2.1.2012 Mercedes-Benz Hamburg Dealership to be powered by Fuel Cell
(view article)

2.1.2012 Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Centre Installs Second UTC Fuel Cell
(view article)

2.1.2012 Hydrogen-vehicle fueling station the 4th station order of 2011
(view article)

2.1.2012 Four of a Kind: Businesses use Midlands Technical College to expand
(view article)

2.1.2012 UKH2Mobility to prepare for hydrogen fuel roll-out
(view article)

2.1.2012 Metal Organic Frameworks or MOFs to Store Hydrogen Cheaply
(view article)

2.1.2012 Fuel Cells Could End Flat Battery Blues in Future
(view article)

2.2.2012 BOC Launches Hymera DC Portable Fuel Cell System
(view article)

2.2.2012 Midlands Technical College Formally Joins USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative
(view article)

2.2.2012 Shell upbeat on fuel cell cars
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2.2.2012 Questions for Peter Hoffmann: A Hydrogen Advocate Whose Time May Have Come
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2.2.2012 Car manufacturers expect to see new interest in hydrogen fuel cells
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2.3.2012 Ceramic Fuel Cells applauds UK feed-in tariff move, could enjoy increased unit sales
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2.3.2012 Fuel cells to play greater role in South Africa platinum industry
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2.3.2012 A hydrogen fueling station powered by the wind
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2.4.2012 Casey to urge alternative-fuel car use
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2.5.2012 Our Fuel-Cell Future
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2.5.2012 Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited : Smart Home Family update - results after 18 month
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2.5.2012 Energy cells help power Century City skyscraper
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2.6.2012 Solvay has Successfully Commissioned the Largest Pem Fuel Cell in the World at Solvin's Antwerp Plant
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2.6.2012 ITM Power to launch MW scale energy storage plant
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2.6.2012 Iron-platinum nanoparticle process may lead to effective fuel cell catalysts
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2.6.2012 An Italian Fuel Cell Maker That Feeds Itself Pushes into Emerging Markets
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2.6.2012 Suzuki in fuel cell JV with UK's Intelligent Energy
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2.6.2012 Air Products’ Hydrogen Technology Fueling Material Handling Fuel Cells at WinCo’s California Warehouse
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2.6.2012 Zentric, Inc. Signs MOU with OneEnergy for Fuel Cell Battery Technology
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2.7.2012 Air Products’ Hydrogen Technology to Surpass Fueling of Over 1,000 Material Handling Fuel Cell Units Daily at U.S. Customer Warehouses
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2.7.2012 Ballard Signs MOU With WEG Industries To Provide Fuel Cells For Clean Energy in Brazil
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2.8.2012 State Secretary Atsma Inaugurates World-Scale Hydrogen Plant in Rotterdam Botlek
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2.9.2012 Price Reductions Leading to Accelerating Adoption of Fuel Cells in Asia Pacific, According to Pike Research
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2.9.2012 Ronn Motor Company Announces a New Pilot Program for H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection System With Roadhouse Transportation
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2.9.2012 Fuel Cell Research Continues: DoE Seeks Viability Feedback
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2.10.2012 Areva unveils hydrogen storage system
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2.10.2012 Coca-Cola Officially Unveils its Fuel Cell Forklift Fleet
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2.10.2012 Breakthrough Could Make Fuel Cells More Efficient
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2.13.2012 Energy from shale gas can fuel U.S. recovery
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2.13.2012 Cox Enterprises Produces Clean Energy with Five New Fuel Cells in California
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2.13.2012 Future Farmers Will Drive Fuel Cell Tractors
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2.13.2012 ST Aerospace Shows Off Latest UAV
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2.14.2012 The Fuel cell boat
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2.14.2012 Partnership to Produce Five Fuel Cell Mine Locomotives
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2.14.2012 Japan’s Fuji Electric to Sell Industrial Fuel Cells in European Market
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2.14.2012 ElectroSelf Guarantees Power to a High-Speed Internet System using Renewables
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2.14.2012 Worldwide Revenue from Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Will Reach $785 Million in 2012
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2.14.2012 New advances made in using plant molecules for solar and hydrogen
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2.15.2012 (ITM Power) Agreement with Logan Energy
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2.15.2012 Analyst View: Integrated Hydrogen and Renewables Projects in Europe
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2.15.2012 Fuel Cells Breaking Out in Remote Sensing, CHP
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2.16.2012 AFC Energy PLC Launches LASER-CELL Project
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2.16.2012 F-DGSi Lab Hydrogen Generator's Expanded Capabilities
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2.16.2012 The Hydrogen House Weathers the Storm
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2.17.2012 Vattenfall Charges Hamburg Buses With Hydrogen From Renewables
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2.17.2012 Toyota FCV-R Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle Concept: Video
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2.17.2012 Research and Markets: Global Military Fuel Cell Market 2010-2014 - The Global Military Fuel Cell Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of 113.5 Percent over the Period 2010-2014
(view article)

2.20.2012 Apple's North Carolina solar, fuel cell plants will be largest of their kind
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2.21.2012 Ballard Announces Deployment of Fuel Cell Power Systems In Idea Cellular India Network
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2.22.2012 UK fuel cell pioneers to benefit from £1 million boost
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2.22.2012 FuelCell Energy Announces Cooperation With Fraunhofer IKTS to Develop the European Market for Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants
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2.23.2012 Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles join the Army
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2.23.2012 Coca-Cola Deploys a New Fleet of Fuel Cell-Powered Lift Trucks
(view article)

2.23.2012 S. Korean scientists develop enhanced container for hydrogen fuel
(view article)

2.23.2012 Ronn Motor Company Announces a Sales Agreement With HSB Permian, LLC for $300,000 in H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection Systems
(view article)

2.24.2012 New Fuel Cell Demonstration on Mobile Rover at NASA
(view article)

2.24.2012 Ultra-compact fuel cell concept car seats only one
(view article)

2.25.2012 Forum emphasizes alternative sources to increase energy options, create S.C. jobs
(view article)

2.27.2012 Obama to Refocus on Renewable Energy - FuelCell Energy and Ballard Power Poised to Benefit
(view article)

2.27.2012 ITM Power Agreement with Boeing
(view article)

2.28.2012 Fuji's First Fuel Cell Exports Go to Daimler
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2.28.2012 Fuelling the winds of change for hydrogen-powered cars
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2.28.2012 Twelve New Hydrogen Stations Added Globally in 2011
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2.28.2012 FuelCell Energy Announces Signing of a Long Term Service Agreement with a California Utility for a Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plant
(view article)

2.29.2012 CT TRANSIT Purchases Fuel Cell Heat and Power System from UTC Power
(view article)

2.29.2012 Analyst View: Fuel Cell Residential Micro-CHP Developments in Japan
(view article)

2.29.2012 Investment Values Intelligent Energy at $0.5 Billion
(view article)

2.29.2012 Colorado State University Students Building Only Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid Malibu in National Competition
(view article)

February 1, 2012
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Mercedes-Benz Hamburg Dealership to be powered by Fuel Cell

Daimler AG is actively involved in the decarbonisation of its cars through the development and commercialisation of automotive fuel cells and battery technologies, now it is looking to decarbonise its dealerships.

The Wandsbek centre of Mercedes-Benz’s Hamburg subsidiary will become the world’s first car dealership to be powered by a fuel cell when N2telligence installs a Fuji Electric system in July. The installation of the fuel cell is part of a larger renovation and refurbishment of the Wandsbek centre, which headquarters the Hamburg subsidiary. The system will be fed with natural gas and will generate 100 kW of electricity and 120 kW of heat.

Around €1 million of investment has been committed to the conversion of the site’s power supply to fuel cells, a cost that should be amortised within six or seven years. The Hamburg subsidiary has acted as a handover site for several B-Class FCEV in use in the city.

February 1, 2012
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Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Centre Installs Second UTC Fuel Cell

Hartford, Connecticut’s Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Centre has received its second UTC PureCell 400 phosphoric acid fuel cell system, which will provide power to the Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital campus. The 400 kW system will provide nearly half of the building’s electrical needs as well as providing thermal energy; the installation prevents the release of more than 383 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent of planting more than 88 acres of trees, the hospital claims.

February 1, 2012
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Hydrogen-vehicle fueling station the 4th station order of 2011

The HyStat30 electrolyzer will be part of the fourth hydrogen fueling station contract awarded to Hydrogenics in 2011.

The developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products has announced a contract with Ballast Nedam IPM, awarded at the end of December 2011, to supply a HySTAT30 electrolyzer for integration into a Netherlands’ based hydrogen fueling station. The owner of the fueling station will be Waterstofnet, a non-profit organization financed by the Flemish and Dutch governments. It is likely the electrolyzer will be powered in part by offshore wind-generated electricity.

Hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell vehicles have been embraced as a significant part of Europe’s transportation solution towards the achievement of 2050 carbon-emission targets. Multiple regional initiatives are underway throughout Europe to this end.

With over 35 hydrogen fueling installations world-wide, Hydrogenics’ HySTAT electrolyzers continue demonstrate a role in the energy mix for transportation, with scalable capabilities to produce hydrogen on demand. This is the fourth hydrogen fueling station contract awarded to Hydrogenics in 2011.

“Our success in supplying electrolyzer-based hydrogen fueling stations is directly linked to our considerable experience in industrial hydrogen markets,” says Daryl Wilson, Hydrogenics President and Chief Executive Officer. Over the past 10 years, Hydrogenics has added over 200 industrial installations worldwide to its 1,800 install-base.

HySTAT 30 electrolyzers are capable of producing up to 65 kilograms per day of pure hydrogen. The unit will arrive mid-2012 and produce hydrogen by year’s end.

HYDROGENICS Corp.
www.hydrogenics.com

February 1, 2012
(view original article)

Four of a Kind: Businesses use Midlands Technical College to expand

Ron Seftick, CEO of Trulite Technology, says Midlands Technical College’s “whole package” offering was the reason behind the company’s decision to move its manufacturing operations to Columbia.

Thanks to a combination of vision and luck, the Enterprise Campus at Midlands Technical College and its Business Accelerator are rocking and rolling. Three independent businesses, each having made the decision to relocate to the Business Accelerator off Farrow Road, have created a synergistic relationship that has propelled South Carolina to the center of the alternative fuels arena.

Tom Ledbetter joined Midlands Technical College in 2003 as director of corporate services and was recently named associate vice president/executive director of the Enterprise Campus. One of his duties is to entice businesses to locate their offices on this campus, not only to serve as business models for students and to attract similar businesses to the state, but also to create onsite-learning centers where students can develop the skills they need to embark on their careers. In return, the businesses have access to a talent pool to which they can teach skills and eventually provide jobs. Tom explains, “The intent is to partner with established companies that are trying to develop products that have growth potential that yields jobs with futures.”

Ledbetter, director of corporate services and vice president/executive director of the Enterprise Campus, is tasked with enticing businesses to the accelerator to serve as business models for students, attract similar businesses to the state and create onsite-learning centers where students can develop skills they need to embark on careers.

Sam Logan, Jr., Glen Mosser, Jr., and Ron Seftick all made decisions, for various reasons, to locate their businesses to this campus. Not realizing how important each business would be to the other, they created a symbiotic professional quadrangle in conjunction with MTC and its students. These businesses are becoming each other’s best customers and have provided the college’s students with training in some of the most progressive job and economic areas of the future.

Glen Mosser, Jr., graduated from Eau Claire High School in 1963 then earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of South Carolina. He worked with IBM at Cape Kennedy as a test engineer on the Saturn V launch vehicle for the Apollo program. “I participated in the early manned missions, including Apollo 11, the first moon landing,” he says. In 1975, Glen moved back Columbia to work with his father and brother in the family business, Space Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc. In 1984, they started Space Metal Fabricators, an engineering firm, machine shop, metal fabricator and robotics integrator. Tom approached Glen in 2009 and proposed that if he leased space on the technology campus, it would give the college the opportunity to showcase this type of business in South Carolina, plus it would provide engineering students with an applicable training environment for a particular skill set. “We love that many of our techs are trained through Midlands’ Machine Tool Technology program,” says Glen.

Glen Mosser, Jr., of Space Metal Fabricators, is happy to have a presence at the Enterprise Campus because he is able to provide engineering students with an applicable training environment.

Sam Logan, Jr., is a 1970 graduate of Sewanee and a 1978 graduate of the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterrey, Calif. He served as a Marine Captain and Naval Aviator. In 1993, he founded LOGANEnergy Corporation with an eye toward becoming the world leader in fuel cell energy solutions. Today, Sam is CEO of the company and of LOGANEnergy Limited, UK, and his business is the leading provider of fuel cell solutions to the Department of Defense. He and his wife of 47 years, Lizbeth, live in Atlanta, but the company chose to expand its presence in the Midlands through the formation of a South Carolina LLC, “because South Carolina has a strong focus on fuel cell technology, and also because of location, technical support, financial incentives and creative networking. The Enterprise Campus provides us with space, a safe working environment in a very collegiate atmosphere, and colleagues with a shared objective in areas of specialized expertise ... in our case to create cleaner, more effective systems that provide enhanced security for business continuity.”

Ron Seftick, originally from Pittsburgh, Penn., earned a degree in economics from Washington & Jefferson. He and his wife, Linda, moved to New York City in 1974, when Ron was offered a job with General Electric, and then to Chicago in 1987, when he was named vice president of Zenith Controls. Ron’s jobs took him all around the world, and he took on several large roles with several companies before he was recruited as CEO of Trulite Technology. MTC’s “whole package” offering was the reason behind Trulite’s decision to move its manufacturing operations to Columbia, while maintaining an advanced engineering group in Northern California. “MTC’s vision – including the Business Accelerator and its state of the art facilities, an available model shop that would be the envy of a Fortune company as well as a fuel cell technician program which creates and provides a ready workforce – was a motivating factor in our decision to locate in South Carolina. The vision of this campus is to train and offer students a job to walk in to after a two-year program. Or, if students want a four year degree, they can finish up at the University of South Carolina and come back here to work,” Ron explains. “The entreprenuership, vision and support of everyone in South Carolina has been a real eye opener for me and has been a key reason we are so focused on the ultimate success of the company. The support at Midlands has been extraordinary and Tom Ledbetter is a true visionary.”

Sam Logan, Jr., CEO of LOGANEnergy Corporation, expanded his company’s presence to South Carolina because of the state’s strong focus on fuel cell technology.

So how do these businesses interrelate? Tom says, “MTC is providing the space, Space Metals is providing the production, and Trulite and LOGANEnergy are providing the need.” LOGANEnergy integrates its power electronics and energy storage packages with fuel cell power systems to provide enhanced energy security to its customers’ critical power applications. Trulite develops and designs an actual fuel cell product which is passed on to a business like LOGANEnergy, which specializes in designing and developing fuel cell projects. Space Metals is an engineering, robotics, and metal manufacturing company that helps Trulite and LoganEnergy with design and production and any other engineering help they need.

One of Space Metal’s many tasks is to design and manufacture the tooling needed to assemble and test the cartridges for Trulite’s hydrogen fuel cells. Trulite’s research and production of hydrogen fuel cells is one of the most promising and technologically and economically advanced alternative fuel choices for the world. “Hydrogen fuel cells have all the properties of a battery but all the benefits of a generator in that they can be refueled,” says Ron. “And they are extremely safe, can be used indoors or outdoors, and water vapor is the only emission. These portable hydrogen fuel cell generators are voltage and frequency agnostic and can be scaled globally.”

Trulite’s vision and products lend confidence that there truly is a viable alternative fuel source being produced in Columbia that the rest of the world is noticing.

“The race is on to create new technologies that won’t pollute, and South Carolina has the ability to be the incubator for driving this,” says Ron. “South Carolina was the only state with the vision from beginning to end, plus the whole concept of campus, technical training and engineers. Columbia is a hub for a fuel cell infrastructure highway with BMW in the upstate and Boeing in Charleston. It is also a right to work state, containing several military bases. South Carolina is just all inclusive.”

According to a report recently released from Pike Research, “The global fuel cell industry revenue climbed sharply during the period 2008 and 2010, increasing from around $260 million in 2008 to nearly $670 million two years later – an increase of more than 250 percent with strong growth anticipated over the next six years.” MTC has created a business collaboration that, in addition to its nuclear program, which was just awarded a $3.9 million grant, is a progressive and successful venture that has heads turning. This unique pyramid arrangement, with Space Metal Fabricators, LoganEnergy and Trulite forming the three sides, MTC’s nuclear program forming the base and MTC’s Enterprise Campus forming the core, is an interesting creation, and time will reveal its impact on our city, state, nation and our world.

February 1, 2012
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UKH2Mobility to prepare for hydrogen fuel roll-out

A new project will assess the viability of plans to commercially roll-out hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in the UK.

Heralded as "ground breaking", UKH2Mobility will evaluate the potential of hydrogen to act as the primary fuel for Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicles, before developing a plan for the commercial implementation of the fuel in 2014/2015.

The programme is set to analyse the UK’s preparedness for the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles on a commercial scale, as one solution to decarbonise road transport.

UKH2Mobility will also review the investments required to commercialise the technology, including implemented refuelling infrastructure and encouraging uptake of the new vehicles.

Ideas to help the UK to become a worldwide leader in Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicle manufacturing  will also be considered, to facilitate  the country’s wider economic regeneration.

Minister for Business and Enterprise Mark Prisk commented at the launch of UKH2Mobility: "The UK is proving itself to be a key early market for ultra-low emission vehicles with growing numbers of electric and plug-in hybrids appearing on our roads.

"The government is supporting this market by investing £400 million to support the development, demonstration and deployment of these vehicles."

UKH2Mobility brings together the government and industrial participants from the utility, gas, infrastructure and global car manufacturing sectors to boost the recognition of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as viable options for a low carbon future.

"They are highly efficient, can be fuelled in minutes, travel an equivalent range to a conventional combustion engine, and have zero tail-pipe emissions," Mr Prisk said.

Thus far, some 13 industry participants have got involved in the scheme, including Johnson Matthey PLC and Nissan Motoring Manufacturing (UK) Limited, and have signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

Results of the evaluation are expected at the end of 2012, to allow for plans to get underway for the commercial roll-out of the vehicles as soon as possible.

However, until then companies across the country will be trialling hydrogen fuel, with Marks and Spencer launching its first experiment with hydrogen-powered vehicles for transporting and loading goods to its distribution centres.

Teaming up with energy, storage and clean fuel company ITM Power, a six-week pilot project was announced at the superstore’s Prologis Park Distribution Centre, which is already equipped with infrastructure to support a battery powered fleet.

The materials handling market has been recognised as a key early adopter of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, to show industry the value of Ultra-Low Carbon technology.

In a report into the adoption of low carbon vehicles in the UK, the Automotive Council found that while manufacturers will implement technologies that correspond with their brand values and market sectors, hydrogen fuel could have a "significant" impact on average fleet emissions.

However, this will be dependent on the availability of battery, motor and power electronics technology with "high power density, high energy density, and low cost". Infrastructure provision will also be key in encouraging fleets to switch to hydrogen fuel.

According to Dr Ben Lane of Next Green Car, there is already "a lot of work-ongoing in the UK" to build the infrastructure for hydrogen cars. Specifically, a number of projects are taking place to transform the M4 into the UK’s “hydrogen highway”.

"Most of the infrastructure that has been developed has been done so along that corridor," he explained.

The results of UKH2Mobility will have a major effect on UK transport businesses and green fleet management.

February 1, 2012
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Metal Organic Frameworks or MOFs to Store Hydrogen Cheaply

One of the problems with rolling out hydrogen cars and a fueling infrastructure in the short term is coming up with cheap, lightweight and low pressure hydrogen fuel storage tanks. The hydrogen fuel tanks that are available now are either heavy and expensive such as metal hydride tanks or they are under high pressure from 5,000 psi to 10,000 psi.

Some people perceive the high pressure tanks as being dangerous (which is debatable since we have yet to see one explode). A larger issue is that it takes a lot of energy to compress hydrogen to 10,000 psi which drives up the price of this fuel.

Well, the Berkeley Lab, also known as the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) plus General Motors are trying to come up with a new kind of hydrogen fuel tank based on Metal Organic Frameworks or MOFs to deal with this issue. I’ve talked about MOFs several times in the past.

Hydrogen fuel tanks using MOFs, in theory anyway, will be cheap to build plus store and release hydrogen under low pressures. The basic idea is to build a framework of carbon with “exposed metal cations” on different parts of the surface of the structure.

Another trick is to get this exposed metal to bind to as many hydrogen molecules as possible and then releasing them upon demand. The project is being funded by the U. S. Department of Energy to the tune of $2.1 million. With any luck, this tune will turn into a sweet melody a few years from now enabling one more peg to fall in the resistance to hydrogen cars in the marketplace.

February 1, 2012
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Fuel Cells Could End Flat Battery Blues in Future

As you look at your phone, you can’t help but stare at the power bars as they slowly tick toward empty. Frantically, you search around for a power outlet with hopes of recharging the waning battery, but to no avail. Your phone vibrates in your hand and shuts off, leaving nothing but an empty black screen looking up at you.

Now, imagine the relief of knowing your electronics contain a small device, about the size of a roll of coins, that is capable of weeks worth of power without the use of a power outlet or electric cord. It seems Apple is one company that would like to make this fantasy a reality, if two of its recent patent applications are anything to go by.

In December the Patent Office published two applications submitted by Apple for the development of small hydrogen fuel cells for their portable electronic devices. While it often takes years for the entire patent approval process to take place, applications are typically published about 18 months after they’ve been submitted and the applicant can then receive reasonable royalties until the patent is fully granted. This means that although Apple has not received complete rights over the fuel cells described in their application, they may be able to start profiting from their designs.

Like batteries, fuel cells convert stored chemical energy into electricity. However, batteries can only produce electrical energy from the chemicals stored within the device. When these reactants are depleted, the batteries must be recharged or discarded. Fuel cells, on the other hand, can continue to produce electricity as long as they are supplied with the necessary fuel.

Fuel cells can run off various kinds of fuels, hydrogen being one of the most popular. In a basic fuel cell, first the fuel is pumped into the device and reacts on a catalyst surface to produce negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions. The positive ions then flow through an electron-impermeable material, separating them from the electrons, which are forced to travel through an external circuit, creating electricity. Finally, the electrons and ions react with oxygen on the opposing side of the device to produce various types of products, such as pure water.

Many have touted fuel cells for their ability to produce clean electricity without reliance on fossil fuels. In their patent application, Apple lists this as a motivating factor. “Our country’s continuing reliance on fossil fuels has forced our government to maintain complicated political and military relationships with unstable governments in the Middle East, and has also exposed our coastlines and our citizens to the associated hazards of offshore drilling,” states one of the applications.

While Apple has caused a stir with its patent applications, fuel cells are not a new concept. Honda, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz have all developed prototype cars to demonstrate the feasibility of fuel cell vehicles. Furthermore, stationary fuel cells have been implemented for electricity production for commercial, residential and industrial uses. Companies around the country, such as Google, Coca-Cola and Whole Foods, have installed stationary fuel cell systems to help meet their power needs. Still, developing a cost-efficient fuel cell that can fit inside a laptop or cell phone would be revolutionary.

Apple is focused particularly on the development of hydrogen fuel cells, also known as polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Requiring only pure hydrogen and oxygen from air, these devices have shown promise for both transportation and stationary uses with fast start up times, low operation temperatures, and zero emissions.

Despite these advantages, several limitations have hindered the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells. A major setback is cost. Current fuel cells require large amounts of expensive precious metals, such as platinum and palladium, to speed up the slow chemical reactions. Hydrogen offers another complication. Pure hydrogen, which acts as an essential fuel for these devices, is difficult to make and even harder to store. Often hydrogen gas is compressed or liquefied to decrease its volume, but it still requires a substantial storage tank.

The challenge that Apple faces is in creating a cheap fuel cell that is small enough to fit inside their portable electronics. The patent applications indicate that Apple’s designers would eliminate the use of hydrogen gas as a fuel source, which would likely overcome the size restrictions. Apple proposes using sodium borohydride as one possible alternative hydrogen fuel source. When mixed with water this compound generates pure hydrogen, which can then react within the fuel cell system. This method allows the hydrogen fuel to be stored in a dense, stable powder eliminating the need for large, bulky storage containers.

Another unique aspect of Apple’s proposed design is the synergy between the fuel cells and the electronics’ batteries. Apple does not intend to completely do away with traditional batteries. Rather, their design plans to use a two-way communication system to control the generation of electricity from fuel cells to recharge the device’s battery. Apple’s patent application explains that, “This eliminates the need for a bulky and heavy battery…which can significantly reduce the size, weight and cost of the fuel cell system.”

The final question many are still pondering is how the fuel within the portable fuel cell will be restocked.  While the device may be able to produce power for weeks at a time, the fuel source must be replenished for the fuel cell to continue operation. Apple has not directly specified how this procedure will take place. Some have suggested a system in which a full fuel cartridge could simply be swapped into the electronic device, a process that is far more convenient than being tethered to an electrical outlet until the battery is recharged.

While a patent gives no indication as to the progress of the technology it describes, the news of Apple’s aims to develop a hand-held fuel cell system is encouraging. With Apple’s advances, and others that will surely follow, it appears that the future holds cord-free, portable devices that maintain a safe and reliable charge for weeks at a time.

February 2, 2012
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BOC Launches Hymera DC Portable Fuel Cell System

BOC has launched the latest iteration of its Hymera fuel cell system, the Hymera DC, which can provide 150 W of off-grid DC power.

The unit has undergone testing during 2011, with UK construction firm Morgan Sindall using it to power a remote noise monitor on the London Crossrail project at its Pudding Mill Lane site. The Hymera DC unit operates silently and was able to provide off-grid power where conventional generators would not have been suitable. Coupled to BOC’s 54ZH portable hydrogen cylinder, the Hymera DC can provide 2-3 kWh of energy. One of these cylinders can power a 3 W average load for up to a month.

Casey Fleming, Morgan Sindall’s environmental manager said “The Hymera hydrogen fuel cell’s innovative qualities helped us solve a difficult project conundrum. The cell has now successfully powered a remote noise monitor for eight weeks, the location of which was proving difficult to supply with conventional power. We needed it to operate silently, which was impossible with traditional power generators.”

The Hymera DC has also been tested in Ireland for remote and discreet CCTV applications since May 2011, increasing the runtime versus batteries from a few days to three weeks. Tom Ryan, Business Development Manager at Advanced Monitoring said “Using the BOC Hymera DC, our CCTV solutions can operate for around three weeks without interruption. Because it is silent and doesn’t require changing, no one is alerted to the presence of a camera.”

Stewart Dow, Packaged Energy Manager at BOC commented “The type of capability the Hymera DC offers is increasingly crucial in the portable power market. Businesses sometimes believe that cutting costs and carbon emissions are two conflicting goals, but with the family of Hymera products, this needn’t to be the case. With its high performance and low cost, the Hymera DC is now opening up a whole new range of exciting applications and opportunities.”

February 2, 2012
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Midlands Technical College Formally Joins USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative

College Brings Expertise in Workforce Training to Grow Midlands’ Fuel Cell Economy
 
COLUMBIA, SC - February 2, 2012 - Midlands Technical College (MTC) announced that it will join the USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative, a collaboration of SCRA, EngenuitySC, the University of South Carolina and the City of Columbia, to position Columbia, S.C., as a leader for fuel cell innovation and technology. Dr. Sonny White, MTC President, will join the Collaborative’s executive committee, and Tom Ledbetter, executive director for MTC’s Enterprise Campus, will join the Collaborative’s management team to advise operations. MTC has actively participated with the Fuel Cell Collaborative’s efforts in building Columbia’s fuel cell economy since its inception in 2006. In August 2008, MTC hosted the Hydrogen Road Tour, a public event that featured ten hydrogen vehicles as part of a cross-country trek of clean, efficient hydrogen vehicles. And in 2009, MTC worked with the Collaborative as a partner of the National Hydrogen Association’s Hydrogen Conference and Expo held in Columbia, S.C., and showcased some of its fuel cell programs.

Currently, MTC houses two fuel cell solutions firms within its state-of-the-art business accelerator located at the MTC Enterprise Campus in northeast Columbia. LOGANEnergy, a leading fuel cell solutions firm, opened its newest mobile power systems facility in June 2011, LOGANEnergy Carolina. Trulite, Inc., relocated to Columbia, S.C. in 2009 and is currently the only fuel cell company to offer both fuel cell and fuel source in one fully integrated system.

Trulite recently made national industry news when its Trulite Hydrocell was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to power the tree at its annual holiday party. MTC also uses Trulite products to power its irrigation system on campus.

“Midlands Technical College is proud to officially become a partner of the USC-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative after years of supporting its mission and furthering the fuel cell economy in the Midlands,” said Dr. Sonny White, President of MTC. “We look forward to bringing the industry and workforce training expertise we have gained from having two fuel cell firms at our facilities to the Collaborative and further enhancing Columbia’s reputation as a global leader of
fuel cell solutions.”

In addition to the businesses growing at MTC’s Business Accelerator, the college also has two full-scale labs devoted to the design and fabrication of fuel cell technology and has also pioneered two new training programs, including: the Principles of Alternate Energy Certificate program, addressing the fundamentals of fuel cells and other alternative energy sources; and the Mechanical Engineering Technology Associate Degree. Successful graduates of both programs will be qualified to enter the workforce as medium-level operators, laboratory technicians or senior manufacturing technicians.

“The addition of MTC to the USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative strengthens our group and furthers our reputation as the leading force behind Columbia’s fuel cell economy,” said Bill Mahoney, CEO of SCRA, one of the Collaborative’s original charter members. “MTC’s training expertise will help the Collaborative represent all facets of the fuel cell industry - from research to development to deployment in the field.”

MTC joins the Collaborative as it prepares to launch the next iteration of its Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge, an award-winning business-plan competition designed to support the commercialization of innovative fuel cell technologies. The 2010 winner, Weylchem Sustainable Materials, is working on a pilot project producing ammonia borane, a multi-purpose compound that can be used to efficiently power fuel cell devices among other commercial uses, at its facility in Elgin, S.C. The Collaborative will release final contest details for the 2012 Challenge by the end of March.


About Midlands Technical College
Midlands Technical College is a comprehensive, multi-campus, public, two-year college serving the primary region of Richland, Lexington and Fairfield counties of South Carolina. The college enrolls approximately 18,000 credit students annually, and provides continuing education to 30,000 individuals and hundreds of area businesses each year. MTC is the largest provider of transfer students to the University of South Carolina. www.midlandstech.edu

About the USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative
The USC–City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative was formed by the University of South Carolina, the City of Columbia, EngenuitySC and SCRA, to position Columbia, S.C., as a leader in hydrogen fuel cell innovation and technology. Its mission is to attract private sector partners, top fuel cell scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators to the Columbia region to help grow an innovation pipeline from discovery to development to deployment of fuel cell technology. For more information, visit www.fuelcellcollaborative.com.

February 2, 2012
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Shell upbeat on fuel cell cars

Fuel cell cars and other electric vehicles will make up 40 per cent of the world's auto market by 2050, according to oil giant Royal Dutch Shell

The prediction from Peter Voser, chief executive of the world's second-biggest oil producer, is a much more upbeat forecast for fuel cell vehicles than other oil firms, Reuters reports.

BP believes electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids will make up only four per cent of the global fleet of 1.6 billion commercial and passenger vehicles in 2030, the news provider notes.

Exxon Mobil, the world's largest oil firm, says electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and vehicles that run on natural gas would make up only five per cent of the total global fleet by 2040.

According to BP, the efficiency of combustion engines will double by 2030, with a third of vehicles on the road being hybrids, Reuters reports.

However, the pessimistic predictions coming from at least two of the main oil firms is hardly a surprise, according to Jos Dings, director of Brussels-based sustainable transport campaign group, Transport and Environment.

"A big take-up of electric cars is not something they would like to see," he told the news agency. "The future for petrol and diesel doesn't look good,"

It also seems the predictions from Exxon and BP are out-of-touch with national governments, which are promoting fuel cell and other green technologies.

Reuters says China is targeting five million electric vehicles on its roads by 2020, while Australia believes electric vehicles will make up a fifth of new car sales by 2020 and 45 per cent ten years later.

Barack Obama is aiming for one million electric vehicles on US roads by 2015, though this is only 0.5 per cent of the nation's car fleet.

The UK's Committee on Climate Change predicts electric vehicles will reach 60 percent of new cars and vans by 2030.

Meanwhile, the UK government has launched a new scheme backed by the auto industry and Johnson Matthey that will drive forward the development of fuel cell cars.

UK H2 Mobility, which is being supported by Toyota, General Motors, Daimler and Hyundai, will produce a plan of action to make fuel cell vehicles commercially available on a large scale by 2015.

February 2, 2012
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Questions for Peter Hoffmann: A Hydrogen Advocate Whose Time May Have Come

Peter Hoffmann started what is now the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Letter in 1986 and is the author of two books on this potential energy carrier for automobiles. “Tomorrow’s Energy: Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and the Prospects for a Cleaner Planet”was published in 2001, but a revised and expanded edition is scheduled to be available from M.I.T. Press in March.

Advocating for hydrogen cars has been, at times, a lonely profession, because fuel-cell vehicles have long been just around the next bend. But several major automakers have committed in recent months to hydrogen car production by 2015. The cars and the hydrogen are likely to be expensive in the early years, but Mr. Hoffmann, a native of Germany, and other advocates expect those costs to decrease as production ramps up and technology matures.

Fuel-cell cars are regarded as zero emission because they don’t emit anything but water vapor from their tailpipes.They use the same basic drivetrains as electric vehicles, but in lieu of batteries they substitute a fuel-cell chemical factory that produces electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen.

Q. The California Air Resources Board just approved new regulations designed to put 500,000 zero-emission cars on the road by 2025. More than 160,000 of those vehicles would be hydrogen fuel-cell cars in one scenario. The regulations also require oil companies to build hydrogen refueling stations. Is this a big leap forward?

A. I certainly hope so — it’s definitely a step along the way. The Japanese and Europeans (and especially the Germans) are setting up similar schemes supporting collaborations between carmakers and fuel providers to set up hydrogen stations. In those cases, there’s a lot of government money involved.

Q. California would seem to be the epicenter of fuel-cell deployment in the United States, but even in Los Angeles today there are only a few public stations. Will there be a network in place by the time automakers roll out the first commercial fuel-cell cars in 2015?

A. The California Fuel Cell Partnership is working hard to get more stations going. And the new CARB rules will also help.

Q. The Clean Fuels Outlet provision of CARB’s rules will require oil companies to install hydrogen pumps at gas stations. The Western States Petroleum Association trade group has announced strong opposition and will possibly sue over it.

A. The oil companies are being more cooperative with hydrogen fueling in Europe, so their actions may depend on how the political winds are blowing. If the oil companies are not in the forefront, there are other companies in the wings that are very active and want to provide hydrogen infrastructure. These include major industrial gas companies like Linde, Air Products and Air Liquide. Mercedes, for instance, is working with Linde to build 20 stations in Germany.

Q. What’s been your experience behind the wheel of fuel-cell cars?

A. I’ve driven quite a few, from G.M., Mercedes, Honda, Toyota, Mazda and Ford. I remember early Ford cars in the 1990s that lacked noise insulation and sounded like they had angry bees under their hoods. The cars have evolved considerably since then and are as fun to drive as anything else on the road. Automakers say they’re committed to fuel-cell production by 2015, and now they need to ensure that at least the beginnings of a hydrogen station network is built.

Q. Will the cost of hydrogen come down?

A. It will be competitive with gasoline eventually. At Stuttgart Airport in Germany, a station was selling it recently for $12 a kilogram. Since a kilo of hydrogen is the energy equivalent of a gallon of gas, and a fuel cell is twice as efficient as an internal-combustion engine, you could translate that into approximately $6 a gallon. That’s roughly what gasoline costs in Europe. Of course, hydrogen is probably subsidized at that price, but it indicates the potential for price reductions. The price will come down as more fuel providers get into the field, as production methods such as electrolysis and other forms evolve, and as storage and compression technology is made more efficient.

Q. Will consumers accept fuel-cell cars?

A. The people who have driven them are happy, but of course they tend to be hydrogen supporters.They say the cars are smooth and convenient to use, accelerate well and refuel very quickly, which is a big selling point. The one issue that disappoints people about battery electrics is range, and that’s not an issue for fuel-cell cars, which often travel 300 miles on a tank of hydrogen.

Q. What about the safety issue? The Hindenburg disaster still looms large for many.

A. From what I understand, these cars are as safe as they can be — as safe as gasoline cars. Even if hydrogen tanks leak, the gas just evaporates into the air, and there are extensive safety and warning devices built into the cars. In an accident, the hydrogen supply is cut off and valves automatically vent it in case of a pressure build-up. The concern will always be there, let’s face it, because hydrogen is very flammable. But the automakers tell me it won’t be an issue. I remember seeing a BMW film in the 1980s in which they dropped hydrogen tanks off a gantry, cooked them over a fire and tried to pierce them with a device. Nothing happened.

Q. Any projections of how many fuel-cell cars might be on American roads by 2025?

A. It’s hard to say, and I’m not a futurist or a prophet. I’ll cite the CARB estimate of 500,000 zero-emission cars by 2025, with maybe a third being fuel-cell vehicles.

February 2, 2012
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Car manufacturers expect to see new interest in hydrogen fuel cells

A man prepares to refuel a 2012 Hyundai Tucson fuel-cell vehicle. (Hyundai Motor America photo)

SAN ANTONIO -- Plug-in electric cars and hybrids may be getting most of the attention now, but carmakers say they still are investing in future car developments that could use another technology that has been on the automotive back burner for years.

“Hydrogen fuel cells are being talked about for the near future,” Hyundai Motor Co.’s North American leader John Krafcik said during the North American International Auto Show.

And many plastics companies are also continuing research that will ensure composites will be at the center of that fuel-cell technology.

Bac2 Ltd. of Romsey, England, has developed a phenolic production system that would better allow molders to use thermosets in high-volume production of bipolar plates and other key components of fuel-cell stacks, said Graham Murray, chief technology officer and founder of Bac2, during the Society of Plastics Engineers Thermoset TopCon conference Jan. 24 in San Antonio.

Fuel-cell systems generate power from hydrogen passing through polymer membranes sandwiched between two plates that could be made of metal, thermoset plastics or thermoplastics, although metal is the current leading material.

The auto industry is interested in fuel cells because the systems drastically reduce pollution — the only emissions are water vapors — and they could allow hydrogen filling tanks to be placed at existing gasoline and diesel fuel­ing stations, reducing the infrastructure questions brought up by all-electric cars and charging stations.

Fuel cells received a lot of attention 10 years ago, with declarations that fuel-cell-powered cars would make it into consumer hands soon. General Motors Co. introduced a series of concepts, including the five-passenger Sequel sedan.

News announcements on the technology had been mostly quiet beyond occasional notices about continued investments and test fleets typically centered in California. The past two years, though, have seen buzz beginning to build again.

Newly passed rules by the influential California Air Resource Board requiring that 15.4 percent of all vehicles sold in California in 2025 be zero-emission vehicles also are influencing interest. The only ways to meet those standards are through electric cars, fuel cells or plug-in hybrids.

In addition to plastics in the fuel-cell stack, plastics would be used in various components in the electric motor powered by fuel cells and in hydrogen storage tanks.

Last year, Toyota City, Japan-based Toyota Motor Co. and Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. Ltd. both touted the opening of the first North American hydrogen fueling station, by gasoline supplier Shell, which tapped into an industrial hydrogen pipeline in Torrance, Calif. Honda began leasing its Clarity fuel-cell vehicle to consumers in a test program in 2010.

At the Detroit auto show in January, Krafcik said Hyundai has a fuel-cell test fleet of its Tucson small sport utility vehicle. The firm has announced it will make a “limited supply” of fuel-cell Tucsons for the market in 2012 and begin mass production in 2015.

That comes back to the need for a supply base to begin large-scale production of fuel-cell components, Murray noted.

To compete for a role in fuel-cell stacks, flame-retardant plastics must meet technical and manufacturing goals. Catalysts typically used in phenolic resins for sheet molding compounds and bulk molding compounds must be molded within three to four hours. Bac2 developed a stable catalyst with a storage life of up to 12 months, allowing for the steadier production process required for high-volume molding.

“We need a more stable phenolic base,” Murray said.

He predicted that more developments from the auto industry and plastics manufacturers will bring more demand for thermosets in a rising fuel-cell infrastructure.

February 3, 2012
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Ceramic Fuel Cells applauds UK feed-in tariff move, could enjoy increased unit sales

Ceramic Fuel Cells (ASX:CFU) has welcomed the UK Government’s intention to increase the feed-in tariff for micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) units to drive its uptake.

Beside the increase in the tariff, UK Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said he planned to remove the 30,000 cap on micro-CHP units and instead provide support to reach a 1 million unit installed base by 2020.

The current micro-CHP tariff is £0.10 for every kilowatt hour of electricity produced and an additional £0.03 for every kilowatt hour exported to the grid.

Micro-CHP proponents are pushing for an increase in the tariff to £0.15.

The support of the UK Government bodes well for Ceramic’s BlueGen fuel cell micro-CHP product, which converts natural gas into electricity and hot water for homes and other buildings.

BlueGen is currently the first and only product of its kind to receive certification under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme and is thus eligible for the feed-in tariff.

This could point the way for greater adoption of its product.

BlueGen promises electrical efficiency of up to 60% - the highest in the world. This efficiency increases to 85% when heat from the unit is used to produce hot water.

February 3, 2012
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Fuel cells to play greater role in South Africa platinum industry

Fuel cells are to play an ever-greater role in South Africa's platinum mining industry as firms look to alternative forms of energy.

Marco Biffi, who is the principal engineer for ventilation and occupational environment at Anglo American subsidiary Anglo Operations, believes these will prove increasingly important in meeting small to medium power requirements.

"They are ideal for the provision of standby power, and can easily be used underground as backup power for communication systems, without the problems associated with conventional emergency power sources," he told Mining Weekly.

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) plans to test a fuel cell-powered mine locomotive at its Dishaba operation in March or April of this year.

Mr Biffi also said larger alternative energy projects that reduce platinum miners' reliance on traditional electricity providers will be needed in future.

Unreliable supplies and higher costs mean platinum mining companies should look to on-demand mine cooling strategies to ensure production projects are not delayed, he told the publication.

"Projects that have not requested an electricity supply allocation from power utility Eskom will struggle with energy supply in the next two years," he explained.

Solar power is one option platinum miners may consider to reduce reliance on the state utility provider.

February 3, 2012
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A hydrogen fueling station powered by the wind

A 100 kW wind turbine being constructed by SourceOne in Hempstead, New York to power the township's hydrogen production and fueling station.

By building a wind turbine to power a hydrogen production and fueling station, a little hamlet in Long Island is positioning itself as the bellwether for carbon-neutral transportation.

The town of Hempstead, New York on Long Island erected a 121 foot tall turbine last December on the township's Department of Conservation and Waterways land to take advantage of powerful Atlantic winds and power the hydrogen and natural gas fueling station it built in 2009. The turbine can generate up to 180 megawatts of power per year, and presents an estimated hydrogen fuel and energy cost savings of $40,000 per year.

For the moment the hydrogen-powered vehicle fleet consists of two Toyota FCHV fuel cell Highlanders and a hydrogen/gas powered bus. However, the township is working with other unnamed manufacturers of fuel cell vehicles to expand its fleet. Being the only wind-powered hydrogen production and fueling station in the New York metro area will make it an attractive testing ground for the nascent hydrogen car market, which is expected to grow in 2015 when manufacturers introduce production vehicles to consumers. Until then, any excess energy generated by the wind turbine that doesn't get used creating hydrogen will be fed into the Long Island Power Authority grid, lowering all residents' carbon footprint.

Figuring out an inexpensive and carbon-neutral way to produce an abundant amount of hydrogen will be key to the success of fuel cell vehicles. Solar hydrogen fueling stations have been introduced on both U.S. coasts over the past couple years, but haven't gained traction due to the high costs of production and low demand.

Not that wind-powered hydrogen filling stations are cheap.

The turbine cost $615,000, paid from a $4.6 million United States Department of Energy grant that provides funding for a range of clean energy projects. The hydrogen and natural gas fueling station cost $2.2 million to construct.

The hydrogen production station could also be a clever way to leverage underutilized wind power at night when energy demand is low. Expensive batteries are the current proposed solution to store excess clean energy, but turning it into clean fuel could be a cheaper and smarter way to go.

February 4, 2012
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Casey to urge alternative-fuel car use

WASHINGTON – Sen. Bob Casey is planning to introduce a bill encouraging the use of vehicles powered by natural gas and other alternative fuels.

The bill, titled the Natural Gas Energy and Alternative Rewards Act, would extend tax credits for the retail sale of natural gas and other alternative fuels for use in powering vehicles and for installing commercial alternative-fuel refilling stations. It would also offer a 30 percent rebate of up to $15,000 for the purchase of school and transit buses powered by alternative fuels.

The incentives would be available through 2016.

Though other liquefied gases, hydrogen and fuel-cell vehicles and infrastructure also would qualify for the rebates and credits, Casey, D-Scranton, said that in Pennsylvania the bill would support the development of infrastructure based on the Marcellus Shale natural gas being extracted in the state.

“It helps put Americans back in the driver’s seat, so we can control our energy future instead of putting it in the hands of foreign countries, as it is to some extent right now,” Casey said.

Calling it a “common-sense approach to energy,” Casey said he thinks the bill should garner bipartisan support because Democrats and Republicans alike favor reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil.

“It allows us to be in control of our energy future,” Casey said, “and I don’t care what party you’re in, that’s what the American people want.”

Casey said switching fleet vehicles like buses to gas could save money through lower fuel costs, but the price of converting vehicles to run on natural gas is sometimes cost prohibitive.

And though conversions for personal vehicles would not be subsidized by the bill, consumers who drive natural gas-powered vehicles would benefit from the extension of the $0.50 per gallon tax credit for natural gas fuel.

Casey said he hopes the bill will be a stepping stone in developing natural gas-fuel infrastructure in Pennsylvania.

Casey said he will soon be seeking cosponsors for the bill, and plans to introduce it on the Senate floor in a matter of days.

February 5, 2012
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Our Fuel-Cell Future

SOUTH WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT—Unlike sausage, it actually is a good idea to see pasta being made. I am wearing a chef’s apron, a hair net and a beard net, and I’m on the main floor of Carla’s Pasta. Started as a mom-and-pop business (well, mostly a “mom” business) in 1968, today it occupies 66,000 square feet, employs more than 150 people, and supplies 20,000 restaurants in New England alone with, among many other things, gnocchi, ravioli and pre-cooked pasta sheets.

You actually do want to see pasta being made! Here’s cheese ravioli on its way to a restaurant near you.

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen little green-and-white striped raviolis rolling down a conveyer belt, dropping into chilled water, then proceeding down the line to final bagging and boxing. Our tour was conducted by the genial Sergio Squatrito, vice president for operations and founder Carla’s son. He’s also a big supporter of Car Talk, a major supporter of renewable energy, offers vegan manicotti, and was extremely interested in my test car, a Chevy Volt. If he buys one, he’d park it next to his vintage ’69 Fiat 500.

Carla’s Pasta has just taken a big step—today, a solid percentage of its electricity comes from the 300-kilowatt fuel cell that sits on a concrete pad adjacent to the linguini works. Squatrito took us into the boiler room and showed us one of two big hot water/building heating units he was able to shut down because the natural gas-fired fuel cell has been on the job for the last month.

Sergio Squatrito and his company’s $2 million investment:A zero-emission fuel cell.

Fuel cells aren’t cheap, especially on the scale that can run commercial businesses. The 300-kw unit is relatively small, but it cost more than $2 million, which Carla’s paid for with a state development authority bridge loan and a $750,000 grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.

Fuel cells certainly aren’t new—they were invented in the mid-19th century, and Apollo moon missions took them into orbit. Essentially, they’re little chemical factories that turn hydrogen into electricity and water. You can use them in electric cars in place of a battery, and automakers have been building very expensive test cars for decades. But costs have plummeted as the technology has improved, and that’s why Honda, Hyundai, Toyota and Daimler are all promising to deliver commercial fuel-cell vehicles by 2015.

It may not look like it now, but fuel-cell cars could be a big deal. Tom Sullivan of Lumber Liquidators is trying to build a “hydrogen highway” on the east coast, and the California network is evolving (despite Arnold Schwarzenegger’s efforts being derailed by budget cuts). And now, in an interesting development, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), which polices air quality in a challenged state, last week voted unanimously for a big ramp-up of its clean car program. The plan envisions 500,000 “zero emission” cars by 2025, a category that includes large numbers of fuel-cell vehicles as well as battery electrics. In one CARB scenario, there would be 163,300 fuel-cell cars in California by 2025. But will there be fueling stations (a cool $1-$2 million each) around the state when the cars start to roll out?

CARB thought of that, and added a provision that requires oil companies (from BP, Chevron and Shell to Exxon Mobil) to install hydrogen fueling at gas stations as certain levels of on-the-road fuel-cell vehicles are achieved. It’s a good thing, because right now Los Angeles has only two stations, and Daimler (for one) has cars stuck in parking lots waiting for a larger infrastructure. But the oil companies aren’t happy. At the CARB hearing, Cathy Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association trade group, threatened legal action over the provision. “We strongly oppose the clean fuels outlet requirement,” she said.

Daimler’s B-Class F-Cell hydrogen car: Piling up in Los Angeles.

Stationary cells have already developed into a strong market. I also visited FuelCellEnergy, which made the Carla’s Pasta unit, in nearby Torrington. It’s a full-scale manufacturing plant, with 500 employees, loading docks, a staff cafeteria, and signs boasting of accident-free work days—exactly the kind of thing that President Obama wants to see “in-sourced” in America and not exported abroad. FCE, in business since 1969 and in commercial production since 2003, now has 180 megawatts worth of fuel cells installed or in backlog. They’ve generated 900 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

One FCE plant in California is operated by Gil’s Onions, which sells the vegetable in fresh, pre-sliced form. This operation left a lot of outer skins as waste and because decomposing matter gives off methane, Gil’s was running into air-permitting problems in the state (which has the toughest regulations in the country).

FCE’s Kurt Goddard explained to me that fuel cells are a great zero-emission power solution for cities, because a) they don’t take up much space (even a big one needs only approximately a tennis court) or b) run afoul of any clean air laws. There’s one in downtown Los Angeles, where a nuke, a coal plant, or even a natural gas operation would not be welcome. They’re also incredibly quiet. I stood in the control room of the Carla’s Pasta cell and there wasn’t much more than a minor electronic hum. I was told by Chip Bottone, FCE’s CEO, “Clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power generation offers our clients a cost-effective path to address their power needs and environmental stewardship simultaneously.” A two-fer, as it were.

Some of these plants are really, really big. FCE specializes in one megawatt units (with approximately the generating capacity of a large wind turbine), but some installations have multiple units and give power plants a run for their money. South Korea is a big supporter of fuel cells, and it recently put in an 11.2-megawatt unit, a record. Universities are big supporters of on-campus fuel cells, and the largest U.S. installation is an FCE cell that is part of a clean energy micro grid at the University of California, San Diego, and it’s 2.8 megawatts.

Goddard and John Sprainitis gave me a tour of FCE’s Torrington plant. There were a lot of workers rushing around on forklifts. In fact, it looked not unlike the pasta factory. My favorite room was final assembly, where a unit was approaching completion, with its enormous weatherproof cover hovering on a lift and waiting to be dropped in place.

Making hydrogen fuel cells in Connecticut, at FuelCellEnergy.

Yes, in many cases these plants (some of which are 30 feet high and weigh 120,000 pounds) are shipped, via truck, as complete units. But overseas locations such as South Korea often get fuel cells in kit form—I saw one boxed up for a steel mill, and it wouldn’t make economic sense to send a big steel structure to a steel mill.

Hydrogen is no longer a future fuel. The Oregon-based ClearEdge just announced a $500 million deal to sell 50 megawatts worth of fuel cell power plants to the Austrian company Güssing Renewable Energy GmbH by 2020. That’s foreign capital flowing into the United States from a clean energy investment. What’s not to like?

Here’s a video look at Carla’s Pasta and its brand-new fuel cell:

 

February 5, 2012
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Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited : Smart Home Family update - results after 18 month

Ceramic Fuel Cells' BlueGen produces six times more electricity per day than solar PV during Sydney "Smart Home's" first year

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) - a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation products for homes and other buildings - today announced that its BlueGen gas-to- electricity unit had created nearly twice as much electricity than Sydney's Newington "Smart Home" had needed during the home's first 18 months of operation. Ausgrid's energy efficiency expert Paul Myors said an analysis of energy use and generation at the smart home showed it was producing enough electricity to power two average households.

"The fuel cell used gas and waste heat to produce most of the on-site power, but with 65 per cent less greenhouse gas impact than power sourced from the grid," he said.

The 1.5 kilowatt BlueGen unit - combined with a conventional 1 kilowatt rooftop solar system and a 0.5 kilowatt solar pergola system - produced an average 32 kilowatt hours of electricity per day. Of this, the BlueGen unit produced an average of 28 kilowatt hours per day, while the average solar output was 4 kilowatt hours per day.

Importantly, the BlueGen unit saved 6,950 kilograms of carbon dioxide during the year from November 2010 to October 2011 when compared to greenhouse emissions from electricity from the NSW grid. This was nearly five times the carbon emission savings from the Smart Home's solar PV unit, which saved 1,470 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

The family charged the home's car - a new Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle - an average of eight times per month and drove it for more than 5,000 kilometres on Sydney's roads. The electric car added an average 2.5 kilowatt hours a day to the home's electricity use. Ausgrid found the electric car would have been about 75 per cent cheaper that a comparable petrol car to run. This is because it was only charged after 8pm when times of use electricity rates are cheaper.

"The Smart Home in essence has become a fully functioning power station," Mr Myors said. "This has been a great experiment to test how families use new technology and efficient appliances, so we can see what will help households use energy and water efficiently in the future."

Following the first BlueGen installed in the Smart Home, last year Ausgrid ordered 25 BlueGen units as part of the AUD 100m 'Smart Grid, Smart City' project. These 25 BlueGens are now installed and operating in homes in Newcastle, New South Wales.

The first Smart Home family - Clare Joyce, Michael Adams and their daughter Ava, dubbed "The Jetsons' - left the Smart Home at the end of January after an 18-month trial of energy efficient living. A new search has begun for a new family to live rent-free for 12 months in the experimental home. (see www.ausgrid.com.au)

February 5, 2012
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Energy cells help power Century City skyscraper

Bloom servers, made by Bloom Energy of Sunnyvale, Calif., at Constellation Place in Century City.

Century City skyscraper Constellation Place, formerly known as MGM Tower, is the first Los Angeles high-rise to be served by electricity-generating fuel cells.

Landlord JMB Realty installed two Bloom Energy Servers that will produce 400 kilowatts of power, about one-third of the electricity needed by the 35-story tower.

Bloom servers, made by Bloom Energy of Sunnyvale, Calif., are each big enough to occupy an average parking space and contain thousands of Bloom fuel cells – flat, solid ceramic squares made from a sand-like powder – that convert air and fuel into electricity through an electrochemical process.

The fuel cells reduce the nearly 800,000-square-foot building’s emissions from power generation by 30%, JMB said.

“These servers, combined with the existing photovoltaic system, enable JMB to offer its tenants a greener office environment while generating significant savings," Sarah Shaw of JMB said.

JMB has about 2 acres of solar power arrays in Century City on the roofs of two parking structures it owns. The photovoltaic systems were installed in 2008 and 2010.

Tenants in Constellation Place include talent agency International Creative Management Inc., airliner lessor International Lease Finance Corp. and investment bank Houlihan Lokey.

February 6, 2012
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Solvay has Successfully Commissioned the Largest Pem Fuel Cell in the World at Solvin's Antwerp Plant

H2 powered industrial demonstration 1 MW Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Solvay announced today it has successfully commissioned its 1 MegaWatt (MW) industrial demonstration Fuel Cell at the SolVin plant in Lillo, Antwerp, Belgium. This Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell converts coproduced hydrogen (H2) in the plant into electricity and is now producing for weeks at a steady rate. The Fuel Cell has generated over 500 MWh in about 800 hours of operation, which amounts to the electricity consumption of 1370 families during the same time frame.

This successful industrial scale-up project containing Solvay's innovative specialty polymers and SolviCore's membrane electrode assemblies brings PEM Fuel Cell technology to a new threshold. The Fuel Cell also increases SolVin's brine electrolysis' energy efficiency.

Fuel Cells convert the chemical energy from hydrogen into clean electricity through an electrochemical reaction with oxygen. The PEM Fuel Cell consists of a large number of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) made out of Solvay's specialty polymer AquivionR PFSA membrane and ionomer and Umicore's elystTM catalyst. The MEAs were manufactured by SolviCore, a 50-50 joint venture of Solvay and Umicore, in its plant in Hanau, Germany. Dutch companies NedStack and MTSA have built the fuel cell using SolviCore's assemblies.

Fuel Cells are increasingly considered an important clean power generation technology for a wide variety of applications such as busses, cars, ships, trucks, fork lifts, cogeneration and electricity generation devices. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells produce only electricity and water.

This technological leap was realized in cooperation with WaterstofNet, the coordinator of the Project Hydrogen Region Flanders - South Netherlands. This project aims at developing knowhow and projects about hydrogen applications in the region with a clear focus on sustainable hydrogen and early market applications, such as maritime, logistical and interurban applications, with maximum use of European technology.

The Project Hydrogen Region, with a total budget of EUR 14 million, was approved by the Interreg IV Program and is financed by the EU, the Flemish government, the Dutch government and the industry. Hydrogen Region financed Solvay's project budget of over EUR 5 million by EUR 1.5 million. The 1 MW PEM Fuel Cell is the first milestone in the Project Hydrogen Region Flanders - South Netherlands and it is also used by WaterstofNet for research and test programs to endorse implementation of Fuel Cell technology in the region.

SolVin is a joint venture of Solvay (75%) and BASF (25%). It is a leader on the Vinyls (PVC) market in Europe and on the PVDC market worldwide.

SOLVAY is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. Its recent acquisition of specialty chemicals company Rhodia created a much larger player, which is realizing over 90% of its sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of products that contribute to improving the quality of life and the performance of its customers in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels, employs about 30,000 people in 55 countries and generated EUR 12 billion in combined sales in 2010. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on NYSE Euronext in Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR).

February 6, 2012
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ITM Power to launch MW scale energy storage plant

ITM Power will launch its new high pressure and high volume stack designs which form the basis of its megawatt scale energy storage plant.

These will be unveiled at the Hannover Messe on 23-27 April and All-Energy in Aberdeen on 23-24 May.

The hydrogen production plant is packaged in a single 20ft standard ISO container and is a 1MW load that can be demand side managed by power companies with a response time of one second for both turn-on and turn-off.

The hydrogen produced can be used for both vehicle refuelling and direct injection of hydrogen into the gas grid.

Injecting hydrogen into the gas grid is a simple and pragmatic form of energy storage that also de-carbonises the gas grid.

February 6, 2012
(view original article)

Iron-platinum nanoparticle process may lead to effective fuel cell catalysts

A new process for assembling iron-platinum nanoparticles on grapheme may result in effective catalysts for fuel cells, according to a report in Chemical and Engineering News (C&EN).

The materials display up to nine times the catalytic activity and are more stable than current platinum catalyst.

Cathodes in fuel cells are made from amorphous carbon sheets that are embedded with platinum naonparticles.

However, the carbon eventually degrades, meaning the catalysts move around and lose activity.

Graphene – a one-atom thick sheet of carbon – offers a structure that bonds more strongly with the platinum.

"The key for catalysis is you want the nanoparticles to be uniform, with the same size and shape," explains Shouheng Sun from Brown University, who led the research.

"Compared to commercial platinum catalysts on amorphous carbon, the material shows 5.9 to 8.8 times higher current density, a measure of catalytic activity, in an oxygen reduction reaction," states C&EN.

In addition, activity does not fall even after the reaction has been carried out 10,000 times, suggesting it is a very durable material.
Graphene, hailed as a "miracle material", has a multitude of uses and is incredibly strong.

"Our research establishes graphene as the strongest material ever measured, some 200 times stronger than structural steel," says mechanical engineering professor James Hone of Columbia University.

"It would take an elephant, balanced on a pencil, to break through a sheet of graphene the thickness of Saran Wrap."

February 6, 2012
(view original article)

An Italian Fuel Cell Maker That Feeds Itself Pushes into Emerging Markets

As demand for mobile phones in developing countries explodes, telecom operators are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure at a rapid pace. The number of base stations, which anchor towers and house equipment, will reach nearly 2.2 million in 2012, about double since 2007, according to GSMA, a mobile operators trade group in London. Each station requires a backup power source to keep network service going in case of a power outage.

Telecoms have long used lead-acid batteries and diesel generators for backup power. Now a dozen or so fuel cell makers are trying to persuade them to use their alternative systems. They say fuel cells, based on a century-old technology, are more reliable, perform longer, and are cleaner than traditional backup sources.

To distinguish itself from the pack, Electro Power Systems, a 7-year-old manufacturer in the northern Italian city of Turin, is wooing would-be clients with what it says are the first fuel cell systems that don’t require an external fuel supply. Its systems bundle together fuel cells and an electrolyzer, another veteran technology, to generate their own fuel, hydrogen. The company’s most recent innovation: hooking the system to wind turbines and solar panels to harness their energy to make the hydrogen.

Developing an all-in-one system that uses energy from renewables to produce and store hydrogen “is the holy grail for a lot of [fuel cell] companies," says Kerry-Ann Adamson, a director at cleantech research and consulting firm Pike Research, which is headquarted in Boulder, Colorado. ElectroPS is the only company with “a commercially available unit in that package," she says. “They are leading the way in that area."

Housed in a cube-shaped cabinet that measures about 1 cubic meter, the ElectroPS system works like this: When there’s a blackout, the fuels cells kick in, generating electricity and water from hydrogen and oxygen. The water is stored in tanks until the grid comes back on or, in the newest iteration, when a renewable source is available. Then the electrolzyer passes an electrical current through the water to produce more hydrogen and oxygen, which is kept in vessels until needed by the fuel cells during the next blackout. The self-contained system requires little maintenance beyond an annual top-up of water.

Adamson forecasts the market for fuel cell backup units for telecom installations to balloon to $3.6 billion by 2017, from $38 million in 2010. ElectroPS had sales of $4.5 million in 2010 and $6 million in 2011, says founder and Chief Executive Adriano Marconetto, 51. He launched the company with three scientists at the Politecnico di Torino in 2005 after learning about the technology through his previous startup, an Italian designer of clean energy systems that imported fuel cells from the U.S. The 50-employee company will become profitable in 2015, he says.

One early adopter, Telecom Italia, Italy’s largest telecom, bought its first fuel cell system from ElectroPS in 2009. It now owns 250 of the systems and will buy approximately 50 more in 2012, says Alberto Landucci, who is in charge of energy saving initiatives at Telecom Italia in Rome. He says the ElectroPS fuel cell unit is “simple, reliable,” and an improvement on traditional battery backup because it lasts longer, costs less to operate, and can work in locations with high temperatures. Diesel generators, which may be 40 percent cheaper to buy than fuel cells, ultimately cost more in fuel, soundproofing, maintenance, and pollution checks, he says.

The most expensive ElectroPS system, with power output of 12 kilowatts, or enough to back up a large base station shared by different operators, costs up to €25,000. Customers typically recoup their investment in less than three years, Marconetto says.

“The cost is up front," says Virg Bernero, mayor of Lansing, Michigan. The city spent $35,000 on an ElectroPS unit in 2011 for backup power to a public safety radio system; a battery would have cost less than half that. “As we replace our other equipment, we would consider buying more" fuel cells when the budget allows, says Bernero, noting the long-term savings.

More than 600 installations around the world use ElectroPS fuel cells, nearly half in emerging markets, says Marconetto. ElectroPS, which sold its first system in Germany in 2007, focused on telecom operators because “they understand the importance of backup," says Marconetto. “Soon we realized the biggest opportunities were in emerging areas, especially in Asia." He expects the “vast majority" of future sales to come from those regions. India is adding 3 million mobile subscribers a month, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

“There’s such a colossal growth in mobile subscribers" in developing countries, says David Hart, a director at sustainable energy consulting company E4tech in Lausanne, Switzerland. Where the grid isn’t reliable and backup power is needed more frequently and for longer periods, "there’s more room for companies like EPS," he says.

February 6, 2012
(view original article)

Suzuki in fuel cell JV with UK's Intelligent Energy

Joint venture to develop fuel cell systems for vehicles
Suzuki, Intelligent Energy to have equal shares

Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp. has formed a joint venture to manufacture fuel cell systems with UK-headquartered Intelligent Energy, the firms said on Tuesday.

The deal gives Suzuki access to the clean energy developer's fuel cell technology for its next generation of fuel cell vehicles through a non-exclusive license agreement.

Osamu Honda, who is vice president and representative director at Suzuki, will be president of the 50-50 venture, called SMILE FC System Corporation.

"The joint venture will accelerate the number of our systems for mass manufacturing and it allows Suzuki to avoid the higher costs of in-house development," Henri Winand, chief executive of Intelligent Energy, told Reuters.

Fuel cells from Intelligent Energy have already been used in the zero-emission Suzuki Bergman scooter and in Boeing's first manned fuel-cell aircraft.

CEO Winand said demand continues to grow, with turnover of $20 million last year and supply deals with five car manufacturers.

Stricter rules on emissions are helping spur technology development though the market remains small due to the challenges posed by bringing costs down and creating infrastructure to support the new vehicles.

BP and Exxon have recently released data which points to electric cars making up only 4-5 percent of all cars globally in 20 to 30 years, while some governments are targeting as much as a 60 percent market share.

February 6, 2012
(view original article)

Air Products’ Hydrogen Technology Fueling Material Handling Fuel Cells at WinCo’s California Warehouse

Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced that its industry leading hydrogen fueling technology and infrastructure is now on stream and providing hydrogen to fuel material handling fuel cell units at WinCo Foods LLC’s 800,000 square foot grocery distribution center in Modesto, Calif. Air Products is currently fueling 33 material handling units, with 49 more pieces of equipment to be added in April, and increasing to 184 overall when the facility conversion to hydrogen-powered fuel cell lifts is complete in 2013.

“We continue to grow our leadership position in the material handling equipment market at a time when recognition of the productivity and sustainability benefits of hydrogen fueling for this application continues to increase. We worked closely with WinCo as the timing for getting hydrogen supply installed was critical to a seamless conversion of their material handling equipment to hydrogen fuel cells. We began using our mobile fueling technology, and then brought the permanent fueling station online this month which includes two fueling dispensers,” said Sarah Hammond, business development manager – Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products. Details on Air Products’ hydrogen fueling station technologies and projects are provided at www.airproducts.com/h2energy.  

The WinCo material handling units being fueled by Air Products include Plug Power’s (NASDAQ: PLUG) GenDrive® hydrogen fuel cell power units. The GenDrive systems can be quickly refueled in just minutes, completely eliminating the need to change, store, charge and maintain multiple lead acid batteries for each lift.

“Plug Power’s GenDrive fuel cell systems have provided WinCo with a power solution for its lift truck fleet that increases productivity and reduces operational costs over traditional lead-acid batteries. At the same time, the fuel cells offer a much more sustainable alternative for power,” said Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power. “Our GenDrive units run on hydrogen, and Air Products understands the importance of getting the hydrogen infrastructure in place so the fuel cells can be deployed and the customer can start realizing the benefits of the project.”

There are many advantages to using hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts and material handling equipment. Hydrogen-powered equipment only needs refueling once or twice daily, depending on use, and does not require change-out downtime while traditional battery-powered equipment is taken out of operation for battery replacement or recharging approximately every four to six hours. Hydrogen-powered equipment provides consistent power strength during use and does not experience decreased performance or wear down as battery units do when nearing change-out or recharge time. Additionally, unlike battery-powered forklifts, hydrogen-powered fuel cells are not adversely impacted by temperature when operating in coolers and freezers. Further, hydrogen-powered equipment is more environmentally friendly and does not involve lead-acid battery storage or disposal issues.

Air Products, the leading global supplier of hydrogen to refineries to assist in the production of cleaner burning transportation fuels, has unique experience in the hydrogen fueling industry. These varied fueling applications provide an opportunity to assess consumer experiences, evaluate product performance and advance product improvements. In fact, in certain market applications, fueling rates at several individual sites of over 15,000 refills per year are occurring. The company has placed over 130 hydrogen fueling stations in the United States and 19 countries worldwide. Cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell towers, material handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled with trend-setting technologies that involve Air Products’ know-how, equipment and hydrogen. Use of the company’s technology is increasing and is currently over 350,000 hydrogen fills per year.

Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and is on the forefront of hydrogen energy technology development. Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50 patents in hydrogen dispensing technology. Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen, and HCNG (hydrogen/compressed natural gas) fueling, and has developed a variety of enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied pressures. Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a site via truck, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is solar and wind driven.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 18,000 employees in over 40 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of $10.1 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.  

About WinCo
For more information about WinCo visit www.wincofoods.com/.  

About Plug Power
The architects of modern fuel cell technology, Plug Power revolutionized the industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints. Long-standing relationships with industry leaders forged the path for our key accounts, including Wegmans, Whole Foods, and FedEx Freight. With more than 2,000 GenDrive units shipped to material handling customers, accumulating over 5 million hours of runtime, Plug Power manufactures tomorrow’s incumbent power solutions today. Visit us at www.plugpower.com.

February 6, 2012
(view original article)

Zentric, Inc. Signs MOU with OneEnergy for Fuel Cell Battery Technology

PHOENIX —William Tien, President of Zentric, Inc. is pleased to announce that Zentric, Inc. has entered into a Memorandum Of Understanding (“MOU”) with OneEnergy Sdn Bhd, a privately held Research and Development company operating in Malaysia who specialize in a solution for Next Generation Power Supply Systems.

Mr. Tien remarked, “Our agreement with OneEnergy provides Zentric with a proven R&D partner as well as leading edge technology for Fuel Cell batteries that we can now commercialize through our global sales efforts. In particular the Fuel Cell battery is a perfect solution for application with electric vehicles as the battery technology enables the car to travel much farther on the same charge significantly improving its performance.”

Mr. Ken Chua, Executive Director of OneEnergy states, “Zentric is the ideal partner for OneEnergy as they become a leader in the production and distribution of ‘best in class’ patented battery technologies. In particular, their strategic partnership in electric car manufacturer Alpha Lujo, Inc. will provide the perfect showcase and application for our Fuel Cell technology.”

Mr. Jeff Mak, CEO of Zentric, Inc. adds, “OneEnergy provides Zentric with several solutions including a distribution partner for all of our products in Singapore and Malaysia. As a technology and development company it is critical for Zentric to continue to make improvements and technological advances and partnering with OneEnergy greatly improves our R&D capabilities.”

For further information on Zentric, please go to: www.zntr.com.

For further information on OneEnergy, please go to: http://203.112.161.40/wordpress/oneenergy/

February 7, 2012
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Air Products’ Hydrogen Technology to Surpass Fueling of Over 1,000 Material Handling Fuel Cell Units Daily at U.S. Customer Warehouses

Recent Addition of a Customer with Warehouse Fleets in Four States Will Push Air Products Over the 1,000-Lift Milestone

Today Air Products (NYSE: APD) helps businesses move consumer goods purchased and used every day by providing the hydrogen fueling and infrastructure to power nearly 1,000 material handling fuel cell units operating in warehouses across the United States. And when Air Products soon brings on stream its industry leading technology to fuel the material handling units of a customer with warehouse locations in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Texas, it will easily eclipse the 1,000 unit milestone.

“We are the leader in providing hydrogen fueling and the related infrastructure to the material handling market. Today we are fueling nearly 1,000 pieces of material handling equipment, and we are refueling them safely on a daily basis. We are very proud of this accomplishment and with future installations already under contract, doubling the number of units is already within sight,” said Ed Kiczek, global director – Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products. “It goes without saying that our technology’s consistent performance and reliability, along with the environmental sustainability and productivity benefits we provide have been recognized by this market application.”

Kiczek added that the early support in demonstration projects partially funded by the United States Department of Energy was important to proving the benefits of the technology. Details on Air Products’ hydrogen fueling station technologies and projects are provided at www.airproducts.com/h2energy.  

There are many advantages to using hydrogen-powered forklifts and material handling equipment. Hydrogen-powered equipment only needs refueling once or twice daily, depending on use, and does not require change-out downtime while traditional battery-powered equipment is taken out of operation for battery replacement or recharging approximately every four to six hours. Hydrogen-powered equipment provides consistent power strength during use and does not experience decreased performance or wear down as battery units do when nearing change-out or recharge time. Additionally, unlike battery-powered forklifts, hydrogen-powered fuel cells are not adversely impacted by temperature when operating in coolers and freezers. Further, hydrogen-powered equipment is more environmentally friendly and does not involve lead-acid battery storage or disposal issues.

Many of the material handling units being fueled by Air Products include Plug Power’s (NASDAQ: PLUG) GenDrive® hydrogen fuel cell power units. The GenDrive systems can be quickly refueled in just minutes, completely eliminating the need to change, store, charge and maintain multiple lead acid batteries for each lift.

“Plug Power has captured the leadership role in manufacturing, shipping and deploying GenDrive fuel cell units to commercially viable material handling customer sites,” said Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power. “Plug Power holds over 85% of this market. And, as referenced by Air Products, continuing to secure multi-site material handling customers only further proves the reliability and value-add of the hydrogen-powered GenDrive product to the customer.”

Air Products, the leading global supplier of hydrogen to refineries to assist in the production of cleaner burning transportation fuels, has unique experience in the hydrogen fueling industry. These varied fueling applications provide an opportunity to assess consumer experiences, evaluate product performance and advance product improvements. In fact, in certain market applications, fueling rates at several individual sites of over 15,000 refills per year are occurring. The company has placed over 130 hydrogen fueling stations in the United States and 19 countries worldwide. Cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell towers, material handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled with trend-setting technologies that involve Air Products’ know-how, equipment and hydrogen. Use of the company’s technology is increasing and is currently over 350,000 hydrogen fills per year.

Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and is on the forefront of hydrogen energy technology development. Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50 patents in hydrogen dispensing technology. Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen, and HCNG (hydrogen/compressed natural gas) fueling, and has developed a variety of enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied pressures. Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a site via truck, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is solar and wind driven.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 18,000 employees in over 40 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of $10.1 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

About Plug Power
The architects of modern fuel cell technology, Plug Power revolutionized the industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints. Long-standing relationships with industry leaders forged the path for our key accounts, including Wegmans, Whole Foods, and FedEx Freight. With more than 2,000 GenDrive units shipped to material handling customers, accumulating over 5 million hours of runtime, Plug Power manufactures tomorrow’s incumbent power solutions today. Visit us at www.plugpower.com.

February 7, 2012
(view original article)

Ballard Signs MOU With WEG Industries To Provide Fuel Cells For Clean Energy in Brazil

VANCOUVER, CANADA– Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ: BLDP) (TSX: BLD) today announced that it has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with WEG Industries (Brazil), a multinational corporation headquartered in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil, to collaborate on product and market development of clean energy fuel cell products.

“WEG is committed to expanding into new clean energy-related businesses,” said Mr. Umberto Gabbato, Managing Director of WEG Automation. “We see the work with Ballard as consistent with our desire to ensure the smallest impact on the environment and, furthermore, we see potential for fuel cells ranging from public transit to mining and other critical power applications.”

WEG Industries operates in the worldwide electric engineering, power and automation technology areas. The company’s 24,000 employees produce electric motors, generators, transformers, drives and coatings in 9 countries. WEG is present with plants, branches or representatives in 100 countries.

John Sheridan, Ballard’s President and CEO said, “This agreement with WEG Industries will be an important enabler for increased fuel cell product traction in the fast-growing Brazil market. There are a number of important commercial applications that we will focus on and evaluate with WEG.”

Under this agreement, the companies will work to identify and evaluate market opportunities for hydrogen fuel cell products and services in applications related to WEG’s businesses and technologies in such vertical markets as bus, rail and mining.

About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications. Products are based on proprietary esencia™ technology, ensuring incomparable performance, durability and versatility. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.

February 8, 2012
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State Secretary Atsma Inaugurates World-Scale Hydrogen Plant in Rotterdam Botlek

Integration of new Air Products plant with ExxonMobil refinery saves energy and reduces CO2

• Overall energy efficiency will improve by more than 15%.
• CO2 emissions will be 200,000 tons per year lower, comparable to taking 90,000 cars off the road annually.
• Air Products increases hydrogen production capacity at the site by approximately 50%.

Today, Air Products and ExxonMobil celebrated the start-up of a new world-scale hydrogen production plant in Rotterdam. Joop Atsma, State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment, Mayor Aboutaleb of Rotterdam and Hans Smits, CEO Port of Rotterdam, participated in the official ceremony. Integrating ExxonMobil’s refinery with Air Products new hydrogen plant will lead to a 15% improvement in energy efficiency and reduce related CO2 emissions by 200,000 tons per year.

“Key to achieving the delivery of a world-class plant of this size and scope within such an aggressive timetable was the expertise and close collaboration of all those involved in the project. The Dutch government and local authorities also played an important role in helping us to deliver a plant that, by design, minimizes the loss of heat to the environment and reduces the natural gas requirement,” said Jeff Byrne, Air Products’ global vice president and general manager - Tonnage Gases. “As a location, the ExxonMobil Botlek site offers significant synergy in terms of our products and feedstock flow. It also allows us to connect the new plant into our extensive Rotterdam hydrogen pipeline network, which supplies hydrogen to several other customers in the region.”

State Secretary Atsma said in his speech that the importance of the new plant should not be underestimated. “We need plants like this one nationally as well as internationally to achieve our European mid-term and long term environmental ambitions. Today, Air Products and ExxonMobil show that by a targeted investment and integration of industrial processes, a substantial energy saving and CO2 reduction are being achieved. ’’

The Air Products plant uses ExxonMobil refinery’s excess gas to produce hydrogen. The refinery uses hydrogen for the desulphurization of oil products and in the manufacture of petrochemicals. The new plant uses the most advanced processes and technologies which makes the hydrogen production considerably more efficient than the previous hydrogen supply to the refinery. The hydrogen plant also delivers steam to the refinery. The synergy in the production processes of the two plants will improve overall energy efficiency by more than 15%.

“Improving energy efficiency is the best way to reduce energy consumption and related CO2 emissions,” says Andrew Madden, ExxonMobil Refinery Manager. “Through projects such as this one refineries can continue to provide oil products economically while continuing to reduce their environmental footprint. The Rotterdam refinery and petrochemical complex play an important role in our global company and the integration with the hydrogen plant demonstrates ExxonMobil’s commitment to disciplined investments in this region.”

Air Products, in conjunction with Technip – its main contractor on the project – began construction of the new hydrogen plant in June 2010. Maria van der Hoeven, Minister of Economic Affairs at that time, officially started the ground breaking. The start-up of the new hydrogen plant took place in December 2011. It took approximately one million man-hours to build the plant. The construction was completed with more than 450 people working at the site at one time, with eight different languages spoken. Although there were challenging circumstances, the worker’s safety was managed proactively and successfully.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 18,000 employees in over 40 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of $10.1 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.  

In the Netherlands, Air Products has been active in Rotterdam since 1970 with production facilities in Botlek, Pernis and Europoort. The company also has offices in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Nijmegen and Terneuzen.

About ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil is the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas company and a global leader in the petrochemical industry, with activities in almost every country. In the Netherlands, ExxonMobil has a refinery, several chemical plants, a lube oil blending plant and a network of service stations. Also, ExxonMobil is co-owner of the Rotterdam-Antwerp Pipeline, TEAM Terminal and MOT. ExxonMobil has a significant interest in the Dutch gas business through its participation in NAM and GasTerra. For more information, visit www.exxonmobil.com.  

February 9, 2012
(view original article)

Price Reductions Leading to Accelerating Adoption of Fuel Cells in Asia Pacific, According to Pike Research

BOULDER, Colo. -- In 2009, Japan began offering commercial solutions for residential combined heat and power (resCHP) fuel cells with its ENE-FARM project. Korea has followed suit with hundreds of test trials for its Residential CHPs Monitoring Project. Meanwhile, China has been driving research and innovation in fuel cell technology through government, academic, and enterprise initiatives, focusing, for the most part, on fuel cell transportation. Although their programs are primarily aimed at meeting increased demand for residential energy and complying with national policies for a greener society, providers in these countries also hope to become the global leaders in this arena -- both in terms of technology development and price. According to a recent report from Pike Research, prices for fuel cell-based systems, across a range of applications, are expected to decline significantly in the next few years, removing a critical barrier to adoption.

The cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that the market for fuel cells in Asia Pacific will reach $6.7 billion by 2017, up from just $52.8 million in 2011.

"To date, the majority of fuel cell technology development for residences in Asia Pacific has centered on resCHP," says senior analyst Andy Bae. "The Japanese fuel cell players are already in the commercial phase, and Korean providers also have concrete market entry plans to commercialize resCHP and off-grid power plants. Prices have been declining steadily, and manufacturers' pricing strategies are expected to result in further decreases."

While stationary fuel cells represent the largest segment for the fuel cell market in the region, fuel cell vehicles and fuel cells for portable power applications -- particularly consumer electronics -- hold strong potential as well. Interest in fuel cell vehicles from government and industry players, including automobile component makers, in Japan, Korea, and China is strong and growing. Auto OEMs and governments have coalesced around 2015 as the date for the first commercial fuel cell vehicles to reach the market. Consequently, 2012-2015 will be an important period for those looking to develop leadership in the sector.

Pike Research's report, "Fuel Cells in Asia Pacific", provides insight into fuel cell industry dynamics, market trends, and technology innovations for three main sectors: stationary fuel cells, fuel cell vehicles, and fuel cells for portable power applications in the Asia Pacific region, concentrating on China, Japan, and Korea. Market forecasts through 2017 are included for unit shipments and revenue, segmented by key countries and application areas. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm's website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company's research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Grid, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors. For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com or call +1-303-997-7609.

February 9, 2012
(view original article)

Ronn Motor Company Announces a New Pilot Program for H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection System With Roadhouse Transportation

HOUSTON, TX -- Ronn Motor Company announces a new pilot program for H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection System with Roadhouse Transportation.

Ronn Motor Company announced today that it is signing a pilot program with Roadhouse Coach to perform road tests of our proprietary H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection System. The program will generate fuel efficiency and emission data on a daily basis as the H2GO system operates in a real world environment.

Roadhouse Transportation is a Comfort, TX based company providing custom touring coach services since 1976, featuring a fleet of Prevost XL coaches. Roadhouse clients include Bruce Springsteen, Shania Twain, The Dave Matthews Band and ZZ Top to name a few. Roadhouse can undeniably claim their part and credit for all the recent innovations that have occurred in the last 35 years in the entertainer coach industry. www.roadhousecoach.com

"We are excited about working with such a high-profile transportation leader as Roadhouse in this pilot program," said David McGee, CEO of Ronn Motor Company. "We believe the installation and implementation of our H2GO System on a Roadhouse's premier Prevost XL coach will have a material impact on the operating costs they are incurring today as well as a significant reduction in harmful greenhouse gasses and other emissions."

Mr. McGee also stated, "One of the opportunities we faced, since joining the RMC team, is developing a comprehensive pilot program that enables the company to fine tune our performance parameters for our over-the-road and marine applications. The data we will receive from this pilot, and subsequent programs we will sign in the next thirty days, enables the company to confidently mass produce units that will deliver the optimum performance for both increased fuel efficiencies and reduced emissions."

Ronn Motor Company, is a technology-driven design, development and manufacturing company specializing in the creation and delivery of innovative green products and related technologies through green systems and green oriented engines for both transportation and fixed platforms, located in Houston, TX. For more information about Ronn Motor Company, please visit our Web site at www.ronnmotors.com

February 9, 2012
(view original article)

Fuel Cell Research Continues: DoE Seeks Viability Feedback

Like many of the paths towards improving the ways in which we use energy and reducing our dependency on oil, hydrogen fuel cells have their plus and minus points.

To find out just how feasible fuel cells are, the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) has issued a request for information (RFI) to seek feedback into the commercial readiness of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.

Green Car Congress reports that the RFI isn't yet a funding opportunity announcement, but positive feedback could well lead to funds becoming available - similar to the current DoE loans for developing advanced vehicle technologies.

It's also important to note at this stage, that the research into fuel cells isn't specifically limited to passenger car powertrains, such as you'd find in the Honda FCX Clarity.

The wider interest includes auxiliary power units, like those used in refridgerated vehicles, to replace current diesel generators. Likewise, fuel cell fork-lift trucks are currently in development, and refuelling stations at distribution centers ensure the usual issue of low hydrogen availability is avoided.

The DoE is also looking into fuel cell systems for light and heavy duty trucks, to supplement a mainly battery-run system. These fuel cells would be relatively small and require only a small quantity of hydrogen. The concept appears to suggest using them as a range-extender to a battery.

This too would alleviate some of the concerns about lack of infrastructure, as theoretically, smaller amounts of hydrogen would be required, and less frequently.

We'll have to wait and see whether anything comes of the DoE's information request, but if it eventually leads to another DoE funding scheme then it could be just what hydrogen needs to become a more viable option for future transport.

February 10, 2012
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Areva unveils hydrogen storage system

A hydrogen storage system, designed to store excess electrical energy produced by a solar photovoltaic plant, has been installed on the island of Corsica by French nuclear and renewable-energy company Areva.

The storage system aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a solar energy storage solution using hydrogen technologies to mitigate the fluctuations of solar power generation and contribute to securing the island’s power grid, the company states.

After more than two-and-a-half years of work, the 560 kW photovoltaic power plant has been connected to an innovative energy storage system, developed by Areva, consisting of an electrolyser, hydrogen and oxygen reserves and a fuel cell.

The system is called the Myrte platform, the French acronym for the Mission for Renewable Hydrogen Integration into the Electricity Grid.

Myrte has been connected to, and is operating on, the Corsican electricity grid since December 16 – a first in Europe and worldwide in this power range, Areva notes.

The system was built and adapted for use on the small grid on the island, and aims to stabilise such small and isolated grids that may experience fluctuating power generation owing to the use of renewable energy or a lack of sufficient generation to meet peak demand.

The storage system can be used to store excess energy produced as stable gases and recombine them in the fuel cell to provide power to stabilise the grid, when necessary. It is more cost effective than installing more generation capacity, says Areva.

“The Myrte platform enables us to get out of the laboratory and test our technology in a real environment. It is our first installation, at this maturity level, connected to the electricity network. The installation is the beginning of a new chapter for our business unit. We will now focus on the operational exploitation of such systems,” says Areva Hydrogen & Energy Storage VP Jérôme Gosset.

Areva’s Hydrogen & Energy Storage business unit will focus on progressively working out the most successful operation modes to integrate decentralised renewable electricity into insular grids, while helping to secure them.

Further, Areva will continue to invest in Myrte. The Hydrogen & Energy Storage unit’s activity will include, by 2013 and within the framework of Myrte Phase 2, the next generation of hydrogen systems. This device, named the Greenergy Box, is a containerised integrated hydrogen system and is based on the hydrogen technologies currently implemented on the Myrte platform.

The platform fits perfectly with the group’s strategy, which is to provide electricity production technologies, nuclear and renewables, with extremely low carbon dioxide emissions, Gosset concludes.

February 10, 2012
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Coca-Cola Officially Unveils its Fuel Cell Forklift Fleet

Coca-Cola® will unveil its fleet of 37 fuel cell forklifts and 19 fuel cell pallet jacks at its San Leandro bottling plant at a ‘green ribbon-cutting’ ceremony today.

The company’s goal is to grow its business while keeping its carbon emissions at the 2004 baseline. It is working to use more fuel-efficient equipment to bring down fleet emissions: the hydrogen-powered forklifts and pallet jacks will provide more sustainable power when moving product at the 500,000 sq. ft. San Leandro facility.

Plug Power has supplied the GenDrive fuel cells, which are designed as drop-in replacements for the lead–acid batteries used in electric lift trucks. They can be refuelled in minutes with hydrogen (supplied at the site by Air Liquide), providing much faster turnaround with a lower infrastructure requirement than battery charging.

With this conversion, Coca-Cola is able to eliminate its battery room and open up the valuable floor space for storing and moving product. It says the technology increases productivity by 15% on average and lowers operational costs by up to 30%.

“We are dedicated to expanding our AFV [alternative fuel vehicle] fleet and continue to look for innovative ways to move and deliver Coca-Cola products throughout California,” said Rene Hom, Coca-Cola Northwest Region Vice President of Field Operations and Supply Chain. “The addition of hydrogen-powered fork lifts and pallet jacks to our current 125-AFV fleet in California further strengthens our on-going commitment to energy conservation, recycling and zero waste, while driving down operating costs and improving process efficiencies.”

February 10, 2012
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Breakthrough Could Make Fuel Cells More Efficient

A breakthrough by chemists at the University of California-Berkeley could have a profound impact on the growing market for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

In an article appearing this week in the journal Science, UC Berkeley chemists show how to construct a catalyst composed only of edges and demonstrate that it can catalyze the production of hydrogen from water as readily as the edges and defects in regular catalysts.

“This is a conceptual advance in the way we think about generating hydrogen, a clean burning fuel, from water, a sustainable source,” said Christopher Chang, associate professor of chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at UC Berkeley. “Our new catalyst is just first generation, but the research gives us and the community a path forward to thinking about how to increase the density of functional active sites so that molecules and materials can be more effective catalysts.”

At the moment, creating these catalysts in the lab is not cheaper than using traditional catalysts, but efforts by Chang and others to simplify the process and create materials with billions of active sites on a ridged wafer much like a Ruffles potato chip could allow cheaper, commercially viable fuel cell catalysts.

Click here to read full story.

February 13, 2012
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Energy from shale gas can fuel U.S. recovery

The President’s State of the Union address recognized one of the most significant energy advances of this century: the commercial production of natural gas from domestic shale formations.

Much of this natural gas will come from a formation known as the Marcellus Shale Formation, located in nearby New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The availability of this energy resource is made possible by technology advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing of the shale to allow continual and long term release of the gas. As the President outlined plans and progress for advanced energy technology, domestic manufacturing, and job creation, it is important to note that new shale gas resources could be a potential bridge to economic recovery based on a sustainable, renewable energy future if this energy is used wisely.

Shale gas provided less than two percent of the total U.S. natural gas production in 2001; it now is approaching 30 percent, with some estimates that potential resources could last 95 years based on existing consumption rates. The long-term abundance of this natural gas has promise to lower fuel costs for heating, electric generation, industrial processes, and transportation. Indeed, we are already seeing a reduction in electric energy rates as a result of lower cost generation fueled with natural gas.

Furthermore, this resource is domestic, which means that it is less likely to be economically manipulated by foreign countries, like crude oil. The development and production of this domestic supply will also bring jobs that can’t be outsourced. Some estimates suggest that over 200,000 total jobs have already been created by this industry and tens of thousands will be created in the future. The President suggested that 600,000 jobs could be created by the end of the decade. While these estimates and projections may vary, it is clear that this industry will have significant implications for economic development and job creation.

The development of this resource will not be without cost. These costs include the initial capital for gas well development and energy infrastructure, environmental management of the hydraulic fracturing fluids and water supply, and carbon capture. But if you believe in supply and demand economics, this energy resource can be of high value to reduce energy costs for at least the short term.

The challenge will be not to sacrifice long-term productivity for short-term economic value. One of the ways this can be obtained is by utilizing the savings achieved from abundant, low-cost shale gas for investment in emerging energy technologies. This investment will bolster our economy and provide a smoother transition from a fossil fuel economy to a renewable energy economy with less price volatility.

Emerging technologies include sustainable solar, wind, high efficiency appliances, battery technology, and hydrogen fuel cell technologies. Hydrogen fuel cell technologies are of particular interest because they can use much of the same infrastructure deployed by the natural gas industry. Further, the northeast states are now on the right path, leading in the global research and manufacture of advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology with over 1,000 companies in the supply chain and 5,300 total jobs. Connecticut is at the vanguard, with eight of the original equipment manufacturers, over 500 supply chain companies, and over 2,500 total jobs. Consequently, investment in this hydrogen fuel cell industry will pay dividends with job creation and economic development, in addition to long term energy sustainability.

If we don’t want to miss an opportunity for both energy and economic growth, we need to take advantage of this current gas surplus to pay for a future sustainable energy economy.
  
Joel Rinebold is director of energy at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology in East Hartford.

February 13, 2012
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Cox Enterprises Produces Clean Energy with Five New Fuel Cells in California

Fuel cell installation marks completion of Cox's 14th alternative energy project in California

ATLANTA, -- Cox Enterprises announced today the installation of five fuel cells at its Cox Communications subsidiary in San Diego. The fuel cells join nine previous alternative energy projects in the state. Combined, Cox's 14 alternative energy installations in California annually prevent 15,500 tons of carbon emissions from entering the environment, the equivalent of removing 367 cars from the road.

The five new fuel cells are Bloom Energy Servers and utilize a unique fuel cell technology, which converts fuel into electricity via an electro-chemical process without any combustion and no harmful, smog-forming particulates. These fuel cells are powered by biogas, a renewable fuel, to make them even more eco-friendly.
The new fuel cells in San Diego include two 200kW units that power 100 percent of Cox Communications facility on Copley Drive and three 200kW units that power 90 percent of its building on N. Cuyamaca Street.

"Twenty-five percent of Cox Communications' electricity in California is now being generated through our alternative energy projects," said Steve Bradley, Cox Enterprises' director of energy, alternative energy and business continuity. "These projects yield positive results for the environment and the bottom line."

Cox Enterprises' alternative energy projects in California, include:

• Four 100kW fuel cell units at KTVU-TV in Oakland
• Two 400kW fuel cell units at Cox Communications in San Diego (Federal Boulevard facility)
• Two 400kW fuel cell units at Cox Communications in Rancho Santa Margarita
• One 100kW photovoltaic solar installation at Cox Communications in Rancho Santa Margarita

"It's important for us to positively impact the communities we serve, and where our customers live," said Dave Bialis, senior vice president and general manager of Cox Communications' operations in California. "These newly installed fuel cells in San Diego will help us continue our efforts to be good environmental stewards, and hopefully, inspire other businesses to implement eco-friendly practices."

In addition to California, Cox Enterprises has alternative energy installations in Phoenix, Ariz.; Atlanta, Ga.; Macon, Ga.; Bordentown, N.J.; and Portland, Ore. Nationwide, Cox's alternative energy projects annually prevent 17,400 tons of carbon emissions from entering the environment.

Cox Communications has been recognized as a Waste Reduction Award winner by Cal Recycles, the state's leading authority on recycling, waste reduction, and product reuse. Cox Communications also has been named the City of San Diego's Recycler of the Year and the #1 green company in Orange County by OC Metro Magazine. Through the Cox Conserves Heroes program, more than $100,000 has been donated to local environmental nonprofits in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area.

About Cox Conserves:
Launched in 2007, Cox Conserves seeks to reduce Cox Enterprises' energy consumption by embracing renewable forms of energy, conserving natural resources and inspiring eco-friendly behavior. The program engages each of the company's major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Manheim, AutoTrader.com and Cox Media Group) and encourages Cox Enterprises' 50,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices. For more information, visit CoxConserves.com.

About Cox Communications:
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet and telephone services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising.

Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; for five years, Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

About Cox Enterprises:
Cox Enterprises is a leading communications, media and automotive services company. With revenues of nearly $15 billion and more than 50,000 employees, the company's major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications, Inc. (cable television distribution, telephone, high-speed Internet access, commercial telecommunications and advertising solutions); Manheim, Inc. (vehicle auctions, repair and certification services and web-based technology products); Cox Media Group, Inc. (television and radio stations, digital media, newspapers, advertising sales rep firms, Valpak and Cox Digital Solutions); and AutoTrader.com (online automotive advertising and Kelley Blue Book, vAuto and HomeNet Automotive subsidiaries).  Additionally, Cox operates Kudzu.com.

February 13, 2012
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Future Farmers Will Drive Fuel Cell Tractors

With such a focus on alternative propulsion for cars, it's easy for forget that every day, millions of other vehicles are used around the world.

Bikes, for example, or scooters and motorcycles - we've seen those going electric recently. Fork-lift trucks have been electric for years. But what about farm equipment? How about a hydrogen tractor?

Believe it or not, New Holland Agriculture has just revealed details of its second-generation hydrogen fuel cell tractor (via SAE International).

We didn't know there was even a first generation, but as befits a new, improved model, the new NH² model has double the power of the first, at 135 horsepower. It actually has two 135-horsepower electric motors, but one is used for auxiliary circuits and mechanical attachments used for different jobs.

It's torque that really matters with tractors, and at 700 lb ft of continuous torque, it's not light on the stuff. Peak torque of 887 lb ft is of tree stump-pulling proportions. New Holland says the drivetrain is 96 percent efficient.

An 18-pound hydrogen tank stores the fuel at 5075 psi, and the hydrogen itself would be generated on the farm, so it can be fueled just as a normal tractor would be.

New Holland and a group of 13 partners are exploring various methods of hydrogen production, including electrolysis, steam-reforming natural gas, or exploiting the dark anaerobic fermentation of biomass. All three will be evaluated for their feasibility, costs, and benefits.

We can see the appeal of hydrogen tractors. The power and torque is comparable to the equivalent diesel tractor, while producing no local emissions. And it's much easier for each farm to have a hydrogen generating station than it would for a fuel cell car customer to have one in their garage.

New Holland will debut the NH² on the La Bellotta farm in Venaria, Italy -- the perfect place, as it's an energy-independent farm, producing its electricity from natural sources.

February 13, 2012
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ST Aerospace Shows Off Latest UAV

The latest UAV from ST Aerospace, the Skyblade 360–a mini-UAV that has been designed to use fuel cell technology to extend its endurance to an impressive six hours–is on display for the first time here at the show. ST Engineering has identified unmanned systems as one of seven competency clusters within its aerospace sector, and has been working with DSO National Laboratories to develop a number of vehicles.

Skyblade 360 draws on the technology and general configuration already developed for the Skyblade III, but the new vehicle is larger, with a wingspan of 9.8 feet as opposed to 8.5 feet, and a maximum takeoff weight of 20 pounds compared with 11 pounds. Performance is also improved, with a doubling in operating altitude to 3,000 feet, and an increase in range to more than nine miles.

Like the Skyblade III, the 360 system is man-packable and is designed to be employed by a two-person crew operating in the field. The vehicle launches from a portable rail assembly, and is controlled from a new ruggedized console system that is common with other ST Aerospace UAVs. The mission is accomplished autonomously, but the operator has the flexibility to change routing and tasking inflight, as necessary.

Skyblade 360 has a modular payload/power source pod and can carry a variety of sensors in the front of the pod. The main section of the pod houses the power source, which is interchangeable between a battery and a fuel cell. With battery power the UAV has an endurance of three hours (the “3 x 60-minute” configuration), but with fuel cell power that rises to six hours (the “360-minute” configuration). ST Aerospace has flown the battery-powered version and hopes to begin tests of the fuel cell version next year.

Meanwhile, ST Aerospace is preparing to deliver the first Skyblade IV to a customer (presumably the Singapore armed forces) in the second half of this year. This UAV made its first flight in 2010, and ST Aerospace has now built more than 10 for trials, and in advance of deliveries. Owing to the heavy demand on airspace here in Singapore, ST Aerospace performs its larger vehicle tests at overseas locations, such as Australia and South Africa.

Skyblade IV is a larger (154 pounds max takeoff weight) UAV that launches from a towed-rail catapult. The vehicle carries a 26-pound payload and has an endurance of up to 12 hours, before landing using an automatic precision parachute recovery system. The UAV has four sturdy legs to protect its precious sensor package on touchdown. The legs are fitted with skids, which were found to offer better protection across a range of terrains than the small wheels initially fitted.

February 14, 2012
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The Fuel cell boat

A highly innovative research effort seeks to develop and demonstrate the application of new fuel cell technology for the maritime industry to provide a more efficient and ecological source of energy.

Maritime trade may be one of the oldest forms of transport, yet today cargo transported by the shipping industry represents roughly one-third of the value of total global trade, equating to more than $4.6 trillion worth of goods each year. However, with a greater awareness of the shipping industry’s impact on the environment and the current economic climate dictating a need for more efficient forms of transport, many ships are now considered outdated and great effort has been made in researching alternative power sources.

Fuelling the future

The EUREKA-funded FELLOWSHIP project is at the forefront of this research and seeks to develop and demonstrate new fuel cells for marine and offshore use that will vastly improve the energy efficiency of ships, subsequently reducing running costs and the vessels’ impact on the environment. In this collaborative research project including, but not limited to, MTU Onsite Energy and DET NORSKE VERITAS, the FELLOWSHIP team have developed highly innovative HotModule fuel cells that take advantage of recent developments in the fields of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC).

This high temperature fuel cell continuously generates 320kW, with reduced fuel consumption compared to diesel engines and near zero-emissions, vastly improving the ship’s sustainability and the working conditions on-board. The FELLOWSHIP team have used the vessel Viking Lady, a transport ship owned and operated by ship owner Eidesvik for oil from rigs in the Norwegian seas, as a test vehicle for the application of this technology at sea. The HotModule fuel cell is powered by natural gas which is then liquefied and cooled to -161°C.

The fuel cell itself operates at an extremely high temperature, reaching around 600°C in order to instigate the electrochemical process required to generate electricity. The vast amount of heat generated by the cell offers further ecological benefits, as it is used to heat rooms inside the ship, reducing the need for fossil fuels to warm the crew, and can even be used to cool areas through the use of a heat exchanger in order maintain temperature-sensitive cargoes.

While the HotModule fuel cell provides an energy efficiency of 50 per cent while at sea, it is in the harbour that it has its most profound impact. Many harbours now impose strict fines based on pollution, both in terms of waste that is released into the water and their wider impact on the surrounding area. The HotModule fuel cells provides near silent operation when it is used as the sole power source while the vessel is idling in the harbour and can provide all of the electricity required for daily operations, without the need to use the ships diesel engines, which can cause considerable pollution.

A Collaborative approach

This is the first time that this technology has been applied in a marine setting, which has presented some unique challenges for the FELLOWSHIP team, as a moving ship creates a great deal of vibration that the fuel cells were not designed to cope with. While this could be resolved by innovative engineering solutions, FELLOWSHIP encountered another problem in creating and managing an effective partnership, as project coordinator Tomas Tronstad asserts: “You have a fuel cell supplier who is not used to working with moving ships and you have the shipping industry, which needs to understand this new technology. One of the greatest challenges was to get these two parties to understand each other’s needs and requirements” The integration of the system was realised thanks to Wartsila Ship Power.

In order to overcome this issue, the FELLOWSHIP project has developed a highly collaborative approach that recognises the requirements of ship owners, fuel cell suppliers, system integrators and ship designers, and promotes good communication in order to achieve the best solution, whilst also allaying fears about the introduction of this new technology. Tronstad believes that the influence and assistance of EUREKA has played an important role in the success of this collaborative project: “I would like to thank EUREKA for having faith in us. I hadn’t worked with EUREKA before and it has been a pleasure, they were important in supporting us throughout the project both with financial and moral support”.

The FELLOWSHIP partnership is now working to develop industrial-scale battery – hybrid solutions to provide a greater storage capacity for electricity produced by the HotModule fuel cell. This will require further research into the concept to enable the batteries to work with the limitations of the technology, as Tronstad explains: “The current fuel cell doesn’t like to be started and stopped too often. We are developing the solution further into a more standalone system that could more easily be used for a greater number of vessels in the future”. This form of hybrid technology has already proved highly successful in the automotive industry in cars such as the Toyota Prius. The FELLOWSHIP consortium hopes that they can make hybrid ships equally commonplace and are pushing for a greener future for the global shipping industry.

February 14, 2012
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Partnership to Produce Five Fuel Cell Mine Locomotives

Vehicle Projects Inc. (VP) of Golden, Colorado, USA, and Anglo American Platinum Limited (Amplats) of Johannesburg, South Africa, are collaborating on a project to build five fuel cell mine locomotives to be demonstrated in mid-2012 at Amplats’s Dishaba underground mine in Limpopo province, South Africa.

“The purpose of the innovative vehicles is to mine platinum in a more economical, energy-secure, and environmentally-benign manner,” said Dr Arnold Miller, president of Vehicle Projects Inc. “The locomotives will not require any electricity from the grid to function, and will not emit any noxious gases.”

VP, as prime contractor, is executing engineering design, fabrication, and testing of the fuel cell power plant and reversible metal hydride storage system in its state-of-the-art facility in Golden.

VP’s hybrid fuel cell power plant employs Ballard proton exchange membrane fuel cell FCvelocity ® -9SSL V4 stacks and K2 Energy lithium-ion batteries. Continuous fuel cell net power is 17 kW, and together with the traction battery, maximum net power is 45 kW for approximately 10 minutes. The power plant will fit within a 0.1 m3 box, and the volume of the power plant plus battery is 0.5 m3. Low-temperature waste heat from the power plant is the source of energy to store, release, and distribute hydrogen in the vehicle.

The VP-designed reversible metal-hydride storage unit provides hydrogen-dense, energy-efficient, ultra-safe storage of hydrogen for underground operations. It is designed to store 3.5 kg of hydrogen (50 kWh electrical output at the fuel cell) and be refuelled underground from 20 bar hydrogen in 10 to 20 minutes. During refueling, either waste mine water or ambient mine air will cool the hydride bed. Operating hydrogen pressure is only 10 bar gauge. The storage unit will fit within a 0.3 m3 box.

The entire power-dense locomotive power module – fuel cells, batteries, hydride storage, cooling system, and power electronics – requires only 1 m3 of volume.

Upon completion of testing of the power module (expected in March to April 2012), the unit will be shipped to VP’s locomotive project partner Trident South Africa (Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg, South Africa, for integration into a Trident 10 ton New Era locomotive. Integration, locomotive testing, and demonstration, initially at the Trident surface test track, will be assisted by VP’s project partner Battery Electric (Pty) Ltd of Johannesburg.

Amplats is funding the project and will serve as the end user of the developed fuel cell mine locomotives. Amplats is a member of the Anglo American PLC Group and is the world’s leading primary producer of platinum group metals. Its platinum mining, smelting, and refining operations are based in South Africa.

Vehicle Projects Inc. develops turnkey prototype fuel cell vehicles that solve problems of environmental quality or energy security. It is well known for developing and demonstrating the world’s largest hydrogen fuel cell land vehicle, a 130 t railway locomotive.

February 14, 2012
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Japan’s Fuji Electric to Sell Industrial Fuel Cells in European Market

Fuji Electric, the Japanese phosphoric acid fuel cell manufacturer, has acquired the international credentials necessary for direct sales of its industrial fuel cells in the EU. This is the company’s first export venture; the company currently ships around ten of its 100 kW units a year to domestic plants and schools. The company will continue to assemble its products in Japan but will look to increase procurement of foreign parts; Fuji is aiming for sales of JPY one billion in two years.

This latest development follows news at the beginning of the month that Daimler had ordered a 100 kW unit through vendor N2telligence for installation in its Hamburg Mercedes-Benz dealership in an order valued at JPY 100 million (USD 1.29 million). With its new credentials Fuji Electric will be able to market and distribute its products directly to European customers.

February 14, 2012
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ElectroSelf Guarantees Power to a High-Speed Internet System using Renewables

Electro Power Systems SpA (ElectroPS), based in Turin, has deployed its ElectroSelf ‘self-recharging’ back-up power fuel cell unit within an agile energy system based on solar and wind power. The system has been fully designed and built by ElectroPS.

The system provides 24 hour back-up power for a new WiMAX antenna that brings broadband internet to a rural area in Italy; Cellarengo has to date found network connections difficult to establish and high-speed connectivity near impossible.

The energy system comprises a photovoltaic system and a mini-windmill with the ElectroSelf, which combines a fuel cells and an electrolyser. The electrolyser generates hydrogen from water during periods of excess energy supply, and the fuel cell uses the hydrogen for production of electricity during periods when demand outstrips supply, in turn producing water for the electrolyser.

This use of fuel cell and electrolyser technology facilitates clean distributed generation and increases the value of small-scale renewables by minimising the mismatch between energy production and consumption.

February 14, 2012
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Worldwide Revenue from Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Will Reach $785 Million in 2012

As the fuel cell industry makes the transition from the R&D stage to full commercialization, breakout applications are continuing to emerge and business models and market structures are evolving rapidly.  Overall, the industry continues to expand, and the total size of the global market – including revenues from fuel cells and from hydrogen for fuel cells and internal combustion engines (ICEs) – will reach $785 million in 2012, according to a new white paper from Pike Research. 

One key market that is taking shape is the use of fuel cells for residential combined heat and power (resCHP) applications, a market that is experiencing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 67.7%.  Meanwhile, Pike Research expects that remote sensing will be the breakout market for small fuel cells in 2012, as they are well-suited for applications including dam monitoring, seismic monitoring, wildlife monitoring, weather stations, and others.  However, other sectors do not look so promising, according to Pike Research’s analysis – one example is the portable fuel cell market, particularly for consumer electronics applications, which the firm anticipates will suffer disappointment in 2012 after a recent renewal of the hype in this sector.  The white paper, which includes 10 predictions about the fuel cell market in 2012, is available for free download on Pike Research’s website.

“The fuel cell and hydrogen industries are once again entering a year of growth, as seen in the revenue projections for the first time surpassing three-quarters of a billion dollars, but market participants also face significant challenges,” says research director Kerry-Ann Adamson.  “As well as growth in the current markets, we are also starting to see new markets emerging – including, in 2012, the remote sensing sector, with increasing demand for fit-for-purpose products from the fuel cell industry.”
Pike Research’s industry predictions for 2012 include the following:

• Rhetoric and reality will diverge in the hydrogen energy storage market
• Flight to third-party countries for manufacturing will increase
• Hype will be followed by disappointment in the portable fuel cell sector
• Buyouts and corporate investments will continue
• Renewables, storage, and fuel cells will converge in the off-grid power market

Pike Research’s white paper, “The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Industries: Ten Trends to Watch in 2012 and Beyond”, offers analysis and insights on 10 key trends that will influence the direction of the fuel cell and hydrogen industries in 2012 and beyond.  Information and analysis in this paper is drawn from Pike Research’s ongoing coverage of the global fuel cell market, with forecasts included for key market sectors.   A full copy of the white paper is available for free download on the firm’s website.

February 14, 2012
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New advances made in using plant molecules for solar and hydrogen

Molecular structures extracted from plants could become the key both for making electrons out of sunlight and hydrogen for fuel cells, a concept that's continuously being explored by scientists.

In an interview, biochemist Barry D. Bruce of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville told EcoSeed that a key protein complex (or photosystem) in photosynthesis known as photosystem-I or PSI can be extracted and integrated in devices that either convert light into electricity or that produce hydrogen fuel when exposed to sunlight.

If it works out well, these kinds of devices can satisfy low-power energy needs such as small electronics, or can be sources of low-cost power for developing countries.

Converting light to power

Mr. Bruce is a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Tennessee. He is a leading faculty at the university's Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, a joint UT-Oak Ridge National Laboratory academic unit.

With colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the 'Ecole Polytechnique F'ed'erale de Lausanne in Switzerland, he recently released a paper describing their work with PSI.

"We take out the components that are the basis for photosynthesis," Mr. Bruce explained to EcoSeed. "Then we integrate them - through a relatively simple step - into an inorganic semiconductor known as titanium oxide."

Mr. Bruce said they bioengineer the PSI complex to self-assemble and bond with the titanium oxide semiconductor material in a relatively simple process.

While any photosynthetic organism contains PSI, the researchers chose to work with blue-green algae because it's easier to work with and is also thermophilic, or capable of living in and withstanding very high temperatures.

According to Mr. Bruce, the PSI preserves its biological activity and, when exposed to photons of light, they generate and transfer electrons into the semiconductor material and produce electricity.

Although many other researchers have used photosystems for solar power generation, this is the first time scientists used titanium.

Though the current technology only has an efficiency of about .08 percent, or almost one in a thousand photons getting converted into electrons, Mr. Bruce is confident that this can be improved to the point that devices using PSI could be a relatively low-cost alternative to current solar energy generating technology.

"We've proven that we can do it better and easier. Easier is one of the more important things," said Mr. Bruce.

"The idea is, if you're ever going to make things cheap, it has to be easy," he explained. "I think the fact that the technology is capable of self-assembly is a really good breakthrough."

Producing hydrogen

But this is not the first time Mr. Bruce worked with PSI in chemical systems to revolutionize alternative energy sources. In 2009, he led a team of researchers from UT Knoxville and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to use PSI as part of a catalyst for the production of hydrogen fuel.

Much like how they now combine PSI with titanium oxide, Mr. Bruce and his colleagues coupled PSI with a platinum catalyst to produce a steady supply of hydrogen when it is exposed to light.

"We demonstrated a very robust, self-organized nanoparticle that - if you shine light on it - makes hydrogen," said Mr. Bruce.

According to Mr. Bruce, not only was the nanoparticle robust and easy to assemble, it also demonstrated an ability to keep producing hydrogen over a long period of time.

"We worked with it for over three months, and it kept making hydrogen all that time," he said.

Photosystems have actually been used previously to produce hydrogen, the point being to mimic plant photosynthesis to produce the needed resource. The problem has been the huge cost of platinum.

But currently, for both hydrogen production and solar energy production, another goal is to increase the amount of fuel and energy that can be generated by the systems.

"We're trying to make it where we can absorb more solar radiation. Right now, we only take in a small portion of the sun's light - that which the plants absorb - but maybe we can expand that to absorb more wavelengths of light," said Mr. Bruce.

February 15, 2012
(view original article)

(ITM Power) Agreement with Logan Energy

Cooperation Agreement signed with Logan Energy Limited

ITM Power (AIM: ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, announces that it has signed a Cooperation Agreement with Logan Energy Limited for project development and tendering in Scotland.

ITM Power and Logan Energy will jointly tender for hydrogen energy storage and clean fuel projects in Scotland and Logan Energy will undertake all project management and after sales support for any plant installed under the agreement. By signing this agreement the two companies intend to maximise the local supply chain for Scottish projects.

Scotland is a key location for renewable energy having some of the best wind resources in the world. The deployment of energy storage is now seen as key to the effective utilisation of renewable energy plant and will be a critical component of the future energy grid. ITM Power’s electrolysis plant will be a vital component in linking electricity generated from renewable energy sources to the gas grid and the transport fuel infrastructure, and Logan Energy’s experience in delivering integrated systems will be invaluable to the relationship.

ITM Power CEO, Dr. Graham Cooley, commented; “We are very excited about working with Logan Energy in Scotland, a leading integration company in one of the best resourced renewable energy locations in the world. I am sure that the synergies between Logan Energy and ITM Power will reap benefits for both companies.

John Lidderdale, MD of Logan Energy, commented; “We are looking forward to working with ITM Power in Scotland. The necessity for energy storage technology in the renewable energy system means that there will be many opportunities for us to work together immediately and into the future.” 

February 15, 2012
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Analyst View: Integrated Hydrogen and Renewables Projects in Europe

One of the best ways for us to generate power and fuel our vehicles from an emissions point of view is through a combination of renewable electricity and hydrogen. The European Union has set targets for 2020 for renewables to contribute 20% to the overall energy mix while simultaneously cutting carbon emissions by 20%. Currently Europe gets around 20% of its electricity from renewable energy, which includes a 5% contribution from wind energy. Increasing the contribution of variable renewables to any electricity grid can potentially cause instability and traditionally requires back-up generation in the form of spinning reserves of fossil fuel generators.

Two European projects led by AREVA and ENERTRAG are demonstrating hybrid power plants, integrating fuel cells and hydrogen with wind and solar power, solving these issues and providing additional benefits.

February 15, 2012
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Fuel Cells Breaking Out in Remote Sensing, CHP

Some of the key markets for fuel cells may surprise you - combined heat and power (CHP) for residential applications and remote sensing to monitor dams, wildlife and weather stations.

The CHP market is growing at a compound annual rate of 67.7% according to Pike Research, and predicts the remote sensing market will be the "break out" market for the technology.  

In 2012, the fuel cell and hydrogen industry will produce $785 million in revenue worldwide, crossing the three quarter million threshold for the first time, says Pike.

What most expected to be a strong market for fuel cells - portable consumer electronics applications - isn't yet showing much promise, they say. Many of the pioneering fuel cell companies - most of whom are shadows of what they once were - were developing them for cell phones and computers.

Read about current developments and the top 15 fuel cell manufacturers. Last month, ClearEdge Power received one of the biggest fuel cell orders to date - a $500 million order from Austria's Güssing Renewable Energy for 50 megawatts (MW) by 2020.

Read the white paper

February 16, 2012
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AFC Energy PLC Launches LASER-CELL Project

AFC Energy (AIM: AFC), the leading developer of low-cost alkaline fuel cells, is pleased to announce that the inaugural consortium meeting of project LASER-CELL recently took place at the Company’s Dunsfold headquarters.

Project LASER-CELL will develop innovative high-volume production technologies which can be used to manufacture alkaline fuel cell components, and will include comprehensive life-cycle and market analysis. The project will run in parallel with the Company’s current development programme.

AFC Energy leads the consortium that was awarded a grant of €1.4 million towards the €2.9 million research and development project. The project is funded by the European Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) through the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme (FP7).

Click here to see the following organisations that comprise the consortium

The project will exploit the expertise and resources of all the partners. Work will be carried out at the premises of each partner and will be coordinated and managed by AFC Energy.

Ian Williamson, CEO of AFC Energy plc, commented: “The award of this significant R&D grant from the European Union demonstrates the EU’s commitment and endorsement of our technology. We were delighted to personally welcome our partners, whose impressive expertise will be key to the success of project LASER-CELL.”

February 16, 2012
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F-DGSi Lab Hydrogen Generator's Expanded Capabilities

The F-DGSi H2 generator saves space and eliminates the risks associated with storing high pressure cylinders, but also the hidden costs associated with piping connections, manometers, ordering, renting, delivering, servicing and maintaining cylinders. The F-DGSi Hydrogen generators use the latest polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) technology to produce high purity hydrogen. The exclusive ‘No Maintenance’ gas column dryer regeneration system eliminates all down time for maintenance that is typical of other systems on the market, guaranteeing the best hydrogen purity at all times.

The exclusive cascading option allows up to 10 units to be connected in series, producing flowrates up to 12 litres! This feature gives the capacity to supply H2 simultaneously to multiple GC and GCMS units. The system's internal self-diagnostic features, high visibility lighted display, internal/external leak detection and all the remote control and alarm capabilities increase lab safety and productivity.
The exclusive safety on the market to use H2 as carrier gas: don’t be afraid anymore to use H2 gas as carrier gas: thanks to our H2 sensor controlled by our H2 generator: in case of any leak inside the oven of the GC, the H2 generator will stop to produce.

The modular generator design allows it to be used individually or coupled to any one of the Zero air generators to form an all-in-one FID Gas Station solution for GC combustion detector applications. The exclusive high pressure: the Hydrogen generator is able to give an outlet pressure up to 16 bar as an option.

This unique feature opens a wide range of new applications like: the operation of fuel cell, as well the filling of low pressure metal hydride canisters for operating portable GC or mobile systems. F-DGS i offers 4 x ranges of laboratory hydrogen gas generators LC-H2 99.995%, ND-H2 99.9995%, PAR-H2 99.9999%, WM-H2 99.99999%. With flow rates from 120 cc/min to 1200 cc/min depending on the models.

February 16, 2012
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The Hydrogen House Weathers the Storm

The hydrogen economy was not so long ago hailed as the answer to our world’s energy woes. Yet, hydrogen has since fallen by the wayside in favor of lithium-ion and compressed natural gas. In the past, generating hydrogen gas was too expensive, and amidst an ailing economy, even the Obama administration put a hold on hydrogen research and development. But with solar power finally reaching price-parity with coal, solar-hydrogen (using solar power to make and store hydrogen) is now an economical reality. Furthermore, considering that hydrogen can integrate seamlessly with electric and natural gas infrastructure, not to mention help with the world’s pending fresh water shortage, it won’t be too long before we see hydrogen once again take center stage.

In 2006, Mike Strizki gained international acclaim by developing the world’s first regulation approved home powered by renewable hydrogen energy. He has since been working to bring this technology to the masses. The concept is simple: use solar power to run a machine called an electrolyzer, which splits water molecules into the base elements hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is stored in tanks, and can later be burned similar to natural gas for cooking and heating, or can be reformed in a fuel cell to create pollution-free electricity. Strizki’s home system even comes complete with a hydrogen fueling station to fill the tank of his fuel cell car… for free!

Hydrogen House on ABC World News

Hydrogen gas is an energy storage medium much like a battery, but unlike batteries, hydrogen will not lose its charge and doesn’t require strip-mining of rare earth metals like lithium. What’s better, unlike fossil fuels, when hydrogen is burned or reformed in a fuel cell, the only byproduct is chemically pure water!

The Hydrogen House’s 21-kilowatt solar array and 45-day hydrogen storage capacity has allowed Mike Strizki to sell electricity back to the grid at a staggering profit averaging $10,000 per year. “The ability to make your own fuel is priceless,” says Mike Strizki, Chairman of the Hydrogen House Project and President of Renewable Energy Holdings.

While the Hydrogen House’s technology has attracted high-profile celebrity clients to install systems on their private islands, the high cost of initial investment put the technology out of the price range of most households and businesses. Thus, the focus of the technology shifted elsewhere in recent years.

Hydrogen House on Discovery Channel

In 2009, Strizki and partners developed a spin-off project integrating the solar-hydrogen technology with a water filtration system scaled down to fit on a 16-foot trailer. The “Hydra” mobile water purifier and generator operates on renewable solar-hydrogen fuel and provides electricity, medical grade oxygen, and up to 75,000 liters of purified drinking water per day from any water source. The Hydra is ideal for disaster relief and military applications.

Simultaneously, Strizki developed a groundbreaking solar panel racking system called Genmounts. The design uses less aluminum and requires less installation time than most competitors. The company has expanded rapidly throughout the U.S. in less than two years, and all components are manufactured in America.

But in the summer of 2011, it finally happened… solar power reached price-parity with coal. Solar power was finally affordable, and so too was the solar hydrogen system Mike Strizki had pioneered 5 years earlier. In turn, Strizki revitalized efforts to commercialize the solar hydrogen system through his company Renewable Energy Holdings. He also relaunched his educational research and development non-profit organization. Now called the Hydrogen House Project, the organization educates future generations on the realities of a pollution-free hydrogen economy.

Unfortunately, the summer of 2011 also brought Hurricane Irene to the Mid-Atlantic U.S. coast. High winds brought massive trees crashing to the ground, and as a result, the flagship Hydrogen House prototype suffered damages to its solar inverters and fuel cell. Yet, while neighbors were left without power for days, Mike Strizki simply hooked up the fuel cell from his hydrogen-powered car to his home hydrogen system to keep the lights on.

The Hydrogen House Project is now actively seeking partners to upgrade the Hydrogen House’s damaged low-pressure hydrogen system to a high-pressure storage system integrating more modern fuel cell and electrolyzer technology.

Hydra Mobile Water Purifier on CNN

Noveda Technologies, a leader in energy system monitoring software, has partnered with the Hydrogen House Project and Renewable Energy Holdings for data acquisition on the upgraded Hydrogen House. Soon, the Hydrogen House will be able to provide hard data on the efficiencies of its groundbreaking system. These numbers can then be scaled and modeled to advance research in hydrogen technology and further commercialize hydrogen systems.

The Hydrogen House Project is developing other applications for renewable hydrogen energy as well. Duffy Electric Boat Company, for example, has donated a $1.6 million concept electric speedboat called the “Voyager” for conversion to a renewable hydrogen fuel drive. The boat, along with a fuel cell car, motorcycle, and lawnmower (all designed and built by Strizki himself) will be featured at the Atlantic City Boat Show February 1-5, 2012.

www.HydrogenHouseProject.org

February 17, 2012
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Vattenfall Charges Hamburg Buses With Hydrogen From Renewables

Vattenfall AB, the Nordic region’s biggest utility, said it opened Europe’s largest hydrogen filling station fed by renewable energy in Hamburg.

The utility funded 43 percent of the 10 million-euro ($13 million) investment, and the German Transport Ministry paid the rest, Alexander Hauk, a spokesman for Vattenfall Europe AG, said by phone today. About 20 buses and several cars a day can be charged with hydrogen from at least 50 percent renewable energy, according to an e-mailed company statement.

Storing wind power by converting it to hydrogen “is an important approach that could play a key role in the future German energy landscape,” Oliver Weimann, head of Vattenfall Europe Innovation GmbH, said in the statement.

Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, seeks to install 25,000 megawatts of offshore wind turbines by 2030 as it phases out atomic energy by 2022. The expansion of renewables has been accompanied by concerns that their fluctuating production may strain power networks and leave consumers without energy when wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.

Vattenfall is part of a group including car maker Daimler AG and Total SA promoting and testing hydrogen-powered transport in Germany. The Clean Energy Partnership receives financing from the Transport Ministry.

The filling station produces its renewable fuel through electrolysis, a chemical process that uses electricity to break down water into oxygen and hydrogen.

February 17, 2012
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Toyota FCV-R Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle Concept: Video

One of Toyota's more distinctive vehicles on display at last month's Detroit Auto Show was the FCV-R fuel-cell concept.

Joining electric, plug-in hybrids and regular hybrids on Toyota's green car roster, the forward-thinking Japanese automaker is clearly keen to explore every avenue.

Toyota has released what it calls a "tranquil and harmonic" video to illustrate the benefits of its FCV-R.

There's not a lot of actual car until near the end of the video, instead focusing on the environmental relationship of oxygen, hydrogen, and water when the two combine. And manta rays, which may or may not have been an inspiration for some of the FCV-R's internal and external styling cues.

While hydrogen isn't perfect, it's good to see Toyota is committed to exploring further green transportation methods beyond the more traditional gas-electric hybrid route. The FCV-R shows clear similarities to Toyota's other green cars like the Prius, while being different enough to have its own identity.

Since Detroit there have been no new details on the FCV-R, but we do know the fuel cells are mounted low in the body, a fact backed-up by Toyota's video, which also shows us a brief glimpse of where the high-pressure hydrogen tanks are stored.

We also know that Toyota claims a range of 435 miles for the concept, and Toyota hopes to put it on sale by 2015 for around $50K. Hopefully by then, hydrogen might be a more viable option for passenger vehicles than it is today.

February 17, 2012
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Research and Markets: Global Military Fuel Cell Market 2010-2014 - The Global Military Fuel Cell Market Is Expected To Grow At A CAGR Of 113.5 Percent over the Period 2010-2014

DUBLIN - Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Military Fuel Cell Market 2010-2014" report to their offering.

One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the functional benefits of military fuel cell. The Global Military Fuel Cell market has also been witnessing the development of codes and standards. However, the lack of understanding about military fuel cell technology could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.

The report covers the Americas, and the EMEA and APAC regions. It analyzes the Global Military Fuel Cell market landscape and its growth prospects. The report includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. It also covers military fuel cells for various military applications such as stationary, portable, and transportation.

Key vendors dominating this market include UTC Power, Fuel Cell Energy Inc., Teledyne Technologies Inc., and Ballard Power Systems Inc.

Commenting on the report, an analyst from TechNavio's Cleantech team said, A large amount of money is being invested in the R&D part of the Global Military Fuel Cell market. For instance, in Germany, there are more than 65 institutes involved in fuel cell technology research work. Most of the universities and governmental organizations are involved in military fuel cell research, and US$2.68 billion is being kept aside for R&D purposes in Germany for the next 10 years. In addition to R&D, some of these organizations are also involved in hydrogen production, delivery and storage, safety code and standard analysis, and fuel cell technology validation.

The contents of this report are based on research conducted on an objective combination of primary and secondary scores, including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key players.

For more information click here.

February 20, 2012
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Apple's North Carolina solar, fuel cell plants will be largest of their kind

Apple's solar farm in North Carolina will be a 20-megawatt, 100-acre facility that is the largest end-user-owned onsite solar array in the country. It and a previously undisclosed fuel cell installation will power a data center that is the only in its class to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

More details on the company's forthcoming solar project were revealed in an update to the company's website on green initiatives and environmental impacts, along with a new Facilities Environmental Report. The updated report, first noticed by CNet, reveals that the company's data center in Maiden, N.C., is the largest in its class with LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

"Our goal is to run the Maiden facility with high percentage renewable energy mix, and we have major projects under way to achieve this -- including building the nation's largest end user-owned solar array and building the largest nonutility fuel cell installation in the United States," the site reads.

Appel's 100-acre solar facility will supply 42 million kWh of clean, renewable energy annually, the company's report states.

It also gives details on a new 5-megawatt fuel cell installation that is scheduled to open later this year. When it does, it will be the largest non-utility fuel cell installation operating anywhere in the country.

The fuel cell installation will be powered by 100 percent biogas, Apple revealed, and it will provide more than 40 million kWh of 24x7 baseload renewable energy annually.

Apple first announced plans to build its massive $1 billion server farm in Maiden in 2009. The facility opened last spring, and only months after, Apple's plans to build a solar farm on an adjacent property were revealed.

The Maiden data center helps to power Apple's online operations, including the iCloud umbrella of Web applications and services, and the iTunes Store that serves up applications, music, movies, books and more.

Apple's environmental website reveals that the company estimates 98 percent of its carbon emissions come from manufacturing, transportation, use and recycling of its products. Just 2 percent is estimated to come from its facilities.

The company also boasts that it has reduced carbon emissions on a number of its products, most notably the Apple TV set-top box. From 2007 to 2011, carbon emissions with the Apple TV were reduced by 90 percent. The iMac has also seen a 50 percent reduction from 1998 to 2011, while the Mac mini has dropped 52 percent.

Apple has also reduced the packaging associated with the iPhone by 42 percent from 2007 to 2011. That allows the company to ship 80 percent more boxes in each airline shipping container, saving one 747 flight for every 371,250 boxes Apple ships.

Click here to read Apple's Facilities Environmental Report

February 21, 2012
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Ballard Announces Deployment of Fuel Cell Power Systems In Idea Cellular India Network

VANCOUVER, CANADA -- Ballard Power Systems has announced that fuel cell systems manufactured by Dantherm Power, its backup power company, are being deployed in the Idea Cellular wireless telecommunications network in India. Commissioning of thirty (30) 2-kilowatt DBX2000 systems, the sale of which was announced in a Ballard press release on November 1, 2011, will be completed in March.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a directive in January, 2012 requiring 50% of all rural telecom base station towers and 33% of all urban towers in the country to be powered by hybrid solutions within 5-years. Hybrid solutions involve a combination of renewable energy sources, such as hydrogen fuel cells, and grid electricity.

Anil Tandon, Chief Technology Officer at Idea Cellular said, "We intend to move quickly in complying with TRAI's directive. Fuel cell-based power is a focus for us because of its reliability, efficiency, green attributes and our commitment to environmentally friendly technologies. We have completed our evaluation of alternative solutions and are happy to work with Dantherm Power's product."

Idea Cellular is part of the $35 billion multinational Aditya Birla Group and is India's third-largest mobile services operator. The Company has more than 100 million subscribers generating in excess of one-billion minutes of communications traffic each day across its network of 70,000 cell sites.

Fuel cell systems will be deployed at cell tower locations in close proximity to an Aditya Birla Group chemical plant in the region of Nadga, Madhya Pradesh. During the production of caustic soda at the plant, hydrogen is also produced as a by-product. This hydrogen, and hydrogen produced at other Aditya Birla Group chemical plants in India, has traditionally been used in boilers or has been sold to third party vendors. However, Dantherm Power's DBX2000 systems - which are powered by Ballard fuel cell stacks - will use this hydrogen as fuel. This will displace diesel generators that are currently required to operate on a near-daily basis, due to frequent grid power outages.

John Sheridan, Ballard President and CEO said, "There is a tremendous opportunity for clean energy solutions in the fast-growing India market. This initial deployment with Idea Cellular is an exciting step in validating the financial and environmental benefits of our fuel cell products to Idea Cellular and to prospects in India."

Dantherm Power and Delta Power Solutions (India) [Delta] operate jointly under a 2011 collaboration agreement. Delta will integrate and install Dantherm Power's DBX2000 systems into a hybrid power solution at Idea Cellular sites and will then provide operational support for these systems under a 10-year service agreement with Idea Cellular.

About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications. Products are based on proprietary esencia™ technology, ensuring incomparable performance, durability and versatility. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.

February 22, 2012
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UK fuel cell pioneers to benefit from £1 million boost

The Carbon Trust announced a £1 million boost for UK fuel cell pioneers ACAL Energy and ITM Power and an academic research project.

The two northern-based companies will share £500,000 to develop a new hybrid high-power, low-cost fuel cell design.

The remaining £500,000 will fund a joint project between Imperial College London and University College London (UCL) to lower the cost of producing fuel cells by using high-volume manufacturing techniques for printed circuit boards.

The Carbon Trust is making the awards as past of its Polymer Fuel Cells Challenge (PFCC), which was launched in 2009 to support the UK government’s objective to lower the costs of fuel cells.

“The UK’s home-grown automotive industry hasn’t been the runaway success story many would have hoped for, but British technology is in pole position to be under the bonnet of a next generation of mass-produced hydrogen-powered cars,” says Ben Graziano of the Carbon Trust.

Fuel cell technology is now a potential source of growth for the UK economy, he adds.

February 22, 2012
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FuelCell Energy Announces Cooperation With Fraunhofer IKTS to Develop the European Market for Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants

The Cooperation Will Target Opportunities in Europe for Ultra-Clean Baseload Power From Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants Using Clean Natural Gas and Renewable Biogas

DANBURY, Conn., Feb. 22, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL), a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, today announced a memorandum of understanding to form a German-based joint venture with Fraunhofer IKTS (Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems) to develop the market in Europe for Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) stationary power plants. Additionally, Fraunhofer IKTS will contribute certain assets and their expertise in fuel cells and materials science to the joint venture.

"Germany needs clean baseload distributed power generation and FuelCell Energy has market leading solutions so it is a very good fit for Fraunhofer to work with FuelCell Energy," said Prof. Dr. Alexander Michaelis, director, Fraunhofer IKTS. "The Fraunhofer IKTS team looks forward to applying our materials science and fuel cell expertise to help develop a broader range of applications and markets for FuelCell Energy products and technology."

The joint venture will target the European market for baseload distributed generation from a location in Germany to address the trend towards clean and renewable decentralized power generation. The attributes of stationary fuel cell power plants can help European countries diversify their power generation portfolio and reach sustainability goals as they provide continuous ultra-clean power in a highly efficient process at the point of use. The power generation portfolio of many European countries includes intermittent renewable power generation. Continuous baseload power from stationary fuel cell plants will help balance this intermittency.

"Fraunhofer IKTS brings world-renowned applied research expertise and a vast network of relationships that will help to develop and grow a stationary fuel cell market in Germany, which will then provide a platform for expansion throughout Europe," said Chip Bottone, President and Chief Executive Officer for FuelCell Energy, Inc. "We expect that the combination of complementary knowledge and skill sets of fuel cell technology between our respective organizations is going to be very powerful for further enhancing the performance of Direct FuelCell power plants."

"Strong partners like German-based Fraunhofer IKTS and our recent partnership announcement with Spanish-based Abengoa are helping us execute our European strategy to penetrate and rapidly grow stationary fuel cell installations in Europe," continued Mr. Bottone. "We have an active pipeline of approximately 45 megawatts in Europe developed in just the past year with limited local presence to date, illustrating the strong market potential."

FuelCell Energy will lead market development and servicing efforts for Direct FuelCell power plants as well as support for existing carbonate fuel cell power plants already operating in Europe. Fraunhofer IKTS will contribute research & development resources for enhancing DFC technology and use local knowledge and relationships to assist in market development. FuelCell Energy has established a legal entity in Germany for the joint venture and will retain majority ownership.

There are a number of existing incentives in Europe for stationary fuel cell power plants operating on either clean natural gas or renewable biogas. In Germany for example, a feed-in tariff is promoting adoption of combined heat and power (CHP) power generation as the German government is targeting 25 percent of electricity generation to include CHP by 2020, up from the current level of 15 percent. Additional incentives are available that are specific to fuel cell power generation.

DFC power plants generate electricity and usable high quality heat with an electrochemical reaction that emits virtually no pollutants. Avoiding the emission of NOx, SOx and particulate matter supports clean air regulations and benefits public health. The high efficiency of the fuel cell power generation process reduces fuel costs and carbon emissions, and producing both electricity and heat from the same unit of fuel drives economics while simultaneously promoting sustainability. Fuel cells can achieve up to 90 percent efficiency when configured to use the high quality heat generated by the power plant in a combined heat & power (CHP) mode.

Ultra-clean, efficient and reliable DFC plants can help solve the power generation challenges facing European countries. For example, Germany is targeting a 40 percent reduction in carbon emissions, doubling power generation from renewable sources to 35 percent, and aiming to eliminate nuclear power generation by 2022, which accounts for approximately one quarter of existing power generation. DFC power plants are fuel flexible, capable of operating on clean natural gas or renewable biogas. Germany, for example, has an extensive natural gas distribution network, supporting on-site power markets as well as utility grid support.

Founded in 1949, Fraunhofer is Europe's largest application-oriented research organization with an annual research budget of €1.8 billion (approximately $2.3 billion) and more than 18,000 staff, primarily scientists and engineers. Fraunhofer has research centers and representative offices in Europe, USA, Asia and the Middle East, and more than 80 research units, including 60 Fraunhofer Institutes, at different locations in Germany.  The Fraunhofer IKTS with its staff of 400 highly educated engineers, scientists and technicians is a world leading institute in the field of advanced ceramics for high tech applications. The primary markets for IKTS include energy and environmental technology with a focus on fuel cell development and commercialization.

Website: www.ikts.fraunhofer.de/en

About FuelCell Energy

Direct FuelCell® power plants are generating ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power at more than 50 locations worldwide.  With over 180 megawatts of power generation capacity installed or in backlog, FuelCell Energy is a global leader in providing ultra-clean baseload distributed generation to utilities, industrial operations, universities, municipal water treatment facilities, government installations and other customers around the world.  The Company's power plants have generated more than one billion kilowatt hours of ultra-clean power using a variety of fuels including renewable biogas from wastewater treatment and food processing, as well as clean natural gas.  For more information, please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com

February 23, 2012
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Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles join the Army

NEW YORK -- The United States Army is looking at hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, hoping that sometime in the near future they'll play some important military roles, maybe even on the battlefield.

The military has been looking at alternative fuels like this because of the difficulty, expense and danger of securing oil and gasoline supplies.

Hydrogen fuel cells, in particular, seem promising because of their design flexibility, said Major General Roger Matthews, Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Pacific.

Unlike an ordinary car's engine and transmission, fuel cells and batteries can take various shapes and be arranged inside the vehicle in a number of different ways.

That allows for vehicles to be better designed for different roles, whether for carrying people, cargo or other duties, he said.

For now, the U.S. is testing a fleet of 16 General Motors fuel cell vehicles in Hawaii. They run on compressed hydrogen gas. The hydrogen is combined in a fuel cell with oxygen from the air in a process that generates electricity. The only exhaust the vehicles produce is water vapor.

This new fleet includes one vehicle that can be used as a portable generator, supplying enough energy to keep the lights on in several homes. The same technology could be useful in an "tactical" vehicle, said Matthews, providing power to a command center, for instance.

"We think this might have greater application in combat vehicles," he said.

The car's low environmental impact is a serious benefit, too, said Matthews. Particularly in Hawaii, the Army doesn't want to be seen as a destructive force on the islands' delicate ecology.

"We have to be good stewards of the environment," he said.

The 16 vehicles in the test fleet are distributed across various branches of the military, including the Army, Air Force and Navy. They are being used as "administrative" vehicles, performing light-duty work such as ferrying around personnel.

The military spends roughly $3.6 million a year to lease the fleet of from GM, said Major General Roger Matthews, Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Pacific.

Their biggest advantage over electric cars is that it takes much less time -- usually just a few minutes -- to pump a tank full of hydrogen than it does to charge a large battery.

These vehicles have a range of about 200 miles on a full tank. The state of Hawaii, where the cars are being tested, has also partnered with GM to test hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Hydrogen fueled cars make sense in Hawaii because the Pacific islands produce hydrogen locally from various sources, unlike gasoline which must be imported. Plus, Hawaii has the highest gasoline prices in the nation.

Hawaii also makes an ideal test site because the islands' small size make for relatively short and predictable drive routes, said Charles Freese, exec director of GM's hydrogen fuel cell programs.

The environment also presents unique challenges with its high humidity, salty air and wide variety of different terrains.

For now, hydrogen fuel cell technology remains expensive. But Matthews says the only way to reduce the cost is to invest in more research projects like this.

February 23, 2012
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Coca-Cola Deploys a New Fleet of Fuel Cell-Powered Lift Trucks

If there were any doubts as to the validity of the industrial fuel cell resurgence, they are settled with the announcement that Coca-Cola has recently deployed more than 50 hydrogen fuel cell units to replace traditional battery power in its electric lift truck fleet.

"Fuel cells are no longer a science experiment only intended for the lab. They are an economically viable power solution that can be utilized by customers to improve their business," said Gerry Anderson, CFO of Plug Power, a Latham, NY-based fuel cell producer.

The global resurgence of fuel cells has been driven by new innovations that have reduced the number of parts necessary for each unit, which has helped make them more reliable and more cost-effective. This translates to five key benefits to manufacturers converting to fuel cells, said Anderson:

1. Increased Productivity: Battery-powered lift trucks lose approximately 14 percent of their speed over the last half of the battery charge, but fuel cells maintain constant power at all times, keeping the vehicle running at full speed throughout the entire shift.

1. Lower Operational Costs: Fuel cells eliminate the need to change, charge and manage batteries. The units run longer than lead-acid batteries and can be fueled in as little as 60 seconds, substantially reducing vehicle and personnel downtime.

1. Zero Emissions: Fuel cells are safe, clean, and efficient. They produce zero harmful emissions and eliminate the costs associated with handling and storing toxic materials.

1. More Commercial Space: Compact fueling stations replace large battery charging rooms, freeing up valuable warehouse space for other purposes.

1. Transparent Transition: Fuel cell units like Plug Power's GenDrive fit seamlessly into the space occupied by batteries, making it a simple and cost-effective solution for customers to adopt.

Coca-Cola's new fleet will take over at the company's massive San Leandro, CA bottling and distribution center and promises to add new efficiency to operations there. "Fuel cells are [especially] attractive to material handling customers because they eliminate lead-acid batteries from the operation. Hydrogen fuel cells simplify the customer's operation and allow for better fleet predictability because they can be quickly fueled by the lift truck driver and run a constant speed for the entire shift, increasing truck productivity," said Anderson. Also, "the elimination of electrical charges incurred by the batteries brings the costs to run your operations down significantly."

As this resurgence plays out in factories around the world, continued improvements to the technology and further benefits of it will emerge. In the meantime, the technology will continue to play a major role in helping manufacturers reduce costs, improve efficiency and increase productivity and output, said Anderson.

February 23, 2012
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S. Korean scientists develop enhanced container for hydrogen fuel

South Korean scientists have developed an enhanced material to contain hydrogen fuel that could significantly reduce the size of containers while holding more fuel, the government said Thursday.

The new material could help speed up the development of hydrogen-fuel cars while improving the efficiency and overall competitiveness of such vehicles, as it will help reduce the size of fuel tanks, according to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The ministry partly funded the research by a team from Insilicotech, a local materials development company.

Existing hydrogen containers use microporous materials, which have small pores that hold hydrogen and are about 0.321 nanometer in diameter.

The team successfully expanded the size of pores in the material to 0.8 nanometer by injecting pyridine molecules that work as pillars between layers of the porous material.

As a result, the density of hydrogen in the new pillared material rose to 61.7 grams per liter (g/L) from only 40 g/L in conventional materials, according to the ministry.

This nearly meets the performance standard for hydrogen fuel tanks in cars suggested by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is 70 g/L, it said.

“The outcome of this research greatly enhanced the study on hydrogen containers that can also be used as materials for fuel cell batteries,” Choi Seung-hoon, a lead researcher from Insilicotech, was quoted as saying.

A paper containing the result of the research, titled “Pillared Covalent Organic Frameworks with Balanced Volumetric and Gravimetric Hydrogen Uptake,” was published Jan. 12 by an international journal, the Journal of Physical Chemistry C. (Yonhap News)

February 23, 2012
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Ronn Motor Company Announces a Sales Agreement With HSB Permian, LLC for $300,000 in H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection Systems

HOUSTON, TX, Feb 23, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Ronn Motor Company (pinksheets:RNNM) announces a sales agreement with HSB Permian, LLC to immediately purchase $300,000 of the H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection Systems.

Ronn Motor Company announced today that it has entered into a new sales agreement with HSB Permian, LLC by which they purchased $300,000 in additional H2GO Hydrogen Fuel Injection Systems. HSB Permian, LLC is a company owned by Randy Pipkin, formally President of R J Pipkin Company, LTD. Mr. Pipkin has been working with Ronn Motor Company's Chief Operations and Technology Officer, Damon Kuhn, since 2008 to help design and test the H2GO units on R J Pipkin Company, LTD's tractor fleet.

"From the beginning Damon Kuhn and I teamed together to test the design and performance parameters of this unique technology," said Randy Pipkin, President of HSB Permian, LLC. "Over the past couple of years we have conducted several pilot programs on different trucks and constantly worked to refine our results to a point where we felt confident the H2GO unit delivers lower emissions and saves fuel costs. This additional order demonstrates my confidence in the progression of this technology and establishes a mechanism for us to buy more units in the coming months."

"Our company has been fortunate to have a close working relationship with Mr. Pipkin over the past few years," said David McGee, CEO of Ronn Motor Company. "This new agreement represents a significant step for us because it demonstrates our company's ability to generate repeat business sales. Randy's agreement with us addresses two key aspects: (1) the immediate acquisition of additional units, and (2) outlines a program to acquire several hundred additional units over the coming months."

Mr. McGee also stated, "Within the next few days we will be further positioned to announce an even broader relationship with Mr. Pipkin. This sales agreement supports our commitment to establishing long-term relationships with our clients and we are certainly blessed to have access to Randy's technical insight, transportation experience, and business leadership."

Ronn Motor Company (pinksheets:RNNM), is a technology-driven design, development and manufacturing company specializing in the creation and delivery of innovative green products and related technologies through green systems and green oriented engines for both transportation and fixed platforms, located in Houston, TX. For more information about Ronn Motor Company, please visit our Web site at www.ronnmotors.com.

February 24, 2012
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New Fuel Cell Demonstration on Mobile Rover at NASA

A demonstration of a fuel cell that will allow rovers on extraterrestrial surfaces to go further and last longer will be conducted at NASA's Glenn Research Center on 29th February at 11 am (for media).

This new type of PEMFC will extend the range of surface operations for rovers that will explore new worlds as part of future NASA missions. Instead of needing a pump to remove the water produced inside the device, this non-flow-through fuel cell uses capillary action to wick away the water. By eliminating the pump, a non-flow-through fuel cell is simpler, lighter, and potentially more reliable.

The rover that will demonstrate the fuel cell in Glenn's Simulated Lunar Operations (SLOPE) facility is called SCARAB. It was developed by Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, Pittsburgh, under a grant from Glenn, and is regularly used for Human Robotic systems project mobility research in SLOPE.

The demonstration will mark the first time this novel fuel cell technology is tested outside the laboratory setting. During the event, reporters will have the opportunity to see the rover respond autonomously to commands given to it. They will also be able to talk with researchers involved in the demonstration.

The demonstration is supported by NASA's Modular Power Systems project under the Advanced Exploration Systems Program and NASA's Space Power Systems project.

February 24, 2012
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Ultra-compact fuel cell concept car seats only one

It seems that lately, every day brings with it a new super-compact urban electric car concept.

But, we have to admit, these diminutive, clean vehicles are giant space-savers - and they are just so cute! Case in point: the latest one-person fuel cell city car concept, from designer Jenny Tseitlin.

The urban concept vehicle is currently called “Electric City Car” and fits only the driver. It is 6 feet 2 inches long, four feet wide, and less than six feet tall. Reports claim the car will run on a propane exchange membrane fuel cell battery - its fuel cells use a solid polymer membrane as the electrolyte, making it permeable to protons when saturated with water, but it does not conduct electrons.

The car’s designer, Tseitlin, claims the floor-fitted battery will employ two 30-kilowatt motors, mounted on the vehicles two front wheels, allowing the car to get up to about 50 miles per hour. The car’s reservoir can hold as much as 8.8 pounds of hydrogen to power the battery, which would give the vehicle a range of 250 miles.

That’s enough to give drivers a fair amount of autonomy, especially for city driving. And just think of how much easier it would be to find parking while running your errands! No word yet about plans for large-scale production of the car.

February 25, 2012
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Forum emphasizes alternative sources to increase energy options, create S.C. jobs

South Carolina needs to pursue a wide range of energy options – nuclear power and clean coal as well as renewable power from such sources as solar, wind, hydrogen and biomass – to provide its energy needs in the future and create jobs.

That was the message Thursday at the 2012 South Carolina Clean Energy & Jobs Forum at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The forum was sponsored by the Nature Conservancy, Duke Power, the University of South Carolina and the S.C Energy Office.

“There is no silver bullet,” said state Sen. Thomas Alexander, of Oconee County, chairman of the public utilities review committee. “It’s going to take all of the above.”

The forum was a diverse mix of renewable energy advocates pushing for more state support for solar, biomass and greater efficiency, and big utilities like Duke Energy and SCE&G, which are building the nation’s first nuclear plants in decades in Georgia and South Carolina.

Suzanne Watson, policy director for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said if the state would enact tighter energy efficiency regulations like those in North Carolina, “it would produce as many jobs as four Boeing plants by 2015.” Those jobs would come from weatherization programs, refitting office buildings and plants to be more energy efficient and providing a boost for wind, solar and biomass.

However other speakers were doubtful that renewable energy would ever be a major job producer in the state.

“I love my mom, apple pie, green energy and everyone in this room,” said Julius “Chip” Wright, an energy consultant and former member of the N.C. Utilities Commission. “But we have some problems when it comes to jobs.”

Renewable energy advocates said the state needs better incentives, in some cases.

The S.C. General Assembly is considering a bill that would increase the tax credit for installing solar energy equipment to 35 percent from 25 percent, which boosters say would make South Carolina more competitive with North Carolina, Georgia and other states. Backers of the bill say higher tax credits could lure solar businesses to South Carolina and produce jobs.

About 300 people attended the forum, among them U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat and advocate for nuclear energy in the state, S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell, Duke Power chairman and chief executive James Rogers, and USC President Harris Pastides.

An array of alternative fuel, hybrid and electric vehicles was on display at the Convention Center. Duke Energy displayed its pilot Dodge Ram 1500 Plug-In Hybrid-Electric along with the company’s all-electric Nissan LEAF and Tesla Roadster Sport.

Pastides noted that eight of the university’s endowed chairs are dedicated to energy. Endowed chairs are world class scientists who lead teams of researchers in specific fields. They are funded by private industry that matches state grants administered through South Carolina’s SmartState program, conducted at the state’s three research institutions: USC, Clemson and MUSC.

The chairs attract grants from government agencies and corporations for their research. In theory, that research leads to discoveries that spawn products that can be patented, licensed and marketed. Companies – and jobs – can then be created around those products.

So far, under the umbrella of Innovista, the university’s research campus and binding component of the endowed chairs program, the research has provided innovations but few local jobs. USC officials have urged patience as new, high-tech companies that may spin off from the research take time to form and build. On Wednesday, Pastides announced its newest endowed chair in nuclear engineering. The team of Dan Gabriel Cacuci, presently of North Carolina State University, is being funded by a $1.2 million grant from six nuclear firms, including Duke Energy, SCE&G and Westinghouse. It will be the match for $3 million in state grants.

“South Carolina is going to be, if not the epicenter of, it is going to be an important home of America’s future energy progress,” Pastides said.

However, Alexander said the state remains “patient” on embracing and subsidizing green energy.

SCE&G general manager for corporate planning Bob Long said much of that reluctance stems from customers’ unwillingness to pay higher rates for cleaner energy or higher taxes to subsidize it.

“Customers say they want it,” he said, “but you get a different answer when you ask them if they want to pay for it.”

February 27, 2012
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Obama to Refocus on Renewable Energy - FuelCell Energy and Ballard Power Poised to Benefit

Five Star Equities Provides Stock Research on FuelCell Energy & Ballard Power Systems

NEW YORK, NY -- President Obama's commitment to renewable energy continues to be one of the driving forces behind the industry. Earlier this month while speaking in Florida, the President called on the country to refocus the nation's energy production on renewable sources. While on the election campaign, Obama has promised a series of business tax reforms that include making tax credits for renewable energy generation permanent. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Alternative Energy Sector and provides equity research on FuelCell Energy Inc. Access to the full company reports can be found at: www.fivestarequities.com/FCEL and www.fivestarequities.com/BLDP

FuelCell Energy, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, production, and sale of high temperature fuel cells for clean electric power generation.

Shares of FuelCell Energy skyrocketed earlier this month after the company reported that it will form a joint venture with Germany's Fraunhofer IKTS to develop projects in Europe. FuelCell will lead market development and retain majority ownership of the joint venture through a German unit. The venture will seek to use incentives in the region for combined heat and power generated by fuel-cell power plant running on natural gas or biogas, FuelCell said in a statement.

Five Star Equities releases regular market updates on the Alternative Energy Sector so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at www.fivestarequities.com and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.

Canada's Ballard Power Systems Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, sale, and service of fuel cell products for motive and stationary power markets primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

The company narrowed its net loss in the fourth quarter to US$7.3 million or 9 cents per share. "Given the challenges of developing new markets in a tough global economy, we are pleased with continued progress posted in 2011 and believe Ballard is well positioned to take a milestone step in 2012 on our path to profitability," John Sheridan, President and CEO said in a statement.

Five Star Equities provides Market Research focused on equities that offer growth opportunities, value, and strong potential return. We strive to provide the most up-to-date market activities. We constantly create research reports and newsletters for our members. Five Star Equities has not been compensated by any of the above-mentioned companies. We act as an independent research portal and are aware that all investment entails inherent risks. Please view the full disclaimer at: www.fivestarequities.com/disclaimer

February 27, 2012
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Agreement with Boeing

Equipment Development and Lease Agreement with Boeing
 
ITM Power (AIM: ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, announces that it has signed an Equipment Development and Lease Agreement with Boeing Research & Technology Europe S.L.U. “Boeing”for the development, assembly and field trials of a 1Nm3/hr (2.1kg/day) PEM electrolyser. The containerised electrolysis equipment will form part of Boeing’s current off-grid refuelling station for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“UAS”).

During the last few years the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry/sector has seen sustained growth, mainly through the development and maturing of military applications and followed by wide recognition of their possibilities in civilian applications which include: border control, coastguard, law enforcement, pipeline and powerline monitoring, earth and environmental observations, communications and many more. These systems can potentially offer lower cost and investment risk as well as low infrastructure requirements for tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISAR).

ITM Power CEO, Dr. Graham Cooley, commented: “ITM Power has had a dialogue with Boeing Research & Technology –Europe for several years and actually completed some of the early ground work that led to the inception of the off-grid solar-based refuelling station for UAS that Boeing Research & Technology Europe is developing in Spain. I am delighted that Boeing Research & Technology Europe has now returned to ITM Power to complete the project with our PEM electrolyser technology and I look forward to taking our relationship further”.

Francisco Escartí, Managing Director, of Boeing Research & Technology Europe, commented: “We are very excited to test ITM Power´s PEM electrolyzer technology in our off-grid solar-based refueling station for UAS”. 

February 28, 2012
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Fuji's First Fuel Cell Exports Go to Daimler

Germany's fuel cell market has gained a new player. Fuji Electric Co. will be delivering its first industrial fuel cells outside Japan to Daimler in Hamburg. Investments in the industry are on the rise as well. Canadian fuel cell giant Ballard Power Systems recently opened its European headquarters in Germany, supported by Germany Trade & Invest. Representatives from Germany Trade & Invest will be at this year's 8th International Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Expo from February 29 to March 3 in Tokyo to share the latest trends and business opportunities in Germany's fuel cell industry.

"The internationalization of the fuel cell market is an important step. Germany's large share of renewable energy and its decision to abandon nuclear power has accelerated development and commercialization in the field. Companies can gain a clear first-mover advantage here," said Raphael Goldstein, hydrogen and fuel cell expert at Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

With 19.9 percent of electricity in Germany coming from renewable sources in 2011 - a figure climbing steadily - the need for energy storage and smart grid solutions is becoming more acute. Fluctuating supply sources such as wind and solar must be stored or intelligently managed in order to meet peak demand. Both stationary and mobile solutions are being implemented, including electric and fuel cell vehicles. Fuji's first deliveries to Europe will go to Daimler, however they will power an innovative Mercedes dealership in Hamburg, demonstrating that both types of fuel cells are gaining traction in Germany.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

February 28, 2012
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Fuelling the winds of change for hydrogen-powered cars

The New York City area now has a hydrogen production and fuelling station powered by a wind turbine.

It’s out on Long Island just down the road from where the New York Islanders play hockey in a half-filled arena. Hydrogen fuel cell cars have a brighter future than the hockey team, so maybe this is a step in the right direction.

Yes, they’re decades later than expected, but hydrogen fuel cell cars are coming.

A number of major auto makers expect to commercialize the technology in their vehicles by 2015. I’ve driven some and they’re great. What’s missing is an inexpensive and carbon-neutral way to produce abundant hydrogen.

That’s where the 100 kW wind turbine being constructed in Hempstead, N.Y., comes in. The turbine can generate up to 180 megawatts of electricity per year, which will be used to produce hydrogen through the electrolysis of water. Think of hydrogen as a way to store electricity in a far more efficient way than using batteries.

We all know there are serious limitations to the driving range you can ever expect from batteries, and that’s in light-weight automobiles. In heavy trucks and inter-city buses, the range limitations are crippling. Hydrogen fuel cells provide zero-emission driving over long distances with short refuelling times.

The German government is subsidizing the construction of 20 hydrogen filling stations strategically placed across the country. Given that the range of fuel cell cars on a three-minute hydrogen fill up is nearly 400 kilometres, this will enable “emission-free” driving anywhere in the country. They want 1,000 hydrogen stations in 10 years.

Last year, I drove a Mercedes Hydrogen Fuel Cell car about 800 km across Northern China as part of the company’s Around the World F Cell demo. Hyundai just completed a drive from San Francisco to New York in a Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. In each case, the car company had to transport its own hydrogen the whole length of the trip. That’s why it’s good to see communities like Hempstead trying to get ahead of the curve in recognizing the need for a hydrogen fuelling infrastructure.

It’s an expensive undertaking. The wind turbine cost $615,000 (U.S.), paid for by a U.S. Department of Energy grant. The hydrogen and natural gas fuelling station that it stands beside cost $2.2 million to construct. There have also been a small number of solar-powered hydrogen fuelling stations built in the United States over the past couple years, but they’ve been severely hindered by high costs and low demand.

Will wind power work as a primary energy source for producing hydrogen? Germany is serious about finding out and is scheduled to begin constructing test facilities soon.

I’ve always wondered why the big nuclear plants at Pickering and Darlington don’t use the excess power generated at night for electrolysis and produce enough hydrogen to run the GO trains that park nearby. Yes, I know it would be a big gamble and we’d have to develop new technology.

But if Hempstead, N.Y., can innovate, why can’t we?

February 28, 2012
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Twelve New Hydrogen Stations Added Globally in 2011

According to the latest annual evaluation by H2stations.org, twelve new hydrogen refuelling stations opened throughout the world in 2011, bringing the total number of hydrogen refuelling stations in operation to 215. A further 122 refuelling stations are in the final planning stage around the world.

In accordance with the information available to Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik 85 hydrogen refuelling stations are currently operating in Europe, 80 in the USA and 47 in Asia Pacific. Another three hydrogen refuelling stations are located in Latin America, where a further 25 fuel cell buses are to be added to the existing fleet in Sao Paulo.

The site H2stations.org is a website by Ludwig-Bolkow-Systemtechnik (LBST) and TÜV SÜD and users can access interactive maps and a database of all hydrogen refuelling stations that are in operation, in the planning stage or have been shut down worldwide.

February 28, 2012
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FuelCell Energy Announces Signing of a Long Term Service Agreement with a California Utility for a Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plant

DANBURY, Conn. -- FuelCell Energy, Inc., a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, today announced the signing of a multi-year service agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) to operate and maintain the 1.4 megawatt Direct FuelCell(R) power plant previously purchased and located at California State University -- San Bernardino. FuelCell Energy will operate and maintain the power plant.

SCE will sell the ultra-clean electricity produced by the fuel cell power plant to the University under a power purchase agreement and will also provide the high-grade heat generated by the fuel cell to the University. The utility benefits with ultra-clean power generation that supports clean air initiatives, highly efficient power generation that reduces fuel costs, and on-site power generation, representing incremental capacity that reduces the need to invest in transmission and distribution.

The ultra-clean power generation supports sustainability goals for the University as well as reducing fuel costs due to reduced usage of a boiler for heating. The fuel cell power plant releases virtually zero pollutants and the high efficiency of the power generation process reduces carbon emissions. The ability of the fuel cell to generate both power and heat from the same unit of fuel lessens the University's usage of a combustion-based boiler for heat, further reducing emissions.

"The fuel cell power plant service agreements that we offer allows our customers to focus on what they do best while we concentrate on our core expertise of delivering ultra-clean power in an efficient and reliable manner," said Chip Bottone, President and Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy, Inc. "Service is a key aspect of our business model as we operate and maintain virtually every Direct FuelCell power plant installation, around the clock."

FuelCell Energy offers a comprehensive portfolio of services for fuel cell power plants with service agreements ranging from one to 20 years in duration. Technicians and engineers remotely operate and maintain the Direct FuelCell power plants globally, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year from the state-of-the-art Global Technical Assistance Center, located at the Company's Danbury, Connecticut headquarters. Field service technicians directly employed by FuelCell Energy service the power plants on-site.

About FuelCell Energy

Direct FuelCell(R) power plants are generating ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power at more than 50 locations worldwide. With over 180 megawatts of power generation capacity installed or in backlog, FuelCell Energy is a global leader in providing ultra-clean baseload distributed generation to utilities, industrial operations, universities, municipal water treatment facilities, government installations and other customers around the world. The Company's power plants have generated more than one billion kilowatt hours of ultra-clean power using a variety of fuels including renewable biogas from wastewater treatment and food processing, as well as clean natural gas. For more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com

February 29, 2012
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CT TRANSIT Purchases Fuel Cell Heat and Power System from UTC Power

CT TRANSIT, which currently operates five buses powered by UTC Power’s transportation fuel cells, is to install a UTC Power PureCell® stationary fuel cell system for combined heat and power generation at its headquarters in Hartford, CT.

“CT TRANSIT will be the first UTC Power customer to use both our transportation and stationary products,” said Joe Triompo, VP and General Manager of UTC Power. “They have been a strong partner in the deployment of the PureMotion® system for buses, and we are pleased that they will now be gaining the efficiency and environmental benefits of using our PureCell system at their Hartford headquarters.”

The phosphoric acid fuel cell will provide 400 kW of clean, reliable power to the 330,000 square-foot facility and cogenerated heat will pre-heat two boilers that support the building’s primary heating system. By producing electricity on-site with a fuel cell, CT TRANSIT will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 827 metric annually and the reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions compared to a conventional power plant are equivalent to removing more than 102 cars from the road. In addition to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the PureCell system will enable CT TRANSIT to save nearly 3.6 million gallons of water annually.

This project is supported by a grant from the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction Program, also known as TIGGER. The program is run by the US Federal Transit Administration. TIGGER is a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

February 29, 2012
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Analyst View: Fuel Cell Residential Micro-CHP Developments in Japan

Fuel Cell Today's latest 'analyst view' is an overview of the most successful residential micro-CHP fuel cell project to date: Ene-Farm.

The Ene-Farm project began in the 1990s with research leading to the development of a 1 kW PEMFC system fuelled by city-gas-derived hydrogen to produce heat and power for private homes. This led to the demonstration phase which took place between 2003 and 2005 with less than 50 units installed.

From 2005 the large-scale demonstration project began; this first stage of the large-scale demonstration ran until 2009 and installed close to 3,000 micro-CHP fuel cell systems. The commercialisation phase began from 2009, and in the past three years more than 20,000 units have been installed with subsidies available from the Japanese government to assist with the capital cost.

Please download the Analyst View to read in full.

February 29, 2012
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Investment Values Intelligent Energy at $0.5 Billion

Loughborough UK – Intelligent Energy, the clean power technology company, today announced the completion of its latest round of funding, raising in excess of $35 million (£22 million) from existing and new institutional shareholders. This investment, achieved through a placement at £2.30 per share, values the company (on a fully diluted basis) at approximately $0.5 billion and will enable Intelligent Energy to increase its pace of commercialisation within the consumer electronics and stationary power markets.

“Intelligent Energy’s growth continues to gather momentum as we see firm traction for our clean and efficient power technology in each of our key market sectors: motive, consumer electronic and stationary power,” said Dr. Henri Winand. “Hot on the heels of our landmark joint venture announcement with Suzuki, this latest round of funding is firmly aimed at reflecting this success within our consumer electronics and stationary power divisions. Partners and customers are ready to take advantage of our scalable power cores in these markets, worth around $410bn and $150bn respectively, so it’s an incredibly exciting time for us.”

Earlier this month, Intelligent Energy announced the creation of SMILE FC System Corporation, a Joint Venture company formed with the Suzuki Motor Corporation, to develop and manufacture air-cooled fuel cell technologies for various industry sectors. Both companies have taken a 50 percent stake in SMILE FC System Corporation, which is led by Mr. Osamu Honda, Executive Vice President and representative director for the Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Dr. Mark Lawson-Statham, Director of Corporate Finance, commented, “This funding round, and the recently announced Joint Venture with Suzuki, further underlines Intelligent Energy’s rapid transition from a world class developer of power technologies to a company that is, through its relationships with key global OEMs, taking products deep into high volume markets.”

About Intelligent Energy

Intelligent Energy is a leading clean power technology company with a globally scalable business, operating in the stationary power, motive and consumer electronics sectors. Our proprietary and highly efficient power cores are designed to be integrated into high volume, mass market products and have received commercial approval from significant global brands.

In addition to visiting Intelligent Energy more information is available via Twitter, Youtube, Flickr and LinkedIn.

February 29, 2012
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Colorado State University Students Building Only Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid Malibu in National Competition

Note to Reporters: Photos are available with the news release at http://www.news.colostate.edu.

FORT COLLINS - Students at Colorado State University, one of the 15 North American universities selected to participate in the EcoCAR competition, will build the only hydrogen fuel cell plug-in vehicle in the contest.

The students are working to turn a donated 2013 General Motors Chevrolet Malibu into a hybrid vehicle. The three-year EcoCAR 2 competition was first announced in April 2011, and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne National Laboratory and General Motors and 20 other government and industry leaders. The project gives students the opportunity to gain real-world, eco-friendly automotive engineering experience while striving to further improve the energy efficiency of a highly efficient vehicle.

Much like the challenges facing automakers, EcoCAR engineering students must balance the challenge of increasing the vehicle’s energy efficiency and reducing the vehicle’s greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum consumption with maintaining performance, safety and overall consumer acceptability of the original Malibu.

To meet these technical challenges, each EcoCAR team designed their own unique Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) architecture and used what industry calls a crowd-sourcing format to select the powertrain components that they will integrate into their advanced technology vehicles. This technique mimics industry’s global vehicle development process.

This hands-on experience is made possible by sponsor contributions, including Siemens AG, that exceed $71 million in software, hardware and cash donations to the CSU team, and more than $745 million to the 15 teams combined.

“We really believe that the hydrogen fuel cell plug-in hybrid vehicle architecture represents the way that automakers will design vehicles 20 years from now,” said Thomas Bradley, the team’s faculty advisor and assistant engineering professor at Colorado State. “To CSU, this is more than a student design competition - it is a chance for our students to research and develop the future of personal transportation.”

How it works: A hydrogen fuel cell plug-in vehicle uses the electrical output of a fuel cell to power the motor and charge the vehicle’s battery. The vehicle is fueled by gaseous hydrogen from a hydrogen refueling station and/or by charging the battery from a standard wall outlet. In the fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen are combined in an electro-chemical reaction that creates electricity with only water as a byproduct. Operating on hydrogen and electricity only, instead of gasoline, results in zero tailpipe emissions from plug-in fuel cell vehicles.

“For this competition, we wanted to donate a vehicle that reflected today’s consumers’ needs, and the new 2013 Malibu made the most sense in terms of its size and flexibility,” said Kent Helfrich, executive director at General Motors in Electronic Controls and Software Engineering. “EcoCAR2 students will take our Malibu and re-engineer their vehicle to reduce its environmental impact, yet still deliver real-life, practical results. This is not an easy job, but it’s very rewarding. It’s what we do at GM every day.”

“The future in hybrid technology is happening now,” said Patrick Davis, program manager of DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program. “It used to be that we were on the edge of this type of technology - now we are there and these students are attempting to take it even further.”

The first year of EcoCAR 2 emphasizes the use of math-based design tools and simulation techniques for designing a successful vehicle foundation. Each team will receive a 2013 Malibu at the end of the first year of competition in May. In years two and three, students will rebuild the vehicle based on their new architecture and continue to refine, test and improve the vehicle’s operation.

Sponsors of the DOE program include Natural Resources Canada; MathWorks; California Air Resources Board; Clean Cities; dSPACE, Inc.; A123 Systems, Inc.; Freescale; AVL Powertrain Engineering, Inc.; National Science Foundation; ETAS; Snap-On Tools; Magna E-Car Systems; Magna Powertrain; Robert Bosch, LLC; FleetCarma; Siemens PLM Software; CD-adapco; Ventor CANtech, Inc.; Woodward; and Caterpillar.

About EcoCAR 2: Plugging In to the Future

EcoCAR 2: Plugging In to the Future is a three-year collegiate engineering program that builds on the successful 24-year history of DOE advanced vehicle technology competitions by giving engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicles that demonstrate leading-edge, eco-friendly automotive technologies. General Motors provides each of the 15 competing teams with a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, as well as vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, provide competition management, team evaluation and logistical support. Through this important public/private partnership, EcoCAR 2 provides invaluable experience and training to promising young minds entering the North American job market. EcoCAR 2 follows the widely acclaimed competition series EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge.

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