FuelCellsWorks

ATLANTA–The Coca-Cola Company announced today that it has agreed to test fuel cells powered by environmentally friendly biogas to power its Odwalla juice packaging plant in Dinuba, Calif.

The Company has signed on as a Foundation Partner with Bloom Energy, a California-based firm that manufactures fuel cells that can generate electricity from a variety of energy sources, including natural gas.

The core technology, called solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), was originally developed for NASA. It is one of the most efficient devices available for converting hydrocarbon fuels, such as natural gas, into electricity.

Five Bloom Energy Server fuel cells will be installed late this year at the Dinuba plant. The fuel cells, which will run on re-directed biogas, are expected to provide 30% of the plant’s power needs while reducing its carbon footprint by an estimated 35%.

“This new fuel cell technology has great promise and represents an important step for Coca-Cola in continuing to grow our business without growing the carbon footprint,” said Brian Kelley, President and General Manager, Coca-Cola North America Still Beverages and Supply Chain. “The Coca-Cola Company has committed to hold its overall worldwide manufacturing carbon emissions flat through 2015 from its 2004 level. We intend to do this while actually reducing emissions in the U.S. and other developed markets, improving energy efficiency and using cleaner forms of energy, like these fuel cells.”

Other steps the Coca-Cola System has taken or plans to take to reduce its carbon footprint include:

• Reducing energy use in facilities through the installation of energy efficient lighting, motion-sensors on lighting in warehouses, direct – fired water heating, optimization of boilers and compressors and the installation of energy management systems.
• In the U.S., improving the energy efficiency of new vending and cooling equipment by 40 to 50 percent from 2000 levels by the end of 2007. Making all new cooler and vending equipment 100% HFC-free by 2015.
• Installing an intelligent energy management system (EMS-55) in new and existing coolers and vending machines to reduce energy use by up to 35 percent without compromising drink temperature.
• Improving the efficiency of our vehicle fleet. Coca-Cola Enterprises, the largest Coca-Cola bottler, operates one of the largest hybrid electric vehicle fleets in the world — 336 delivery vehicles throughout the United States and Canada. CCE’s trucks use about 30 percent less fuel and produce about 30 percent fewer emissions than standard trucks. And the Coca-Cola North America sales fleet has converted more than 600 vehicles to hybrid sedans, resulting in a CO2 emissions reduction of over 4 million pounds.

The development of innovations to accelerate the deployment of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies is to receive a major boost after the Technology Strategy Board announced today that it is to invest £7 million on behalf of the government in 15 demonstrator projects.

The innovative technologies, once fully developed, will contribute to meeting UK and EU climate change targets, whilst providing significant global market opportunities for British companies.

The investment programme in fuel cell and hydrogen demonstrators will fill a gap in the support of these technologies and will assist the efforts of UK companies towards commercialisation.  The capital funding provided by the programme, devised by DECC and the Technology Strategy Board, will be used to accelerate the demonstration of products for both the stationary power and transport markets.

Announcing the investment during a visit to Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells in Swindon, Lord Hunt of King’s Heath, Minister of State for Energy said:

“Cleaning up our energy supply and the fuel we use for transport will give the UK the opportunity to develop the low carbon industries of the future.  Fuel cells and hydrogen can play a key role in cutting CO2 emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

“Through this boost for hydrogen, innovative businesses like Johnson Matthey are well placed to benefit from the move to low carbon. I congratulate them on their funding award and thank them for this contribution to tackling climate change.”

Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board, added:

“By providing capital funding towards the cost of demonstration, this important programme will enable British companies to collaborate to commercialise fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.  Covering both the transport and stationary market applications, the funding will support and take forward already successful research, development and prototyping projects.

“We expect the technologies that will be developed and demonstrated to make real progress   towards market adoption, providing significant global opportunities for the British companies involved.”

These technologies could be used in the transport sector, such as for commercial and light vehicles, or in the stationary power markets, for example to provide power to homes and dwellings, alongside other low carbon energy solutions such as electric vehicles.  Fuel cells can be more efficient that an internal combustion engine, and are a quiet source of power.  They can be tailored to accept a wide range of fuels, or adapted for multi-fuel capability.  When fuelled by hydrogen, fuel cells emit no pollutant by-products.  Even when operating on other fuels such as natural gas, pollutant levels can be significantly lower.

Fleet of 20 Hybrid-Electric Fuel Cell Buses Provide Olympic Spectators with Silent, Emissions-Free Transportation in Vancouver, Whistler

AUSTIN, Texas–Valence Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: VLNC), a leading international energy system manufacturer today congratulated BC Transit for putting the world’s largest fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses into service at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia. The energy storage and management technology for the fuel cell buses is made possible by Valence Technology’s dynamic energy systems.

“Companies like BC Transit are leading the charge to show the world that innovative green and clean technologies are not concepts of the future, but present-day practical realities”

“Companies like BC Transit are leading the charge to show the world that innovative green and clean technologies are not concepts of the future, but present-day practical realities,” said Valence Technology President & CEO, Robert L. Kanode. “Valence Technology brings to the table the world’s highest performing, safest and most reliable dynamic energy storage systems and the Command and Control logic to maximize the fuel cell’s efficiency. We’re proud to help power the fuel cell buses currently in use at the 2010 Olympics, and we congratulate BC Transit for successfully bringing a zero-emissions product to market on a world stage.”

ISE Corporation, the California-based hybrid-electric vehicle manufacturer and customer of Valence Technology, supplied the fleet of 20 hydrogen fuel cell buses to BC Transit, the provincial crown agency responsible for public transportation within British Columbia, Canada. Each fuel cell bus utilizes a 43 Kilowatt-hour, 614 Volt lithium phosphate battery system comprised of Valence Technology’s proven U-Charge ® family of advanced batteries.

Compared to traditional internal combustion buses, the BC Transit fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses can operate for up to 15 years at twice the efficiency, with lower maintenance costs and a 62% reduction in greenhouse gasses.

About Valence Technology, Inc.

Valence Technology is an international leader in the development of safe, long-life lithium iron magnesium phosphate energy storage solutions and provides the enabling technology behind some of the world’s most innovative and environmentally friendly applications. Founded in 1989, Valence today offers a proven technology and manufacturing infrastructure that delivers ISO-certified products and processes that are protected by an extensive global patent portfolio. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Valence Technology is strategically aligned by five business segments: Motive, Marine, Stationary, Industrial and Military. In addition to the corporate headquarters in Texas, Valence Technology has its Research & Development Center in Nevada, its Europe/Asia Pacific Sales office in Northern Ireland and global fulfillment centers in North America and Europe. Valence Technology is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the ticker symbol VLNC. For more information, visit www.valence.com.

March 5, 2010, 10 am – 11:30 am, Senate Dirksen Office Building, Room 628

As Zero Emission Vehicles approach commercialization, energy supply infrastructure needs to be built in tandem if large stranded asset costs are to be avoided.  Deploying hydrogen fuel cell, electric drive hybrid vehicles will require considerable investment in fueling equipment to realize their full potential to eliminate oil consumption and emissions, while creating many new jobs.  Devising solutions is a significant economic challenge.  The importance of these factors was anticipated in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.  Various federal and state budgets since the mid-1990s have funded considerable research, development and demonstration.  Industry and governments have invested more than $8B in RD&D, and markets are within reach.

California and 14 other states are implementing plans to require ZEVs soon.  GM, Toyota, Honda, Daimler, Ford, Hyundai/KIA, and Nissan-Renault have all announced commercial rollouts.  This briefing will explore the relative costs and technical challenges facing energy supplies for light duty ZEVs, and look towards their extensive deployment as cost-effective solutions evolve.  There will be preliminary remarks from several Members of Congress.  We expect a lively discussion.

• Benefits, Costs and Infrastructure-Solving the Challenges: Dr. C.E. Thomas, Board of Directors, National Hydrogen Association

• Synchronizing Rollout of Vehicles and Infrastructure-the German Agreements: Sascha Simon, Advanced Product Planning Group, Mercedes-BenzUSA

• Transforming the U.S. Transportation Sector: Charles Freese, Executive Director of Fuel Cell Activities, General Motors

• Progress in Hydrogen Fueling: Michael McGowan, Head of Strategic Alliances, Alternative Energy Solutions, The Linde Group

Moderators will be Jerome Hinkle, NHA Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs-
Please contact us for further information at (202) 223-5547 or visit www.hydrogenassociation.org.  RSVPs not needed.

Presentations from this event will be available on the NHA website at:  http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/policy/briefing_5mar10.asp

Washington, DC 20036-2701 U.S.A
Phone: 202-223-5547
Fax: 202-223-5537
Email:hinklej@HydrogenAssociation.org

Lewis Center, OH -NTM Sensors, a newly created division of NexTech Materials, Ltd., is pleased to announce a new hydrogen sensor, SenseH₂^tm.  With the tag line “We sense a GREEN future” NTM Sensors intends to introduce several new products aimed at reduction of greenhouse gas and polluting emissions.

NTM Sensors will make its debut at the Fuel Cell Expo in Japan on March 3^rd where it will be accepting orders for the SenseH₂^tm products. Dr. Lora Thrun, Director of Commercialization, recently commented that “… this innovative product represents a significant leap forward in hydrogen sensing technology, and we are looking forward to its imminent release and commercial success.”

Our first commercialized volume product, the SenseH₂^tm _, has been extensively beta tested for PEM fuel cell related applications, including forklift trucks, back-up power systems and electrolyzers.  The sensor is a turn-key solution for many applications.  It includes a patent pending chemi-resistive sensor element, electronic controls, and an electronic signal output that is calibrated to measure hydrogen content in air, by providing a voltage output corresponding to 0 to 100% of the lower flammability limit (LFL).   It offers a unique combination of features:  high selectivity to hydrogen over other combustible gases and VOCs, rapid response and recovery, insensitivity to humidity, and linear and repeatable output corresponding to a broad range of hydrogen concentrations.

NTM Sensor products are available directly through NTMSensors.com and through NexTech’s sales distribution network.  NexTech currently has distributors in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Europe and is continuing to expand its distribution network throughout the world.

About NTM Sensors

NTM Sensors’ vision is to be a global supplier of technologically advanced gas sensors. We will achieve this by productizing sensor innovations for energy and environmental markets.  By leveraging NexTech’s innovation, product development and manufacturing talents, we provide robust, cost effective solutions to customers in diverse markets.  For more information please visit our website www.ntmsensors.com.

About NexTech Materials, Ltd.

NexTech was founded as a privately held company in 1994 and has grown into one of Ohio’s leading technology companies. NexTech recently expanded its manufacturing and R&D facilities located in Lewis Center Ohio. NexTech has many products in its pipeline including fuel cell stacks for military and residential power applications, sensors for gas detection and control systems, catalysts for energy conversion systems, and membranes for gas separation devices. For more information, please visit our web site www.nextechmaterials.com.

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Contact:

Mr. Rick Lesueur

rhl@NTMSensors.com

(614) 842-6606, extension 128

NTM Sensors, A division of NexTech Materials

404 Enterprise Drive, Lewis Center, OH 43035