FuelCellsWorks

ONE YEAR AFTER THE WIN OF QUALITEC TECHNOLGY AWARD, ACTA ENERGY COMES BACK TO CARRARA TO AMAZE AGAIN.

It spent exactly one year since Acta Energy, Tuscan company specializing in systems for the production of clean energy, landed in Carrara offering to the pubblic an innovative product, but still young and being tested. In spite of this, the EL100, portable hydrogen generator, managed to win the Qualitec Technology Award with extreme happiness and satisfaction throughout the company.

Today, one year later, Acta Energy comes back to Carrara after making headlines for the initiatives undertaken over the whole 2010, including the launch of HIDRO the first tender powered by hydrogen. Thanks to the important feedback had in the nautical sector, new studies have been carried out, but also new implementations of existing products range, allowing anyone to be able to introduce, in their daily life, systems that can dramatically reduce harmful emissions without huge economicalinvestment.

The two innovation presented during the show were:

HIDRO SELF POWER. Compact and easy to transport and assemble, this system can generate hydrogen from clean solar energy at zero cost, without any environmental impact and in absolute autonomy. 1 kw photovoltaic canopy transfers solar energy to Acta’s hydrogen generator EL200 that transforms and accumulates solar energy in pure, compressed and dry hydrogen fuel, consuming only distilled water. HIDRO SELF POWER canopy takes limited space (approx 3m x 2m) and thanks to that could be easily installed anywhere.

HIDRO1000 POWERTRAIN. Electrical outboard engine connected to a Power Generator. Thanks to a fuel cell inside the Power Generator, the stored hydrogen is used to charge the internal battery of the electrical engine designed by Acta. The combination of Power Generator and HIDRO1000 POWER TRAIN, allows the enhancement of the boat performance in terms of autonomy, overcoming the main problems associated with classic electrical engines and coming close to the level of a petrol powered engine.

Another Leading Wholesaler Chooses Oorja Protonics Fuel Cells

FREMONT, CA — Today, Oorja Protonics announced that they have installed 24 OorjaPac Model III fuel cell systems towards a purchase order placed by EARP Distribution. Furthermore, the installation of 24 OorjaPac Model III fuel cells will fully convert EARP Distribution’s entire pallet jack fleet. This decision comes as EARP evaluated various state-of-the-art options for battery charging for its material handling fleet and selected the OorjaPac after considering various benefits such as energy savings, productivity and green benefits. Earp Distribution, which is the sole wholesale provider of foods and goods to approximately 450 restaurants in the Midwest, plan to use the Methanol fuel cells in its Kansas City distribution center.

“We are pleased that Earp Distribution is using our fuel cells. Oorja is looking forward to continuing to build our relationship with Earp Distribution” said Sanjiv Malhotra, founder and CEO of Oorja Protonics. “Earp’s leadership is showing that green solutions are good for business and the environment.”

About Oorja Protonics

Founded in 2005, Oorja Protonics is the leader in providing reliable and economical liquid fuel cells for the material handling industry. By leveraging its breakthrough technologies, Oorja manufactures the most efficient and powerful portable liquid fuel cells that significantly reduce operating costs and green house gas emissions. The company is headquartered in Fremont, CA. For more information, visit www.oorjaprotonics.com.

VANCOUVER–Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that it has been conditionally awarded up to C$7 million by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). This funding will be used to extend the operating life and lower the product cost of FCgen(TM)-1300, the fuel cell power plant that powers Ballard’s CLEARgen(TM) distributed generation system.

The first application of this new lower cost distributed generation solution is expected to be a six-megawatt (6MW) CLEARgen(TM) system at the ERCO Worldwide (ERCO) sodium chlorate plant in North Vancouver, British Columbia. ERCO is the specialty chemicals division of Superior Plus Corp. (TSX: SPB). The ERCO plant in North Vancouver generates large quantities of hydrogen, as a by-product of sodium chlorate production, and this by-product hydrogen can be used to power the Ballard CLEARgen(TM) system to generate megawatts of clean electricity.

John Sheridan, Ballard’s President and CEO stated, “This SDTC award, along with the co-investments by Ballard and ERCO, will enable our CLEARgen(TM) solution to become more competitive with grid power in regions that support zero-emission clean energy generation. This is a win-win-win program for Ballard, Vancouver and Canada, since it enables clean energy generation in Canada and export opportunities.”

“The technology being demonstrated through this project will allow the delivery of reliable power at a lower cost and with less greenhouse gas and air emissions,” said Vicky Sharpe, President and CEO of SDTC. “This is especially significant for remote communities, which currently have to rely on environmentally unfriendly and expensive means of generating power.”

“Our Government is committed to supporting clean energy technology in Canada as an effective measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create high-quality jobs for Canadians,” said Mark Warawa, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment and Member of Parliament for Langley. “This project is an example of our leadership in driving technology innovation to help create a viable clean energy industry in Canada.”

Paul Timmons, President of ERCO Worldwide added, “Electricity represents over seventy percent of our input costs, so this new fuel cell power generator will be a valuable cost management tool. It also supports our corporate goal to make efficient use of available resources as we continue measures to lower our carbon footprint.”

Terasen Gas is a leading integrated energy provider and will undertake a feasibility study to look at the use of heat created by the CLEARgen(TM) system at ERCO’s site for district heating applications in North Vancouver.

Ballard distributed generation fuel cell systems convert hydrogen into clean electricity through a non-combustion, zero-emission process. This clean electricity can be used by customers for base load power at their premises or for sale of power to the grid.

Ballard recently entered the distributed generation market, in addition to using the company’s clean energy fuel cell products for backup power, material handling and transit bus applications. In 2010 Ballard announced commissioning of a 1MW CLEARgen(TM) system in Ohio for FirstEnergy Generation Corp., one of the largest regional U.S. utilities, as well as a system sale to K2 Pure Solutions, which will use by-product hydrogen from its bleach production plant in California to generate clean electricity.

Receipt of SDTC project funding is contingent on final agreements being reached between Ballard, ERCO Worldwide and BC Hydro as well as internal Board approvals. Subject to these agreements being approved, the manufacturing and site commissioning work is planned for 2012-13.