FuelCellsWorks

StatoilHydro and the HyNor partnership are pleased to announce the official opening of the Norwegian hydrogen highway, HyNor, on 11 May 2009 at StatoilHydro’s new hydrogen station at Økern in Oslo.

HyNor was opened by Norway’s transport minister, Liv Signe Navarsete.

HRH Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway joined the first stage of the EVS Viking Rally, from Oslo to Lier, together with internationally renowned racing car driver Henning Solberg.

Oslo city chief commissioner Erling Lae, opened StatoilHydro’s new hydrogen service station at Økern, and Ms Navarsete opened the hydrogen station at StatoilHydro’s service station in Lier.

Since 2003, StatoilHydro has been the driving force behind HyNor’s goal to establish a hydrogen transportation infrastructure along the nearly 600-kilometre route between Oslo and Stavanger.

The first hydrogen station was opened at Forus in Stavanger in 2006, the second in Porsgrunn in 2007, and now the two new stations are open in Oslo and Lier. HyNor has some 50 partners and manages a fleet of more than 50 hydrogen vehicles made by Mazda, Toyota and Think.

“We are very pleased to open up this hydrogen infrastructure for testing and demonstrating hydrogen cars. By doing this, we nurture our ambition to help implement hydrogen as a fuel in the transport sector,” says StatoilHydro’s head of new energy, Alexandra Bech Gjørv.

The EVS Viking Rally vehicles are the first to drive the Norwegian hydrogen highway. The rally commences with Prince Haakon racing together with the famous Norwegian racing car star Henning Solberg.

Fourteen hydrogen vehicles, two plug-in hybrid cars and 14 battery electric vehicles are starting in Oslo and will reach the beginning of the EVS (Electrical Vehicle Symposium) 24 in Stavanger on 13 May.

Events will take place along the way in Porsgrunn, Grimstad, Arendal, Kristiansand, Lyngdal and Egersund. Another 10 battery electric vehicles will join the rally in Egersund.

Hydrogen may grow significantly as an alternative transportation fuel and stored stationary energy source. One of hydrogen’s big advantages is that it can be produced from many power sources, and can be efficiently produced and used without emitting any pollutants. In addition, hydrogen cars possess many of the same qualities found in today’s conventional automobiles.

“As a future clean transport alternative, hydrogen and fuel-cell technology have big potential. Hydrogen is potentially a game changing transportation fuel,” says Ms Bech Gjørv.

GARDNERVILLE, NV,– SymPowerco Corporation (PINKSHEETS: SYMW) CEO John Davenport announced today that the company has signed a Letter of Intent (”LOI”) with Texas businessman Steven Humphries and Hoss Motor Sports, Inc. (”HMSI”) for the acquisition of a majority interest in HMSI, the manufacturer of Ultimate Terrain Vehicles (UTV). Humphries has entered into an agreement to purchase 70% of HMSI and has signed a Letter Of Intent to assign his purchase of HMSI to SymPowerco Corp.

HMSI developed the very first UTV that can be used 2000 feet underground by the mining industry and has been involved in the design and manufacturing of various types of rescue, construction and sport utility vehicles. HMSI plans to market the vehicles to state agencies and emergency responders for disaster relief and other emergency purposes.

Mr. Humphries noted that HMSI is in the process of purchasing a manufacturing facility in Dumas, Arkansas. HMSI plans to relocate its operations within the next 30 to 60 days to the facility, which consists of over 380,000 square feet on 30 acres. HMSI is projecting revenue of $8,400,000 over the next 12-18 months and expects to be profitable within the first 90 days of moving to its new operations in Dumas, Arkansas.

Mel Robinson, CEO of HMSI, stated, “We are pleased to be able to join forces with Mr. Humphries and with SymPowerco Corp to take the Hoss products to the next level. The primary focus of the company has been directed toward the Search and Rescue type units including bomb squad, ambulance, fire and underground mining vehicles. HMSI vehicle designs include a variety of power train configurations including four wheel drives, on-demand gas and diesel/hydraulic drives, all-wheel drive and several models of motorcycles and motor scooters.”

Stated SymPowerco President, John Davenport, “We at SymPowerco are very excited to have signed this Letter of Intent with Mr. Humphries and Hoss Motor Sports, Inc. SymPowerco’s Flowing Electrolyte Direct Methanol Fuel Cell and Hybrid Power System technologies are intended for the types of vehicles marketed by HMSI. The SymPowerco technologies would provide HMSI with the option of Hybrid Power Systems for its vehicles and would provide vertically integrated marketing capabilities for SymPowerco.”

SymPowerco Corporation develops advanced fuel cell and power delivery systems for the rapidly growing personal transportation and portable power system markets being created by today’s energy and environmental challenges.

Yasushi Kawamori has a power plant in his backyard. Not the kind that belches clouds of CO2 into the atmosphere, but the kind that’s small (about the size of a refrigerator and a suitcase placed side by side), quiet (a faint thumping is just audible) and emits a fraction of the carbon dioxide a coal-fired plant would. The system uses a hydrogen fuel cell to convert natural gas into electricity; heat from the reaction generates hot water for himself, his wife and their two children. It’s called a fuel cell cogeneration system, and Kawamori is more than happy to have it in his backyard. “We’re making electricity at our own home, and the heat from that electricity gets used, so it’s really efficient,” he says. “I like that it’s cost-effective and good for the environment.”

To Read Full Article, Please follow this link- http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/62/japanese-fuel-cell/all