Annual ABQ chamber event to highlight hydrogen

Nov. 5—More than 300 participants are expected at the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting Nov. 15 at the Uptown Marriott for a networking luncheon, an overview of recent chamber accomplishments and goals, and a panel discussion on the emerging hydrogen economy.

During the annual gala, current Board Chairman Peter Lorenz will outline initiatives, plans and priorities for the coming year, highlighting in particular three strategic development areas the chamber has focused on since 2016. That includes transforming Albuquerque's Downtown into a bustling center of activity, reinforcing public safety — including solutions for the city's homeless issues — and improving the educational system.

"We focus on general advocacy work like any chamber, but our chamber is unique compared with others around the country," Lorenz said. "We also focus on big, systemic challenges to engage the public and build community involvement to resolve them. That can help create more paths to prosperity and a better quality of life here."

Among other things, the chamber is working with public officials on a grant-based study of the critical role principals and other educational leaders play in school development to make policy recommendations.

"We're big advocates of charter schools," Lorenz said. "We want to grow enrollment in successful charter organizations."

It's also working on technology development with the local police force and District Attorney's Office under a U.S. Justice Department grant to help compile better cases when prosecuting crime.

This year's main luncheon event, however, is a panel discussion on the emerging hydrogen economy in New Mexico, the U.S. and beyond.

"Hydrogen development is happening across the globe," Lorenz said. "It's one of the new frontiers for clean energy alongside solar and wind. It's attracting significant investments and creating real opportunities that we can't afford to miss, so we want to be part of it and educate the public about it."

Lorenz, who became the 2022-2023 board chair last July, is a longtime energy-industry veteran. He's president of Albuquerque-based Unirac Inc., one of the nation's premier manufacturers of mounting structures for rooftop and ground-based solar systems.

Hydrogen development has generated controversy in New Mexico, especially among environmental groups that question how "clean" it really is, particularly if production is based on natural gas as a feedstock through a process that pulls hydrogen molecules out of methane, emitting substantial carbon in the process. Environmental opposition blocked legislative initiatives by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in this year's session to promote hydrogen development.

But New Mexico is now working with Colorado, Wyoming and Utah to develop a regional "hydrogen hub" that could attract significant federal funding. And new state-based policies and initiatives are likely to emerge again in next year's legislative session, which starts in January.

The panel discussion will focus on the challenges, controversies and opportunities for hydrogen development in New Mexico and beyond.

Spoiler alert: As a Journal business writer and the paper's energy-beat reporter, I will be moderating the panel discussion, which will include three prominent local leaders:

—Wendy Rollstin, chief financial officer with Albuquerque-based BayoTech Inc., which has developed the world's first compact mobile hydrogen generators that it will begin deploying in local hydrogen hubs across the country next year.

—Ryan Shell, president of the New Mexico Gas Co.

—Daniel E. Klein, managing partner with Farmington-based Libertad Power, which plans to build the state's first hydrogen production facility by 2025 in the Four Corners Area using electrolysis technology that pulls hydrogen molecules out of water, with no carbon emissions in the process.

"Not everyone agrees about hydrogen, but we want to bring people together," Lorenz said. "We want to showcase companies in the state that are building businesses around hydrogen to get people engaged and excited about it to start a productive dialogue. This panel discussion is one way to start that process."

Luncheon seats are rapidly filling up. Given the broad public interest in the event, the chamber has expanded seating to accommodate more people, chamber President and CEO Terri Cole.

Tickets cost $50. To reserve a seat, send an email to chamber Vice President of Events and Marketing Chelsea Pitvorec at cpitvorec@greaterabq.com, or call 504-764-3754.

Kevin Robinson-Avila covers technology, energy, venture capital and utilities for the Journal. He can be reached at krobinson-avila@abqjournal.com.