FuelCellsWorks

A ground breaking project to ensure the UK is well positioned for the commercial roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles has been launched, Business Minister Mark Prisk announced today.

The new programme – UKH2Mobility – brings together three Government Departments and industrial participants from the utility, gas, infrastructure and global car manufacturing sectors.

The group will evaluate the potential for hydrogen as a fuel for Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles in the UK before developing an action plan for an anticipated roll-out to consumers in 2014/15. It aims to:

• Analyse in detail the specific UK case for the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as one of a number of solutions to decarbonise road transport and quantify the potential emissions benefits;
• Review the investments required to commercialise the technology, including refuelling infrastructure;
  and
• Identify what is required to make the UK a leading global player in hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle manufacturing thereby paving the way for economic opportunities to the UK, through the creation of new jobs and boosting of local economies.

All of the participants have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to agree to share their knowledge and expertise.

Speaking at the launch of UKH2Mobility at the Royal Society Mark Prisk said: “The UK is proving itself to be a key early market for ultra-low emission vehicles with growing numbers of electric and plug-in hybrids appearing on our roads. The Government is supporting this market by investing £400million to support the development, demonstration and deployment of low and ultra-low emission vehicles.

“Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are increasingly being recognised as one of the viable options as we move to a lower carbon motoring future. They are highly efficient, can be fuelled in minutes, travel an equivalent range to a conventional combustion engine, and have zero tail-pipe emissions.

“The UK has a number of world-class companies that are developing exciting technologies in both the hydrogen energy and automotive value chains and it is therefore vitally important that we identify what is required to make these cars a realistic proposition for UK consumers.

“UKH2Mobility will bring together industry expertise to establish the UK as a serious global player in the manufacture and use of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and the supporting infrastructure.”

Jerry Hardcastle, Vice-President for Vehicle Design and Development at Nissan said: “This is an important step for the automotive sector towards the development of clean vehicle technologies and zero emission mobility. It will lay many of the foundations for the commercial deployment of hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles which could represent a large segment of the UK market in the coming years. With this comprehensive list of partners we can be assured to have all the knowledge necessary to make UKH2 Mobility an exhaustive and credible study.”

Kevin Michaelis, Regional Vice President, Liquid Bulk/Generated Gases–Europe, Air Products, said: “This project brings together the leading hydrogen infrastructure providers, at the forefront of deployment worldwide, with the common goal of supporting the rollout of hydrogen transport across the United Kingdom. “The hydrogen infrastructure sector has been working over a number of years to develop hydrogen transport in the UK. We are very pleased that the progress made is being recognised by the Government in this groundbreaking initiative that will shift the focus from R&D to deployment of hydrogen infrastructure.

“Working together with Government and leading car manufacturers we can support the creation of a hydrogen transport infrastructure that will dramatically cut harmful vehicle emissions and move the UK towards a zero carbon transport system.”

Dr Henri Winand, Chief Executive of Intelligent Energy said: “The UKH2Mobility is a ground-breaking industry led task force. Its job is to roll its sleeves up and ensure that the UK is well positioned for the commercial roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles from 2014/15 as part of a balanced portfolio of drivetrains. Fuel cell vehicles, storage and refuelling technology are here today, they work! We now need to look at how we can make these elements, together with the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, work most effectively to enable the UK to take full advantage of hydrogen as a transport fuel; stimulating inward investment, GDP growth and securing and creating new jobs”.

UKH2Mobility will deliver its evaluation of the potential of hydrogen as a transport fuel by the end of 2012. If the results are positive, an action plan will be developed to work through the steps needed to get the UK ready to be one of the first markets for the global commercial roll out of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles.

Notes to Editors:

• There are 13 industry participants (below) in UKH2Mobility together with three UK Government Departments – The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, The Department for Transport and the Department for Energy and Climate Change in addition to the European Fuel Cells & Hydrogen Joint Undertaking.
• Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles themselves share a large proportion of the electric motor and drive train technology with other electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles; it is the energy storage/conversion devices that are different. The fuel cell is an electrochemical device like a battery, but unlike a battery it does not need recharging, can be refuelled quickly and will continue to generate power so long as it is fed with hydrogen fuel. They are highly efficient devices (50-60% compared to an average of around 20% for internal combustion engines) that produce no emissions or pollutants at the tail-pipe and much reduced overall well-to-wheel emissions when compared with today’s petrol and diesel engines.
• Hydrogen is a clean energy carrier. When used as fuel in fuel-cell systems it does not produce any carbon emissions (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, unburned hydrocarbons or particulates). Therefore, using hydrogen will contribute to the improvement of air quality and the reduction of CO₂.
• Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric vehicles are seen as part of the portfolio of solutions that will be required to decarbonise road transport. The Automotive Council Roadmap identifies a pathway where fuel cell electric vehicles will complement hybrid and battery electric vehicles and more efficient internal combustion engines.
• The Government continues to take a technology-neutral approach to supporting low and ultra-low carbon vehicle technology and recognises that a portfolio of solutions will be required to decarbonise transport. The Plug-in Car Grant is open to all vehicles meeting the performance criteria, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, pure electric and plug-in hybrid models. This Grant gives both private and business consumers a reduction in the upfront cost of eligible vehicles (http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/sustainable/olev/plug-in-car-grant/)
• Industry signatory parties to the Memorandum of Understanding are:

  Air Liquide Hydrogen Energy, SA
  Air Products PLC
  Daimler AG
  Hyundai Motor Company
  Intelligent Energy Limited
  ITM Power PLC
  Johnson Matthey PLC
  Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Limited
  Scottish and Southern Energy plc
  Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc
  The BOC Group Limited
  Toyota Motor Corporation
  Vauxhall Motors

At today’s UK H2Mobility launch event in London, Vauxhall is presenting its 4^th generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle “HydroGen4”.

The event pulls together various industry stakeholders – including Vauxhall – under government lead, to investigate and develop clean hydrogen fuel cell mobility in the UK.

As an environmentally responsible and forward-thinking company with over 100-years of heritage in Britain, Vauxhall is proud to be at the forefront of hydrogen fuel cell technology development and continues to explore the potential of all alternative propulsion technologies.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles combine the advantages of electric propulsion, with the convenience of fast fuelling and long range, thereby playing an important role in Vauxhall’s alternative propulsion portfolio. GM/Vauxhall have been investing in research and development of hydrogen fuel cell technologies for over a decade. Supported by an extensive test fleet in Europe and the US with over 100 fuel cell vehicles logging c2 million miles since 2008, Vauxhall expects the technology to be ready for market introduction by 2016.

Bill Parfitt, Vauxhall Motors’ Director for Government Affairs and Public Policy, comments on the UK H2Mobility initiative: “Following our company’s unrelenting focus on hydrogen fuel cell technology development, the launch and successful roll-out of these vehicles will now depend on the availability of hydrogen to the consumer in a real life environment.  We therefore greatly appreciate this very timely initiative, gathering various stakeholders, under government lead, to establish an adequate strategy for future hydrogen development in the UK.”

By revising the legal regulations for hydrogen refuelling stations, the Japanese government aims to advance the establishment of a national network of 70-MPa (700 bar) hydrogen refuelling stations. For this purpose, the Japan Petroleum Energy Center (JPEC) was commissioned by the Japanese Research Association of Hydrogen Supply / Utilization Technology (HySUT) and the News Energy and Industrial Development Organisation (NEDO) to develop a proposal for the revision of the existing technical standards and regulations. The new standards and regulations are planned to pave the way for constructing and operating hydrogen refuelling stations in Japan and ensure a high level of safety.

On behalf of the JPEC, TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH reviewed the technical requirements and the relevant German and European regulations and standards that must be fulfilled for licensing, constructing and operating hydrogen refuelling stations in Germany. Markus Born, expert for gas refuelling stations at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service, presented the results in Tokyo in front of over 50 experts from the industry and professional associations. These results might contribute to Japan’s revised technical standards and regulations.

“We are very pleased to have been awarded this contract by the Japan Petroleum Energy Center”, says Tom Elliger, Head of Gas Systems – Hydrogen Technology at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH in Munich. “This contract acknowledges our comprehensive know-how in the area of hydrogen and fuel-cell technology and our in-depth familiarity with national and international codes and standards.”

“Another reason for the award of the contract by JPEC was TÜV SÜD’s international network”, explains Dr Andreas Stange, CEO TÜV SÜD Japan Ltd. in Tokyo. “Cooperation between our Japanese experts on site in Japan and the experts from TÜV SÜD Industrie Service in Munich was excellent and produced a very convincing result.”

The FCH JU public private partnership with a total budget amounting to nearly €1bn to be invested by 2013, publishes its fifth annual call for proposals today.  With € 77, 5 million, to be matched by in-kind contributions from industry, research organisations and possibly national funds, the FCH JU confirms its dedication to accelerate the market entry of fuel cells and hydrogen technologies. Recognised as able to contribute to the decarbonisation of transport and energy systems, to a more efficient use of energy and renewables sources, as well as to increased energy security, these technologies have the potential to sustain EU competitiveness and job creation in the face of fierce competition from US, Japan Korea and China, in these technologies.

Welcoming the launch of this fifth call, the Chairman of the Governing Board and of the Industry Grouping of the Joint Undertaking, Pierre-Etienne Franc, reiterates:

“European industries and SMEs have emerged as highly credible players in developing and demonstrating fuel cells and hydrogen technologies. Applications such as cars, busses, light duty and material handling vehicles, are technology-ready. To go the extra mile and start deployment of innovative technologies competing with mature ones, can not be purely driven by market forces: pooling public resources on a long term basis is crucial to generating leverage for private investment, the main drive of innovation. Favorable policy orientations and regulations are also vital assets”.

Bert De Colvenaer, Executive Director of the FCH Joint Undertaking, adds: ” the 2012 call will cover real-time demonstration activities to prepare for fuel cell systems market entry with improved technology maturity and cost reduction targets. It will also cover R&D for enhancing systems to meet operational and cost competitiveness requirements or to reduce the time to demonstration and deployment. With a light organisation, we are currently running 70 projects in parallel and will soon reach 100 projects from the 4 previous calls for proposals. To support deployment strategies, the FCH JU is working on studies related to European fuel cells and hydrogen ‘Roll Out’ and commercialisation plans for vehicles, stationary applications, busses and material handling vehicles”.

Recent Wins Boost Order Backlog by 60% to $28 Million

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario – Hydrogenics Corporation (Nasdaq:HYGS) (TSX:HYG), a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products, today announced that the Company has received orders, during the fourth quarter of 2011, for electrolyzers totaling approximately $10.8 million. These orders were received from a number of customers located around the globe. The electrolyzers and associated services will be used by food processing facilities, thermal power plants and in metallurgical applications, with delivery currently expected over the next six to twelve months.

“We are pleased to see continued strengthening in our industrial end markets. These recent wins, resulting in an expected order backlog of approximately $28.0 million at December 31, 2011 represent a 60% increase in the value of the order backlog year over year. As we execute our growth strategy, customers are showing their appreciation for our reliability, quality and overall value,” said Daryl Wilson, Hydrogenics President and Chief Executive Officer.

Hydrogenics order backlog calculations are still in the process of being reviewed and are subject to change as part of the year end audit.

ABOUT HYDROGENICS

Hydrogenics Corporation (www.hydrogenics.com) is a globally recognized developer and provider of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products and services, serving the growing industrial and clean energy markets of today and tomorrow. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Hydrogenics has operations in North America and Europe.

H2 Logic A/S recently opened a hydrogen refueling station 150 meters north of the polar circle, at the Arctic Driving Centre in Finland. The station is based on H2Station® technology and provides 3 minutes fast fill of hydrogen at 700bar for fuel cell electric vehicles being tested by car manufacturers under extreme cold climate conditions. The station is rented by the leading Finish gas company Oy Woikoski Ab who also handles the supply of hydrogen.

Despite of an average temperature down to minus 15 degrees Celsius and sometimes as low as minus 45 degrees, fuel cell vehicles should be able to refuel long range in few minutes, just as gasoline.

Fast fill of hydrogen to any fuel cell electric vehicle at any refueling station worldwide, irrespectively of local climate, is possible thanks to various industrial and globally agreed hydrogen refueling standards such as the SAE J2601 refueling process and because of only one globally agreed nozzle design.

The H2Station® from H2 Logic provides full compliance with all applicable international standards, including refueling in accordance with the specifications in SAE J2601, thus offering 3 minutes fast fill.

During 2011 H2 Logic opened similar fast-fill stations based on the H2Station® technology in Denmark and Norway, with several more stations under manufacturing and planning during 2012.

Former Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Masaharu Nakagawa, right, takes part in a test drive of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered car built by students at Osaka Sangyo University, in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward on Jan. 13. (Mainichi)

Mainichi Japan–A group of students at Osaka Sangyo University have built a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, and unveiled it to the public in Tokyo on Jan. 13.

This is the first successful fuel cell electric vehicle project in Japan not backed by a major car company.

The vehicle was built as part of Osaka Sangyo University’s ongoing research on fuel cells and hydrogen fuel as a potential power source for future generations of automobiles. The students assembled the car in their spare time using parts they bought on the open market.

The vehicle is a sporty two-person car with a battery output of only 7.5 kilowatts — about one-tenth that of commercial electric vehicles. However, it has a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour. The car has also been designed to generate electricity at the same time the power is being used.

“We have worked on this project even during school breaks, so I was thrilled when it moved,” says one of the students.

The vehicle, which has already obtained a license plate to run on public roads, was unveiled to the public in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward on Jan. 13. Former Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Masaharu Nakagawa also attended the event.

Martin Horwood, MP for Cheltenham joins Simone Hindmarch-Bye, Commercial Group Co-founder and Sales Director for the launch of the Hydrogen Trials. — with Martin Horwood.

This week we will be trialling two hydrogen powered vans to do deliveries in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

This is the first operational use of hydrogen power to deliver office supplies in the UK and the first operational use of hydrogen vans in the Southwest.

Hydrogen power combines the many of the features of traditional fossil fuel powered vehicles, including using similar refuelling infrastructure, although without the smell or dirt of diesel and petrol, with the environmental benefits of electric vehicles.

We are trialling to find out whether these environmental and operational benefits are real.

This is the first of a number of new technology vehicle trials we be doing in the near future which will keep us at the forefront of environmental technology. Once we have seen all the alternatives, we will be making a decision as to where we will go with our vehicle fuel.

• Adds to momentum in global adoption of fuel cell buses

VANCOUVER–Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) confirmed that, as per its press release of November 2, 2011, the Company successfully shipped 3 of its 150-kilowatt FCvelocity^TM-HD6 fuel cell power modules to TuttoTrasporti (TUTTO) of Brazil in December 2011.

TUTTO, the largest Brazilian integrator of hybrid transit buses, will be deploying the modules in buses as part of a UNDP-EMTU (United Nations Development Programme – Empresa Metropolitana de Transportes Urbanos) bus program. Under the program, United Nations funding is being provided to EMTU, which services the transportation needs of Sao Paulo, a city with a population of 11-million people. The new fuel cell-powered buses are expected to go into service in 2012.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, 3-million tons of greenhouse gases are emitted annually, 85% coming from vehicles. As a result, clean energy transportation is a high priority under the country’s National Plan on Climate Change.

Under Brazil’s National Plan on Climate Change – a set of inter-ministerial programs designed to cut emissions in the transportation, forestry, industrial and energy sectors – the government has committed to significant use of zero-emission transit technology. Initiatives will be implemented during the lead-up to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games being held in that country, and beyond.

Larry Stapleton, Ballard’s Vice President of Sales said, “The UNDP-EMTU program is another important step toward a tipping point in the global volume of fuel cell bus orders. In combination with other recent announcements regarding growing fuel cell bus activities in North America, Europe as well as Brazil, 2012 will be a key year as we move toward fuel cell bus commercialization.”

About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications. Products are based on proprietary esencia™ technology, ensuring

Advanced Hybrid Technologies Aimed at Billion Dollar Portable Power Markets

PHILADELPHIA, PA–Early production stage hydrogen generation company AlumiFuel Power, Inc. (”API”), the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based wholly owned operating subsidiary of AlumiFuel Power Corporation (OTCBB: AFPW) (the “Company”), announced today that API and its portable power partner, Ingenium Technologies of Rockford, Illinois, have identified an increasing number of applications and program opportunities for their combined technologies, aimed at portable and back-up power.

IRVINE, Calif. – Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: QTWW), a global leader in natural gas, hydrogen and hybrid electric vehicle technologies, today announced that it was awarded an engineering development contract from the leading Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., to develop hydrogen systems for a mini-bus platform. Under this contract, Quantum will engineer and modify Mahindra’s 2.5L engine to run on clean hydrogen, while improving vehicle performance characteristics through enhanced electronic control software strategies and engine calibration. Quantum will supply its world-leading ultra-light weight hydrogen storage system and proprietary hydrogen fuel injection system for this application.

The program involves the design, development and testing of a prototype hydrogen internal combustion engine suitable for commercial vehicle application and integration of light-weight fuel storage system. Quantum will define and implement engine electronic control strategy, and perform emission, performance and durability testing of the hydrogen fuel system at Quantum’s state-of-the-art test facility at its Advanced Concepts Center in Lake Forest, California.

“This initiative is a significant opportunity for Quantum, to further demonstrate the benefit of utilizing Quantum’s hydrogen internal combustion technologies in commercial vehicle applications,” said Alan P. Niedzwiecki, President and CEO of Quantum. ”We are pleased to work with Mahindra and Mahindra on this important project to demonstrate the potential for hydrogen in reducing emissions.”

In India, the transportation sector accounts for nearly 20% of green house gas emissions. India is making effort through various alternative technologies on transport vehicles to limit green house gas emissions. Hydrogen is identified as one of the key fuels in the long term to mitigate emission.

About Mahindra

The Mahindra Group operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, information technology, rural financing and vacation ownership. Mahindra has a presence in the automotive industry, agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defense, energy, financial services, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel and two wheelers. A US $14.4 billion multinational group based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra employs more than 144,000 people in over 100 countries. In 2011, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list, a listing of the biggest and most powerful listed companies in the world. Dun & Bradstreet also ranked Mahindra at No. 1 in the automobile sector in its list of India’s Top 500 Companies. In 2010, Mahindra featured in the Credit Suisse Great Brands of Tomorrow. In 2011, Mahindra acquired a majority stake in Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company. For further information, please visit www.mahindra.com

About Quantum

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc., a fully integrated alternative energy company, is a leader in the development and production of advanced propulsion systems, energy storage technologies, and alternative fuel vehicles. Quantum’s wholly owned subsidiary, Schneider Power Inc., and affiliate Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH complement Quantum’s emerging renewable energy presence through the development and ownership of wind and solar farms, and manufacture of high efficiency solar modules. Quantum’s portfolio of technologies includes electronic controls, hybrid electric drive systems, natural gas and hydrogen storage and metering systems and alternative fuel technologies that enable fuel efficient, low emission hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric, fuel cell, and natural gas vehicles. Quantum’s powertrain engineering, system integration, vehicle manufacturing, and assembly capabilities provide fast-to-market solutions to support the production of hybrid and plug-in hybrid, hydrogen-powered hybrid, fuel cell, natural gas fuel, and specialty vehicles, as well as modular, transportable hydrogen refueling stations. Quantum’s customer base includes automotive OEMs, dealer networks, fleets, aerospace industry, military and other government entities, and other strategic alliance partners.

More information can be found about the products and services of Quantum, Schneider Power and Asola at http://www.qtww.com/

The graphene-based catalyst Fe-N-rGO has a much higher oxygen reduction reaction catalytic activity than those based on carbon black or oxidized carbon black.

MIT scientists, doing part of their work on beamline X11 at the National Synchrotron Light Source, have made a promising graphene-based catalyst to improve fuel cells.

Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into water, making electricity in the process. They are a source of quiet, efficient and clean energy, with the potential to replace combustion-based technologies in transportation and power applications. Starting in the 1960s, the U.S. put alkaline fuel cells on board spacecraft to produce electricity and water. Promising fuel-cell technologies of today include polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells, also known as proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).

PEMFCs have the highest energy density of all fuel-cell types. They also have a relatively low operating temperature (ranging from 60-80 degrees Celsius), which means they warm up quickly – and begin generating electricity. That makes PEMFCs especially appealing for use in vehicles and in portable- and backup-power applications. Because they typically use platinum as a catalyst, however, the high cost of PEMFCs inhibits commercial development. To bring down the cost, research is focused on developing a non-precious-metal catalyst made of iron, nitrogen and carbon (Fe-N-C).

The team from MIT – Hye Ryung Byon, Jin Suntivich, and Yang Shao-Horn – prepared a graphene-based Fe-N-C catalyst (graphene is a monolayer of carbon) with high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, plus stability in acid. The method involves heat treatment of a mixture of Fe salt, graphitic carbon nitride and chemically reduced graphene (rGO).

The graphene-based catalyst exhibits reduction activity approaching those of the state-of-the-art, non-noble-metal catalysts reported to date, which highlights the opportunities of using the unusual surface chemistry of rGO to create active Fe-N sites and develop an improved catalyst.

Our approach is uniquely different from other groups,” said MIT’s Yang Shao-Horn, who is the Gail E. Kendall Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the university. “We start from molecular building blocks and precisely control the surface chemistry of graphene as we build the catalyst.”

The researchers examined the surface chemical composition of Fe-N-rGO by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and studied the atomic coordination of Fe by extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). XPS and EXAFS of the Fe-N-rGO sample provided evidence for the incorporation of Fe ion and N into the rGO upon annealing.

Characterizing the Fe-N functionalization is experimentally very difficult, explained Shao-Horn, and x-ray absorption is one of the few techniques that can accomplish this task. “We use the X11 beamline at NSLS, where we have excellent support,” she added. “We are extremely fortunate to have this collaboration.”

According to Shao-Horn, ongoing work includes examination of Fe-N-rGo’s performance and lifetime in a more realistic fuel-cell configuration.

Physicists at Linköping University have shown that a dose of hydrogen or helium can render the “super material” graphene even more useful.

Graphene has engendered high expectations whereof its extreme properties depend on the fact that it consists of a single sheet of carbon atoms. However the attraction forces between the atoms cause the sheets to be drawn to each other. One solution is to add atomic hydrogen between the layers.

Presented in the eminent journal Physical Review A, the researchers’ calculations show that the hydrogen at a given concentration affects the atomic ‘van der Waals forces’ and becomes repulsive instead of attractive. The result is that graphene sheets repel each other and float freely just a few nanometres apart (an example of the so-called quantum levitation).

Professor Bo E. Sernelius, who conducted the study with his former doctoral student Mathias Bostrom, identifies several possible applications of the discovery:

• Storage of hydrogen as vehicle fuel
• Creation of a single graphene sheet by peeling them from a pile that has grown on a substrate of silicon carbide; a method developed at Linköping University
• Repulsive forces are ideal for the manufacture of friction-free components on a Nano scale, for example, robots and sensors for medical purposes

In the present study the researchers began with two ‘undoped’ sheets of graphene on a substrate of silicon dioxide (silica). The starting position is the van der Waals attractive forces and the sheets are compelled closer together. However once atomic hydrogen is added, repulsive forces arise. A similar effect was observed using other gases such as molecular hydrogen (H2) and helium.

Graphene is a two-dimensional material, which means that it retains a very special character. It is flexible, transparent, stronger than a diamond and has a superior ability to conduct electric current. In 2010 Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov received a Nobel Prize in Physics because for the first time ever they succeeded in producing stable flakes of material.

Article:
Repulsive van der Waals forces due to hydrogen exposure on bilayer graphene by Mathias Bostrom and Bo E. Sernelius. Physical Review A 85:1, 11 January 2012.

Construction vehicles rest Thursday at the former Chrysler site in Newark. Bloom Energy is planning to build a fuel cell factory at the site. / THE NEWS JOURNAL/WILLIAM BRETZGER

Preliminary work has begun at the sites of the planned Bloom Energy factory and a “cluster” of electrical generators that will feed Delmarva Power.

Bloom last year won Public Service Commission approval to build two clusters of fuel cell boxes at Delmarva substations.

Some of the boxes will be the first batch of orders at Bloom’s planned fuel cell factory at the site of the former Chrysler plant, now owned by the University of Delaware.

At Delmarva’s Red Lion substation, an entrance road has been constructed and preliminary site work, including environmental testing, is under way, said Bridget Shelton, spokeswoman for the utility.

Bloom is handling permitting, and the company is still awaiting permits, she said. Bloom is planning to generate 26 megawatts of power there, to be connected to the regional electric grid through the substation.

Bloom will lease the land from Delmarva, with an agreement close to being signed, she said. “From that point on, it’s in their hands,” she said.

Bloom is also planning to generate 4 megawatts of power near Delmarva’s Brookside substation. Bloom is leasing that land from the state, she said.

UD spokeswoman Meredith Chapman said the university is preparing the site at the Science and Technology Campus for the construction of the Bloom factory.

Eastern States Construction, based in Wilmington, is handling the removal of concrete, footings and asphalt, work which began in mid-December, she said.

“The site will be delivered to Bloom in advance of its March 1 date to begin its construction activities,” Chapman said.

Meanwhile, Bloom, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., has begun seeking employees on the East Coast.

On its website, Bloom was advertising for an East Coast government relations specialist as well as commercial account managers for the U.S. Northeast and Southeast.

The company’s spokeswoman did not reply to inquiries on Thursday seeking further details on its construction schedule or hiring plans.

Significant Milestone for Environmentally Friendly and Efficient Power Generation

DANBURY, Conn. — FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL) a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power plants, today announced a significant milestone with one billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of ultra-clean and renewable electricity produced by Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC)(R) power plants since 2003. One billion kWh of electricity can power more than 90,000 average size U.S. homes for one year. With more than 80 DFC plants producing environmentally friendly power and usable high quality heat at more than 50 locations globally, DFC plants are eliminating the emission of a significant level of pollutants and substantially reducing carbon emissions compared to the average U.S. fossil-fuel power plant.

When compared to the average U.S. fossil fuel power plant, one billion kWh of ultra-clean fuel cell power production configured in a combined heat & power mode (CHP):

• Eliminated the emission of approximately 8,600 tons of criteria pollutants, which is equivalent to removing more than 137,000 passenger vehicles from the road
• Prevented the emission of approximately 644,600 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, which is equivalent to removing more than 114,000 passenger vehicles from the road
• Benefits public health and helps customers achieve sustainability goals by virtually eliminating pollutants including nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SOx) and particulate matter

“Our power plants are solving power generation challenges every day for our global customer base,” said Chip Bottone, President & Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy, Inc. “Our plants provide environmentally friendly power production where the power is used in an economically attractive manner.”

“One billion kilowatt hours of power production supports our position as a global leader in ultra-clean baseload distributed power generation with a growing installed base,” continued Mr. Bottone.

Fuel cells electrochemically convert a fuel source into electricity and heat in a highly efficient process that emits virtually no pollutants due to the absence of combustion. DFC power plants are fuel flexible, capable of operating on natural gas or renewable biogas. Efficiency of up to 90 percent can be achieved when the DFC plant is configured for combined heat and power (CHP) and the heat used by the customer. High efficiency reduces fuel costs and carbon emissions and producing both electricity and heat from the same unit of fuel can reduce the use of combustion based boilers used for heating, further reducing costs and pollutants.

The distributed generation attribute of fuel cells provides continuous power at the point of use, easing congestion of the transmission grid and enhancing power reliability. Customers include utilities that incrementally add power generation throughout their service network as well as municipal, industrial and government power users that value virtually emission-free on-site power generation.

About FuelCell Energy

Direct FuelCell(R) power plants are generating ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power at more than 50 locations worldwide. With over 180 megawatts of power generation capacity installed or in backlog, FuelCell Energy is a global leader in providing ultra-clean baseload distributed generation to utilities, industrial operations, universities, municipal water treatment facilities, government installations and other customers around the world. The Company’s power plants have generated over one billion kWh of power using a variety of fuels including renewable biogas from wastewater treatment and food processing, as well as clean natural gas. For more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com

Hydrogen Vehicle Fueling Station the Fourth Station Order of 2011

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario- Hydrogenics Corporation (Nasdaq:HYGS) (TSX:HYG), a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products, has announced a contract with Ballast Nedam IPM, awarded at the end of December 2011, to supply a HySTAT®30 electrolyzer for integration into a Netherlands’ based hydrogen fueling station. The owner of the fueling station will be Waterstofnet, which is a non-profit organization financed by the Flemish and Dutch governments.

Hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell vehicles have been embraced as a significant part of Europe’s transportation solution towards the achievement of 2050 carbon-emission targets. Multiple regional initiatives are concurrently underway throughout Europe to this end.

With over 35 hydrogen fueling installations world-wide, Hydrogenics’ HySTAT® electrolyzer products continue to demonstrate their role in the future energy mix for transportation, with fully scalable capabilities to produce hydrogen on demand. This is the fourth hydrogen fueling station contract awarded to Hydrogenics in 2011.

“Our success in supplying electrolyser-based hydrogen fueling stations is directly linked to our vast experience in industrial hydrogen markets. Over the past 10 years, Hydrogenics has added over 200 HySTAT^TM industrial installations worldwide to its 1800 install-base. Our full range of electrolyzer products has made the name “HySTAT^TM” synonymous with safety, quality and dependability making it the number 1 choice for customers considering a hydrogen fueling station. We are pleased to have been selected by Ballast Nedam to provide our electrolysis product which will be our second fueling station delivered into the Netherlands,” said Daryl Wilson, Hydrogenics President and Chief Executive Officer. “This award, achieved through a competitive bid based on tight selection criteria, demonstrates our ability to provide the highest quality equipment and engineering services to support the deployment of hydrogen fueling stations, not only in the Netherlands, but throughout Europe. We also acknowledge the critical support that Waterstofnet continues to play in the Dutch/Flemish region. Over the years this organization continues to demonstrate strong leadership in promoting Hydrogen technology development and deploying Hydrogen solutions throughout the region.”

The HySTAT 30 electrolyzers, capable of producing up to 65 kilograms per day of pure hydrogen, is anticipated to be delivered in mid 2012 and operational by the end of the year.

ABOUT HYDROGENICS

Hydrogenics Corporation (www.hydrogenics.com) is a globally recognized developer and provider of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products and services, serving the growing industrial and clean energy markets of today and tomorrow. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Hydrogenics has operations in North America and Europe.

Washington, DC – For years, fuel cell buses have been silently running in transit fleets of more than 20 cities around the world, reducing emissions while providing reliable service to passengers. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 25 fuel cell buses in service or on order in 11 different states. In recent months, major purchases and significant milestones are helping to speed fuel cell buses into the spotlight and onto the roadway.

In addition to being super quiet, fuel cell buses offer greater fuel efficiency and zero emissions. Recent developments include:

• UTC Power’s latest generation PureMotion® System Model 120 fuel cell powerplant for hybrid-electric transit buses surpassed 10,000 operating hours in real-world service with its original cell stacks and no cell replacements. The fuel cell system is aboard an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) bus operating in the Greater Oakland, California, area.

• In Canada, the 20-bus fleet operated by BC Transit powered by Ballard Power Systems’ fuel cell modules recently surpassed 1 million miles (1.6-million kilometers) in two years.

• Ballard Power Systems also received several major orders to supply its FCvelocity™ HD6 fuel cell power modules to fleets, including 25 buses for Sao Paulo, Brazil and 21 buses in various European cities. Both orders are planned to be delivered in 2012. Ballard also received an order for three fuel cell modules to power hybrid fuel cell buses in London, England. The three buses will join five existing fuel cell buses for revenue service in Transport for London’s (TfL) fleet.

• Hamburger Hochbahn AG has acquired four Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid buses through the German “NaBuZ demo” project that promotes sustainable bus systems. Three more buses will be delivered next year.

• A “Buy America”-compliant fuel cell bus was delivered by Ballard and partners to SunLine Transit Agency. SunLine will also receive two new fuel cell hybrid buses, funded under the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) “Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER)” program.

• The FTA National Fuel Cell Bus Program awarded the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) $6.42 million for six projects and CALSTART $10.17 for two projects, including fuel cell buses for California, Chicago, Austin, Texas, and Birmingham, Alabama.

• Connecticut Transit (CTTransit) was awarded $5,702,298 to install a stationary fuel cell at its New Haven Division Bus Maintenance Facility. The grant was awarded through the FTA’s TIGGER program. CTTransit now has five fuel cell buses in its fleet, with one in operation since 2007.

• Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and Hino Motors, Ltd. provided a FCHV-BUS, a fuel cell hybrid bus for a commercial bus route between central Tokyo and Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) run by Airport Transport Service Co., Ltd.

For a complete listing of fuel cell buses around the world, Fuel Cells 2000 offers both the U.S. and International Fuel Cell Bus Charts. For more information on the projects listed above or fuel cells in general, please visit www.fuelcells.org.

When Completed, Agreement Will Be One of the Largest Ever in the Stationary Fuel Cell Industry

HILLSBORO, Ore. – ClearEdge Power, a manufacturer of scalable, continuous onsite power systems, today announced that Güssing Renewable Energy GmbH, a provider of carbon-neutral energy solutions, has selected ClearEdge systems to achieve its goal of producing 50 megawatts (MW) of clean distributed energy generation from fuel cells in the Republic of Austria by 2020. In the first phase of a multi-phase $500 million agreement, one of the largest ever signed in the stationary fuel cell industry, ClearEdge Power will deliver 8.5 MW of clean energy over the next 36 months.

“This is a very significant milestone for both ClearEdge Power and the stationary fuel cell market,” said ClearEdge Power President and CEO, Russell Ford. “Güssing Renewable Energy is at the cutting-edge of environmental sustainability and an agreement of this magnitude further validates the role that scalable, continuous onsite power systems will play in the transition to a carbon-neutral society. This contract also adds on to our strong growth in North America and provides the perfect platform for us to continue to expand our international operations.”

Headquartered in the Austrian town of Güssing, the first community in the European Union to produce 100 percent of its energy from renewable resources, Güssing Renewable Energy offers customizable and instantly usable carbon-neutral solutions that help communities produce clean, reliable energy. These solutions include proven anaerobic technology that can convert organic mass into high-purity biogas that can be used to cleanly and cost-effectively generate electric power and heat in fuel cells like the ClearEdge systems. Under the agreement with ClearEdge Power, Güssing Renewable Energy has agreed to sell, install and service ClearEdge systems in Austria and also has the opportunity to foster adoption within Western European markets. The agreement builds on Güssing Renewable Energy’s participation in the recent ClearEdge Power Series E financing round and is designed to support the installation of 8.5 MW of fuel cell systems in Austria over the next 36 months, which will then rise to 50 MW by 2020.

“With its flexible and modular power systems, ClearEdge Power has developed a distributed energy solution that will fundamentally change the way people receive power,” said Michael Dichand, Chairman, Güssing Renewable Energy. “We see these fuel cell systems as the perfect complement to our sustainably cultivated biomass facilities and are pleased to be able to partner with a forward-thinking company like ClearEdge Power as we aggressively move to achieve our clean energy goals.”

The record-setting agreement with Güssing Renewable Energy builds on ClearEdge Power’s forward momentum in 2011. Recent highlights include the expansion of its portfolio of continuous onsite power systems, including industry-first innovations in areas such as reliability, scalability and flexibility. The company also successfully completed a $73.5 million Series E financing round and secured a DOE grant to support the adoption of fuel cell technologies in different vertical markets. In addition, ClearEdge Power has seen strong customer adoption in a variety of industries, including multi-tenant housing, hospitality, education, utility, public sector and residential.

About ClearEdge Power
ClearEdge Power provides distributed energy generation solutions to commercial, institutional and residential customers. The company designs, manufactures and sells a family of continuous onsite power systems that uses fuel cell technology to efficiently deliver predictable, clean and cost-effective power and heat. This enables customers to increase independence from the electricity grid, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For more information, please visit http://www.clearedgepower.com

About Güssing Renewable Energy

Güssing Renewable Energy is a cosmopolitical managed enterprise aiming at the global market, offering customized instantly usable CO2-neutral solutions all over the world to usher the way from the present-day CO2 society to a post-CO2 society.

With equity only, Güssing Renewable Energy GmbH (GREG) was established in 2009 by experienced eco-visionaries and international entrepreneurs. GREG has its head office at the Technologiezentrum Güssing (Güssing Technology Center), Burgenland, Austria.

There exist subsidiary companies in Bangkok, Thailand (GRETHA), Laguna Beach, USA, and Victoria, Canada (GREA), as well as Belgrade, Serbia (PAN NON OIL). The integration of all corporations into the GRE.AT Holding AG is about to take place.

Dr. Kit Heung of Savannah River National Laboratory demonstrates a system incorporating a fuel cell and light-weight hydrogen storage material. SRNL's advances in the use of alane, a lightweight material for storing hydrogen, are paving the way for the successful development of portable power systems with capacities that far exceed the best batteries available today. Credit: Savannah River National Laboratory

Developments by hydrogen researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) are paving the way for the successful development of portable power systems with capacities that far exceed the best batteries available today. SRNL’s advances in the use of alane, a lightweight material for storing hydrogen, may be the key that unlocks the development of portable fuel cell systems that meet the needs for both military and commercial portable power applications.

SRNL has demonstrated a practical path to portable power systems based on alane and similar high capacity hydrogen storage materials that provide the sought-after high specific energy, which means the amount of energy per weight. Their accomplishments to date include developing a lower-cost method of producing alane, developing a method to dramatically increase the amount of hydrogen it releases, and demonstrating a working system powering a 150 W fuel cell. Portable power equipment manufacturers are looking for systems that can provide specific energies greater than 1000 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg); that’s more than 2 to 3 times the capacity of the best primary lithium batteries today. “Higher specific energy means more energy per weight,” said SRNL’s Dr. Ted Motyka. “The goal is to provide sufficient energy to a system that is light enough to be carried by a soldier or used in unmanned aircraft and other applications where weight is a factor.”

Hydrogen, at 33,000 Wh/kg, has the highest specific energy of any fuel, so it is a natural candidate to fuel such high-capacity systems. The challenge, however, has been developing a material for storing hydrogen with both the high capacity and the low weight needed for portable systems.

SRNL has been working for years on developing several light-weight, high capacity solid-state hydrogen storage materials for automotive applications. While most of these materials do not meet all the various requirements needed for automotive applications, many may be viable for small portable power systems.

One of the most promising materials is aluminum hydride, (AlH3) or alane. Alane, while not a new material, has only in the last few years been considered as a hydrogen storage material for fuel cell applications. SRNL researchers are among only a handful of researchers, worldwide, currently working with alane and beginning to unwrap its material and engineering properties.

Dr. Motyka, Dr. Ragaiy Zidan and Dr. Kit Heung, all of SRNL, led a team to characterize and optimize alane as a hydrogen storage material, develop a small hydrogen storage vessel containing alane, and demonstrate hydrogen release at delivery rates suitable for powering small commercial fuel cells. The results of that work are attracting interest from several commercial companies working in the area of portable power systems.

Alane is one of the classes of materials known as chemical hydrogen storage materials. Like metal hydrides, chemical hydrogen storage materials provide a solid-state storage medium for hydrogen. Unlike metal hydrides, however, chemical hydrogen storage materials, like alane, do not readily reabsorb hydrogen, so once their hydrogen is released the material must be chemically reprocessed to restore its hydrogen. An advantage of alane is its very high hydrogen capacities; it can store twice as much hydrogen, in the same volume, as liquid hydrogen, and can do so at the very high gravimetric capacity of 10 wt%. Alane also exhibits very favorable discharge conditions, making it one of the ideal chemical hydrogen storage materials.

Among the biggest challenges the team addressed were the limited amount of readily available commercial alane, and its high cost to produce – which could be significant impediments to widespread use. As part of this project, they initially developed a bench-scale system to produce the quantities of alane needed for experimental and optimization studies. This work led to the development of a new and potentially lower cost process for producing alane. “Our process overcomes some of the handicaps of traditional methods for producing alane,” says Dr. Zidan. “This novel method minimizes the use of solvents, and is able to produce pure, halide-free alane.”

Work led by Dr. Zidan also resulted in a process to increase the amount of hydrogen that can be extracted from alane. This two-step process was found to double the amount of hydrogen that can be liberated from alane using a traditional one-step process.

A major part of this project was to evaluate alane systems for compatibility with small fuel cell applications. Preliminary results on a proof-of-concept vessel containing approximately 22 grams of alane showed that the system could scale nicely to meet the required hydrogen release rate for a small 100-watt fuel cell system. Based on those results a larger system containing 240 grams of alane was designed, fabricated and tested with a 150 watt commercial fuel cell. The results show that the system was able to operate the fuel cell at near full power for over three hours and at reduced power for several more hours.

Work to date was funded under SRNL’s Laboratory Directed Research & Development program, which supports highly innovative and exploratory research aligned with the Laboratory’s priorities. The success achieved so far has attracted additional funding from the DOE’s Fuel Cell Technologies Program in the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, along with interest from commercial firms.

SRNL is DOE’s applied research and development national laboratory at SRS. SRNL puts science to work to support DOE and the nation in the areas of environmental stewardship, national security, and clean energy. The management and operating contractor for SRS and SRNL is Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC.

AFC Energy (AIM: AFC), a leading developer of alkaline fuel cells, is pleased to announce that further to its announcement on 3 October 2011, it has commenced electrical power generation at AkzoNobel’s Bitterfield plant in Germany.

AFC Energy’s Beta fuel cell systems have been generating electrical power at the AkzoNobel site since late last year.

The two Beta commercial-design fuel cell systems, installed since October 2011, have since been equipped with electrodes for trials, and are fuelled using AkzoNobel’s industrially produced hydrogen. This work follows a series of trials that the Company has been carrying out using a Beta system installed at its UK facilities. AFC Energy uses its own in-house pilot manufacturing to fabricate electrodes required for testing.

This is the first commercial reference site for the generation of data and demonstration of the whole Beta system. The Company expects to be able to publish results from the trials after their completion.

Ian Williamson, CEO of AFC Energy, said: “This development is significant because it confirms our route forwards and paves the way for the commercialisation of the technology for industrial power generation in our primary target markets. We are collecting data to demonstrate the successful operation of the fuel cell in this industrial application.”