FuelCellsWorks

ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. — Cicero-North Syracuse High School was recognized for building a winning hydrogen fuel cell car.

Assemblyman Al Stirpe presented the technology department at C-NS with a $10,000 check for the school’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Program Friday morning. The school’s car, called Pure Speed, was able to get up to more than 1,400 miles per gallon. That won the team second place in the Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition

While at C-NS, Stripe also named it May’s school of the month. That’s a new award for schools that demonstrate academic, athletic and extracurricular excellence.

http://news10now.com/content/all_news/central_new_york/472616/c-ns-recognized-for-hydrogen-car/Default.aspx

May 14, 2009 — Material scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a technique for a bimetallic fuel cell catalyst that is efficient, robust and two-to-five times more effective than commercial catalysts. The novel technique eventually will enable a cost effective fuel cell technology, which has been waiting in the wings for decades and should give a boost for cleaner use of fuels worldwide.

Younan Xia

A new catalyst based on dendritic platinum arms grown on palladium nanocrystals has been developed by WUSTL’s Younan Xia and his collaborators. Tests have shown that the “bimetallic” catalyst outperforms commercial catalysts, which could enable a cost effective fuel cell technology and ultimately provide cleaner fuels worldwide.

Younan Xia, Ph.D., the James M. McKelvey Professor of Biomedical Engineering at WUSTL led a team of scientists at WUSTL and the Brookhaven National Laboratory in developing a bimetallic catalyst comprised of a palladium core or “seed” that supports dendritic platinum branches, or arms, that are fixed on the nanostructure, consisting of a nine-nanometer core and seven-nanometer platinum arms. They synthesized the catalysts by sequentially reducing precursor compounds to palladium and platinum with L-ascorbic acid (that is, Vitamin C) in an aqueous solution. The catalysts have a high surface area, invaluable for a number of applications besides in fuel cells, and are robust and stable.

Xia and his team tested how the catalysts performed in the oxygen reduction reaction process in a fuel cell, which determines how large a current will be generated in an electrochemical system similar to the cathode of a fuel cell. They found that their bimetallic nanodendrites, at room temperature, were two-and-a-half times more effective per platinum mass for this process than the state of the art commercial platinum catalyst and five times more active than the other popular commercial catalyst. At 60 degrees C (the typical operation temperature of a fuel cell), the performance almost meets the targets set by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Department of Energy has estimated for widespread commercial success the “loading” of platinum catalysts in a fuel cell should be reduced by four times in order to slash the costs. The WUSTL technique is expected to substantially reduce the loading of platinum, making a more robust catalyst that won’t have to be replaced often, and making better use of a very limited and very expensive supply of platinum in the world.

The study was published in the online journal Science.

“There are two ways to make a more effective catalyst,” Xia says. “One is to control the size, making it smaller, which gives the catalyst a higher specific surface area on a mass basis. Another is to change the arrangement of atoms on the surface. We did both. You can have a square or hexagonal arrangement for the surface atoms. We chose the hexagonal lattice because people have found that it’s twice as good as the square one for the oxygen reduction reaction.

“We’re excited by the technique, specifically with the performance of the new catalyst.”

Xia says seeded growth has emerged recently as a good technique for precisely controlling the shape and composition of metallic nanostructures prepared in solutions. And it’s the only technique that allowed Xia and his collaborators to come up with their unconventional shape.

“When you have something this small, the atoms tend to aggregate and that can reduce the surface area,” Xia says. “A key reason our technique works is the ability to keep the platinum arms fixed. They don’t move around. This adds to their stability. We also make sure of the arrangement of atoms on each arm, so we increase the activity.”

Xia and his collaborators are exploring the possibility of adding other noble metals such as gold to the bimetallic catalysts, making them trimetallic. Gold has been shown to oxidize carbon monoxide, making for even more robust catalysts that can resist the poisoning by carbon monoxide — a reduction byproduct of some fuels.

“Gold should make the catalysts more stable, durable and robust, giving yet another level of control,” Xia says.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (ASX/AIM: CFU) today officially launched a new modular generator product.

The new unit – called BlueGen – is a ‘mini power station’ for homes and other buildings.  It produces low emission electricity and hot water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving on home energy bills.  About the size of a dishwasher, the BlueGen unit converts natural gas to electricity and heat via ceramic fuel cells.

The Company plans to make the BlueGen product available in Victoria from early 2010.  The Company is in discussions with potential local manufacturing partners.  The Company is also in discussions with potential purchasers of the BlueGen product in other markets including Europe and North America.

Compared to Victoria’s current brown coal electricity generators, each BlueGen unit can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 75% – or 18 tonnes per unit, per year.

The BlueGen product is being officially launched today by the Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, at Ceramic Fuel Cells’ head office in Melbourne.  During the launch Managing Director Brendan Dow will demonstrate a working BlueGen unit, connected to a hot water unit producing electricity and hot water.

Ceramic Fuel Cells has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with VicUrban to showcase the BlueGen units in VicUrban housing developments.  Subject to agreeing final terms, Ceramic Fuel Cells will install the first BlueGen unit in VicUrban’s Sustainable and Affordable Living Centre in Dandenong to be opened towards the end of 2009, and will install up to three more demonstration units in other VicUrban developments next year.

VicUrban is the Victorian Government’s sustainable urban development agency.  VicUrban’s current portfolio of projects includes over 50,000 new homes over the next 20 years.  VicUrban is a leader in demonstrating sustainable technologies for homes, to encourage broader market awareness and commercial take up of innovative and energy saving products.

The Company’s modelling of the Victorian market shows that widespread deployment of the BlueGen product has significant potential benefits, including large carbon savings, lower energy bills and lower water usage

A Montana State University graduate student whose research has the potential to make a difference in how light is harvested for alternative energy applications has won a $90,000 fellowship from the National Science Foundation.

Janice Lucon, 25, will receive an NSF annual stipend for three years to fund her research at MSU. She won the Graduate Research Fellowship based on her abilities, accomplishments, and potential to contribute to strengthening the vitality of science and engineering in the U.S., according to the NSF.

The 25-year-old, who grew up, in part, in northwest Montana’s Flathead Valley, is working toward a doctorate in inorganic chemistry.

Lucon works in professor Trevor Douglas’ laboratory and said her research involves using protein cages to analyze platinum nanoparticles. She is working to determine how many platinums to include inside a protein cage for maximum efficiency.

Determining which configuration and size of platinum particles to use can optimize hydrogen gas production.

“We’re looking for the arrangement and size that works best,” she said.

Lucon analyzes the whole protein to look and see how many platinum molecules are contained in a single cage. Then, if there are more contained in the cage than are necessary to produce hydrogen gas, a lesser amount of the catalyst can be used.

Janice Lucon. MSU photo by Kelly Gorham.

If you can make the platinum particles smaller and smaller and still get the same result, the process becomes more efficient, Lucon said. It’s important to look at the small precious metal catalysts, she added, because those catalysts can improve the efficiency of synthesizing hydrogen molecules.

“There are implications as we look at alternative energy sources,” she said. “We can improve the efficiency of precious metal catalysts.”

In addition to the results, Lucon’s work also has the potential to help develop new methods for research.

“We’re trying to develop new methods of studying (small particles),” she said. “Technology is getting smaller and smaller, and it is moving more toward the nanoscale. Some of the instruments we have don’t even work in that size range.”

Before coming to MSU two years ago, Lucon did undergraduate research at Montana Tech in Butte.

“I went through the whole gamut of responsibilities (at Montana Tech),” she said. “There are no Ph.D.’s given at Montana Tech, and there are also very few master’s candidates. So we are given lots of opportunities as undergrads.”

While at Montana Tech, Lucon was involved in research at the Berkeley Pit.

“Essentially, we were looking for anti-cancer compounds, looking for new cancer drugs from bugs from the Berkeley Pit,” Lucon said.

After graduating with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and environmental engineering, Lucon worked at Montana Tech for a year as a lab technician.

Then, she came to MSU as a Molecular Bioscience Fellow.

“One of the things that brought me to MSU was the fact that I could stay in the state I love and still work for world-renowned faculty members,” she said.

She’s also proud of the fact that her parents both graduated from MSU. Her mother is from Grass Range and works as a nurse. Her dad is from Billings and works as an engineer.

Lucon traces her interest in science and research back to her childhood.

“I always loved geology growing up,” she said. “I was interested in rocks and how there could be so many different types.”

Lucon grew up in Colorado Springs, Colo., and then moved with her family to Kalispell when she was 14.

“Obviously, Glacier was pretty amazing geologically,” she said.

At Montana Tech, though, Lucon switched her focus to engineering and chemistry.

“I went from geophysical engineering to environmental engineering,” she said. “I was interested in water quality, because you can see environmental destruction all around you in Butte.”

Lucon also earned a chemistry degree because she thought it was a good complement to environmental engineering.

“I fell more and more in love with chemistry side, such as how we can interact with the environment on a chemical level,” she said. “I like the design aspect of engineering, and I like the scale side of chemistry.”

Working with Douglas at MSU has been wonderful, Lucon said.

“He puts a lot of effort into the students he has,” she said. “He likes to know how our projects are doing, and he is easy to chase down. If you have a question, he wants to know about it and think about it, too.”

Douglas also praised Lucon and her work.

“This (award) is an outstanding confirmation of Janice’s dedication to her research,” Douglas said. “This is a very competitive program and she is one of very few MSU students to have received it. We, her research team, are all very proud to have someone of her caliber in our group. She is a credit to MSU and Montana.”

He also said her research could have important energy implications.

“Her research work has the potential to make a big difference in how we harvest light for alternative energy applications,” Douglas said.

Lucon and her husband, who works in Butte as a mechanical engineer, would like to stay in Montana after she graduates if they can both find careers they enjoy.

“I just love science,” she said. “Science and engineering. It doesn’t matter what it is. It makes my brain happy.

“I like the challenge of it, and the potential implications of something actually working,” she added. “Science can have a dramatic impact on people’s quality of life.”

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have great potential for stationary and mobile applications. Stationary use ranges from residential applications to power plants. Mobile applications include power for ships at sea and in space, as well as for autos. In addition to electricity, when SOFCs are operated in reverse mode as solid oxide electrolyzer cells, pure hydrogen can be generated by splitting water.

But SOFCs have had a flaw – the integrity of the seals within and between power-producing units. “The seal problem is the biggest problem for commercialization of solid oxide fuel cells,” said Peizhen (Kathy) Lu (http://www2.mse.vt.edu/People/Faculty/KLu/tabid/533/Default.aspx), assistant professor of materials science and engineering at Virginia Tech.

So she has invented a solution.

Composed of ceramic materials that can operate at temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees F (1,000 C), SOFCs use high temperature to separate oxygen ions from air. The ions pass through a crystal lattice and oxidize a fuel– usually a hydrocarbon. The chemical reaction produces electrons, which flow through an external circuit, creating electricity.

To produce enough energy for a particular application, SOFC modules are stacked together. Each module has air on one side and a fuel on the other side and produces electrons. Many modules are stacked together to produce enough power for specific applications. Each module’s compartments must be sealed, and there must be seals between the modules in a stack so that air and fuel do not leak or mix, resulting in a loss of efficiency or internal combustion.

Lu has invented a new glass that can be used to seal the modules and the stack. The self-healing seal glass will provide strength and long-term stability to the stack, she said.

The U.S. Department of Energy has funded Lu’s SOFC and solid oxide elecrolyzer cell research to the tune of $365,000 so far. “For solid oxide fuel cells to run, we need to have a fuel. Hydrogen is the cleanest fuel you can ever have since the by-product is water. However, there is no abundant source of hydrogen and it has to be made. The solid oxide elecrolyzer cell process for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen is one very desirable way of doing it,” Lu said.

“Our interest is to work on the critical material problems to enable power generation and hydrogen production in large quantity and low cost,” said Lu, whose expertise includes material design and material synthesis and processing. (Learn more about her work at www.lu.mse.vt.edu)

“The invented glass seal materials are free of barium oxide, calcium oxide, magnesia, and alkali oxides, and in addition contain almost imperceptibly low amounts of boron oxide,” said Mike Miller senior licensing manager with Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties (http://www.vtip.org). “This is important because the seals must be both mechanically and chemically compatible with the different oxide and metallic cell components as they are repeatedly cycled between room and operating temperatures,” said Miller.

An article relevant to her research, which appeared in the Oct. 6, 2008 issue of the Journal of Applied Physics is “Network structure and thermal stability study of high temperature seal glass,” by Lu and Virginia Tech materials science and engineering doctoral student M. K. Mahapatra of Egra, Purba Medinipur, India. http://link.aip.org/link/?JAPIAU/104/074910/1

An on-chip fuel cell that can be powered by a variety of fuels has been developed by Japanese scientists. The fuel can be chosen to suit the cell’s application, from laptops to mobile phones, they say.

Many research groups are working on miniaturising conventional fuel cells but, as yet, they are not compatible with other micro-devices. Tetsuya Osaka and colleagues from Waseda University, Tokyo, have made a microchannel-based fuel cell that is pump-free, membraneless and air-breathing (it uses oxygen from the air as its oxidant). Its simple monolithic design – its two electrodes are made in a single substrate – means it is easier to make than conventional fuel cells, says Osaka.

Osaka had previously tested the fuel cell using methanol. Methanol is suitable for long-life applications but is toxic, he explains, so he repeated the test using ethanol and 2-propanol. Ethanol is less toxic and renewable, he says, while 2-propanol is suitable for high power devices because it doesn’t generate catalyst-poisoning carbon monoxide. He found that ethanol and 2-propanol generated voltages comparable to that of methanol. He also improved the fuel cell’s safety by replacing the acidic electrolyte with a phosphate buffer, which kept the pH neutral without significantly affecting the power output.

Changming Li, a fuel cell expert at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, describes the work as ‘a new approach to develop efficient micro power sources by using micro-electro-mechanical systems’ and adds that it demonstrates advances in both microfabrication and energy systems.

Osaka says he is working towards integrating the fuel cell with other micro-devices to demonstrate they work in a real system. ‘This work will help contribute to the development of micro-devices because they will have their own power source on the same chip,’ he predicts. He adds that a possible goal would be an on-chip blood-screening sensor powered by glucose in the blood.

Emma Shiells

May 22, 2009 (Albany Times Union – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)   — Chief Executive Officer Andy Marsh told shareholders Wednesday that two of Plug Power Inc.’s product lines could become profitable within three years.

Although Plug has yet to detail a timetable for a favorable bottom line, the comments provided a glimpse of just how close the company believes it is to earning, versus bleeding, money every quarter.

“We’ve transformed the organization into a sales-driven organization,” said Marsh, who spoke at the company’s annual meeting, held in New York City.

Marsh, who became CEO a year ago, said Plug needs to sell between 4,000 and 5,000 of its hydrogen-powered GenDrive fuel cells, used in forklift trucks, annuallly to make that business unit profitable. The fuel cells are popular with companies that have large warehouses with a fleet of forklift trucks.

Plug delivered 186 GenDrive units to customers during the first quarter of the year. The company also posted an $8.2 million loss that quarter, on $2.6 million in revenue.

Marsh said Plug needs to sell 2,000 of its GenSys systems, used for remote industrial power, a year to have that unit turn a profit. The largest need the company sees is in India, where cellphone towers are being installed at a furious pace in areas too remote to be connected to the electrical grid.

Marsh wants his sales force to reach those goals in less than three years.

The company is much farther away from commercializing its GenSys system — designed to provide heat and power to homes — but Marsh said the wait will be worth it.

“Our current investment in this technology will drive shareholder value in the future.” he said.

Marsh plans to announce a specific timeline on profitability later this year.

Meanwhile, several shareholders asked Marsh pointed questions, including why the GenSys system for homes is not commercially viable at this point.

Marsh said the home system is currently reliable for only up to a year, and it needs much higher reliability before being sold into the home market — something that will take additional investment by the company.

“That is really the major challenge we’re confronted with,” he said.

However, Marsh is bullish on the home system, saying it will be an ideal source of renewable energy for homeowners in the Northeast. “We think it’s a better solution than solar,” he said.

The annual meeting later was adjourned to give shareholders more time to vote on three proposals in the proxy: the election of three board members, the 2009 stock-incentive plan and ratification of KPMG LLC as the company’s auditor.

The vote now will take place Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Plug’s offices on Albany-Shaker Road in Latham.

Larry Rulison can be reached at 454-5504 or by e-mail at lrulison@timesunion.com.

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Washington DC–May 21, 2009–Today, the National Hydrogen Association announced the beginning of the 1,700 mile 2009 Hydrogen Road Tour.  For nine days starting May 26, Americans and Canadians in 28 cities between southern California and Vancouver, British Columbia will have a unique opportunity to see what the transportation future holds for with the launch of a nine-day caravan of clean, efficient hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

The California Air Resources Board, California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), Powertech Labs (on behalf of British Columbia), National Hydrogen Association and the U.S. Fuel Cell Council are organizing the 2009 Hydrogen Road Tour. Vehicles from seven major automakers will turn heads as they make the trek from border to border. The Tour will stop in 28 communities along the route, with special focus on the communities where hydrogen technologies-passenger vehicles, transit buses and hydrogen stations-will likely enter the market first.

“The Hydrogen Road Tour is another example that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not a science experiment. These are real vehicles with real marketability and real benefits,” said Jeff Serfass, President of the National Hydrogen Association.  “So far, these facts have escaped the notice of the Secretary of Energy’s attention, given the request to eliminate the federal hydrogen vehicle program. The Tour will show how capable today’s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are by providing performance, environmental responsibility, a reduction of fuel imports and a pleasant driving experience for anyone who gets behind the wheel.”

The NHA’s recent Energy Evolution reports shows how scenarios that initially use a mix of vehicles with sales later dominated by hydrogen vehicles can address greenhouse gas pollution, oil imports and urban air pollution.  Specifically, the Energy Evolution shows that fuel cell electric vehicles powered by hydrogen can simultaneously cut greenhouse gas pollution by 80% below 1990 levels; help the U.S. reach petroleum quasi-independence by mid-century; and eliminate nearly all controllable air pollution by the end of the century.”

On the Hydrogen Road Tour, the public will be able to see the latest hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles from Daimler, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen-including several new models-as well as fuel cell transit buses at several stops. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Powertech Labs are providing hydrogen fuel and mobile refueling stations.

Currently, over 300 zero-emission fuel cell vehicles have been placed on U.S. roads along with 62 operational hydrogen fueling stations in anticipation of plans released by automakers, energy companies and government agencies to collectively roll out 4,300 passenger vehicles to customers in California by 2014.  In addition, transit agencies operate fuel cell buses, including BC Transit in Vancouver which will operate a fleet of 20 fuel cell buses for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Cities, businesses and military bases in California, Oregon, Washington and many other American states are implementing other projects that use fuel cells, including forklifts and stationary power for buildings and cell phone towers.

For more details, please visit:  http://www.hydrogenroadtour.com/

Achievement of world’s top-level electrical conversion efficiency

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation , Toho Gas Co., Ltd. , and Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd.  have jointly developed a 3 kW class power generation module for commercial use with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). A power generation trial with town gas as the fuel achieved a world’s top-level electrical conversion efficiency of 59% (LHV).

Background

The 1^st commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012) has arrived and greenhouse gas reduction is an urgent worldwide task. Fuel cell systems have the potential to generate clean electrical power and so help to reduce CO2 emissions.
Fuel cell systems can produce stable electrical power using fuels such as town gas with a high conversion efficiency independent of power generation scale. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems can provide the highest electrical conversion efficiency (45 to 60%) of the various kinds of fuel cell systems. A total (overall) efficiency of 80 % can be achieved by using the exhaust heat. Accordingly, SOFC systems are promising as clean power sources of the future.
The core components of an SOFC system are the cells that act as power generation elements, the stacks in which the cells are assembled and electrically connected, and the power generation module that provides appropriate stack operating conditions. The integration of each component technology is a key issue in terms of realizing an SOFC system. Based on this understanding, NTT, THG and SPP have been collaborating on the integration of their technologies.

Technical features
The technical features of the power generation module reported here are (1) high performance stacks, (2) an advanced heat flow design and (3) enhanced heat insulation. As a result, thermally self-sustainable operation was confirmed for hundreds of hours with a stable power output and an electrical conversion efficiency of 56 % (LHV). A world’s top-level efficiency of 59% (LHV) was also realized for a short period of time. The technological features are as follows.
(1) High performance stacks were developed using planar SOFCs that have a high power output and durability. This enabled the module to achieve highly efficient and stable power generation.
(2) An advanced heat flow design allows the optimum use of heat. Heat loss was minimized by exchanging exothermic heat from the stack for air heating and other endothermic processes. The design also contributed to the isothermal control of the stack temperature and helped the stack operate stably.
(3) Enhanced heat insulation minimized the unused heat emission and contributed to the highly efficient operation.

Future plan
NTT, THG and SPP plan jointly to confirm the performance of SOFC systems based on this module technology, and to develop practical systems for commercial use within a few years.

Figures>
(1) Component arrangement of power generation module (left)
(2) Appearance of power generation module (right)

Air Liquide contributed its technical support to the Higher Technical Institute (IST) of Lisbon, which took part in the 25th edition of the Shell Eco-Marathon, through a prototype powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/05/21/met_524691.shtml

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2009/05/20/pei-hydrogen-future.html

http://www.loudouni.com/education/2009-05-20/students-study-hydrogen-powered-car

HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii – A $1.1 million solar array project to power the base hydrogen production and fueling station was completed here May 8, marking a “first” for both the Air Force and the state of Hawaii.

After about six weeks of installation, 810 solar modules can now produce 146 kilowatts of energy per hour – equivalent to what it would take to power about 30 standard homes – which is enough to handle the maximum power demand of the hydrogen plant.

“In fiscal year 2008, the average cost of power on base was 21 cents per kilowatt hour,” said Josh Powell, vice president of construction operations at Sunetric.

At that cost, these solar panels will save an average of $43,000 per year, he said.
“In this energy-conscious environment, every little bit helps,” Mr. Powell said.

Now that the solar panels are installed, they will go through a week-long commissioning process, said Tom Quinn, Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies director.

“We need to test the inverter box (which turns DC power into AC power) to make sure everything is working properly, then slowly ramp it from 25 percent working power to 50 percent power and higher,” Mr. Quinn said. “It’s a typical safety check we go through before we crank it up to full power.”

By May 22, the commissioning process should be finished, and the plant will be running on renewable energy, he said.

The $1.5 million hydrogen station was completed in November 2006; however, the fact that the hydrogen plant is now solar-powered means hydrogen is now a renewable fuel, Quinn said. This combination of solar panels with the hydrogen plant is what makes the project a dynamic, first-in-the-Air Force and first-in-Hawaii combination.

“The three principal players in this partnership are the Air Force Advanced Power Technology Office at Robins Air Force Base, Ga.; the HCATT; and the 15th Airlift Wing,” said Mr. Quinn.

The office at Robins AFB provides the funding and guidance for the program, and the 15th Airlift Wing operates and evaluates the equipment, he said.

“The Advanced Power Technology Office recognized that there is a wealth of military installations here as well as a need,” Mr. Quinn said, “which provide the potential for joint service projects.”

The way it works is simple, said Nolie Diakoulas, Sunetric project engineer. When the sun hits the photovoltaic panels, electrons move from front to back, creating a current that travels through small wires to a junction box in the back. The junction box takes the current from the small wires and moves it to larger wires, which travel to a combiner box and then to an inverter. There, DC power is converted to AC (usable) power, which runs the base hydrogen station.

“Solar panels have been around since the space program of the ’50s,” Mr. Powell said. “This is a long-lasting, well established material with a warranty for 25 years. We can expect this to produce at 80 percent effectiveness for at least the first 20 to 30 years of its life and continue essentially forever.”

This system was designed for the specific environment here, he said.

The solar panels are wind-rated and hurricane proof, Mr. Diakoulas said. They’re seismic-level four rated, hurricane proof, and designed not to blow away in the Hawaii trade winds.

The state of Hawaii formed a partnership with the Air Force and established the National Demonstration Center for Alternative Fuel Vehicles in 2001, Quinn said. The goal of the program was to develop non-petroleum-based power for vehicles. Early projects included both hybrid and all-electric vehicles, to include the electric shuttle bus operating at the passenger terminal. More recently, a lithium battery-powered step van was developed and demonstrated and will soon go commercial. The first hydrogen-powered vehicle here was developed in 2003, and because the hydrogen plant is now powered by the solar array they have achieved a major demonstration milestone in the program.

“We have a total of seven hydrogen powered vehicles, all different types, here, but this truck is unique as it is a new concept vehicle,” Mr. Quinn said. “Once we’ve tested and demonstrated its capabilities, we hope it will join the Air Force inventory.”

As the U.S. Energy Department announced a 60% budget cut on May 7, 2009   for hydrogen-related projects to $68.2 million for the next fiscal year, the EU together with 68 industries and top EU research insitutes in hydrogen and fuel cell system development are stepping up their efforts  in a 7 year, € 94o mln Joint Undertaking for fuel cells and hydrogen that will see its second call for proposals of around € 70 mln this summer. This united effort in combination with the recent  developments in the US therefore seem to give Europe anopportunity  to become market leader in  hydrogen transport development that can not be missed.

Despite US funding cuts  for hydrogen transport applications, several car makers  expressed their ongoing  commitment to the commercialisation of fuel cells vehicles.  Honda Motor Co., General Motors Corp. as well as  Toyota Motor Corp. all confirmed their intention to continue their development of hydrogen-powered cars  after the announcement of US Enerery Secretary Steven Chu that the Obama administration will concentrate  more on more near term biofuel and battery development, forgetting that  fuel cells significantly extend the short range of battery powered vehicles.

“Honda has a significant commitment to fuel cells and we’re going to pursue it,” said Ed Cohen, vice president of U.S. government and industry affairs for the Tokyo-based automaker, in an interview. “We have a limited number of options to achieve transportation objectives which include less use of petroleum and reducing greenhouse gases. Hydrogen is one of them.”

The US National Hydrogen Association, NHA and U. S. Fuel Cell Council published  a joint statement saying, “The cuts proposed in the DOE hydrogen and fuel cell program threaten to disrupt commercialization of a family of technologies that are showing exceptional promise and beginning to gain market traction.”Fuel cell vehicles are not a science experiment. These are real vehicles with real marketability and real benefits. Hundreds of fuel cell vehicles have collectively logged millions of miles.“Both the National Academy of Sciences and NHA’s recent Energy Evolution report conclude that a portfolio of vehicle technologies is needed to achieve the nation’s energy and environmental security goals and that hydrogen is essential to success. Hydrogen also advances the Obama Administration’s goals of greener power generation and a smarter power grid.”

Proton Energy and The Abraham Group team up to bring advanced onsite hydrogen technologies to energy markets worldwide

WALLINGFORD, Conn.– Global hydrogen energy leader Proton Energy Systems announced today a newly formed partnership with The Abraham Group. The cooperative agreement became effective as of March 1, 2009.

The Abraham Group, an international strategic consulting firm based in Washington D.C., will work with Proton Energy to expand Proton’s reach to additional Middle East and North American commercial sales territories. The Abraham Group brings extensive experience and contacts in the energy industry which can benefit from Proton Energy’s advanced onsite hydrogen technologies.

“Proton Energy is committed to bringing the latest and most innovative hydrogen technologies to our partners throughout the globe, and we are excited to work with The Abraham Group,” said Robert Friedland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Proton Energy Systems. “Our onsite HOGEN hydrogen generating systems produce hydrogen that is higher in purity, more reliable and safer for today’s power plants while our StableFlow hydrogen control system improves the operating efficiency of the power generator reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Together, Proton and The Abraham Group hope to share this compelling value proposition with additional partners in North America and the Middle East.”

Proton Energy is the world’s leading supplier of onsite hydrogen generators utilizing PEM (proton exchange membrane) technology, which creates high purity hydrogen from de-mineralized water and electricity. Proton’s HOGEN hydrogen generating systems employ state-of-the-art solid polymer electrolyte technology that extends the life, improves efficiency and reliability of onsite hydrogen generators, while also reducing the risk of injury to personnel and property damage caused by chemical exposure as is typical with traditional hydrogen generation technologies.

“The Abraham Group is an expert in the global energy sector and we are thrilled to work with Proton Energy Systems, a tested and reliable international energy leader,” said Secretary Spencer Abraham, Chairman and CEO of The Abraham Group.

The partnership with The Abraham Group is the latest of several contracts and partnerships Proton Energy has secured in recent months in the power industry, demonstrating its commitment to remaining a strong player in the market. Proton Energy’s commitment to innovation has also been recognized with several recent Department of Defense projects, developing Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems for backup power and creating advanced fueling systems capable of sustaining a military fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

About Proton Energy Systems

Proton Energy Systems designs and manufactures proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrochemical systems to make hydrogen from water in a zero pollution process producing safe, pure, reliable onsite hydrogen to meet today’s global hydrogen requirements. Proton Energy Systems has been developing and manufacturing world-class electrolysis systems since 1996, with more than 1200 units deployed world-wide, on every continent. With a reputation for building robust, reliable, and safe systems, federal, state, and commercial partners repeatedly seek the creative solutions that Proton Energy Systems has proven it is capable of delivering. For more information, visit www.ProtonEnergy.com.

About The Abraham Group

The Abraham Group is an international strategic consulting firm headed by former Energy Secretary and U.S. Senator, Spencer Abraham. In addition to Secretary Abraham, the firm’s other Principals are: Joseph McMonigle, former Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Energy and Vice Chairman of the International Energy Agency; and Majida Mourad, former Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy working on international affairs. Each of the firm’s Principals has extensive experience working at senior levels in Congress, the Executive Branch and international affairs.

NEW YORK, May 19, 2009 – The 7th International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference will take place June 8-10, 2009, at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa in Newport Beach, Calif.

The ASME Emerging Technologies Institute and ASME Advanced Energy Systems Division are sponsors of the conference, in which technical experts from academia and industry will report on the progress of fuel cell systems research and applications.

Focusing on the role of fuel cells in the transportation and electric utility sectors, the conference will include nine discussion tracks on low-temperature fuel cells, high-temperature fuel cells, and other related topics.  The 7th International Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology Conference also will cover the use of fuel cells in specialized applications, such as micro devices and hydrogen storage and recovery.

Including poster sessions and six plenary speeches, the three-day information exchange will bring together several of the institutions on the leading edge of fuel cell research and experimentation, among them the University of California at Irvine, the Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center, Colorado School of Mines, Kettering University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

Other participants in the conference include the South Coast Air Quality Management District, California Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative, Toyota, National Fuel Cell Research Center, and FuelCell Energy.

About ASME
ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world.

PASADENA, Calif. — VIASPACE Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: VSPC – News), a clean energy company providing products and technology for renewable and alternative energy, today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with England-based Hayman Ltd. (Hayman), a worldwide packager and distributor of alcohols and solvents.

Under the MOU, Hayman Speciality Products will provide methanol filling and distribution services to Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation (DMFCC), VIASPACE’s alternative energy subsidiary engaged in manufacturing disposable fuel cartridges for direct methanol fuel cell powered electronics such as notebook computers, mobile phones and military equipment.

Hayman Ltd. has been handling ethyl alcohol for over 100 years. For the last 50 years Hayman Speciality Products has developed a global business as a supplier of ethanol, methanol and isopropanol and other high quality solvents to the pharmaceutical, flavour, fragrance, personal care industries and research laboratories. Strong relationships with some of the largest chemical companies in the world have been developed.

A broad range of pack types is available to meet customer needs including bulk road tankers, intermediate bulk containers, drums, cans and cases of plastic containers and glass bottles. A worldwide distribution network has been established which is used to supply packaged methanol and other products globally, and this partnership with DMFCC is consistent with the strategy to seek continuously evolving opportunities in fuel cells and related industries.

VIASPACE Chief Executive Dr. Carl Kukkonen remarked: “Automated cartridge filling is a crucial element in the large-scale manufacturing and distribution infrastructure we are building for our fuel cell cartridge business. In that respect, Hayman, which has the proven capability to fill and distribute a wide variety of containers, makes an excellent partner, and we are very happy to have them on our team. Hayman can also provide bulk methanol with guaranteed quality to our cartridge partners worldwide for local filling.”

DMFCC is a cartridge partner with Samsung and other companies engaged in developing fuel cells as alternative power sources for a range of consumer, military and other applications.

http://www.thestate.com/local/v-print/story/794028.html

Iwatani Corporation has successfully developed a “10-kW pure-hydrogen based fuel cell vehicle”, and also a hydrogen trailer for feeding hydrogen to the vehicle.

The power source vehicle will be commercialized in 2011.

Applicable to:
1) Work in indoor and tunnel environments
2) Events and night construction work in the residential area
3) Emergency power source at a disaster site
The power source vehicle, together with the hydrogen trailer, was used as an acoustic power source in “Earth Day Tokyo 2009”, 18 to 19 April, the largest environmental festival in Japan.

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Supporters of hydrogen fuel cell research in South Carolina spent Tuesday in Washington pushing back on proposed cuts.

Those who hope hydrogen will boost South Carolina’s economy went to DC with a mission: get money for hydrogen fuel cell research back on the table.

Last week, the Obama Administration moved to cut funds.

Supporters hope to use the money for more projects like a hydrogen fuel cell-powered bus.

We showed it to you in March, when researchers and government leaders talked about the alternative fuel.

They received a setback last week when a proposed $100 million was cut from federal funding for research.

WIS News 10 has learned the Department of Energy will re-think those cuts. That’s music to Columbia Mayor Bob Coble’s ears.

“We’ve been meeting with congressional and White House leaders, really talking about the significance about the hydrogen economy and what it means to Columbia and at the White House earlier we received some very good news,” said Coble.

In a nutshell, a Senate subcommittee chairman told the Energy Secretary the cuts to hydrogen would be a mistake.

The secretary agreed to continue discussing it.

Posted by Jeremy Turnage

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10390330&nav=menu36_2

WAKEMAN, Ohio – Just a few miles from the birthplace of Thomas Alva Edison, Ohio’s first name in electricity innovation, a fuel cell is generating power inside a barn on an 7th generation family soybean farm providing another first in energy innovation for Ohio.

Members of the Ohio House of Representatives, Alternative Energy Committee, staff, representatives of the Ohio Soybean Council, The Ohio State University, Lockheed‐Martin Company and other special guests visited the demonstration to see another first in electric power innovation for Ohio.

Cleveland‐based TMI (Technology Management, Inc.), Ohio’s oldest fuel cell systems developer, is conducting a first‐in‐the‐world 30‐day demonstration of an unattended, solid‐ oxide fuel cell system running on multiple liquid biofuels. In 2007, through the support of checkoff funds from Ohio soybean farmers and research funding from the USDA, TMI became the first fuel cell company in the world to convert vegetable oil into electricity (2007) in the laboratory.

Today, funded again by the Ohio Soybean Council, TMI’s Anywhere Energy system is providing clean, renewable power inside a barn on a working farm in Wakeman, Ohio fueled by soybean oil.

“Envision an appliance, that is safe to use indoors and provides enough power 24/7 to handle the average requirements of a family home, a small farm or even a third‐world village” said Benson Lee, President of TMI. “Because it runs on most available fuels – including renewable biofuels – without requiring any fuel cleanup or pretreatment, TMI’s Anywhere Energy system can deliver clean, renewable energy anywhere, anytime.”

About TMI’s “Anywhere Energy” System
Compared to other fuel cell systems, the TMI system is designed to facilitate ease of use in the field and provide economic advantages for the end user. The simple modular 1‐kW system design can operate on a wide variety of ordinary liquid and gaseous fuels – virtually any hydrogen‐rich fuel, ranging from natural gas, diesel, kerosene, propane, military JP‐8 to renewable fuels such as ethanol, vegetable oil (e.g., from soybeans), biodiesel, anaerobic digester gas, ammonia., and even used cooking oil – at a higher efficiency (2‐3 times higher) than a comparable small diesel generator.

TMI’s clean, quiet, compact system can produce power in operating environments where there are essentially no small scale alternatives. These include using indigenous biofuels, indoor siting, meeting air and noise pollution standards and 24/7 power availability.

The key is TMI’s proprietary integrated fuel reformer and fuel cell stack which can tolerate fuel impurities such as sulfur while maintaining high fuel efficiency. In addition, TMI’s Anywhere Energy system platform can be “ganged” in multiple units to provide more power or redundancy for higher reliability.

TMI is also collaborating with The Ohio State University’s Biomass to Energy Program at the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center (OARDC) on another Ohio first ‐ integrating anaerobic digester biogas (from farm and food processing wastes) as fuel input for TMI’s Anywhere Energy system to produce clean, electricity and heat for on‐site use. Through the Ohio Third Frontier Program, the shared OSU/ TMI vision is to showcase at farm scale, a scalable system for converting biomass waste into clean, renewable energy, while reducing fossil fuel consumption and the size of the carbon footprint. This project bridges between Ohio’s two largest industries, supply chain manufacturing and agriculture and provides a pathway for the home and small business owner to become part of the solution, as a supplier and/or consumer of clean, renewable energy. Building on Ohio Third Frontier Program investments in both TMI and the OSU Biomass to Energy program, implementation of this vision could leapfrog Ohio to the forefront of the emerging distributed bioenergy industry.

On 21. April Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel together with Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Platzeck laid the foundation stone for the first industrial hybrid power station in the world. It is developed and built by ENERTRAG.
The plant will harness wind to produce electricity as per conventional wind turbines. But when there is too much wind for the grid to handle, that excess energy will be converted via electrolysis – the separation of chemical compounds by electric current – into hydrogen for storage. This hydrogen can then be mixed with biogas at a later stage and converted back into energy that can be used to power homes.

The renewable energies company responsible for the project, Enertrag, says the process is carbon free and comes at no cost to the environment. Merkel said the first-of-its-kind project offers a glimpse into the future of clean energy production. “I am glad that an enterprise from the Uckermark (region) has developed this trendsetting project. The combination of renewable energy and energy storage will be a determining factor in a steady and climate-acceptable energy supply,”  Chancellor Merkel said at the foundation stone-laying ceremony. Lutz Metz of the Environmental Policy Research Unit at the Free University in Berlin said hydrogen is as good an option as any.
“The conversion of wind power to hydrogen is not so bad,” he said. “It’s via electrolysis and the efficiency is in the range of 70 to 85 per cent. If you look at a car engine the efficiency is 15 per cent, so there’s a much more efficient conversion of wind power to hydrogen.”