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| The Basics | Fuel Cell News | |
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weeks highlights:
-Avista Sells Majority Stake in Avista Labs
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| Avista
sells majority stake in Avista Labs
SPOKANE, Wash., July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Avista Labs, the
leading provider of reliability-based fuel cell solutions for premium backup
power, has secured US$7.5M in its first round of independent financing.
The financing syndicate, led by Vancouver-based Chrysalix Energy LP includes
Wall Street Technology Partners of New York, and Buerk Craig Victor LLC
of Seattle.
This financing will provide the necessary capital to support Avista Labs' continuing development and commercialization of its proprietary line of fuel cell products which are currently being sold and installed in commercial applications. Cascadia Capital LLC acted as advisor to Avista Labs on the financing round. Former parent company, Avista Corporation, will retain 19.9 percent ownership of the new entity, AVLB Inc., which will continue to do business under the name Avista Labs. "We believe Avista Labs has the potential to be a dominant player in this multi-billion dollar industry," said Wal van Lierop, President and CEO of Chrysalix, the leading investor in the fuel cell sector. "Avista Labs stands out as a company with real commercial product developed to meet the specific needs of customers in the premium backup power market." Avista Labs President and CEO, Mike Davis, commented, "We have been very fortunate to have the kind of support from Avista Corp that we have enjoyed over the past several years. Their financial support and assistance has allowed us to grow to the point where we are selling products to real-world customers, and we are pleased to continue the relationship through their minority ownership." Davis continued, "Going forward, this group of investors is poised to
accelerate our commercialization efforts. They provide access to
a strong
Avista Labs currently markets three fuel cell products from its Independence(TM)
line for commercial and industrial backup power solutions in
Tom Pigott, Venture Partner, Buerk Craig Victor, commented, "Avista
Labs provides BCV the opportunity to help build a great company within
the energy sector, an industry that has always been a foundation of the
Northwest economy. We are pleased to support Mike Davis and his team
through this next phase of rapid growth and expect the company to achieve
significant milestones
"Two years ago Avista Labs purposely shifted their market focus to the
premium power markets with fuel cells running on bottled hydrogen for backup
power applications," stated Adam Lichtenstein, partner, Wall Street Technology
Partners. "The fact that many other PEM fuel cell developers are
now focusing on this same market validates the move by Avista Labs and
strengthens their leadership position in this space. Since the addressable
markets are quite sizable to support numerous suppliers, this is very positive
for the industry as a whole."
London gets £1m pollution-free buses- Transport for London (TfL) is due to take delivery of the three hydrogen-powered vehicles later this year London is to take part in an environmental pilot scheme which will use emission-free buses costing £1m each. London is one of 10 cities which will trial the bus
They will come into service by the beginning of 2004, despite planning permission for a refuelling station being turned down. London is one of 10 cities across Europe that is involved in the Clean Urban Transport for Europe (Cute) project, which will trial the new buses over the next two years. The cutting-edge technology from Mercedes means that the exhaust emissions from the bus will actually be cleaner than London's air. Safety concerns Mike Weston, from TfL, said: "London is the biggest operator of buses in Europe. "We've put in a lot of effort over recent years to clean up the conventional diesel fleet. "But this vehicle offers zero-emissions at the point of use and it's potentially a great improvement to the environment of London." But their introduction will be delayed because a BP refilling station which was due to be established in Romford in east London, has been refused planning permission on safety grounds by Havering Council. BP is set to appeal and a spokesman for the company said: "We have thousands of petrol stations selling LPG gas. Hydrogen isn't that different."
NYSERDA 'clean energy' projects receive $14.5M The state of New York through its New York State Energy and Research and Development Authority projects is committing $14.5 million to support 36 distributed generation and combined heat power projects throughout the state. Among the companies that will benefit from these grants are:
-Agway Energy Products of Syracuse, will recieve $456,650, to test fuel cells made by Plug Power Inc. of Latham.With a total project value of $932,826. -MTI MicroFuel Cells Inc., will receive $200,000, with a total project value of $400,000. -EnrG, Inc, will receive $500,000 for its High Performance Electrolyte for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. With a total project value of $2,125,029. -Acumentrics Corp. of Amsterdam, $200,000 -Blasch Precision Ceramics, Inc., will receive $135,978 for its Ceramic Recuperator for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. With a total project value of $271,961. -ATSI Engineering .,will receive $833,430for its Fuel Cell (Phosphoric Acid). With a total project value of $1,666,860. -Research Foundation of SUNY., will receive $614,250 for reasearch into Fuel Cell (Proton Exchange Membrane). With a total project value of $1,228,500 -Wildlife Conservation Society(Bronx
Zoo, The Bronx).,will receive $584,030 for its use of a Fuel Cell
(Phosphoric Acid).With a total project value of
IMPCO Announces $32 Million Debt Financings IMPCO Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMCO - News) announced today it has closed financing arrangements with LaSalle Business Credit, LLC and Bison Capital Structured Equity Partners, LLC. IMPCO's financing from LaSalle is a $12 million revolving line of credit with a maturity date of July 18, 2006. IMPCO also issued a $20 million senior subordinated secured note to Bison Capital that is payable in full on July 18, 2007. The combined financing will permit IMPCO to repay approximately $11.3 million currently outstanding under its Bank of America credit facilities, which matured on July 15, 2003. The funds will also permit IMPCO to complete its acquisition of 50% of the equity interests of B.R.C. Societa a Responsabilita Limitata, a limited liability company formed under the laws of the Italian Republic. IMPCO's Chief Financial Officer Tim Stone stated, "The combined LaSalle and Bison financing package replaces our former Bank of America credit facilities and provides IMPCO with working capital, funds the deferred payment portion of the company's recent acquisition of a 50% equity interest in BRC, helps meet the future operating needs of the company and will assist in supporting the future growth of IMPCO."
Future Roles for Hydrogen Energy - First European Conference The French Hydrogen Association is organising the first European Hydrogen Energy Conference in Grenoble from September 2nd to 5th 2003 Under the patronage of Mrs Loyola de Palacio, Vice President of the European Commission, Commissioner for Energy and Transport, Mr Philippe Busquin, Commissioner for Research at the European Commission, Mrs Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin, Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development, Mrs Nicole Fontaine, minister with responsibility for industry and Mrs Claudie Haignéré, minister with responsibility for research and the new technologies, this conference will deal with the growing global demand for primary energy and the threat this poses for our planet with regard to both greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting climatic changes, and the long-term availability of fossil fuels. In this context, hydrogen (a storable and non-polluting energy vector) will no doubt play an important role in the 21st century energy landscape. For this occasion, the scientific and industrial communities from the world over will be gathered together in order to examine the state of progress of the hydrogen sector, considering hydrogen as an energy vector in various fields, via 20 plenary and round table conferences, 200 speeches, an exhibition, in addition to technical visits to the CEA Grenoble and to Air Liquide/Axane. As the birthplace of hydroelectric power, the first form of clean and
renewable energy used during the last century, Grenoble will be symbolically
hosting this first European Hydrogen Energy Conference organised by the
French Hydrogen Association (AFH2) at the request of the European Hydrogen
Association (EHA) and with the support of major companies and research
bodies including: Air Liquide, Gaz de France, PSA Peugeot Citroën,
Renault, Snecma, Total, CEA and IFP. This conference will subsequently
be held every two years. We should also point out that the International
Hydrogen Energy Association (IAHE) has selected the AFH2 for the organisation
of its 16th world conference which will be held in Lyons in June 2006.
Quantum Selected for DOE Funding; R&D Supports President's FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc., (Nasdaq: QTWW)
announced today that it was selected for an award by the U.S. Department
of Energy ("DOE") to advance its hydrogen storage technology as announced
by the DOE on July 17, 2003.Quantum's award is focused on overcoming technical
barriers to widespread commercialization of hydrogen storage, including
cost and storage capacity.
This award directly supports the goal of the DOE's FreedomCAR initiative
-- the ability to produce vehicles that aree more efficient and cleaner
than today's vehicles. Specifically, the project supports the DOE's
priority to develop methods to safely store hydrogen on board a vehicle
that
TIAX Wins $2 Million Contract from National Institute of Standards and Technology to Develop Product and technology development firm will work to increase durability and power of solid oxide fuel cells TIAX, a leading collaborative product and technology development firm, today announced it has been awarded a $2 million contract from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology to help advance the development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Under the contract, which is administered by the Institute's Advanced Technology Program, TIAX will undertake a three-year project to increase the viability and commercialization of SOFC. Successful implementation of the project could allow for lower SOFC costs making them competitive with most small and stationary diesel technologies such as auxiliary power units (APU) and enabling more efficient and reliable delivery of clean electric power. The fuel cells could be used in a wide range of applications, from APUs for trucks to residential distributed power units. Target markets are expected to be worth a combined total of $3 billion to $6 billion annually. "Government and industry around the world have made clear that the development of efficient and affordable fuel cells is critical to the future health of our global economy and environment," said Kenan Sahin, president of TIAX. "TIAX has been a leader in fuel cell development over the years, collaborating with companies across the energy, automotive and chemical industries to create and test new devices and systems. We are proud to continue our work in this vital area by collaborating with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to advance the commercialization of solid oxide fuel cells." Solid oxide fuel cells, which produce electricity from natural gas and other available fuels, have the potential to provide clean, efficient sources of power. However, current SOFC designs have a low tolerance for thermal cycling, which can make startup and shutdown of the fuel cell difficult and also lead to low power generation. The first phase of the project will identify novel interconnect materials for SOFC which have thermal characteristics matched to the rest of the fuel cell and high thermal conductivity needed for thermal cycling and tolerance to thermal variations within the fuel cell. The use of such materials would eliminate mismatched thermal expansion, a common side effect of conventional fuel cell materials. In addition, these materials will increase power and durability by minimizing internal resistance and increasing conductivity. The second phase of the project will commence after the necessary components are designed and will involve the construction and demonstration of a 1-kilowatt power generation system.
Energy Conversion Devices Focuses on Integrated Technologies For Energy and Information Systems EnergyConversion Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENER) announced today the formation of Ovonic Integrated Solutions Group as part of its commitment to increase commercialization of its products. Working with ECD Ovonics' manufacturing joint ventures and business units, the group will provide integrated system solutions for customers, streamlining and coordinating the company's ability to offer energy and information solutions and products. James R. Metzger, ECD Ovonics Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, will head Ovonic Integrated Solutions Group. "The group is all about helping to realize the value of ECD Ovonics' hidden assets," said Metzger. "Integrated solutions will provide added value for our customers, helping our joint ventures and subsidiaries increase sales of Ovonic(TM) photovoltaics, nickel metal hydride batteries, hydrogen storage and information products. They will provide a pathway for new, innovative systems with added market pull to increase our revenue base. We are now integrating our technological know- how with our production products to provide an ever-expanding portfolio of new products which are expected to provide ECD Ovonics and our joint ventures with additional sources of revenue." "Complete systems solutions have been our strategy from the very beginning.
Now with photovoltaics and fuel cells back in our fold, we can
Just as the Ovonic Integration Solutions Group brings together the various ECD Ovonics products and technologies to form the new integrated solutions, it will also bring together teams of engineers, business analysts, marketers and sales groups from ECD Ovonics' business units to work on the most commercially viable options, with the flexibility to focus on opportunities with the greatest potential for increasing shareholder value. A small, dedicated core team provides continuity and commercial focus to pursue an optimum balance of short- and longer-term strategic opportunities.
Proton Promotes Dr. Larry M. Sweet to President Proton Energy Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRTN), a leader in practical applications of Proton Exchange Membrane, or PEM, on-site hydrogen generation and regenerative fuel cell systems, is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Larry M. Sweet to President. Sweet's promotion is based upon the steady progress achieved under his leadership at Proton and is part of an overall reorganization in anticipation of the Company's completion of the Northern Power Systems, Inc. acquisition. Sweet will be responsible for all business aspects of Proton Energy
Systems, Inc. Walter "Chip" W. Schroeder will transition from CEO
and
GenCell Corporation (GenCell) has recently received an investment of $450,000 from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to further the commercialization of fuel cell technologies being developed at its Southbury, CT facility. GenCell, a privately held company, is involved in the design and manufacture of advanced, next-generation, fuel cell components and systems. The company strives to reduce the cost of key fuel cell components such as electrodes, bipolar separator plates, and fuel cell stack hardware while improving performance and life through the introduction of innovative design. Jeffrey Allen, GenCell's founder and president stated, "We are very pleased to have received this infusion of capital and the vote of confidence the investment represents in our fuel cell technologies. GenCell will apply the funds towards capital equipment and staff to further improve the production capacities of our manufacturing facility”. GenCell's goal is to create a universal hardware package to support all leading fuel cell technologies for small-scale power plant applications of both stationary and automotive fuel cell systems. The company has grown from three employees in 1999 to fifteen employees in 2003 and receives funding for its fuel cell R&D and commercialization efforts from the Connecticut Conservation & Load Management Fund as well as the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. The company is seeking additional investments and strategic partners that will add ten additional positions through 2004. GenCell's competitive advantages originate from its patented designs, which provide high-speed, low-cost manufacturing to all leading fuel cell types.
Hydrogenics Selected for U.S. Air Force Fuel Cell Bus Project in Hawaii HYDROGENICS CORPORATION (Nasdaq: HYGS;
TSE: HYG), a designer and manufacturer of fuel cell systems, has been contracted
by the High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) in Hawaii to provide
HyPM power modules for a 30-foot fuel cell hybrid bus. This
"This is an exciting opportunity for Hydrogenics to help advance the
deployment of clean fuel cell technology," said Pierre Rivard, Hydrogenics
HTDC is a State agency tasked with the development and growth of Hawaii's commercial high technology industry. It provides broad based programs ranging from incubation to federal research and development partnerships to marketing. Through the HTDC, this project will be the Air Force's first opportunity to test extended range on a zero-emission heavy vehicle, evaluating its performance during routine operations. Additionally, the project will involve an evaluation of the challenges associated with hydrogen generation to support operation of the bus. "The Air Force is excited about deploying fuel cell technology," said Carl Perazzola, Chief, Advanced Power Technology Office, Robins Air Force Base. "The fuel cell module manufactured by Hydrogenics is one of a limited number of fully integrated fuel cell systems able to be fielded today as a working unit. We are looking forward to baseline the performance of this bus and accelerate fuel cells to commercialization."
Astris Energi Cites Huge Foreign Alkaline Fuel Cell Prospect Astris Energi Inc. (OTC BB: ASRNF) is in constant discussions with India's largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in the field of electrical machinery, which has been designated by the government of India to carry out the largest fuel cell project in the world, the electrification of 60,000 villages now without power, stockholders were told at their annual meeting. The government of India is exploring for this giant undertaking the use of potentially low-cost, high-efficiency alkaline fuel cell technology in which Astris Energi is the world leader, Jiri K. Nor, Astris president and CEO, reported. The director of the Indian program visited both Mississauga headquarters and the fuel cell development and production facility of the company's joint venture in Montreal last month, and a few days ago, authorized this statement for the Astris annual meeting. Closing of the joint venture with CareAction Inc. of Montreal awaits completion of CareAction's multimillion dollar financing which is expected soon, according to Lynnwood Farr, president and CEO, who attended the Astris meeting. Meanwhile, the staff of the joint venture, Astris Transportation Systems Inc., has continued to pursue both sales prospects and development contracts for the new company, with considerable success, Farr said. Nor also explained plans for expansion of Astris s.r.o., the company's affiliate in the Czech Republic, reporting that an 8,000-square-foot building has been purchased and equipment for a fuel cell electrode production line is now being assembled. All five directors nominated were elected with large majorities. They are Jiri K. Nor, president & CEO; Anthony Durkacz, vice president of finance; Gerald A. Crawford, consultant; Arthur E. Laudenslager, financial consultant; and Gordon T. Emerson, financial consultant. Both Durkacz and Laudenslager are newly elected members of the board. Retention of the company's auditors was also approved.
Enova Systems Selected to Develop and Integrate Fuel Cell Bus for U.S. Air Force Enova Systems, Torrance, Calif., (OTCBB:ENVA), a developer and manufacturer of mobile and stationary electric, hybrid and fuel cell digital power management systems, announced today that the State of Hawaii's High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) awarded Enova a contract valued at over $600,000, including earlier engineering efforts, to develop new technologies for heavy-duty mobile fuel cell applications and lead the integration of these and other technologies into a fuel cell powered thirty-foot hybrid bus to be stationed at the Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. As part of this new program, Enova will develop several new components including a Dual 8kW inverter, a 380V DC/DC converter, additional software development for Enova's already proven, successful Hybrid Control Unit and a Mobile Fuel Cell Generator that incorporates a Hydrogenics Corporation's 20kW fuel cell stack. Carl D. Perry, CEO and President, stated, "We are very pleased and excited to be selected by the U.S. Air Force and HTDC to be the team leader in developing this fuel cell bus in Hawaii. This newest program emphasizes the State of Hawaii's continued recognition of Enova as a world-class leader in advanced hybrid and fuel cell technologies. Enova's expertise in the burgeoning field of fuel cell hybrid powered vehicles is versatile enough to utilize a variety of fuel cell systems from many different manufacturers." This program follows several successful advanced technology efforts between the State of Hawaii and Enova including fast charging, electric powered Hyundai SUVs, an electric 120kW thirty-foot bus (also at Hickam) and a multi-car tram system. "Having worked with Enova on several other programs, the U.S. Air Force is confident of Enova's record of accomplishment," stated Carl Perazzola, Chief, Advanced Power Technology Office, Robins Air Force Base. "The Air Force is encouraged by Enova's modular approach to product development for commercialization. Plug and play is what the Air Force needs."
Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc. Receives One of DOE's Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives Awards INTELLIGENT OPTICAL SYSTEMS, INC. (IOS) has been selected as one of 27 firms and educational institutions awarded a total of $96 million to fund new research in advanced fuel cell technology for vehicles, buildings, and other applications. These awards will support the President's FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives. The awards were made by the Department of Energy (DOE) and announced by Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham. The IOS award will be used to support further development of IOS' unique hydrogen sensing technology. This technology development has also been supported by NASA and Boeing over the past four years. The research and development work has been undertaken by IOS' Hydrogen Sensor Research Center. OptiSense, LLC has been formed for the purpose of commercializing the IOS hydrogen sensing technology and other IOS gas-sensing technologies. OptiSense has been granted an exclusive, worldwide license for these technologies. OptiSense has formed a partnership with Hydrogen Ventures, LLC, and is currently engaged in fund-raising and commercialization activities.
Hydrogen Report is Full of Hot Air A paper1 claiming that a hydrogen economy could deleteriously affect the ozone layer is under fire. The popular media covered the report because of its iconoclastic attack on assumptions made by hydrogen optimists. However, few publications have noted charges that some of the authors' assumptions are flawed. If the United States were to adopt a hydrogen economy, the paper claims, then 20% of the gas, or 120 teragrams, would leak annually into the atmosphere. Hydrogen would combine with oxygen in the stratosphere and enlarge the polar ozone holes. "It might be that [the writers] are well versed in atmospheric science, but they know nothing about hydrogen," says hydrogen specialist Reinhold Wurster of LBST, a consultancy based in Munich. Hydrogen, he says, must be pumped into cars at 700 bars of pressure (700 times normal atmospheric pressure), so even a microscopic leak would cause the whole transportation network to fail. The paper's authors did not return phone calls; however, an editor at Science, which published the work, welcomed the criticism: "It certainly is a lively issue that needs to be addressed," says H. Jesse Smith. Senior scientist Susan Solomon, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, notes that since the 1970s, stratospheric hydrogen has increased by 25% with no measurable effects. "The paper seems quite speculative. Quite frankly, I'm surprised it was published." --Sam Jaffe
Better Bacterial Fuel Cell Demoed Researchers from the Ernst Moritz Arndt University in Germany have found a way to harvest the energy needed to power a fuel cell from chemical reactions that occur when E. coli bacteria consume sugar. The researchers' prototype microbial fuel cell captures the hydrogen produced when the microorganisms metabolize carbohydrates like sugar in the absence of air. Most fuel cells use hydrogen as fuel, capturing the energy released when hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce water. The key to the researchers' prototype, which produces up to 1.5 thousandths of an amp and can run for hours at a time, is that the anode is coated with a conducting polymer. This layer allows hydrogen to diffuse through, but blocks larger molecules. It is also involved in an oxidation reaction that cleanses the anode of excreted metabolites that would otherwise gum up the works. The fuel cell produces enough power to continuously run the 0.4 volt motor of a ventilator, according to the researchers. It will take the least five years to produce practical microbial fuel cells, according to the researchers. The work appeared in issue 25 of Angewandte Chemie.
Japanese researcher develop new electrolyte membrane for fuel cell NAGOYA, Jul 24, 2003 (Kyodo via COMTEX) -- Researchers the Nagoya Institute of Technology have developed an electrolyte membrane for fuel cell batteries from a glass-based material that would substantially cut the production cost of such batteries, Toshihiro Kasuga, an assistant professor of the institute, said Thursday. The electrolyte membrane, currently made from flurosis resin, is the core component of fuel cell batteries, which are often dubbed the "ultimate clean energy" as they leave only water as byproduct. Kasuga said the glass-based electrolyte membrane can be made considerably cheaper than flurosis resin and the price of fuel cell batteries could potentially fall to just 1% of the current level because of the simplicity of the structure of fuel cell batteries made with glass-based membranes. Once the glass-based electrolyte membrane is commercialized, it could substantially bring down the production cost of fuel-cell cars, which currently cost more than 100 million yen a piece. Kasuga said the Nagoya-based company Techno Rashi Kogyo will test the strength of glass-based electrolyte membranes and develop the production equipment. The new membrane would not hit the market until 2005 at the earliest. The world's car manufacturers are racing to develop new electrolyte membranes as they are key to chemical reaction in fuel cell batteries. Kasuga said the glass-based electrolyte membrane requires a simple production facility as it is made with water and a special medical-grade glass. It also provides stable power output under a wide range of temperature, eliminating the need for high-precision temperature-control equipment. Kasuga said the ease of recycling is another feature of the new electrolyte
membrane, as the platinum applied on the surface of the membrane can be
easily retrieved.
Note from the editor:
Fuel cell batteries eyed for household use The possibility of using fuel cell batteries to provide electricity in households is gaining more attention as Japan braces for blackouts this summer due to suspended operations at nuclear power plants. Fuel cell batteries generate electricity through the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. They are often referred to as "small power generating plants" and the "ultimate source" of clean energy. They can cut power consumption by about 20% and carbon dioxide emissions by 25%, developers said. The state is promoting their use because they are considered energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Firms are rushing to develop them as part of efforts to make Japan more self-sufficient in terms of energy resources, industry sources said. Fuel-cell batteries generate only electricity, heat and water, and do not emit carbon dioxide, the source of global warming, or air-polluting nitrogen oxide. Their use in a wide range of products from cars to hand-held computers is being promoted. But the possibility of using them to power households is especially attractive because of the massive potential market. A report compiled by a task force at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said tests for using them in households and automobiles will be finished next year for introduction in 2005. Fuel-cell batteries that generate electricity by taking hydrogen from city gas and combining it with oxygen in the atmosphere are also being developed. The existing gas supply infrastructure can be used and they can be installed at each household and used when necessary for supplying hot water and air conditioning. "It's ideal to take out hydrogen by using wind power and other natural energy, but for the time being, it's practical to depend on fossil fuels, like oil and natural gas," said Shunichi Koike, chief of the hydrogen project group at Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO). Since last year, TEPCO, which was forced to suspend operations at its nuclear power stations after cracks were found in nuclear reactors, has been carrying out tests by installing prototype fuel cell batteries at its employees' homes, Koike said. The firm hopes to introduce the devices on the market in the second half of fiscal 2004. "The fuel battery is the culmination of technologies for electric home appliances," said Tsuneo Shibata, head of the fuel cell battery business development section at Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Production costs will initially be very expensive and therefore mass production will not take effect right away, Shibata said. Even if users can get public subsidies for buying the batteries, the price needs fall lower than 500,000 yen so users can recoup the expenditure through savings on utility bills, Shibata added. Makoto Inoue, a researcher at the Center for the Strategy of Emergence
at the Japan Research Institute, said, "A framework should first be introduced
in which the battery can be controlled by small-scale networks formed by
local communities or third parties." (Kyodo News)
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