FuelCellsWorks

MONTREAL–Air Liquide is leading a CDN$14 million hydrogen energy project to demonstrate an array of innovative hydrogen energy and fuel cell technologies operating on the site of the Montréal – Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and another international airport to be announced at a later date.

The project was announced today at the Montreal airport. This project is a collaboration between Air Liquide Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and Québec’s Agence de l’efficacité énergétique (AEE), with the involvement of 14 other companies.

The project will involve an array of hydrogen-powered technologies and the fuelling infrastructure that supplies them. In Montreal, these technologies will help serve the airport’s 12.8 million passengers each year through transportation in shuttle buses, as well as passenger and utility vehicles, and through hydrogen generated stationary and auxiliary power applications. Air Liquide will provide the hydrogen and install a unique station to fuel several vehicles at the same time at 350 and 700 bar pressures and to refill portable hydrogen tanks.

“We are very pleased, and very proud, to participate in this pilot world leading project with Air Liquide,” said James Cherry, president and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal. “We are committed to offering all the support necessary for the success of this project; we will provide a location for the fuelling station and we will be among the most active users ourselves of hydrogen-powered vehicles.”

“We are extremely proud to lead this major innovative project The confidence entrusted in Air Liquide by both levels of government and by the airport is a great testimony to Air Liquide’s leadership and expertise in this field,” said Luc Doyon, president and CEO of Air Liquide Canada. “Air Liquide’s initiative and leadership in this project represents another step in our strategy to actively develop Canada’s hydrogen energy supply and infrastructure. The two buses and nine other vehicles converted to hydrogen in this project will not emit any pollutants or greenhouse gases.”

Hydrogen vector of energy:

Using hydrogen as an energy carrier is a promising alternative fuel solution for motor vehicles. Used in a fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen in the air to produce electricity to power the vehicle, with water as the only emission.

Air Liquide and hydrogen:

To support car manufacturers in the development of their hydrogen-powered vehicles, Air Liquide has developed fuelling stations to fill fuel tanks with pressurised hydrogen up to 700 bars. These stations complete the fill-up in less than five minutes and as easily and safely as for a gasoline stop.

Air Liquide has supplied over 40 hydrogen fuelling stations around the world.

Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 43,000 employees. Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen carbon dioxide and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide’s activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic growth and a consistent performance.

Air Liquide combines many products and technologies to develop valuable applications and services not only for its customers but also for society. Innovative technologies that curb polluting emissions, lower industry’s energy use, recover and reuse natural resources or develop the energies of tomorrow, such as hydrogen, biofuels or photovoltaic energy…Oxygen for hospitals, homecare, fighting nosocomial infections…

A partner for the long term, Air Liquide relies on employee commitment, customer trust and shareholder support to pursue its vision of sustainable, competitive growth. The diversity of Air Liquide’s teams, businesses, markets and geographic presence provides a solid and sustainable base for its development and strengthens its ability to push back its own limits, conquer new territories and build its future.

Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true to its sustainable development approach. In 2008, the Group’s revenues amounted to (euro)13.1 billion, of which almost 80% were earned outside France. Air Liquide is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member of the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes.

MONTREAL–Canada’s expertise in putting clean energy technology to work for our economy and our environment will be displayed for millions of people from Canada and around the world at a new, one-of-a kind hydrogen demonstration project. The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources, along with the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, launched the project today with partners at Montreal’s Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport.

The Government of Canada is a major partner in the project, which will showcase a variety of applications for hydrogen energy technologies at the airport, including a new type of fuelling infrastructure. Among others, the 20 million people who pass through the airport each year will have the opportunity to ride hydrogen-powered shuttle buses, while airport employees will be using a number of hydrogen-powered utility vehicles, from pickup trucks to the tractors used to pull baggage trains.

“Investing in the development and demonstration of new, cleaner energy technologies is a priority for our Government,” said Minister Raitt. “Our investment in this project provides economic stimulus today, and moves us closer to realizing the potential of these technologies to provide a healthier environment and high-quality jobs for Canadians in the years to come.”

“This in an important project for Quebec which demonstrates its leadership in developing clean energy technologies,” said Minister Paradis. “We are pleased to be investing in this hydrogen technology which will be on display for the world to see at Montreal’s Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport.”

The Government of Canada is contributing $2.4 million to the project through the ecoENERGY Technology Initiative. Other partners in the $11-million demonstration include Air Liquide Canada, and Quebec’s Agence de l’efficacité énergétique (AEE).

Using hydrogen as a carrier energy is a promising alternative fuel solution for motor vehicles. Used in a fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen in the air to produce electricity to power the vehicle, with water as the only emission.

The $230-million ecoENERGY Technology Initiative was launched in 2007 to support the development of technologies to increase Canada’s supply of clean energy; reduce energy waste; and reduce the environmental impact of the production and use of conventional energy. It is one of a series of ecoENERGY Initiatives through which the Government of Canada is investing a total of $3.6 billion to work with Canadians to increase production of cleaner energy and cleaner fuels; and increase energy efficiency.

These investments will increase under the Economic Action Plan for Canada set out in Budget 2009, which proposes a $300 million expansion of the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program, as well as a new, five-year,
$1-billion Clean Energy Fund.

Shanghai – General Motors Corp. and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC) announced today the launch of SAIC’s Shanghai Brand Fuel Cell Vehicle, which is powered by GM’s latest fourth-generation fuel cell propulsion technology.

The vehicle from SAIC uses the same 700 bar high-pressure hydrogen fuel cell system adopted in the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell. Ten Shanghai Brand Fuel Cell Vehicles will be built. The zero-emission high-tech vehicles will join the Equinox Fuel Cell as part of a fleet of both GM and SAIC vehicles to shuttle VIPs at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

“The Shanghai and Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles will be featured in the most extensive fuel cell demonstration program ever conducted in China . This follows the government’s call for the creation of a sustainable transportation system,” said GM Group Vice President and GM Asia Pacific President Nick Reilly. “GM supports China’s move toward sustainability, and we are providing our latest fuel cell technology in line with our overall strategy of in China, with China, for China.”

SAIC engineers have been co-located at GM facilities in Germany and GM engineers have been co-located at SAIC facilities in China to produce the vehicles. The original Equinox fuel cell propulsion system has been modified and improved to fit into the Shanghai Brand Fuel Cell Vehicle.

GM and SAIC are the exclusive joint global automobile partner of World Expo 2010 Shanghai. In line with the exposition’s th eme of “Better City, Better Life,” GM and SAIC plan to showcase their solutions for sustainable transportation while promoting the vehicles of tomorrow at their corporate pavilion .

The two automakers, which operate eight joint ventures in China, earlier signed a pair of agreements to promote advanced vehicle technology. Their Shanghai GM joint venture began selling the Buick LaCrosse Eco-Hybrid last year as part of its Drive to Green strategy. China is slated to become one of the first markets for the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle in 2011.

GM has deployed more than 100 Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles around the globe, making it the largest fuel cell electric vehicle fleet to date. Vehicles are being driven by a wide range of customers, businesses, government agencies, celebrities and media as part of Project Driveway.

Prime Minister, Business Secretary and Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills praise innovation at Loughborough

Loughborough–At an event held today at Loughborough University to launch the “Building Britain’s Future –New Industry, New Jobs” initiative, government ministers pointed to the success of Intelligent Energy as an example of how innovation in clean technology can be one of the pillars of economic recovery in the UK. The policy statement identifies areas in which the UK government intends to invest in order to increase British competitiveness, and low carbon technologies are one of the areas in which existing leadership can be built upon to generate new jobs and economic growth.

“Intelligent Energy is a prime example of innovation being driven by excellence in technology, harnessing the private sector to grow and thrive, and receiving support from government in the shape of the Technology Strategy Board,” said Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, discussing the role that government can play in helping UK business gain a competitive edge globally.

Earlier, on a visit to Intelligent Energy’s facilities at the Innovation Centre in Loughborough, the prime minister was told of Intelligent Energy’s breakthrough role with Boeing in providing the power system for the world’s first manned fuel cell aircraft in 2008. He also learnt of the company’s leadership of a consortium, part-funded by the government’s Technology Strategy Board, which aims to put a fleet of hydrogen-powered taxis on the streets of London for the 2012 Olympics.

Prime minister Gordon Brown praised the manner in which Intelligent Energy had “broken new ground” in low carbon innovation. The company started life as a spin-off from Loughborough University , and now employs over 100 staff in the UK and the US .

“It’s fantastic to have senior government figures come here and see what progress we’ve made towards making this low-carbon technology a reality for consumers,” said Henri Winand, chief executive officer of Intelligent Energy. “Fuel cells are a tremendously versatile option for providing clean power in numerous markets, including transport

. What we’ve achieved here is testament to the forces of innovation and technical expertise that exist in the UK ’s universities. However, we must draw upon support from a number of sources, including the government, to ensure that clean technology like ours becomes a driver of real economic growth in the next few years, and not returned to the realm of science fiction. The time to roll it out into commercial markets is now, and with the government’s backing we can make this a sector of genuine competitive advantage for the UK .”

About Intelligent Energy-http://www.intelligent-energy.com/
Intelligent Energy is a fuel cell power systems company, with a range of leading fuel cell, fuel purification and hydrogen generation technologies. The company is focused on the provision of cleaner power and low carbon technologies. Intelligent Energy partners with leading companies globally, in the transportation, oil and gas, aerospace and defence, distributed generation and portable power markets. Current partners and customers include Scottish & Southern Energy, PSA Peugeot Citroën, and The Suzuki Motor Corporation.

Electricity from Bioethanol – renewable, mobile, available worldwide

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany have developed an ethanol reformer fuel cell system. The system is suitable for outdoor use and has an electric power output of 250W. Along with other innovations from Fraunhofer ISE, this system will be presented to the public for the first time from 20th – 24th April in Hall 13/ Stand E 27 at the Hannover Trade Fair.

The system is fueled with denatured bioethanol, which is inexpensive, non-toxic and commercially available worldwide. One potential application is as a power supply for medical equipment in developing and threshold countries.

The core piece of the system to be presented at the trade fair is a commercial PEM fuel cell with an electric power output of 300W. “If fuel cells are to achieve long periods of operation, then it is best if they are combined directly with a reformer. In this case, the use of hydrogen storage, be it either metal hydride storage or pressurized gas cylinders, is neither economical nor practical,” says Dr. Thomas Aicher, head of the group Hydrogen Production at Fraunhofer ISE.

Using precisely this point, reformer fuel cell systems can demonstrate their great advantage. These systems combine the high energy storage density of the fuel with the high power density of the fuel cell. A further advantage is that with the integration of a reformer, commercially available fuels like bioethanol, propane or gasoline (U.S.) can be used.

The ethanol reformer fuel cell system developed at Fraunhofer ISE can be used outdoors and operates at ambient temperatures ranging from -10 to +40 °C. At the push of a button, the electric power becomes available. A buffer battery is used during the start-up phase, when hydrogen is not yet flowing to the fuel cell. The system including the tank has a total volume of 200l and a weight of 30kg, respectively. It consists of four modules (fuel cell, reformer with gas purification, electronics and tank). The main system functions are carried out by:

a low-temperature PEM fuel cell from the company Schunk. This was optimized for operation with a reformate gas (product gas of the reformer).

a reformer with gas purification. The latter reduces the amount of carbon monoxide in the reformate gas to a level that is suitable for the following PEM fuel cell.

a tail gas combustor in which the offgas from the anode is oxidized and provides the heat needed for evaporation and overheating the feed streams (ethanol, water and air).

No further heat integration is used in the reformer system in order to maintain a simple system architecture and achieve controllability of the entire system. The four modules are stacked on top of each other within a housing mounted on wheels for easy transport.

The development of the reformer fuel cell system is supported by the Federal German Ministry for Economics and Technology BMWi. The partners in this cooperative project are the companies DMT GmbH, EGO Elektro-Gerätebau GmbH, Elbau GmbH, Intratec GmbH, LIFEBRIDGE Medizintechnik AG, Magnum Automatisierungstechnik GmbH und Umicore AG & Co. KG. The Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft e.V. (HSG-IMIT), the second research institute involved in the project, contributes its expertise in the area of liquid dosage.

“The goal at the end of the development work was to present a fully functional technology for demonstration purposes. Today, the consortium is able to offer interested manufacturers the technology for series production,” reports Johannes Full, the project leader responsible at Fraunhofer ISE.

Hannover Trade Fair, 20th-24th April 2009
Fraunhofer ISE Stand located at:

Hall 13 Stand E 27