Andreas Kreinmeyer, Research Executive Director, BASF: The first manned aircraft to be powered exclusively with hydrogen
was successfully tested in Germany recently.
The heart of this system is a membrane electrode assembly developed by BASF Fuel Cell.
Not so long ago, the idea to run laptops, cars, or even planes on hydrogen
would have been considered as a wild fantasy of some intelligent science fiction writers,
rather than serious research. Here in Somerset, the future has already become reality.
Commissioner David Socolow, NJ Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development: Todayâ€™s event really shows the power of what Governor Corzine has done investing in the green economy.
Because itâ€™s about creating good, well paying green jobs right here in the Garden State.
We help this company train the workforce that they were able to find, of highly skilled workers
to do advanced manufacturing on process improvement, project management, green manufacturing, six sigma,
all of the techniques that can make companies in New Jersey profitable
by getting the highest efficiency and the most trained workers in the world.
And thatâ€™s why BASF Fuel Cell, a global company, headquartered in Germany,
decided to put their very first fuel cell manufacturing facility right here in New Jersey.
Governor Jon S. Corzine: Weâ are excited about this. We are excited about it in the short run because itâ means jobs, about 40 new jobs, if I have it right.
And by the way, BASF is tapping into our Invest New Jersey program
where we are giving $3000 dollar grants for each job that is created and held for a year and sales tax benefits.
We are encouraging job growth and this is the kind of job growth that has legs.
We are at the early stage of this and it will expand as we go forward.
So it's not just jobs today, but if we get our foothold in this industry,
then it becomes major job growth over a long period of time and New Jersey needs to be at the forefront of that
and I think we are.