Business | Legislation | Emerging Markets | Research | Other
 Business
- Taxpayers in Columbia, SC already have a vision. In 2008, Columbia taxpayers voted for a resolution that will create a downtown fuel cell district where industry, university, research, commercialization, and infrastructure come together to develop hydrogen & fuel cell business
- South Carolina has invested over $50M since 2006, from federal, state and private sources, in research and commercialization activities to build an innovation pipeline for hydrogen & fuel cell development
- The Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge has funded over $4M in hydrogen & fuel cell demonstration and commercialization projects since its inception in 2006
- South Carolina offers no state property tax, no local income tax, no inventory tax, no sales tax on manufacturing machinery, industrial power or materials for finished products, no wholesale tax, no unitary tax on worldwide profits and a favorable corporate income tax structure (see www.sccommerce.com).
- South Carolina is one of the Top 5 "most dynamic" states for entrepreneurs. (Entrepreneur Magazine)
- South Carolina is one of the country’s Top 10 "Hot States for Entrepreneurs." (National Policy Research Council)
- South Carolina is ranked in the top five for "globalization." (Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, 2007 State New Economy Index)
- South Carolina is ranked #1 in private sector workforce supported by foreign companies at with over 600 foreign companies. (Organization for International Investment)
- Columbia, SC is one of the "Top Ten Most Creative Mid-sized Cities." (Richard Florida, Rise of the Creative Class)
- Columbia, SC is ranked 39th out of 200 "Best Performing Cities." (Milken Institute, 2008)
- Columbia, SC is named to top 25 "Boomtowns." (Inc.com, Boomtowns 2007 Report)
- Columbia, SC is the 8th best mid-sized city in the U.S. for entrepreneurship. (Entrepreneur Magazine, 2007)
- Columbia's USC-Columbia Technology Incubator was nominated as top incubator of the year. (National Business Incubation Association, 2007)
 Legislation
- South Carolina boasts one of the strongest federal delegations supporting hydrogen and fuel cells including:
- Representative Bob Inglis co-chairs the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus and recently introduced the H-Prize initiative. As Chair of the House Science Committee on Research, he has made growing the hydrogen economy his top priority.
- Representative James E. Clyburn has secured tens of millions in federal funding for hydrogen fuel cell projects from his position on the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, and is currently the Senate Majority Whip.
- Senator Lindsey Graham, co-chair and founder of the Senate Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus, has taken the lead in organizing a state-wide approach to working with the federal government on hydrogen and fuel cell research and development issues.
- Senator Jim DeMint has made promotion of South Carolina’s hydrogen and fuel cell assets a priority for his office. DeMint has been a strong supporter of the Savannah River National Laboratory, Clemson’s International Center for Automotive Research and the University of South Carolina’s Center for Fuel Cells.
- South Carolina supports an innovation & knowledge-based economy with strong legislative support:
- Innovation Centers Act – Targeted financial support for alternative energy and other knowledge-based company formation, relocation, or collaboration
- Industry Partners Act – Creation of a target program of excellence in hydrogen and fuel cells in South Carolina with funding allocated to commercialization
- Hydrogen Infrastructure Development Act – $15M in state funding to support hydrogen and fuel cell commercialization in South Carolina
- Venture Capital Investment Act - $50M fund for venture capital backing of technology-based start-up companies in South Carolina
- SC LAUNCH! – A statewide seed capital program to suppot the growth of technology-based companies in South Carolina.
 Mayor Bob Coble of Columbia, SC has been strongly supportive of hydrogen and fuel cell development for years and has endorsed the NHA Conference and Hydrogen Expo, including endorsements of the event since March 2007. From his February 2008 State of the City speech:
"In just 13 months, Columbia will host the National Hydrogen Association's annual convention, which will attract the international hydrogen and fuel cell industry’s largest companies. At the National Hydrogen Association's pre-conference meeting here in October, the head of Shell Oil’s Hydrogen division said he had never seen such a united business, education and governmental community as we have in Columbia behind the growth of our fuel cell economy."
 Emerging Markets
- Emerging hydrogen and fuel cell markets: South Carolina has all the elements in place in each of the major emerging markets for the hydrogen industry (including some projects): materials handling, back-up power, telecom, transit, defense, airports and ports.
- Columbia, SC will be home to an FTA National Fuel Cell Bus program project bringing a hybrid battery-fuel cell bus to the region in 2009.
- For companies targeting the defense industry: South Carolina is has at least one major operation in every branch of the military and over 100,000 members of the armed forces. They include: Fort Jackson (Army), Charleston Air Force Base, Shaw Air Force Base, McIntyre Air Force Base, U.S. Naval Weapons Station, Marine Corps Air Station, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, southeastern hub for the U.S. Coast Guard small boat division, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary 7th District and the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (USCG).
 Bridgestone-Firestone of Aiken, SC boasts one of the largest private fleets of fuel cell powered forklifts in the U.S. with plans to integrate over 40 lift trucks into its operations.- In 2008, the Columbia Metropolitan Airport attracted 10 university teams to design a new $3M hydrogen system for the airport through the Hydrogen Student Design Contest.
- The Port of Charleston, SC is the 4th busiest port in the United States. More high crane container lifts are done at this port than any other in the Western Hemisphere.
- South Carolina is building a hydrogen infrastructure with two fueling stations commissioned in the state for 2009.
 Research
- Among all 50 states, South Carolina is tied for 3rd in the number of DOE hydrogen delivery projects and tied for 4th in the number of DOE hydrogen storage projects.
- Savannah River National Laboratory has been involved in hydrogen-related research since 1951, longer than any other federally-funded research organization. SRNL was also recently selected as the DOE Hydrogen Storage Engineering Center of Excellence and boasts one of the largest concentrations of hydrogen scientists in the country.
- The University of South Carolina is the nation’s first Center for Fuel Cells funded by the National Science Foundation. It has become one of the leading hydrogen & fuel cells research institutions in the U.S. with its Future Fuels™ program.
- The International Center for Automotive Research (ClemsonICAR) which incorporates 200 automotive-related businesses (including BMW North America, American La France, Daimler, Force Protection, and Honda of South Carolina) and another 114 industry suppliers, is key to local and regional economic activities. ClemsonICAR, located in Greenville, is also situated along a corridor between Charlotte, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia, that is home to two-thirds of the nation’s motorsports racing teams.
- Aiken, SC is emerging as a leader in hydrogen research leader and is home to The Applied Research Center (ARC) for hydrogen.
 Other
- South Carolina is developing a next generation technology training program in hydrogen & fuel cells at the technical college level with Midlands Technical College and Aiken Technical College fuel cell programs
- Columbia, SC is the #1 Mid-sized college town in the U.S. – Epodunk, The Power of Place, 2007
- Columbia, SC is ranked 2nd most livable community for mid-sized cities – Partners for Livable Communities, 2006.
- Columbia represents one of the most exciting destinations for hydrogen & fuel cell innovation with vibrant interaction between higher education and research institutions, entrepreneurs and the business community and investors of growth capital. Come see why Columbia has become one of the premier cities embracing a hydrogen-based economy in the country.
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Southern Hospitality and Fiery Nightlife
Columbia is a hot bed of growth and excitement. The city’s Southern hospitality and fiery nightlife saturates the region. History is kept alive through the many historic buildings renovated into contemporary professional work spaces and modern entertainment facilities. Columbia’s outdoors can be enjoyed all year long and include trips down the Congaree River in a kayak or an educational hike at the Congaree National Park. When the sun sets, the heat rises in Columbia with and array of entertainment opportunities including arts & culture events, live bands, salsa dancing, and sporting events. On the menu is cuisine as varied as hot barbecue and sweet tea to shrimp and grits! Columbia’s heat is legendary but the atmosphere is surprisingly cool.
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