The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) per their Low Carbon Resource Initiative Program (LCRI), is working with several U.S. universities to develop a sustainable infrastructure for developing a workforce for the emerging hydrogen economy. This LCRI process, via a new program called H2EDGE, will develop course material at both university and professional levels. H2EDGE will also establish and build partnership networks with universities and industries to evaluate course materials and measure program effectiveness to support the jobs needed for the hydrogen economy.
The UNL Energy Center was submitted as a candidate organization, with UNL as the partner institution, by the NPPD LCRI Board member and accepted by the EPRI/LCRI in the Fall 2023 as one of the initial partner universities. H2EDGE developed and implemented the Professional Short Course program in 2023 and will be focusing on the university curriculum in 2024 to develop course materials for students to deliver new and revised courses.
Interim Energy Center Director Jerry Hudgins was provided an introduction overview by EPRI that will be required in 2024 from the partner universities as part of the H2EDGE program on university coursework.