You are here: Latest Issue > ICHS International Conference on Hydrogen Safety (ICHS) Karen Hall, Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association 200 high-ranking scientists and decision-makers and guests from around the world met from September 12 to 14 in San Francisco, California for the 4th International Conference on Hydrogen Safety. This series of conferences is held under the auspices of HySafe, the international Association for hydrogen safety. Leading representatives of the US Department of Energy Fuel Cell Technologies Program presented the current status and future plans of US-government supported activities. These activities focus on coordination and harmonization of requirements which industry has deemed to be important for the commercial deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and the infrastructure needed to support them. A representative of the German NOW GmbH presented a review of the German National Innovation Program. Presentations were also made by China, Japan, Brazil, India, and several multi-national organizations. Professor Joseph E. Shepherd of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA. gave a riveting presentation on the crisis at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. A significant increase in participation from Pacific Rim countries was also noteworthy. Presentations are available at http://conference.ing.unipi.it/ichs2011/papers-presentations.htm.