President Bush (left) looks at a prototype for a fuel cell auxiliary power unit during a tour of Battelle with (continuing from left to right) Energy Secretary Sam Bodman, company president Carl Kohrt Jr., and vice president Henry Cialone. (White House photo by Krisanne Johnson.)

Battelle scientists had an opportunity to show the president some of the technologies currently under development. The demonstrations included developments in energy-efficient appliances, grid reliability, pipeline safety, next-generation nuclear power and clean coal, according to a Battelle statement.

The tour also included a look at a fuel cell developed at Battelle Columbus and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) that could provide auxiliary power for military vehicles.

The presentation on grid reliability focused on high-temperature superconductivity and its application in cables that will handle a larger electrical load than existing power lines. Also highlighted were monitoring and control technologies that will enable grid operators to detect problems on the grid and reduce loads. Undetected problems, and the resulting overloads, are believed to have caused the grid system failure that darkened Ohio and other northeastern states in 2003.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working toward a zero-energy house with high-efficiency appliances, solar panels and other technologies.

The nuclear energy presentation included a schematic of the next-generation nuclear power plant and its capabilities for hydrogen production. Battelle leads the team that recently won the management contract for the Idaho National Laboratory. A component for that contract is the development of a next-generation nuclear power plant.

The discussion on clean coal included carbon sequestration, a key component of the FutureGen initiative. Coal is the source of almost all of Ohio's electricity. The state's coal is high in sulfur, a toxic pollutant.