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LOUGHBOROUGH, England–Intelligent Energy Holdings, the global clean power systems company, today announced that IECHP (UK and Eire) Ltd., a joint venture company formed in partnership with Scottish and Southern Energy, the FTSE 100 utilities company, has met with all mutually agreed milestones, triggering a further £3.7million investment from Intelligent Energy Holdings (IEH), Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Scottish Enterprise (SE).

“Scotland’s transition to a low carbon economy is already underway. For Scottish Enterprise, the transition is both about reducing emissions and exploiting new global economic opportunities through supporting innovative and ambitious young companies like IECHP.”

The joint venture combined Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell and hydrogen generation technologies with Scottish and Southern Energy’s considerable customer base and servicing business, to form IECHP (UK and Eire) Ltd., a company which has been developing fuel cell combined heat and power (CHP) systems for the residential, commercial and light industrial markets in the UK and Ireland since its creation in 2008.

Having invested an initial £1.3million, the companies pledged to make a further series of phased investments once certain milestones had been reached. By surpassing all mutually agreed milestones, IECHP (UK and Eire) Ltd. has now triggered a further £2.7million investment from SSE and IEH.

IECHP (UK and Eire) Ltd also welcomes Scottish Enterprise as a shareholder through a phased investment of up to £1million via its Scottish Venture Fund which invests alongside private sector partners to encourage greater levels of risk capital investment in early stage Scottish companies.

Dr Mark Lawson-Statham, Board Member of IECHP (UK and Eire) Ltd., commented, “This is an important step in the development of our business. The further investment from SSE and IEH serves to underscore the strong commitment of both companies to bring clean CHP technologies to the market. We are also delighted to be able to welcome Scottish Enterprise as a shareholder and look forward to playing a central role in the development of the hydrogen economy in Scotland.”

SSE has also strengthened its relationship with Intelligent Energy by purchasing shares in Intelligent Energy Holdings.

Ian Marchant, CEO, Scottish and Southern Energy, explained, “SSE is committed to the development of new low-carbon technologies in the distributed heat and generation sectors. It is our intention to offer our customers the best solution that provides the energy they need in a sustainable way. This investment is further evidence of our support for new technology development through investment and strategic partnerships with leading players in the clean technology sector. We look forward to continuing our support for this exciting development and our relationship with Intelligent Energy and Scottish Enterprise.”

Neil Ross, head of Scottish Enterprise’s Scottish Venture Fund, commented, “Scotland’s transition to a low carbon economy is already underway. For Scottish Enterprise, the transition is both about reducing emissions and exploiting new global economic opportunities through supporting innovative and ambitious young companies like IECHP.”

Dr. Henri Winand, Intelligent Energy CEO (far left), presents the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter to HRH The Duke of York, also in attendance were Prof. Shirley Pearce, Vice-Chancellor, Loughborough University, Dr. Jon Moore, Director of Communications, Intelligent Energy and Sean Crespin, Test Engineer, Intelligent Energy (left to right).

UKTI Special Representative for International Trade and Investment drives the Fuel Cell Black Cab

LOUGHBOROUGH, UK–  Intelligent Energy, the global clean power systems company, yesterday hosted a visit from His Royal Highness The Duke of York, Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. The Duke met with Intelligent Energy Chief Executive, Dr. Henri Winand, to view the company’s work and discuss the essential need for long-term investment in UK-based clean technology innovations.

As part of the visit to Intelligent Energy’s facilities in Loughborough, The Duke of York was given a live demonstration of the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter and also drove the hydrogen fuelled Fuel Cell Hybrid Black Cab. The hybrid taxi has recently garnered worldwide media interest, with Intelligent Energy receiving recognition for its role as lead partner in the consortium. The partners are poised to deliver a fleet of the zero emission Hybrid Taxis onto London’s roads by 2012.

“I am always encouraged to visit thriving UK businesses such as Intelligent Energy, particularly those bringing British technology to global markets,” commented The Duke of York. “It’s a real privilege to be able to present many of these companies and their ideas around the world. It’s also something I’m extremely proud of – we’re still very much world-beaters in this field.”

His Royal Highness took the opportunity to discuss, with Dr. Winand, the UKTI’s work in promoting UK business innovation across the globe and the challenge in transforming the UK into a low carbon economy.

“Intelligent Energy has reached a very exciting stage in the development of its clean power systems with the recent opening of Japanese and Indian offices” said Dr. Winand. “We are always proud to demonstrate how Intelligent Energy contributes to the commercialisation of clean technologies on an international stage; our Fuel Cell Hybrid Taxi, which The Duke of York drove, is a great example of this. Clearly, UK innovation is vital for international trade and to fully realise the genuine opportunities which now exist in the fast expanding clean technology sector.”

GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation will showcase its latest stand-up counterbalanced lift truck powered by a hydrogen fuel cell at Advanced Energy 2010, to be held Nov. 8 and 9 in New York City . The hydrogen fuel cell-powered Raymond® Model 4250 stand-up counterbalanced lift truck will be featured in the booths of the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium, Inc. (NY-BEST™), numbered 916 and 917. In addition, Steve Medwin, director of systems and advanced engineering for Raymond, will act as session chairperson for the Energy Storage Options for Transportation Applications seminar, during which he will discuss energy storage options for lift trucks.

Raymond launched the Raymond Model 4250 stand-up counterbalanced lift truck featuring the ComfortStance™ suspension in July 2010. In conjunction with its strategy to offer a full line of hydrogen fuel cell-compatible lift trucks, the Plug Power GenDrive™ fuel cell was qualified for the Raymond Model 4250.

Raymond has been a leader in the exploration of alternative energies for lift trucks for many years. Since its early adoption of the fuel cell, Raymond has played a key role in the testing and innovation of viable fuel cell products. In 2007, with the help of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Raymond created a “living lab” at the headquarters in Greene , N.Y. The living lab continues today, testing the next generation of fuel cells for their viability in lift trucks by using fuel cell-powered lift trucks in everyday material handling and manufacturing applications.

NY-BEST is an industry-focused coalition that works to build a vibrant, world-class advanced battery and energy-storage sector in New York state. Mike Field, president of engineering and operations division for Raymond, currently holds the position of vice chair and director on the board of NY-BEST.

For more information on Raymond’s fuel cell-powered lift trucks or to locate a Raymond Sales and Service Center , visit www.raymondcorp.com or call (800) 235-7200.

By ANTON TROIANOVSKI

Late last month, six box-shaped objects each almost as large as a shipping container arrived at the World Trade Center site on six trucks, were picked up by a crane, and deposited at the bottom of the construction pit near the intersection of Liberty Street and Church Street.

Some 30% of the electricity to power the four towers going up on the World Trade Center site will come from fuel cells. WSJ’s Anton Troianovski looks at how builders are trying to reduce the development’s reliance on the New York power grid.

The contents of the nondescript cargo: six fuel cells, which together will provide about 30% of the power for towers 3 and 4 of the World Trade Center office complex. Once the cells start providing power, the World Trade Center site will become one of the biggest fuel-cell installations in the world, the developers say.

Fuel cells have been a closely watched technology as concerns about greenhouse-gas emissions have increased. They create electricity through chemical reactions rather than by burning something. As a result, the major byproducts are water and heat.

Fuel cells already power some energy-guzzling commercial properties such as hospitals, supermarkets and bottling plants. But the technology still is in the relatively early stages of being used on a broad scale in commercial buildings because it’s complicated and often more expensive than conventional energy sources. Delivering those fuel cells, the likes of which will also power towers 1 and 2, was a key step in outfitting the buildings with the energy-efficient technology that developers Silverstein Properties Inc. and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will be touting as they face the daunting task of filling millions of square feet of new office space.

Constructing the skyscrapers with the latest in green-building technology was also a priority for government agencies and public-interest groups in the wake of the Twin Towers’ destruction. Gov. David Paterson said in 2008 that the new World Trade Center would be “an exemplar of environmental sustainability” and that he could “think of few sites in the country where the symbolism of this is more important.”

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Anton Troianovski for The Wall Street JournalSilverstein Properties delivered fuel cells to the tower site.

The fuel cells are one example of high-end energy efficiency. The old World Trade Center took in huge amounts of water from the Hudson River for cooling and energy generation. The new complex will include a smaller river-water plant to reduce the impact on the wildlife in the Hudson, and instead will take much of its electricity from the fuel cells, which use a chemical process to convert natural gas to electricity. The fuel cells are being paid for by the developers and the state of New York.

“If we can demonstrate that fuel cells work, that they can be highly effective, that they can achieve energy-saving goals, we hope that other owners of buildings and office buildings will choose to adopt them in the future,” said Janno Lieber, who heads the WTC project project for developer Larry Silverstein.

Tower 4, which is being built by Mr. Silverstein, and Tower 1, being built by the Port Authority, are scheduled to be complete in 2013. The timing of the completion of towers 2 and 3 will depend on market conditions. On Oct. 23, a day when three of the fuel cells were being lowered into place, another crane was delivering some of the trees that will dot the 9/11 memorial.

TOKYO–Shin-Etsu Polymer Co. (TSE:7970) has developed technology that slashes manufacturing costs for separators, a key component of fuel cells , by more than 50 per cent.

Fuel cells generate electricity by reacting hydrogen with oxygen from the air, with separators the key component sending the right amount of each element to electrodes for making electricity. Separators must be electrically conductive but not cause metallic or ionic elution.

Separators made with the new technology use commodity-grade polypropylene as the basic material. Phenol resin, polyphenylene sulfide and other high-cost materials have been used to date. But conductivity is ensured by mixing the polypropylene evenly with graphite made from powdered coke. Polypropylene also meets manufacturers’ demands for heat resistance.

Polypropylene not only costs around half as much as phenol resins, but also has a lower processing temperature, reducing production costs. The separators will be churned out at Shin-Etsu Polymer’s R&D center at its Tokyo plant, with annual sales targeted at 1 billion yen (US$121.4 million) in 2015.

The firm has already begun sample shipments to domestic and overseas manufacturers.

Universities from 19 countries represented in competition

WASHINGTON, DC - Team registration for the 2010-2011 Hydrogen Student Design Contest, Residential Fueling with Hydrogen, closed yesterday at 11:59PM ET.

The final field for the Contest includes 54 teams from 19 countries and five continents. Among the registrants in this year’s field are:

* 10 teams from the top 50 engineering schools in the world 1

* Seven teams from the top 20 engineering schools in the U.S. 2

* 2008 and 2010 Grand Prize Winner Missouri University of Science and Technology

* 2009 Grand Prize Winner University of Waterloo

* Numerous universities from prior Contests

Honda, a leading developer of home hydrogen refueling technologies, has also joined the Contest as a sponsoring organization. Honda joins the U.S. Department of Energy, Proton Energy Systems, International Association for Hydrogen Energy, and Praxair as supporters of the Contest.

The winners of this year’s Contest will be announced in February at Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy 2011 (formerly known as the NHA Hydrogen Conference and Expo). To learn more about the Contest and view the full list of participating teams visit www.HydrogenContest.org.

For more information on the Contest, please contact:

Josh Lieberman, Hydrogen Education Foundation

jlieberman@ttcorp.com

202.223.5547 x322

1 – U.S. News and World Report, 2010 World’s Best Universities: Engineering

2 – U.S. News and World Report, 2010 Best Engineering Schools: U.S.

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About the Hydrogen Student Design Contest

Organized by the Hydrogen Education Foundation, the annual Hydrogen Student Design Contest challenges university-level students to develop innovative solutions to key issues facing the hydrogen and fuel cell industries. The Contest showcases the talents of students in many disciplines, including engineering, architecture, marketing, and entrepreneurship. www.HydrogenContest.org

About the Hydrogen Education Foundation

The Hydrogen Education Foundation iadministers three hallmark programs: the H2 & You outreach program, the Hydrogen Student Design Contest, and the H-Prize Competition. www.HydrogenEducationFoundation.org

Novel cartridge delivers hydrogen energy when needed at much lower cost than disposable batteries

Singapore– Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies Pte Ltd announces today the successful development of a new proprietary hydrogen fuel generator technology targeting portable, military and aerospace markets. Pushing the limits further on price and performance, the innovation gives fuel cells an edge over today’s battery-based power systems.

Following three years of research on hydrogen fuel generator systems, Horizon’s scientific team came up with a cartridge which produces hydrogen when required, using a solid chemical system. The fuel cartridge does not require external hydration, operates at -10⁰C to 50⁰C, offers unlimited shelf-life before and after activation, and can be designed for both low cost and high performance market requirements.

“Horizon’s new development fills the energy gap which exists in today’s battery market, where power delivery is cheap but energy storage is expensive, especially during black-outs or off-grid situations,” says George Gu, Horizon Fuel Cell’s CEO. “For applications requiring less than 1kW of power, this is the only energy storage technology that simultaneously resolves long term storage, ease of use, safety and low cost.”

With the ability to retail as low as $9.99, the consumer version of Horizon’s new cartridge is designed to deliver up to 150Wh of energy – or the equivalent of one hundred disposable AA-size batteries each running at 1W of power. By reducing fuel cartridge costs by 80% over previously announced products, this new technology is expected to greatly increase the commercial potential for portable fuel cell products targeting off-grid energy supplies.

Additional innovations based on the new technology include the possibility to further increase the fuel energy density to more than 1kWh per kg for weight-sensitive solutions such as the AEROPAK, a compact fuel cell power system designed to increase the flight endurance of unmanned aircraft

ITM Power (AIM: ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, and the Carbon Trust, are pleased to announce Carbon Trust grant funding of £108,000 towards the development of the Company’s materials for application in automotive fuel cells.

ITM Power has demonstrated exceptionally high power densities by developing its proprietary hydrocarbon membrane materials for hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. A step change from the current state of the art has been achieved, with what is believed to be the highest power density ever recorded for a PEM fuel cell (5.5W/cm² and 10A/cm²).

The Carbon Trust is providing a technology development grant towards a five month project which aims to demonstrate the performance of the same family of materials in a hydrogen/air fuel cell. ITM will also benefit from accessing the Carbon Trust’s knowledge of the fuel cell sector and global industry network.

ITM Power has been developing its hydrocarbon membrane materials for several years for use in electrolysers and hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. The recent achievement of this outstanding fuel cell power density is evidence of the exceptional performance that ITM Power materials can achieve. State-of-the art cost modeling approaches – including a recently developed analysis by the Carbon Trust – show that increases in power density offer the greatest opportunity for fuel cell system cost reduction, highlighting the potential of ITM Power’s unique offering.

ITM Power’s previous fuel cell research has focused on the use of hydrogen and oxygen to harmonise operation with the Company’s electrolyser products for energy storage. A commercial system for a vehicle however requires air to be used as the oxidant. The initial target for this project is to achieve an ambitious 1.5W/cm2 on air.

The drive of this project is to build on current laboratory results to establish a solid foundation from which the potential for ITM Power’s materials to offer a step-change in the cost of automotive fuel cells can be pursued. The project will examine sensitivities against primary operational variables and seek to reduce technical risks associated with adoption of a new membrane technology in the automotive sector. Specifically, work packages will examine relationships between power density, catalyst loading, humidity, temperature, stoichiometry and longevity. Impacts on the fuel cell cost structure will be evaluated via the Carbon Trust’s existing cost model.

ITM Power’s record power density performance was first brought to the attention of the Carbon Trust through the Polymer Fuel Cells Challenge (PFCC). The PFCC is an investment initiative led by the Carbon Trust to accelerate the commercialisation of breakthrough polymer fuel cell technologies which could enable a step-change in cost reduction, unlocking mass-market penetration and large-scale carbon savings. The project announced today stems from the PFCC and will pursue these goals. Further announcements related to the PFCC will follow in the coming months.

In order to ensure effort is directed most effectively, ITM Power is now seeking partnerships with commercial end users to provide input to the development process. A successful project would provide a pathway towards continued development and qualification of ITM Power’s materials as a commercial alternative to the existing membrane materials currently utilised in automotive fuel cell applications. In this context, this project is considered a first step in the process of justifying a more comprehensive onward development programme with OEM commercial partners.

Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the FCHV-adv, is to make its UK debut next weekend.

The car – based on the American Highlander SUV – has already been tested in real-world conditions in California and has now been entered in the Brighton to London Future Car Challenge, running alongside Toyota’s Prius and Auris petrol-electric hybrids.

Toyota says that the FCHV-adv represents its latest development of hybrid fuel cell technology, which delivers emissions-free running and the kind of performance that measures up to standard petrol or diesel-powered vehicles. Its four high-pressure tanks have a combined capacity of 156 litres, giving a potential cruising range of more than 500 miles. It also shows the potential to use hybrid as a core technology for engineering different low or zero-emissions powertrains.

Five FCHV-adv will be running in Germany next year as part of the Clean Energy Partnership’s project to promote sustainable transport. The initiative, supported by Toyota as an international auto partner, will also see hydrogen filling stations opened and a fuel supply network put in place.

The FCHV-adv will be brought to market from 2015.

Reliability test of fuel cell system

Powering of boat in 162 km trip through Stockholm archipelago

A boat powered by a fuel cell system has made a trip from Stockholm to Öregrund in the north of the Stockholm archipelago. The trip took place Sunday-Monday 17-18 October. The fuel cell system was based on the Cellkraft S-1000 fuel cell and the Genesis 20L-D reformer. The test was part of project performed by Cellkraft, financed by the Swedish Defence Material Administration. The purpose has been to demonstrate a robust and efficient fuel cell system to generate electric power from methanol. The journey had a total length of 86,5 nautical miles (162 km). It was performed in two non-stop day trips in a small boat with a two men crew. The average speed was 4,6 knots. 13 litres of methanol was consumed. The energy content is equal to 5 litres of diesel.

The boat was propelled by an electric outboard engine that got electric power from a fuel cell. The fuel cell was fed with hydrogen from a reformer that continuously converts methanol to hydrogen. The test is likely the first fuel cell powered boat trip in Sweden and one of the longest in the world. The energy consumption was 0,06 diesel equivalent per nautical mile.

KINGSTON/OSHAWA, ON –  A researcher’s discovery of an inexpensive new material for potential use in hydrogen fuel cells at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has been awarded $18,000 in additional development funding by GreenCentre Canada.

The material, discovered by Dr. Brad Easton, Assistant Professor of Chemistry in UOIT’s Faculty of Science, shows promise as a more cost-effective, greener alternative to the materials currently used in a fuel cell’s Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM). This membrane is a crucial component in the fuel cell’s power system.

As a potential power source for electric motors, fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. Fuel cells are seen as a cleaner alternative to the internal combustion engine.

Dr. Easton’s technology has the advantage over existing membrane materials of being inexpensive to produce and of being able to function at a temperature range of 120 to 150 degrees Celsius, the U.S. Department of Energy’s target benchmark for the next generation of fuel cells. Current membrane materials are extremely costly to manufacture and only operate efficiently at temperatures under 80 degrees Celsius.

“GreenCentre’s Proof of Principle funding is valuable to us at this stage of our work,” says Dr. Easton. “It gives us the opportunity to explore a variety of chemical modifications for improving the mechanical strength and flexibility of these membranes.”

“Working with GreenCentre is a great way to bring technologies developed by talented academics like Dr. Easton closer to market, and closer to making an impact on people’s lives,” says Dr. Ann Dulhanty, Manager, Technology Transfer and Commercialization at UOIT.

“Membrane properties and their production cost are critical barriers to widespread adoption of fuel cell technology,” says Dr. Michael Szarka, Commercial Development Director at GreenCentre Canada. “The superior characteristics suggested by Dr. Easton’s work make his technology potentially very interesting to the fuel cell and automotive sectors.”

“This funding is an example of how GreenCentre is addressing Canada’s ‘innovation gap’ effectively and substantively,” says Dr. Rui Resendes, Executive Director. “GreenCentre is unique for the way in which it directs the people, infrastructure and resources towards finding and building value in promising Canadian research discoveries.”

To date, GreenCentre has awarded more than $180,000 in Proof of Principle funding to seven researchers at six universities across Canada. Funded projects include energy-efficient compounds for removing C0₂ from industrial gas emissions, the development of organic superconducting polymers and a green method for removing harmful metals from industrial wastewater.

GreenCentre expects to award up to 25 funding grants annually in support of technologies that have strong commercialization potential but require further basic research or testing before they can be reassessed for market value.

Proton Power Systems plc (AIM:PPS), a leading designer, developer and producer of fuel cells and fuel cell electric hybrid systems, is pleased to announce the success of the first testing phase for the range extender system for Smith Electric Vehicles (”Smith”). The Group is conducting trials on the ‘Smith Edison’ light commercial vehicle, which is based on the Ford Transit chassis.

Once trials on the Smith Edison have been completed, Proton Power will commercially launch its system in the ‘Newton’, Smith’s 7.5 to 12.0 tonne all-electric truck.

The initial phase of the operation, which began in September 2010 at the Stuttgart DLR Institute, showed that the additional energy from Proton Power’s fuel cell system provided a significant increase to Edison’s operational range. The final range benefit will depend on the size of the integrated fuel cell system, the onboard storage capacity for hydrogen and the vehicle’s drive cycle. Overall, the positive trial results are in line with the Group’s expectations.

Commenting on the range extender system, Thomas Melczer, CEO of Proton Power, said:  ”We are delighted that the first phase of testing for our range extender has been such a success and we believe it will provide a significant improvement for the market of electric powered light duty vehicles. The improved range of operation opens up exciting new possibilities to the Group as we begin to address a wider market segment. I wish to thank the whole team at Proton Power and Smith for their efforts in achieving these excellent results.”

Kevin Harkin, Sales Director for Smith Electric Vehicles, said: “Enhancing the range capabilities broadens the application for electric vehicles within large fleets, without compromising our zero emission philosophy.  Through the trials, we have already received notable interest from fleet operators in the Proton Power system and we look forward to reporting in due course on the next stage of development.”

The second phase of testing will include the complete integration of the Proton Power system into a Smith vehicle and is expected to run until summer 2011. The Group expects the commercial launch of the vehicles towards the end of 2011.