Next Energy, an umbrella term describing energy sources that will replace fossil fuels, is projected to become a trillion dollar industry over the next twenty years. With one of the nation's top fuel cell research programs at USC, deep hydrogen expertise just 45 miles to the west at Savannah River National Laboratory, and a major automotive cluster and R&D center in the Upstate, South Carolina is uniquely positioned to play a leadership role in the development of the next energy economy. Sagacious Partners was hired to manage the SC Next Energy Initiative, a working group made up of business, higher education and political leaders that have come together to chart a course for hydrogen and fuel cells in SC. The project goals included developing a 20 year strategic plan to capitalize on this economic development opportunity.

Project Accomplishments:

• Assessed Next Energy assets in the region to create focus on the areas where SC has an opportunity to be world class.
• Activated an innovation infrastructure of research, commercialization, entrepreneurship and globalization activities that will allow SC to attract and grow hydrogen and fuel cell companies and realize their economic development benefits.
• Created a movement of people, organizations and regions committed to collaboration and to the betterment of SC through systematic execution of a jointly developed hydrogen and fuel cell strategic plan.

Project Plan Outline:

• Phase One - Mobilize: Identify, inform and engage key stakeholders so they will participate in the strategy process.
• Phase Two - Analyze: Conduct objective analysis to identify markets, assets and requirements for building a regional next energy economy.
• Phase Three - Catalyze: Manage a collaborative process to generate define challenges and actions that will enable the vision and define the key elements of an ongoing Next Energy strategy.
• Phase Four - Realize: Integrate outputs of the collaborative sessions into a "living" implementation process that will sustain and advance the Next Energy strategy.

The SC Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Economy Strategy was presented on October 4, 2005 at the EngenuitySC '05 Annual Conference. This plan was developed with the assistance of over 150 statewide stakeholders during working group sessions held throughout August. The Conference was very successful, attracting over 200 attendees from across SC and beyond, including four Congressmen from SC and the SC Speaker of the House.

For more information on the SC Next Energy Initiative, visit the web site at nextenergy.engenuitysc.com or contact Neil McLean at 803.783.1507.