel cell development, biomass and carbon management strategies," said Lawrence.
PNNL's Energy Science & Technology Directorat creates science and technology solutions for secure, clean and affordable energy systems through development of innovative materials and applications.