May 17th 2002
JAPAN'S KAMATA STARTS TESTING OF H-POWER RESIDENTIAL FUEL CELLS
Source:Asia Pulse
Japanese propane distributor Kamata has started tests of 4.5 kW Residential Cogeneration
Units (RCUs) developed by New Jersey-based fuel cell company H Power to provide electricity, heat and hot water for individual residences.
The testing of
the cells, which have been installed at a Kamata employee facility in Gotenba,
represents the
first field test of a propane-powered proton exchange membrane (PEM) system
for an actual load in the Japanese residential market, H Power said in
a press release.
Kamata has agreed to present H Power with all the data collected during the test to help with the development of a commercial version of the propane-fueled units.
"We are very impressed with H Power's fuel cell stack and reformer technology, and the unit has operated in a continuous mode with no problems at all since being installed," said Toshitaka Arikawa, general manager of Kamata's Construction Division,
H Power chief executive H. Frank Gibbard said the feedback from the field tests would be invaluable in perfecting the cells, and would also help the company establish a stronger presence in the Japanese market.
H Power Corp
has designed proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems to provide
electricity
for a wide range of applications, including residential cogeneration products
for homes, and power units for portable applications. It is currently working
on establishing markets for its products throughout the world as they near
commercial completion, using its relationships with partners including
Energy Co-Opportunity (ECO), Mitsui, Osaka Gas, Kurita Water Systems,
Gaz de France, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Ball Aerospace, and Dupont.
