Powerco and Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd today announced the appointment of Industrial Research Limited, in New Zealand, in conducting the field trials of Australia's first fuel cell powered domestic generator.

This is a key step in the deal between energy developer Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited(CFCL) and Powerco Limited in what will be the first field trials of CFCL's world-leading fuel cell technology.

CFCL have contracted Industrial Research Limited (IRL) to provide local support for the installation and operation of CFCL's fuel cell powered micro-CHCP(small combined heat and power) units in New Zealand.

IRL is New Zealand' leading industrial scientific research company, with experience in a broad range of technology solutions, including fuel cells.

The first trial unit will be based at IRL's facility in Wellington.

In November 2004, Powerco and CFCL signed a deal for supply and use of two micro-CHP demonstration units for a 12 month field trial in New Zealand.

"We are excited to be introducing this ground breaking energy technology to Australasia" said Steve Boulton, Chief Executive of Powerco. " We welcome IRL to the team, and look forward to proving the benefits of this technology in delivering a clean, sustainable future.

"We are facing ever-increasing pressure on our energy supply, and a greater need, under the Kyoto Protocol, to find cleaner ways of generating energy. This means we have no option but to find innovative new approaches to energy generation and delivery.

"Fuel cells are one possible solution to these pressing problems."

In signing the subcontract with CFCL, Alistair Gardiner, Electotechnology Research Manager of IRL, stated "We appreciate the significance of this project in testing and running a fuel cell micro-CHP in a real world environment connected to the grid and exporting power. We are aware that micro-CHP systems are already appearing in homes and buildings across Europe, UK, US and Japan and will one day be common in Australasia."

"IRL has experience in developing fuel cell technology and we look forward to working now with CFCL' fuel cell powered 1kW micro-CHP unit that generates power and water."

"We will shortly be shipping out the first unit from Melbourne" said Julian Dinsdale, Executive Chairman of CFCL. "We look forward to working with IRL to provide cost effective local support to the New Zealand trials, and to this end we are hosting a visit by IRL's Fuel Cell Technology Manager, Michael Callander, who will train with our team in Melbourne in preparation."

"Given high public interest in clean energy we look forward to celebrating the despatch of our first micro-CHP unit, the commissioning and formal launch in New Zealand" concluded Mr. Dinsdale.