[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 19, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1095-E1096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CONGRATULATING MATT KEYSER

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                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 2002

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise Matt 
Keyser, an engineer at the Center for Transportation Technologies and 
Systems, part of the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy 
Laboratory, based in Golden, Colorado. Matt was chosen as one of the 
world's 100 Top Young Innovators by the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology's Magazine of Innovation, Technology Review.
  I have submitted for the Record an article about Matt from the Arvada 
Sentinel, a newspaper in Arvada, Colorado. I am proud that Matt hails 
from NREL, which is involved in such important work trying to secure 
for all Americans a clean energy future. I am proud of the example Matt 
has set for our young people, who need models like Matt to look to as 
they make choices about their own careers and futures. Most 
importantly, I thank Matt for his contributions to our environment and 
to this country.

      [From the Sentinel and Transcript Newspapers, June 7, 2002]

       National Magazine Names NREL Engineer Top Young Innovator

                         (By Sabrina Henderson)

       An engineer in the U.S. Department of Energy's National 
     Renewable Energy Laboratory Center for Transportation 
     Technologies and Systems, Matt Keyser of Arvada, was chosen 
     as one of the world's 100 Top Young Innovators by the 
     Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Magazine of 
     Innovation, Technology Review.
       Technology Review's top-100 list recognizes young 
     innovators for their contributions in transforming the nature 
     of technology in industries such as biotechnology, computing, 
     energy, medicine, manufacturing, nanotechnology, 
     telecommunications, and transportation.
       Keyser was honored May 23 during a conference and awards 
     ceremony at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 
     Cambridge, Mass. The event, called ``The Innovation Economy: 
     How Technology is Transforming Existing Businesses and 
     Creating New Ones,'' included a full day of conference 
     sessions and panel discussions followed by an evening awards 
     ceremony.
       Keyser has received two patents since 1992, with three more 
     in the works. In 2001, he and co-workers were able to 
     significantly extend the life of lead-acid batteries used in 
     electric and hybrid vehicles by changing the charging 
     technique. Conventional charging techniques cause lead-acid 
     batteries to reach the

[[Page E1096]]

     end of their lives prematurely. But by employing a ``current 
     interrupt'' technique, which includes turning the charging 
     current on for a few seconds then off for a few seconds, the 
     degradation of the battery plates is reduced. The current 
     interrupt technique also allows the battery to cool between 
     charges. Batteries charged this way last up to four times 
     longer than batteries charged conventionally. Ford Motor Co. 
     is testing the innovation in a prototype electric vehicle.
       In 1997, Keyser wrapped a catalytic converter with a vacuum 
     insulator to keep it warm longer. The warmer converter 
     reduced toxic tailpipe emissions 80 percent by eliminating 
     the ``cold start'' problem of waiting for the catalytic 
     converter to heat up. Auto parts supplier Benteler Industries 
     is developing the device.
       Keyser said his selection for participation in the event 
     with so many other innovators was a tremendous learning 
     experience. ``It was a huge honor to be compared with people 
     like Shawn Fanning, the creator of Napster, and Bill Nguyen, 
     who sold his company, One Box, for $850 million because it 
     wasn't successful enough for him,'' Keyser said. ``Speaking 
     with the other people there sparked a lot of ideas and 
     interest in new fields.''

     

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