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University of Waterloo claims top prize for the Hydrogen Student Design Contest

WASHINGTON, DC–The Hydrogen Education Foundation announced today the top winners of the 2008-09 Hydrogen Student Design Contest.  The University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Canada won the Grand Prize, while two different teams from the Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan claimed honorable mentions.  This year’s Hydrogen Student Design Contest challenged teams of university students from around the world to design a green student center powered by hydrogen for the State University of New York – Farmingdale Campus, using a theoretical budget of $28 million dollars.

Teams of students from Canada, Turkey and the U.S. worked for over 6-months to develop detailed designs to show how hydrogen products, which are for sale today, can be used to create a green student center.  Although the focus of this year’s design was specific to the planned SUNY-Farmingdale Student Center, the winning teams designed systems that can be used in student centers and similar buildings around the world.

The Grand Prize design from the University of Waterloo featured a three-level, 76,000 square feet student center, powered primarily by renewable energy produced from solar, wind, and biomass resources.  Hydrogen was used to alleviate the challenges associated with the intermittent solar and wind resources by using daily and seasonal excess electricity in an electrolyzer to make hydrogen from water.  As long as hydrogen is stored, it can be used on-demand to power the building when the primary electricity generation cannot meet the building’s demand. The Waterloo design also used hydrogen to fuel a campus vehicle.

“The judges of this year’s Hydrogen Student Design Contest were thrilled to see students show how today’s hydrogen products can increase the value of renewable energy by addressing the irregular supply challenges associated with wind and solar energy,” said Patrick Serfass, Vice President for the Hydrogen Education Foundation. “The designs the students submitted to this Contest represent the future of our built environment.”

Since 2004 the Hydrogen Education Foundation’s Hydrogen Student Design Contest has challenged teams of university-level students from around the world to develop and design hydrogen systems for real world use.  Although nothing is built during the Contest, the Grand Prize winning hydrogen fueling station design from 2004 and the power park design in 2005 each attracted the funding necessary for actual development and implementation.   That fueling station opened in California in September 2008.

This year’s Contest would not have been possible without support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Chevron, American Wind Power and Hydrogen, NYSERDA, Fuel Cell Energy, and the State University of New York – Farmingdale. As part of their award, the team from the University of Waterloo received an all-expenses paid trip to Columbia, SC for the NHA Conference and Hydrogen Expo in Columbia, SC to present their design as a keynote address. For a complete list of the submissions, and to see the designs, visit www.HydrogenContest.org.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells Replace Internal Combustion Engines in Lift Trucks Throughout Facility

LATHAM, N.Y.– Plug Power Inc. (Nasdaq:PLUG), a leader in providing clean, reliable energy solutions, announced today that Nestle Waters North America has installed 32 GenDrive(TM) hydrogen fuel cells, purchased in 2008, to use at their Dallas, Texas bottling facility. As a result, Nestle Waters has converted its entire fleet of sit down counterbalanced lift trucks from internal combustion (IC) engines powered by liquid petroleum gas to Yale(R) class I electric lift trucks powered by GenDrive power units.

Rising fuel costs coupled with high greenhouse gas emissions have companies searching for alternative solutions to internal combustion engines. Electric lift trucks powered by GenDrive units provide a cost effective alternative to traditional power sources.

Nestle Waters evaluated both hydrogen fuel cells and lead acid batteries as potential replacements for their current fuel source. In the end, Plug Power’s GenDrive allowed them to make the full site conversion without incurring heavy labor and equipment costs associated with buying, storing, maintaining and changing batteries. They have lower operational costs than the incumbent technologies and allow for increased worker productivity.

“Nestle Waters assessed all their IC engine replacement options and found that the GenDrive fuel cell solution was less expensive than investing in lead acid batteries and costly battery equipment,” said Tony Troutt, Director of Sales at Plug Power. “Fuel cells were also found to be more efficient. Most importantly, converting their fleet to hydrogen fuel cells allows Nestle Waters to eliminate exhaust emission issues, ultimately creating an improved working environment for their employees as well as a reduced carbon footprint.”

Air Products (NYSE:APD), a global leader in hydrogen fueling and infrastructure, provides the hydrogen and infrastructure to power the GenDrive units. The fueling infrastructure consists of an outdoor liquid hydrogen storage and compression system, as well as multiple indoor fueling dispensers for operator refueling. The GenDrive power units can be quickly refueled by the lift truck operator in less than 5 minutes, completely eliminating lead acid batteries and the related charging and storing infrastructure.

About Plug Power Inc.

Plug Power Inc. (Nasdaq:PLUG), an established leader in the development and deployment of clean, reliable energy solutions, integrates fuel cell technology into motive, continuous and backup power products. The Company is actively engaged with private and public customers in targeted markets throughout the world. For more information about how to join Plug Power’s energy revolution as an investor, customer, supplier or strategic partner, please visit www.plugpower.com.

The Plug Power Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4446

About Nestle Waters

Central to the leadership of Nestle Waters North America Inc. is its 33-year experience and single-focus on producing bottled water products.

The company’s dedication to product quality control, manufacturing expertise, employee development and environmental stewardship, especially in the areas of water use, energy and packaging, has led Nestle Waters to the number one bottled water position in the U.S.

Simply said, to reach success the company follows its credo: Respect for each other, respect for the environment and respect for the community.

Founded in 1976, Nestle Waters North America is noted for having seven of the top ten bottled water brands sold in the U.S. The nation’s number one ranked bottled water brand is Nestle(R) Pure Life(R) Purified Water which is available nationally. Other market-leading regional domestic brands include Poland Spring(R), Arrowhead(R), Ozarka(R), Deer Park(R), Zephyrhills(R), and Ice Mountain(R). Rounding out the company’s portfolio of bottled water brands are popular imports such as Perrier(R), Contrex(R), Acqua Panna(R) and S.Pellegrino(R).

Nestle Waters North America Inc., with 8,400 employees, is based in Greenwich, Connecticut. It is a corporate affiliate of Nestle S.A., of Switzerland.

Please visit www.nestlewatersnorthamerica.com for more information.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE:APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment. Air Products has annual revenues of over $10 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

About Yale Materials Handling Corporation

Yale Materials Handling Corporation markets a full line of material handling lift truck products and services, including electric, gas, LP-gas and diesel powered lift trucks; narrow aisle, very narrow aisle and motorized hand trucks. Yale offers comprehensive Fleet Management services, as well as Yale(r) service, parts, financing and training. Yale(r) trucks are manufactured in an ISO 9001:2000 registered facility and range in capacity from 2,000 to 36,000 pounds. For more information, or to find the Yale(r) lift truck dealer nearest you, call 1-800-233-YALE or visit www.yale.com.

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.– Air Products (NYSE:  APD), a global leader in hydrogen fueling and infrastructure, today announced the signing of a long-term agreement with Nestle Waters North America, Inc. to supply hydrogen and hydrogen fueling station technology for Nestle’s Dallas, Tex. facility, where it will be used to fuel a fleet of approximately 32 Class I hydrogen fuel cell powered forklifts to be used in daily operations. Nestle Waters is in the process of expanding its bottling and warehousing operations in Dallas and is converting its materials handling equipment to hydrogen fuel cell forklifts. The fueling station is to be installed and operational during the second quarter of 2009.

“This is a leading edge decision made by Nestle Waters to convert its materials handling system and use hydrogen as an energy carrier. It is a move that will provide operational, economic and environmental benefits for this bottling facility. Hydrogen fueling technology for materials handling applications is proven and cost-effective,” said Tom Joseph, business development manager for Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products. “This project also further strengthens our collaboration with Plug Power in providing alternative energy solutions.”

“This project is consistent with our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable ‘green’ solutions for which Nestle Waters North America, Inc. aspires. I continue to be encouraged by the enthusiastic support from the front lines to senior leadership to introduce this capability and explore the responsible alternative energy options,” said Christopher Lyon, process improvement manager for Nestle Waters Fleet Services. “We look forward to this site proving the viability of future conversions.”

“The new hydrogen fueling association with Nestle is an extension of existing business relationships in supplying industrial gases and services to a familiar customer,” said Todd Geis, strategic account manager at Air Products. “We’ve been providing industrial gases and related services to Nestle at other locations around the United States for nearly 20 years. Hydrogen fueling, which is using our liquid hydrogen as its feed at this site, is an innovative offering that in the eyes of the customer sets us apart from our competition.”

Air Products’ fueling infrastructure at Nestle includes an outdoor liquid hydrogen storage and compression system, along with multiple indoor fueling dispensers for operator refueling. Air Products’ will fuel the fleet of new lift trucks fitted with Plug Power’s (Nasdaq: PLUG) GenDrive(TM) hydrogen fuel cell power units. The GenDrive systems can be quickly refueled by the lift truck operator in less than five minutes, completely eliminating the need to change, store, charge and maintain multiple lead acid batteries per lift truck.

There are many advantages to using hydrogen powered forklifts and other materials handling equipment. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered equipment needs refueling once or twice daily, depending on use. In contrast, traditional battery-powered equipment must be placed temporarily out of operation for battery replacement and required battery recharging approximately every four to six hours. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered equipment provides consistent power strength during use and do not experience decreased performance or wear down as traditional lead-acid battery units do as they near a required battery change out or recharge time. Additionally, hydrogen fuel cell forklifts are not adversely impacted by temperature or by operating in coolers and freezers, in comparison to traditional battery performance. Further, hydrogen-powered fuel cell equipment is more environmentally friendly because they do not involve lead-acid battery storage and disposal issues.

This announcement follows closely Air Products’ recent news of its hydrogen fueling project at the Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna Pennsylvania (DDSP) in New Cumberland, Pa., where it is powering a fleet of 40 of Plug Power’s GenDrive hydrogen fuel cell powered forklifts used in daily warehouse operations. Additional related materials handling projects powered by Air Products’ hydrogen technology include installation of indoor hydrogen fueling infrastructure to fill a fleet of over 200 fuel cell powered lift trucks, working with Plug Power and Yale Equipment Services, which will operate at Central Grocers’ new distribution center in Joliet, Illinois in 2009, and similar work at a grocery chain warehouse in Texas since 2007, and manufacturing and assembly plants in Tennessee and South Carolina since 2006.

Air Products, the leading hydrogen supplier to refineries to assist in making cleaner burning transportation fuels, has completed over 85,000 hydrogen fills and has placed over 90 hydrogen fueling stations in the United States and 16 countries worldwide. Cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts and other materials handling equipment, and even submarines, have been fueled with this trend-setting technology that involves Air Products’ know-how, equipment, and hydrogen, and use of the technology is increasing at over 2,500 hydrogen fills per month. Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen, and HCNG (hydrogen/compressed natural gas) fueling, and has developed a variety of enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied pressures. Hydrogen for these stations is delivered to a site via truck, by on-site natural gas reformation, and by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is solar and wind driven.

Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and is on the forefront of hydrogen energy technology development. Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50 patents in hydrogen dispensing technology. For more information on Air Products’ hydrogen fueling station technologies go to www.airproducts.com/h2energy.

DANBURY, Conn.– FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL), a leading manufacturer of high efficiency, ultra-clean power plants using renewable and other fuels for commercial, industrial, government and utility customers, today announced that the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) issued its final decision approving 27.3 megawatts (MW) of projects incorporating the company’s highly efficient Direct FuelCell(r) (DFC(r)) power plants. The sales value of the projects will be $84 million when project developers finalize electricity purchase agreements and project financing.

The approved projects include nine FuelCell Energy DFC3000 power plants: 3.4 MW DFC-ERG for a natural gas letdown station in Bloomfield, Conn.; 3.2 MW Direct FuelCell/Turbine (DFC/T) for a substation in Danbury, Conn.; 14.3 MW DFC3000 in Bridgeport, Conn.; 3.2 MW DFC-ERG in Trumbull, Conn.; and 3.2 MW DFC-ERG in Glastonbury, Conn. The Connecticut Clean Energy (CCEF) Fund recommended the five projects under Round 3 of Project 150, which requires Connecticut utilities to enter into Energy Purchase Agreements for 150 MW of clean power. With this latest approval, the DPUC will have approved 153 MW of projects including 43.5 MW of FuelCell Energy power plants.

“The DFC-ERG and DFC/T power plants achieve approximately 60 percent electrical efficiency — the highest electrical efficiency of any available distributed generation technology,” said R. Daniel Brdar, Chairman and CEO of FuelCell Energy. “This efficiency results in low carbon emissions because less fuel is used to produce electricity. And because our power plants do not combust fuel, our customers also benefit from near-zero emissions of NOX, SOX and particulate matter.”

Distributed generation fuel cells locate the power generation where it’s needed, adding 24/7, baseload power to the existing transmission and distribution network. Because the installations are smaller than typical central generation power plants, they are easier to site, permit, and finance. Central generation plants are larger, take significantly longer to permit and construct, and have higher emissions. Additionally, they often require new, controversial transmission and distribution lines to deliver the power to where it is needed. DFC power plants can be deployed in approximately one year and require no new transmission and distribution investment.

Connecticut is one of 28 states and Washington D.C. that have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). Under Connecticut’s RPS, utilities are required to purchase 27 percent or approximately 1,000 MW of their power from clean energy sources by 2020. Fuel cells are an ideal part of the clean energy solution for RPS states because they provide reliable baseload power 24 hours a day, with near-zero emissions and low CO2.

About FuelCell Energy

FuelCell Energy is the world leader in the development and production of stationary fuel cells for commercial, industrial, municipal and utility customers. FuelCell Energy’s ultra-clean and high efficiency DFC(r) fuel cells are generating power at over 50 locations worldwide. The company’s power plants have generated more than 275 million kWh of power using a variety of fuels including renewable wastewater gas, biogas from beer and food processing, as well as natural gas and other hydrocarbon fuels. FuelCell Energy has partnerships with major power plant developers and power companies around the world. The company also receives funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and other government agencies for the development of leading edge technologies such as fuel cells. For more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com

The NHA Conference and Hydrogen Expo in Columbia, South Carolina, drew thousands on its public day, indicating trend of growing interest in hydrogen industry.

Washington DC–Interest in hydrogen is greater than ever as evidenced by the record breaking number of participants at the NHA Conference and Hydrogen Expo. Held for the first time in Columbia, South Carolina March 30 to April 3, 2009, the event attracted 2,000 public visitors in addition to the more than 700 registered attendees-nearly twice as many as previous years. “Despite the challenges of working in a tightening economy, the event is a true testament to the strength and vitality of the hydrogen industry and the public’s extremely high interest in alternative fuels,” noted Jeffrey Serfass, President of the National Hydrogen Association. “As more hydrogen products are sold to meet materials handling and reliable power needs, people are realizing its abundant uses, benefits and ultimately the vast economic growth potential.”

Public and professional participants flooded the exhibit hall to see the latest innovations presented by nearly 80 exhibitors-from hydrogen-powered video cameras to electrolyzers and fuel cells for forklifts. While the overarching theme was the potential for growth in the industry, more products for sale today were available than in previous years, including hydrogen forklifts, portable power units, hydrogen production equipment, dozens of components and even hydrogen-powered Segways currently in use by the Columbia, SC police department. Exhibitors reported numerous inquiries about the purchase of their products from potential customers and publications.

Eleven hydrogen-fueled vehicles were on hand including a Proterra hydrogen bus. More than 500 people eagerly lined up to test drive cars from General Motors, Honda, Daimler and Hyundai. Despite dismal financial reports from the auto industry, auto manufacturers reiterated their commitment to hydrogen development alongside other alternative fuel sources in keynote addresses -further confirming that hydrogen vehicles will be a more common sight in the coming years.

Participants were also introduced to the next generation of industry professionals. The NHA’s dedication to fostering industry growth was more apparent than ever with the number of student activities featured at the event. The Element One hydrogen race kart, designed and built by a Formula Zero team from Lawrence Technological University, created a considerable amount of buzz as they demonstrated its high-performance capabilities with zero emissions. An impressive range of robotics was unveiled during the 2nd Annual Fuel Cell “Green Machine” Competition and the last keynote session provided the occasion to announce the winning university teams in the Hydrogen Student Design Contest.

In addition to the phenomenal public interest, professional participants hailing from across the United States and nearly 30 other countries came to learn about the latest advancements, innovations and research driving the industry. Undeterred by the economic downturn, participants took advantage of the timely sessions and the opportunity to develop new and lucrative relationships to advance their work. “All of the key people in the industry were here,” said Puneet Verma, Manager of the Hydrogen Business Unit at Chevron. “I was able to get more than a week’s worth of work done in just days.”

With more than 40 sessions covering everything from producers to users of hydrogen, the conference featured its most relevant content to date, presented by some of the biggest names inside and outside the industry. Among them included David Houle, respected futurist, strategist, Emmy Award-winner and author of The Shift Age and Dr. R. K. Malhotra, the Executive Director of the Indian Oil Company.

In 2010, the event will continue to focus on advancing the industry with the theme of “green energy, green jobs, green planet.” Renamed as the NHA Hydrogen Conference and Expo, the event will return to Long Beach, CA, May 3-6.