MILAN and CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc., and Takagi Industrial Co., Ltd., today announced an agreement to develop commercial fuel cell-based cogeneration systems for the Japanese market. The parties will be building on technology they have already developed and deployed for the Japan Gas Association. 
 
Takagi, a leading Japanese manufacturer of commercial and residential water heating products, will integrate its innovative heat management system with Nuvera's 5kW Avanti(TM) fuel cell power system. Takagi will also manufacture certain components for Nuvera. 

Nuvera's Avanti system uses natural gas to generate hot water and electricity. Takagi's heat management system will store the hot water and interface it with the end customer's thermal demand. 

"Our developments efforts with Takagi are an important step toward bringing market competitive cogeneration systems to Japan," said C. Roberto Cordaro, President and CEO of Nuvera Fuel Cells. "We expect to conduct field trials of this system in 2005 and 2006, with an eye towards fully commercial sales in 2007." 

"Fuel cell cogeneration systems will allow the next large improvements in overall efficiency of water heating systems," said Gunji Kawashima, President of Takagi. "These efficiency improvements will result in lower running costs and environmental impact." Takagi has won the Energy Conservation award from The Energy Conservation Center Japan, an affiliated organization of Japanese government in 2001, 2002, and 2003 for its high-efficiency boiler products. 

Nuvera is a global leader in the development and advancement of multi-fuel processing and fuelcell technology. With offices located in Italy and the USA, Nuvera is committed to advancing the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell power modules for industrial vehicles and equipment and stationary applications by 2006, natural gas fuel cell power systems for cogeneration applications by 2007, and on-board gasoline fuel processors and fuel cell stacks for automotive applications by 2010. Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe is ISO 9001:2000 certified for "Research, Development, Design, Production and Servicing of Fuel Cell Stacks and Fuel Cell Systems." 

Takagi is a leading manufacturer of water heaters for residential and commercial markets in Japan. The company employs approximately 1,300 people and has 50 branches throughout Japan. Takagi USA (www.takagi-usa.com) was established in 1995 in Irvine, California and has the largest market share in instantaneous tankless water heaters in the United States. Takagi maintains 2 manufacturing facilities with 2-million square feet of space in Fuji City and Fujinomiya City. In addition to water heating equipment, Takagi also manufactures industrial machines and produces controls software. 

    Contact
     Robert Derby
     Director, Marketing Communications
     Nuvera Fuel Cells
     Tel: +1-617-245-7571
     Fax: +1-617-245-7511
     Cell: +1-508-254-9668
     Email: derby.r@nuvera.com

     Hiroshi Ichikawa
     Senior Manager, R&D Department
     Takagi Industrial Co., Ltd.
     Tel: +81-545-33-0869
     Email: itik1556@mail2.purpose.co.jp