FuelCellsWorks

The Abruzzo Region in Italy is installing fuel cells to power the Mediterranean Cup that will be held from June 26 till July 5, 2009 in Pescara, for more info see http://www.pescara2009.it .

Within the past week a number of ambitious politician plans for electric and hydrogen cars in Copenhagen & Denmark have been published. The new climate plan for the municipality of Copenhagen sets the target that 85% of all cars in the municipality service are electric and hydrogen powered in 2015 corresponding to 600 cars. A new energy plan from the Conservatives government party in Denmark suggest a continuation of the present registration tax exemption on electric & hydrogen cars throughout 2015, thus avoiding the normal taxation on up to 180% of the base car price. The plan also calls for strong investments in hydrogen refuelling stations allowing for all new car sales in 2025 to be electric and hydrogen only. Further public funding for energy R/D/D are to be doubled to €134 million annually, where 1/3 of the funds in the past have been spent on hydrogen and fuel cells.

The political plans continue and significantly support the strong efforts of the Hydrogen Link Denmark as well as the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership to ensure the region as one amongst the first in the world where hydrogen fuel cell cars are market introduced.

Today four hydrogen refueling stations and around 20 vehicles are in operation in Scandinavia with ongoing activities to ensure further 9 stations in the coming year together with up to 50 vehicles. Earlier this year the Municipality of Copenhagen signed a contract on supply of 15 fuel cell vehicles to be put in operation onwards the United Nations Climate Meeting in December together with plans for a hydrogen refueling station.

Onwards 2015 it is the ambition to further increase number of vehicles and stations in Denmark as well as Scandinavia enabling market introduction. The political plans for electric and hydrogen vehicles are an important step towards ensuring the necessary market frame conditions and political support for such development.

Below are summarized the main electric & hydrogen car initiatives in the political plans:

Electric & hydrogen car initiatives in Conservatives government party

* Target that all new car sales in Denmark in 2025 are electric and hydrogen
* Continuation of registration tax exemption on electric & hydrogen cars throughout 2015 (avoiding up to 180% tax on base car price)
* Roll-out of national network of hydrogen refueling stations & infrastructure by 2011
* Initiation of tests with hydrogen busses in the major cities
* Free public parking for electric & hydrogen cars
* Doubling of annual national support for R&D and demonstration of new energy technologies from €67 million to €134 million, including support for fuel cell vehicles & hydrogen refueling stations (1/3 of all annual public funding in the past have been spent on hydrogen & fuel cells)

Electric & hydrogen car initiatives in Copenhagen Municipality Climate Plan

* From 2011 all new car procurement in the municipality are to be electric & hydrogen
* In 2015 85% of all municipality cars are to electric or hydrogen, corresponding to 600 cars
* Free parking in Copenhagen for electric & hydrogen cars
* CO2 emissions from busses to be reduced with 25% through use of electricity & hydrogen
* Vision of becoming a CO2 neutral municipality in 2025

SAMSUNG Reveals New Military-Grade Fuel Cell in U.S. Army Performance Test

PASADENA, CA–VIASPACE Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: VSPC), an alternative energy company providing products and technology for renewable and clean energy, announced that SAMSUNG, one of the world’s leading electronics companies, revealed its new military-grade fuel cell-powered by a methanol fuel cartridge developed and delivered by VIASPACE Inc–in a press release and at the Korea Green Expo held last week in South Korea.

SAMSUNG also revealed that it has completed fuel cell performance tests for 72 hour operation with the U.S. Army’s CERDEC (Communication Electronics Research and Development Engineering Center).  Plans for mass production include fuel cells not only for military applications but expanding the platform to include mobile electronics, like notebook computers, and industrial equipment. SAMSUNG reported that Frost and Sullivan expects sales of military fuel cells to reach more than 100 million units for a market value of more than $580 million by 2013.

VIASPACE Chief Executive Carl Kukkonen remarked: “We’re pleased with SAMSUNG’s success and are continuing to work closely with their research and development staffs as they take further steps toward commercial production for both the military and consumer markets.”

The fuel cartridge was developed by VIASPACE’s fuel cell subsidiary, Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation (DMFCC), under a contract with SAMSUNG. Using VIASPACE’s fuel cartridge full of liquid methanol, the fuel cell efficiently converts the methanol into electrical energy without burning.  SAMSUNG’s  high efficiency military direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) system produces the same energy as batteries two to three times its weight at a cost-per-kilowattt-hour 50% to almost 98% lower than batteries.  SAMSUNG’s fuel cell may be operated in any orientation, a key requirement for military applications.

Kukkonen added: “Our clean energy business is focused on designing and manufacturing disposable fuel cartridges that supply methanol for fuel cells, which we feel will become a major source of power for electronic devices such as notebook computers and cell phones.  Since a notebook computer powered by a fuel cell is projected to use approximately 100 fuel cartridges during its lifetime, we see our partnerships with Samsung and other companies as opportunities to develop a substantial base of recurring revenues.