FuelCellsWorks

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has extended the closing date for the hydrogen sensor Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to May 14. This FOA is for developing low-cost sensor technologies that can be directly integrated with hydrogen systems and are resistant to contaminants. The sensor must detect/measure hydrogen in situ. For each sensor project, an applicant must explain how a proposed technology will exceed the current state of the art. The goal is to develop a sensing technology to determine the presence of hydrogen before it reaches a flammable mixture. Sensors should be suitable for at least one of the following applications: stationary systems, portable devices, transportation, or infrastructure.

The purpose of this amendment is to:

• Allow applications to be submitted through FedConnect. However, if you have already submitted an application in Grants.gov, you do not need to resubmit to FedConnect. Submit your application to only one of these sites. (Note: Grants.gov FOA Number DE-PS36-09GO99004 can be found in FedConnect as FOA Number DE-FOA-0000083.)
• Extend the closing date to May 14, 2009.
• Clarify federal laboratory and other federal agency eligibility.

The technical scope of the announcement remains unchanged.

Two new resin systems from Huntsman Advanced Materials meeting the most stringent requirements for graphite composite fuel cells for large scale production of automotive and stationary power applications have won the JEC Innovation Award for raw materials.

Philippe Christou, Technology Director EMEIA Huntsman Advanced Materials said: “Every major automotive, stationary power and back-up power manufacturer in the world is considering how best to utilise fuel cell technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the reliance on fossil fuels, making the fuel cell component market a potential boom market.  Working with our partners this is a technology breakthrough that represents major long term opportunities.”

Since the conversion of fuel to energy takes place via an electrochemical process, the process is much cleaner, quieter and up to three times more efficient than burning fuel. The fuel cell’s bipolar plates have superior corrosion resistance, lower contact resistance, higher thermal conductivity and a longer operating life at higher temperatures.

For the automotive sector Huntsman Advanced Materials has developed a benzoxazine resin suitable for high temperature PEM fuel cells.

The resin which operates at a continuous temperature of 120?C has a phenolic-like backbone which gives it very good flame retardant properties together with excellent glass transition temperatures and mechanical properties.  In particular there is a very high modulus, low water absorption and near zero shrinkage as well as good electrical properties.

For stationary power and back-up power applications, a bismaleimide resin  has been developed for fuel cells operating at temperatures of up to 180?C in concentrated phosphoric acid.  The resin is flame resistant and provides the fuel cells with excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, a low ionic content and can be applied in continuous high volume manufacturing processes using conventional prepregging techniques.

The resins have been developed in conjunction with GrafTech International Holdings Inc. and forms part of a US Department of Energy sponsored programme.  The cells have already undergone extensive testing and are expected to be available commercially in late 2009 / early 2010.

• Sales down 37.6% due to tough economic climate but within expectations
• Additional cost reduction measures initiated – Order placed by Volkswagen AG in March for the supply of auxiliary power units to special purpose vehicles marks successful launch in a new market

Brunnthal–SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG, technology and market leader for mobile and off-grid power solutions based on fuel cells, realized sales of EUR2,873k in the first quarter of 2009, a drop of 37.6% compared with the same period a year ago (Q1/08: EUR4,606k). This decrease in sales is mainly attributable to the difficult economic conditions, especially in the volume market leisure. Substantial delays in capital outlay decisions in the industrial market and the postponement of orders under joint development agreements (JDAs) with defense programmes also took their toll. The share of product sales in total sales increased from 75.3% in Q1/08 to 84.5% in the period under review.

EBIT fell to minus EUR1,175k in Q1/09 in the wake of the declining sales (Q1/08: minus EUR411k). Gross margin for Q1/09 decreased only slightly to 18.5% despite the substantially weaker sales volume (Q1/08: 18.9%). The company’s continuing efforts to systematically reduce production costs of its EFOY fuel cells and keep a tight rein on expenses helped prevent any further loss of gross margin. Net profit receded to minus EUR874k (Q1/08: EUR147k).

Cash and cash equivalents stood at EUR42,470k as of March 31, 2009 (December 31, 2008: EUR45,568k).

EFOY unit sales totalled 1,121 in the first quarter of 2009 (Q1/08: 1,783), a 37.1% drop mainly impacted by the economic crisis in the leisure sector. Customers in the market for off-grid industrial applications continue to push back decisions on capital spending projects. Despite the company’s progress tapping this market with its new EFOY Pro Series product line and a host of pilot projects, the performance in the industrial market was not sufficient to compensate for the steep decline suffered in the leisure market. A number of projects in the defense market were delayed, which eroded sales under joint development agreements (JDAs).

SFC made an impressive debut in the field of auxiliary power units for special purpose vehicles, a new market for the company, with an order from Volkswagen AG for over 200 EFOY fuel cell systems. As the number of electronic and electrical devices used without the availability of a power outlet grows in these vehicles, the dependable electricity offered by the EFOY fuel cell offers customers a compelling advantage with a level of convenience, environmental soundness and uncompromised reliability that is unmatched by any other technology currently available in the market.

For the 2009 business year the Management Board continues to aim for growth in the industry markets. An important strategic goal is to broaden SFC’s sales basis in order to make the company less dependent upon the distinctive seasonal and economic fluctuations of the leisure market. Minimized stock holding at leisure retailers, as well as continued postponement of joint development orders in defense, bear a considerable risk that SFC will not achieve sales growth in 2009 compared to the year before. The Management Board has therefore created an extensive cost reduction program, the immediate implementation of which shall contribute to stabilizing the operating result (EBIT) on the 2008 level.

The quarterly report of SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG is available for download at www.sfc.com.

About SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG

SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG (www.sfc.com) is market leader in fuel cell technologies for mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial and defense markets. As one of Germany’s technology pioneers, SFC has won numerous innovation awards. SFC has alliances with leading companies in a wide range of industries. Unlike most other fuel cell manufacturers, who are in the research and development phase or run subsidized demonstration projects, SFC has shipped more than 13,000 fully commercial products to industrial and private end users for more than four years, and has created a convenient fuel cartridge supply infrastructure. SFC is DIN ISO 9001:2000 certified. SFC is based in Brunnthal, Germany, and has a U.S. sales and technical service office in Atlanta.