In Memoriam – Dr. Juan Carlos Bolcich (27/08/1947 - 15/11/2025)
- roliva42
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
From AEA we regret the passing of Dr. Juan Carlos Bolcich, President of the Argentine Hydrogen Association, Vice President for Argentina of the IAHE ( International Association for Hydrogen Energy - https://www.iahe.org/en/board ), formerly at CNEA – Balseiro Institute, CAB, and former director of the Experimental Hydrogen Plant of Pico Truncado, Santa Cruz.
Since Dr. Bolcich's first visits to our southern province of Santa Cruz in 2002, we kept a close bond with him from UNPA and our AEA group. He led us to become involved in multiple aspects of hydrogen technology produced from clean sources. Juan Carlos was a tireless advocate for education and national development in these areas, and this was reflected in his promotion, design, and implementation of the Pico Truncado Hydrogen Plant (2005), conceived as a technological and training center. Between 2003 and 2007, he was the External Director of our Research Project 29/A136, "Use of Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier - Evaluation of technologies applicable to the regional economy" ( https://www.energiasalternativas-unpa.net/aeahidrogeno ). In his Rio Negro province, where he had studied the effects of hydrogen in metals for his PhD at Instituto Balseiro he rekindled from 2019 the promotion of the different applications of hydrogen as an energy carrier, especially in relation to Green Hydrogen produced by electrolysis from clean sources (wind, solar), which were reflected in the H2V Diploma courses organized in 2022 and 2023 with the National University of Rio Negro (UNRN) ( https://hidrogenoverde.rionegro.gov.ar/diplomatura-hidrogeno-verde ) and from 2024 in conjunction with the UNRN and the IUSUR of Uruguay ( https://iusur.edu.uy/wp/hidrogeno-verde/ ). From the outset, AEA has participated in the faculty, which includes professors from UNLP, UNRN, CAB, IB, UTN, UdelaR (Uruguay), and other institutions /companies ( https://iusur.edu.uy/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Programa-Diplomatura-Hidrogeno.pdf ). In his city Bariloche a warm farewell was published: https://www.economicasbariloche.com.ar/noticias/2025/11/15/19960-adios-a-juan-carlos-bolcich-el-joven-que-llego-a-bariloche-para-cambiar-el-mundo-el-mismo-dia-que-el-hombre-piso-la-luna
(Above) Photos from 2005, Juan Carlos working at the H2 Plant in Truncado with the first Stuart 5kW electrolyzer donated by the University of Quebec, with assistants Engs. Jorge Lescano and Rafael Oliva. Below, with Juan Carlos and Eng. Eduardo D'ElÃa in late 2004 at Ventisquero Moreno in Santa Cruz.
October 2013, Juan Carlos Bolcich at the H2 plant in Pico Truncado https://www.energiasalternativas-unpa.net/aeahidrogeno
Dr. Bolcich and local authorities at the Closing ceremony of the GH2 Diploma from UNRN in 2023
First courses in of the GH2 Diploma from UNRN in late 2022, here the Module Integrated Energy Systems with Rafael Oliva from AEA