FuelCellsWorks

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that as part of an interagency partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to strengthen American energy security and develop new clean energy technologies, DOD will be installing and operating 18 fuel cell backup power systems at eight military installations across the country.  The Departments will test how the fuel cells perform in real world operations, identify any technical improvements manufacturers could make to enhance performance, and highlight the benefits of fuel cells for emergency backup power applications. The projects are being conducted under the Memorandum of Understanding (PDF – 328kb) signed between the two Departments in July 2010.

These projects will accelerate the deployment of this important clean electricity technology at DOD facilities and provide valuable data that will help identify future research areas for fuel cells.  Continued R&D efforts will enable further reductions in the costs of fuel cells, and as costs continue to come down, fuel cells will become increasingly competitive in the commercial marketplace.

“The shared vision of the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense for a safe, secure energy future provides us with a strong foundation to work together on specific technologies,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Projects like these fuel cell systems will help reduce fossil fuel use and improve energy reliability at military installations across the country.”

Over the last decade, DOE has invested in research and development projects to advance key fuel cell components such as catalysts and membranes at several companies including 3M, Dupont, Gore, Johnson Matthey, and BASF.  This research has helped reduce the costs of fuel cells by up to 80 percent since 2002, and many of these innovations are now being used in the fuel cell units being deployed by DOD.

The following eight military installations will be receiving emergency fuel cell backup power units:

• Fort Bragg, North Carolina
• Fort Hood, Texas
• The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York
• Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
• Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey
• Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, Colorado
• U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms, California
• The Ohio National Guard, Columbus, Ohio

America’s military pays a high price in terms of added costs, risk of life, and lost operational flexibility to deliver fuel supplies and power to combat forces.  Reducing or replacing fossil fuels with clean energy technologies like fuel cells can help address these vulnerabilities and improve energy security at military facilities across the U.S. and ultimately across the globe.

Compared with diesel generators, which are often used for backup power, fuel cells use no petroleum, are quieter, and produce fewer pollutants and emissions.  Fuel cells also typically require less maintenance than either generators or batteries, and can easily be monitored remotely to reduce maintenance time.

The primary challenge facing currently available fuel cells is the higher first cost for the units, compared to the conventional technologies they replace.  Targeted fuel cell demonstrations, like the backup power systems that will be installed under the DOE-DOD partnership, may increase the scale of deployment and help improve the economics of the technology, which could lead to more widespread adoption and use.

The eight DOD installations were chosen based on responses from a joint DOD-DOE project proposal request. LOGANEnergy of Sandy Springs, Georgia will manage the project, using fuel cells from four manufacturers: ReliOn, Inc. of Spokane, Washington; Altergy Systems of Folsom, California; Idatech, LLC of Bend, Oregon; and Hydrogenics Corporation of Ontario, Canada.

The $6.6 million project is a joint effort by DOD’s U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. DOD will manage the project and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will collect performance data for the first two years of this five-year demonstration.  The NREL data will be available to fuel cell developers and commercial and government leaders interested in adopting this technology.

The interagency agreement covers a number of clean energy topic areas, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, alternative fuels, efficient transportation technologies and fueling infrastructure, as well as smart grid and energy storage technologies.  By working together, DOE and DOD can help promote scientific and technological innovation and accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge energy technologies that will strengthen American energy security and create new jobs for U.S. workers.

DOE’s Fuel Cell Technologies Program has funded research and development of catalysts, membranes, and other fuel cell components that has resulted in more than 250 patents and 30 commercially available technologies, many of which are in the military backup power systems announced today.  More information is available on DOE’s Fuel Cell Technologies Program webpage.

GenDrive Order Acceleration Strengthens Market Position for Fuel Cells in Material Handling

LATHAM, N.Y. — Plug Power Inc. (Nasdaq:PLUG) today highlights its GenDrive^® sales growth with material handling customers in North America. The build-out of Plug Power’s manufacturing pipeline has made strategic supply chain initiatives a priority. Preparing the company to meet customer product delivery targets, Plug Power issued a purchase order commitment to Ballard Power Systems (TSX:BLD) (Nasdaq:BLDP) for its fuel cell stacks used in the GenDrive product suite.

GenDrive is a superior power source to lead-acid batteries for electric lift trucks in material handling applications. Lift truck fleets powered by hydrogen fuel cell systems, rather than incumbent sources like lead-acid batteries, provide the benefits of extended runtime, no power degradation and quick hydrogen refueling, which can result in increased productivity for high throughput fleet operations.

With these tremendous benefits over lead-acid batteries, Plug Power sees a path to profitability by leveraging its GenDrive product line. The company expects to ship between 1,600 and 2,300 GenDrive units during 2011, increasing to 3,400 to 4,400 units for calendar year 2012.

Plug Power has witnessed sales growth in the material handling market since exclusive dedication was placed on the business in 2010. Plug Power’s impressive customer list includes major material handling players like Sysco, Walmart Canada, FedEx Freight, Central Grocers, Coca-Cola and Kroger.

As Plug Power continues to accumulate orders for its GenDrive product from some of North America’s largest material handling customers, the need for a robust and reliable supply chain is critical. Plug Power and Ballard currently have an existing, mutually exclusive, supply agreement through 2014. Plug Power uses the Ballard FCvelocity^®-9SSL fuel cell stack in its suite of GenDrive systems used to power class-1 sit down counterbalanced trucks, class-2 reach trucks and class-3 pallet jacks.

Building upon this agreement, Plug Power has placed a purchase order for a minimum 3,250 fuel cell stacks over the next 18-month period, for use in its GenDrive fuel cell product. The Ballard fuel cell stacks will range in power from 1.5 kilowatts to 20.0 kilowatts each. Continued partnership under this new contract, as well as cooperation on future product developments, is expected to facilitate reductions in system cost, expand the set of addressable applications and increase geographic reach.

Andy Marsh, President and CEO of Plug Power said, “As we drive toward profitability, Plug Power has seen orders accelerate, with material handling customers continuing to convert distribution center lift truck fleets to GenDrive hydrogen fuel cell power. This agreement with Ballard is a reflection of the continuing growth of the sector, including new customers like Kroger Co. and repeat customers such as Sysco, who all feed into our manufacturing pipeline.”

John Sheridan, Ballard’s President and CEO said, “This agreement enables further fuel cell stack cost reductions, which will strengthen competitiveness of fuel cell solutions compared to lead acid batteries. Together with ongoing systems development work underway at Plug Power, this will impact growth in the North American market and in Europe, as well.”

About Plug Power Inc.

The architects of modern fuel cell technology, Plug Power revolutionized the industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints.  Long-standing relationships with industry leaders forged the path for Plug Power’s key accounts, including Wegmans, Whole Foods, and FedEx Freight.  With more than 1,200 GenDrive units shipped to material handling customers, accumulating over 2.5 million hours of runtime, Plug Power manufactures tomorrow’s incumbent power solutions today. Additional information about Plug Power is available at www.plugpower.com.

• Deal underscores growing global demand for clean solutions in material handling operations

VANCOUVER–Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) today announced a purchase order commitment from Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) for a minimum 3,250 fuel cell stacks over the next 18-month period, for use in the material handling market.

The deal – structured under an existing equipment supply agreement between the companies that runs through 2014 – calls for Plug Power’s minimum purchase of 3,250 Ballard fuel cell stacks by the end of 2012, with power levels ranging from 1.5 kilowatts to 20.0 kilowatts each. Ballard anticipates that both the scale and cadence of associated product shipments will contribute to increased manufacturing efficiency and reduced fuel cell stack cost.

John Sheridan, Ballard’s President and CEO said, “This agreement enables further fuel cell stack cost reductions, which will strengthen competitiveness of fuel cell solutions compared to lead acid batteries. Together with ongoing systems development work underway at Plug Power, this will impact growth in the North American market and in Europe, as well.”

Ballard FCvelocity^®-9SSL fuel cell stacks are integrated by Plug Power into its line of GenDrive^® systems, which the company has designed to address the complete range of class-1, -2 and -3 forklift trucks for the North American market. Plug Power is also working to develop GenDrive^® systems with Ballard fuel cell stacks which can facilitate further reductions in system cost, expand the set of addressable applications and increase geographic reach.

Andy Marsh, President and CEO of Plug Power said, “As we drive toward profitability, Plug Power has seen orders accelerate, with material handling customers continuing to convert distribution center lift truck fleets to GenDrive hydrogen fuel cell power. This agreement with Ballard is a reflection of the continuing growth of the sector, including new customers like Kroger Co. and repeat customers such as Sysco, who all feed into our manufacturing pipeline.”

Plug Power GenDrive^® systems using Ballard fuel cell stacks have been deployed with a number of leading North American distributors and manufacturers, including Whole Foods, BMW, Central Grocers, Coca-Cola, FedEx Freight, Sysco, Walmart Canada and Wegmans.

BOULDER, Colo.–Hydrogen is widely used for its chemical properties in a range of industrial applications. Fuel cells that use direct hydrogen are opening up a new business opportunity for hydrogen suppliers – one with potentially high demand if some key markets take off. The key direct hydrogen fuel cell applications that are currently seeing traction are light duty vehicles, forklifts, buses, stationary power, and scooters. These fuel cell market present different infrastructure buildout pathways, with varying opportunities and challenges.

According to a new report from Pike Research, as a result of this infrastructure investment, more than 5,200 hydrogen fueling stations for cars, buses and forklifts will be operational worldwide by 2020, up from just 200 stations in 2010. The cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that, by the end of that period, annual investment in hydrogen stations will reach $1.6 billion, with a cumulative 10-year investment totaling $8.4 billion. The increased utilization of hydrogen as a fuel will drive annual demand from approximately 775,000 kilograms (kg) in 2010 to 418 million kg by 2020.

“There is no one clear business model for the hydrogen infrastructure market at present,” says senior analyst Lisa Jerram. “Currently, the major players in hydrogen fueling are large multinationals: the industrial gas companies, and the energy and gas companies, both those that operate retail gas stations and those that provide fuels for the grid. These companies tend to favor large-scale hydrogen infrastructure options.”

Jerram adds that some smaller “independent” hydrogen suppliers that are developing and marketing smaller onsite hydrogen generator technologies could offer a more modular path to hydrogen infrastructure buildout. Yet another pathway is presented by vehicles using very small quantities of hydrogen, such as scooters. These vehicles can be fueled by small solid state hydrogen cartridges, which are readily distributed in retail outlets.

Pike Research’s analysis indicates that forklifts will be the largest driver of hydrogen fuel demand by 2020, representing 36% of the total market by that time. The other large application categories include light duty vehicles, which will consume 33% of total hydrogen, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for stationary power, which will represent 27% of the total. Fuel cell buses and scooters will each be a relatively small percentage of total hydrogen demand.

Pike Research’s report, “Hydrogen Infrastructure”, analyzes the dynamics of global demand for hydrogen fuel and the infrastructure investments that will support fueling stations for fuel cell light duty vehicles, buses, forklifts, scooters, and stationary power applications. The study includes an examination of market issues, technology issues, and the competitive landscape within the hydrogen infrastructure industry. Market forecasts for hydrogen demand and fueling infrastructure, segmented by application and geography, are provided through 2020. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Grid, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors. For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com or call +1.303.997.7609.

Carillion Purchases HOST

18 July 2011

ITM Power the energy storage and clean fuel company, is pleased to announce that Carillion plc has entered into a one week paid-for Hydrogen On Site Trials (HOST) of ITM Power’s transportable high pressure refueling unit (HFuel). The HFuel unit was built with support from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and was launched at the Company’s AGM on 15th September 2010.

Carillion plc is one of the UK’s leading support services companies, employing around 50,000 people, and has annual revenue of over £5bn. Carillion has operations across the UK, in Canada and the Middle East.

Commenting for ITM Power, CEO Graham Cooley said: “We are delighted that Carillion plc will be joining our HOST trials and has made the commitment to enter into a paid-for trial in July for us to fit in to our busy schedule of trials. This is a real opportunity for ITM Power to show the benefits of HFuel for producing a clean fuel which demonstrates hydrogen cost “parity with petrol” and contributes to decarbonising transport, improving air quality and eliminating carbon from the fuel supply chain.”

Doug Randell, Operations Manager for Carillion Fleet & Plant services, added: “At Carillion we want to offer serious low carbon transport solutions for our clients that also enable Carillion to meet its long term goals for sustainability. We view ITM Power’s HFuel technology as playing a potentially important role, and look forward to the commencement of the trial later this month.”

EL SEGUNDO, CA– Vision Industries Corp. (OTCBB: VIIC) announces that it has received a Letter of Intent from Total Transportation Services, Inc. (TTSI) of Rancho Dominguez, California, to purchase one hundred zero emission Tyrano™ hydrogen fuel cell-electric class 8 heavy-duty trucks at a total purchase price of approximately $27,000,000 dollars. The purchase is subsequent to the successful trial of the initial vehicle which will be delivered to TTSI on Friday the 22^nd of July. The Letter of Intent also opens the door for TTSI to purchase an additional three hundred Vision trucks, bringing the total value of a TTSI sales contract to approximately $108 million dollars.

“We are pleased to see such demand from a trucking company of TTSI’s caliber. It underlines our assumptions that there are multiple commercial applications for our hydrogen powered zero emission big rigs in today’s trucking industry,” says Martin Schuermann, CEO of Vision Industries Corp.

To jumpstart the LOI, TTSI will take delivery of the first Vision Tyrano™ zero emission truck for testing in commercial revenue service. The initial truck will perform typical drayage operations, hauling freight containers from port terminals in the Ports of Los Angles and Long Beach to rail yards and other distribution facilities.

“Up and above the benefit of Zero Emissions, we at TTSI feel that this fuel format is the only true way to break our dependence on imported fuel. Hydrogen is the most abundant resource on the planet,” says Vic La Rosa, President of Total Transportation Services, Inc.

TTSI will take delivery of the initial zero emission truck at a Kick-off Event on July 22, 2011 at Vision’s El Segundo R&D Facility. The Kick-Off Event is being called “The Birthplace of the Hydrogen Economy — the Future of Transportation Today.” The vehicle is part of a project funded jointly by Vision and the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles through the Technology Advancement Program (TAP).

About Total Transportation Services, Inc. (TTSI)
Headquartered in Rancho Dominguez, CA, TTSI is a national , progressive, asset based logistics provider with distinct expertise in distributing imports in the US, Canada, and Mexico. TTSI offers agile distribution solutions and transportation options for the simplest delivery to the most complex supply networks. TTSI operates full-service drayage, rail service and warehousing for full container and LCL Shipments from the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Diego, Norfolk, and Seattle/Tacoma. For more information about Total Transportation Services, Inc., please visit www.tts-i.com.

About Vision Industries
Vision is a developer of zero emission electric/hydrogen hybrid powered vehicles and turnkey hydrogen fueling systems. Vision’s proprietary electric/hydrogen hybrid drive system combines the superior acceleration of a battery powered electric vehicle with the extended range provided by a hydrogen fuel cell. For more information on Vision Industries Corp., please visit www.visionindustriescorp.com

Wolfgang Bay und Dr. Sven Kerzenmacher (from left) / Photo: Dr. Sven Kerzenmacher

Implants that obtain their energy from blood sugar and oxygen: Dr. Sven Kerzenmacher at the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) of the University of Freiburg is researching the development of biological fuel cells with the goal of finding an inexhaustible source of power in the human body. He has been awarded the 2011 FAM Research Prize for his dissertation by the Forum for Applied Microsystems Technology (FAM). The prize is worth 2,500 euros.

Researchers have yet to find an optimal method for supplying implantable medical microsystems with electrical energy. The batteries of a pacemaker, for instance, need to be replaced after roughly eight years – meaning a strenuous and expensive surgical intervention for the patient. An alternative approach is to use rechargeable batteries. However, the necessity of recharging the batteries greatly reduces the patient’s quality of life. The idea behind Sven Kerzenmacher’s research, on the other hand, is the possibility of using of implantable glucose fuel cells on the basis of noble metal catalysts like platinum. Such catalysts are particularly well suited for use in implant systems due to their long-term stability and the fact that they can be sterilized. In the future, systems equipped with these fuel cells could be supplied with power by way of a continuous electrochemical reaction between glucose and oxygen from the tissue fluid.
Kerzenmacher and his team aim to apply a thin coat of the fuel cells they have developed to the surface of the implant. The advantages of this technique over existing technologies stem from the fact that the fuel cells are only half as thick while delivering a 30 percent increase in performance. Moreover, platinum electrodes are not sensitive to unwanted chemical reactions like hydrolysis and oxidation. Kerzenmacher and his research group consisting of biologists, chemists, and engineers are currently developing new materials and techniques to improve the performance of the fuel cells.

The prize was presented at the IMTEK Research Day on 14 July 2011 by FAM Chairman Wolfgang Bay from the sensor manufacturer SICK AG, Waldkirch. FAM supports practical training for engineering students at the University of Freiburg and promotes exchange between IMTEK and the industrial sector, the government, and society. It consists of six board members from private companies and the university as well as numerous member companies. Each year the association awards the prize for outstanding scientific achievements, developments, and innovations in microsystems technology.

Further information:
www.imtek.de/fam
www.imtek.uni-freiburg.de/forschungstag/forschungstag2011.pdf

BOC has launched a new lightweight hydrogen cylinder, which will provide the energy source for its Hymera fuel cell generator. The Hymera power source is used in a variety of low-energy, high-efficiency applications.

The 150 W Hymera PEM fuel cell generator was launched last year by BOC, a member of The Linde Group. The units are already being used in a range of off-grid applications such as construction and railway maintenance – and increasingly in lighting projects.

‘With products like Hymera and the new cylinder, BOC is making the hydrogen economy a reality,’ says Stewart Dow, Packaged Energy Manager at BOC. ‘Hymera is already being used in commercially viable applications for the rail, construction and security industries.’

David Isherwood, Hire & Technical Director of White Light Ltd, one of the UK’s largest live event lighting companies, has been offering the Hymera fuel cell generator to customers over the last year.

‘We have been using a number of Hymera fuel cell power generators built into a self-contained off-grid lighting system,’ says Isherwood. ‘It is easy to set up and operate, and the units have performed very well.’

The new cylinder could keep a modern laptop powered for almost a week of continuous usage. It features an integrated valve regulator, with the output pressure controllable from 0 to 10 bar (145 psi).

When full, the cylinder weighs just over 10 kg and contains 2 m3 of hydrogen. When converted to electricity via a fuel cell at 50% efficiency, this generates just under 3 kWh of electrical energy.

A hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system developed by Sandia and several industry partners was deployed to the site of the final space shuttle launch on July 8 and observed by visitors, shuttle astronauts and members of the international media.

LIVERMORE, Calif. — Fuel cells are used in the space shuttle as one component of the electrical power system, so perhaps it was appropriate that a hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system could be seen on the grounds of the Kennedy Space Center as the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched into space last week, the 135th and final mission for the NASA Space Shuttle Program.

The lighting system, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) in conjunction with Boeing Co., and developed by Sandia National Laboratories with several industry partners, was deployed to the site of the final space shuttle launch and observed by visitors, shuttle astronauts and members of the international media.

The unit provided lighting in the international press area, and its auxiliary power was used to conveniently recharge the camera battery packs for a number of photographers at the event. The NASA deployment was the latest in a series of high-profile test sites where the lighting system has been utilized.

The hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system is a clean, quiet and efficient alternative to traditional technologies commonly powered by diesel fueled generators. The system features a fuel cell running on pure hydrogen, resulting in zero-emission electrical power. The fuel cell produces electricity for an advanced, power-saving Light Emitting PlasmaTM (LEP) lighting system and additional auxiliary power up to 2.5 kW, which allows additional equipment (such as power tools, public address systems or security metal detectors) to be powered by the unit at the same time the system is providing illumination.

Current mobile lighting typically uses diesel fueled generators that produce greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide nitrogen oxides, which produce pollutants and create smog, and soot, making them environmentally objectionable. In addition, diesel units are noisy and can create a safety hazard when construction personnel are distracted and cannot hear oncoming traffic.

Sandia researchers estimate that a single hydrogen fuel cell-powered lighting system would offset 900 gallons of diesel fuel per year and completely eliminate soot, nitrogen-oxide and carbon-dioxide emissions, allowing the system to be used indoors in contrast to current diesel technology.

“This hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system has the very real potential to drastically reduce dependence on diesel-fueled mobile lighting across the United States and abroad,” said Lennie Klebanoff, Sandia’s project lead.

The prototype system has been tested in a variety of environments and has primarily focused on the entertainment, transportation and airport sectors. In addition to NASA (which also used the system during the Space Shuttle Endeavor launch) customers who have provided test sites include the California Department of Transportation, the 2010 Academy Awards ceremony, the 2011 Golden Globe Awards, the 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards and the 2011 Grammy Awards. Boeing, the San Francisco International Airport and Paramount Pictures will soon be deploying units as well.

In addition to the DOE’s sponsorship and Sandia’s design and technical management role, the industry partners on the project include Boeing, Multiquip Inc., Altergy Systems, Luxim Corp., Lumenworks Inc., Stray Light Optical Technologies, Golden State Energy and Ovonic Hydrogen Solutions. The California Fuel Cell Partnership has provided support on hydrogen fuel for several deployments. Multiquip is implementing a manufacturing and commercialization plan for the system.

Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness.

Expansion

Topsoe Fuel Cell is expanding its stack production facilities with kick-off in July 2011. The need for extra production capacity arises as Topsoe Fuel Cell expects demand to exceed current capacity already in 2013.

The facility will be placed in Ravnholm, 35 km north of Copenhagen, in an existing building near the current plant. Inauguration is planned to take place in December 2012. The production will be established step by step and will be fully expanded in 2016, making it possible to meet the estimated 2016 demand.

New stack production

The new facility is an important step towards industrialization of the stack production using state-of-the-art production technology. It will also enable Topsoe Fuel Cell to improve quality, speed up cost reduction and meet the rapidly increasing demand.
Based on the experience gained from the new facility, Topsoe Fuel Cell expects to be able to implement a large-scale industrial production of fuel cell stacks in Denmark and abroad from 2016.
The design of the expansion takes place in close cooperation between the engineering company Alectia, parent company Haldor Topsøe and Topsoe Fuel Cell.

About Alectia

Alectia is a leading Danish consulting company with 700 employees. Alectia has projects around the world and provides services to the building and civil works sectors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry as well as within occupational health and safety, water, energy and the environment. Read more on www.alectia.com

Impression Forze IV

Written by r.e.t.meijer

APFCT has just won a project contract of Taiwan BOE to build a fleet of 80 units of fuel cell scooters for demonstration and validation of fuel cell technologies.

Previously, APFCT built and run a fleet of 10 fuel cell scooter under the same BOE subsidy program. This new project is the continuation of previous project and takes the demonstration and validation progress to a further stage to be tested in real life usage. There scooters will be used by people in different areas and scenarios of daily usage, for example, for work commute or tourist rental. Another focus of this project is to closely understand user perception and their experience of using fuel cell scooters. This project will also collect information of its hydrogen supply model, metal hydride canister exchange model. The manufacturing of the scooter fleet is expected to be finished in May next year and then the implementation of fleet operation will kick off.

Ceres Power today welcomed the Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, Mark Prisk MP, to conduct the official opening of its volume fuel cell manufacturing facility in Horsham, Sussex.

Ceres Power has created more than 170 highly skilled ‘Green Collar’ jobs at the manufacturing facility in Horsham and technology centre in Crawley. As part of the Group’s plans for a mass market launch of the CHP product in the UK, the manufacturing facility can be expanded to produce up to 30,000 fuel cell CHP products per annum which will create substantial additional skilled jobs in advanced manufacturing engineering and operations and the local supply chain. There are also further opportunities to export significant volumes of the CHP product globally.

Ceres Power has completed the first phase of its advanced fuel cell manufacturing facility that produces the Group’s unique fuel cell module. The fuel cell module is integrated within a compact wall mounted residential Combined Heat and Power (’CHP’) product that replaces a conventional boiler and also generates almost all of a typical home’s electricity. The Group has partnered with British Gas to sell, install, service and maintain the CHP product in UK homes, offering households savings of up to 25% of their annual total energy costs and reducing their CO₂ emissions.

As part of the visit, the Minister of State toured the factory seeing fuel cells being manufactured and CHP products being assembled and undergoing lifetime testing in the Group’s new test facilities.

Mark Prisk MP, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise said:

“Here in Britain we have a vibrant low carbon environmental goods and services market which is already the sixth largest in the world and worth £112 billion. It is thanks to innovative research and product development by companies such as Ceres Power that we are leading the world with this sort of technology and which will help us realise our ambition to make the UK a leading high tech, highly skilled economy.

“Ceres Power’s work in developing a revolutionary new product that can convert natural gas into electricity and heat without burning it will cut costs of annual energy bills and has the potential to make a major contribution to reducing carbon emissions in millions of homes in the UK and across Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURTRUSD ) .”

Brian Count, Executive Chairman of Ceres Power, commented:

“Ceres Power is committed to continuing to commercialise its world-leading technology and position the UK as a leader in the deployment and manufacture of low carbon advanced manufactured products. We look forward to creating significant further skilled jobs in the UK and generating export opportunities in partnership with the UK government.”

Lifeloc Technologies, Inc., a Colorado based manufacturer of breath alcohol testers, announces the immediate availability of the FC20BT (Bluetooth®), a new addition to its industry leading line of Law Enforcement, Corrections and International Breath Alcohol Testing Systems.

Lifeloc’s product manager Kelly Silverman commented, “Bluetooth gives users more connectivity options and peripheral choices than previously available in the industry. The FC20BT can be factory paired with Lifeloc’s wireless printer and compact wireless keyboard for on-the-go productivity. Additionally, the FC20BT is interoperable with a range of device types, such as handheld mobile computers.”

Benefits of the new the FC20BT wireless system include greater ease of testing, improved mobility, and extended ROI on current wireless system devices.

“Lifeloc pioneered wireless breath alcohol testing in the DOT regulated workplace market with our Phoenix 6.0BT solution. Adoption was immediate,” says John Rhoades, Lifeloc marketing manager. “Our international Law Enforcement customers are already choosing Bluetooth® to leap-frog the traditional tethered Portable Breath Tester (PBT) to printer approach.”

The FC20 has been DOT/NHTSA approved since 2000 and is in use by Law Enforcement worldwide. Other advanced features include a full sized platinum fuel cell

for long device life, onboard passive and direct subject testing, multiple language capability and extensive test memory and download capabilities.

See the new FC20BT online, visit us at http://www.lifeloc.com or call 1-800-722-4872.

About Lifeloc

Lifeloc Technologies, Inc. is a trusted international provider of precise, reliable and easy to use portable breath alcohol testing instruments (breathalyzers). Lifeloc offers comprehensive online and classroom training, plus a complete line of supplies and drug screening products. Our alcohol testing devices have been manufactured continuously in Colorado since our founding in 1983. Lifeloc evidential and screening devices are approved by the U.S. DOT and other state and international regulatory agencies. More information about Lifeloc is available at http://www.lifeloc.com

By Ron Fonger | Flint Journal

FLINT, Michigan — An electric bus manufacturer that was building two $1.1-million vehicles for Flint’s Mass Transportation Authority couldn’t complete the job to the satisfaction of the transit agency, and MTA’s top executive now wants to spend that cash on hydrogen-powered buses instead.

General Manager Ed Benning said the MTA never took delivery on the buses or advanced Fischer Coachworks of Troy any of the federal grant funds for the electric buses.

“It was obvious there were some structural problems with what they designed,” Benning said. “They had asked for a (cash) advance. We denied it.”

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s Capital Confidential reported on the problems at Fischer Coachworks on June 20, pointing out the MTA bus order and a $1.6 million loss by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

MEDC loaned Fischer $1.6 million through the state’s 21st Century Business Fund, said Michael Psarouthakis, vice president of business acceleration for MEDC.

Psarouthakis said the company has ceased operations. A man answering the telephone at Fischer on Monday would not comment on the status of the company and would not identify himself.

Psarouthakis said the state’s 21st Century Business Fund requires matching funds and MEDC withheld about $1 million from the fun to Fischer as concerns increased about the company’s viability.

“Some of the businesses (We lend to) go out of business,” Psarouthakis said.

At MTA, Benning said he’s reversing course, looking to replace the electric vehicles with a pair of used hydrogen vehicles.

“We had no money in it,” Benning said. “Out intent is to use the (federal grant funds) as part of our hydrogen vehicle program.”

MTA is building a hydrogen producing station at a $3.5-million alternative fuel facility at Maple Road and South Dort Highway in Grand Blanc Township.

Located on 20 acres, the fuel facility eventually will allow MTA to test three types of alternative energy: hydrogen, fuel-compressed natural gas and propane. The transit agency has already indicated it plans to purchase more propane-powered vehicles in the future for use as Your Ride vehicles.

Benning said MTA shouldn’t be blamed for the failure of Fischer Coachworks.

The company “just wasn’t ready to do what was necessary to develop new equipment,” he said. “There are all-electric vehicles (that work well) … We’re not going to rule out electric vehicles” in the future.

Source: CTNewsJunkie.com

The final Shuttle flight means that, at least for now, UTC Power’s long contribution to manned spaceflight also is coming to an end. The South Windsor company that designed and built the Shuttle’s fuel cells will no longer be maintaining the devices that power everything on the spacecraft. But the technology derived from spaceflight is now powering more down-to-earth applications like grocery stores and city buses.

CTNewsJunkie.com Full Article

It’s a great pleasure for ACTA to announce that it has been awarded the ISO 9001:2008 (International Organization of Standardization) certification, for the design, development and manufacture of products and devices for the production of hydrogen and clean energy from renewable sources.

The ISO 9001:2008 is the most popular and widespread quality standard in the world, and there are over one million companies certified in accordance with this international regulation. ISO 9001:2008 defines which are the process requirements that an organization must meet in its quality management system. Thanks to this recognition, ACTA has demonstrated to its stakeholders its ongoing commitment to provide high quality products, which is now certified internationally.

Schematic illustration of a rhodium–iron oxide catalyst on solid aluminum oxide for converting bioethanol into hydrogen gas at low temperature

Vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells generate no exhaust emissions other than clean water vapor. Unfortunately, producing and distributing large quantities of hydrogen gas is impossible with current infrastructures. Researchers are instead turning to on-board fuel processing—using small-scale reactors to ‘reform’ gasoline into hydrogen with the help of high-temperature steam—to aid implementation of this alternative technology.

Luwei Chen and co-workers at the A*STAR Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences and the National University of Singapore have now developed a catalyst that makes on-board hydrogen generation safer and easier to perform than ever before¹. By combining the beneficial properties of two metals into a nanostructured material, the catalyst can eliminate carbon monoxide (CO) emissions from the low-temperature steam reforming of ethanol—a significant advantage over current approaches.

Ethanol is an attractive fuel for on-board hydrogen generation because it can be sourced from renewable biological materials. However, the steam reforming of ethanol is a complex procedure with many possible byproducts. Some of the most serious contaminants are carbonaceous deposits, known as coke, which plug up catalysts and prevent them from working. Operation at high temperatures of 550–800 °C can mitigate coking effects, but these conditions also lead to more CO gas emissions during the reforming reactions.

The research team resolved this dilemma by combining rhodium crystals, which can catalyze ethanol steam reforming at low temperatures, with iron oxide nanoparticles onto a solid substrate. Chen explains that iron oxide catalyzes the water–gas shift reaction, an additional process that converts CO and water into hydrogen and carbon dioxide (see image). “These two components work together in the same temperature range, making them a good match,” she says.

Experiments revealed that this new substance performed admirably at temperatures of 350–400 °C, yielding about four units of hydrogen gas from every ethanol molecule, with no CO byproducts. Furthermore, the rhodium–iron oxide system had an extraordinarily long lifetime—steam reforming could proceed for over 300 hours without coke deposits deactivating the catalyst.

Additional analysis provided the researchers with a plausible mechanistic understanding of their discovery. While the strong bonding between CO and rhodium creates coke deposits, the presence of iron oxide disrupts this chemical equilibrium. CO molecules migrate from the rhodium over iron nanoparticles, where they undergo a water–gas shift reaction that enhances hydrogen output.

According to Chen, removing CO emissions from bioethanol steam reforming should lead to the design of simpler and cheaper on-board reactors, bringing these devices one step closer to widespread adoption.

The A*STAR-affiliated researchers contributing to this research are from the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences

References

1. Chen, L. et al. Carbon monoxide-free hydrogen production via low-temperature steam reforming of ethanol over iron-promoted Rh catalyst. Journal of Catalysis 276, 197–200 (2010). | article

The UK’s first commercial hydrogen filling station is to be opened in Swindon.

The fuel cell station will open at car manufacturer Honda’s South Marston plant in September.

Honda manufactures the FCX Clarity, the world’s first commercially available hydrogen-powered vehicle.

The station is being seen as an important step in a UK-wide scheme to make hydrogen vehicles a viable alternative to petrol-driven cars.

Swindon Borough Council’s regeneration body, Forward Swindon, was awarded a £250,000 grant from the South West England Regional Development Agency in order to build the fuel station at Honda in Swindon.

Forward Swindon Chief Executive Ian Piper said: “It’s absolutely ground-breaking stuff. It is the first one in the UK and we think it’s great that Swindon is at the forefront of this.

“The automative and car-making sector is very important to Swindon, and it’s important for Swindon to be at the leading edge in this way.”

BOC, the UK’s largest supplier of industrial gases, will be installing and operating the facility. As one of the project partners, the gases company is also providing further private sector funding to the venture.

Although there are currently few hydrogen-powered cars on the road in the UK, evironmentally-friendly, low-carbon emission vehicles are seen by many as the future of motoring.

The Hydrogen Highway initiative has been set up to promote the viability of new, alternative fuel technologies and build a number of hydrogen-fuelling stations across the south west.

The project also aims to encourage Honda to research and develop new hydrogen-powered cars at its Swindon plant. Currently they are only being manufactured in Japan.