FuelCellsWorks

UltraCell’s XX55 and XX25 fuel cell systems, shown here, are both based on the company’s industry-leading Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell (RMFC) technology.

LIVERMORE, CA– – UltraCell Corporation, a leading producer of fuel cells for mobile power applications, today announced it will build fuel cell systems for the U.S. Army Agile Integration Demo and Experimentation (AIDE), as part of the Army’s Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM).

RDECOM, established in October 2003 to meet the technological challenges of current and future military operational environments, includes the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Army Research Office (ARO), Army Materiel Systems Analysis Activity (AMSAA) and seven Research, Development and Engineering Centers. As part of RDECOM, AIDE functions as a collaboration center to accelerate the delivery of technological solutions for warfighter requirements.

UltraCell will initially build 30 fuel cell systems based on the company’s XX25™ reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC) technology. The systems will provide higher energy density, a greater operating life, increased performance at higher altitudes and a greater threshold for maximum ambient temperature than previous portable power solutions — all while offering a lighter and more mobile design. Field testing of the units by U.S. soldiers will last for approximately three months, with the contract extending through March 2010.

“The AIDE program is committed to the development of advanced power technologies for extended runtime missions and intends to see the technology through to deployment in the Military,” said JJ Kowal, CERDEC Fuel Cell Technology Team. “This contract allows for increased testing in field environments and the advancement of existing prototype portable power solutions.”

“UltraCell remains committed to further advancing our fuel cell technology to better equip soldiers in the field with reliable, long-lasting portable power,” said Keith Scott, CEO of UltraCell. “We look forward to continuing to supply XX25 units to promising military programs like AIDE.”

About UltraCell

UltraCell is a leading producer of fuel cell systems for mobile devices. With an exclusive license with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories for micro fuel cell technology, the company has developed new technologies and intellectual property in the field of methanol-based fuel cells. Its patented, award-winning portable fuel cell, the XX25™, achieved Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 status, a significant U.S. Army milestone and certification for military use and commercial production. For more information about UltraCell, please visit http://www.ultracellpower.com/.

Microfluidics deals with the behavior, precise control and manipulation of fluids that are geometrically constrained to a small, typically sub-millimeter, scale.

As part of his final year project, Daniel Spencer, who has just completed an MEng in Electronic Engineering at the University’s School of Electronics and Computer Science, conducted a literature review to look at how energy harvesting devices or an energy store could be provided so that portable electronic devices could have continuous power on demand. His supervisor was Professor Hywel Morgan, Professor of Bioelectronics at ECS.

‘Currently, since energy harvesting cannot provide the necessary energy continuously, energy must be stored,’ Daniel said. ‘This is usually in the form of batteries which provide electricity on demand. However as portable devices become more powerful, higher capacity energy storage solutions are required.’

According to Daniel, microfluidic cells offer a solution to this problem, utilising the chemical bond energy stores in fuels with high calorific values such as methanol.

A fuel cell is capable of converting chemical energy from a fuel into electric energy. The simplest device, a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell uses the electrochemical reaction of a fuel and oxidant to generate an electric current.

Daniel’s research has revealed that more work is needed for integration of fuel cells into a complete system and he plans to do a PhD in Microfluidics to develop his research further. In the meantime, Sharp Corporation is currently deploying a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell system, the timescale for which is unknown.

Larry Burns, vice president of research, development and strategic planning at General Motors, will announce his retirement soon, the Free Press has learned. Burns, who joined GM’s R&D staff in 1969, has been a vice president since 1998 and has been an industry pioneer in hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Burns reportedly told GM President Fritz Henderson about a month ago of his intent to retire. Henderson is in the midst of a major shakeup and downsizing of his top executive group, disbanding separate strategy boards and creating an eight-member executive committee. Henderson said Friday he will announce a number of executive moves between now and the end of this month.

Has consistently held that in the automotive and other traditional technology has lagged behind China, but in new areas such as fuel cells and the developed countries in China, “the same starting line,” but a matter of fact, the lack of large companies and the overall low level of industrialization of China’s two major weaknesses decision competing for the new technical standards for the commanding heights of the body when weak.

New future-oriented industries, the standard has always been dispute over the “fertile soil.”

Recently, Hitachi Japan to send managers as IEC (International Electrical Committee) TC105 micro fuel cell branch of the new “performance” department chairman, and pledged to spare no effort to help promote the fuel cell “international standardization” process. Sources pointed out earlier, the U.S. government to speed up the current and common, such as are several major car manufacturers, oil companies to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology standards.

Standards for fuel cells gradually drop the service?

Hitachi Universal’s standard impulse

According to sources, the current Japan in the development of micro fuel cell leader, the United States in the development of fuel cell vehicles have advantages. The use of technology and industry leader in the rapid development is conducive to their own standards, the early occupation of the market has become the two governments and General Motors, Toyota, Hitachi and other company’s “top priority”, inter-company cooperation between the standard consensus is reached ” hotbed. ”

Recently, by the Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry suggested that Toyota Motor, Matsushita Electric, Tokyo Gas, Sanyo Electric and other fuel-cell development in Chinese enterprises to set up a joint fuel cell development companies, the U.S. General Motors Corp. and BMW AG of Germany to form the fuel cell vehicle development has already begun to arrive Union so that these big companies in the consortium will develop gradually under the name “monopoly” of fuel cell standards.

Is the new source for fuel cell development by leading the Joint Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian Sundiro established several enterprises, such as companies, Hou Zhong-Jun, deputy general manager told the “International Herald Tribune” reporters, the International Electrotechnical Institute (IEEC) have begun to organization and implementation of fuel cells for the establishment of international standards, new source also sent a technical representative of the standard of writing and revision of the views put forward by Chinese experts.

On the other hand, China also began to develop its own fuel cell technology standards, and have been approved, Hou Zhong-Jun, currently has completed the proton exchange membrane fuel cell modules for the draft and the first amendment, being written by the fuel cell also includes standard, portable fuel cells for mobile power supply standard.

However, can not be questioned, in the encircled international industrial giant, China’s standards in the fuel cell for a certain extent already in the “marginalized” status, “China’s fuel cell is not standard international voice loud” in a ASTRI researchers say.

Industry standards into China’s internal injury

China’s voices of vulnerable fuel cell standards is the fundamental reason for the lack of a strong advance of large companies, China’s major automobile enterprises to joint-venture enterprises and foreign joint venture partner for the standard fuel-cell advocates, it is difficult to expect these companies invest a lot of money fuel cell research in China, private enterprises because of the reasons for return, the general did not dare this new area of investment.

HOU Zhong-Jun of China has also raised the development of fuel cells where the difficulties lie: the main fuel cells in China and investment by the state, in the University Institute for the development of small enterprises invested a large amount of human and material resources, so as a result of financial and resource constraints, the development process slower.

“China is still way out of the fuel cell should be in the country’s support, play a major automotive companies and enterprises in the automotive design, manufacturing advantages, combined with fuel cell R & D institutions experts and the common development of fuel cell electric vehicles, take full advantage of all aspects of technology and financial resources to jointly promote the development of fuel cell technology. “Hou said in the Army in order to ensure that the fuel cell market in the future standards of a place in China. At the same time, large companies the advantage of close to market fuel cell technology will enable the rapid market-oriented, only the market can become a reality the standards of the standards, and China on this point “inherently.”

R & D level is another to determine the standard “to” an important force , but the Chinese-led research and development and there is no advantage.

An industry source told “International Herald Tribune” reporters, the international high level of fuel cell technology countries, including Canada, the United States, Japan, China’s fuel cell technology than the overall gap between these countries.

The technology gap between the major works in the battery technology, by the country’s overall level of industrial technology, that is, the development of large-scale cell battery module, the technology level of the level of industrial processing technology as well as a great influence on the level of parts and components processing These factors have a direct impact on R & D capacity battery module.

New energy is still controversial car?

Recently held in Hainan meeting new energy future, energy car which is still the subject of expert debate, solar, natural gas, etc. into the program was still taking it in turns. Who preferred to remain anonymous experts have pointed out that in the international arena, fuel cell car has become a new energy industry, the actual choices, while in China, various experts and do not want to give up their own research direction, the impact is still to the Government’s new energy options .

HOU Zhong-Jun told the “International Herald Tribune”, a number of new motor vehicle can be divided into two categories: diesel, natural gas and hydrogen internal combustion engine-powered low-emission internal combustion engine cars and a variety of power-driven electric vehicles. Zero emission electric vehicles can achieve emissions from the fuel reserves at the same time constraints, the power to choose the future. In electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicle is the advantage of zero emissions, is absolutely clean, while the energy density is much higher than solar cells, lithium, nickel-hydrogen batteries and so on, has become the first choice for the development of electric vehicles approach. Japan has the fuel cell as a “strategy to create new industries in Japan,” the first choice, focus on the development.

China in the fuel cell to increase the area of the right to speak, has no hesitation and vacillation in China, or else the future will be handed a huge market for anyone.

VANCOUVER– Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that its FCgen(TM)-1020ACS fuel cell product is the power source for a 1.6 kiloWatt backup power system deployed by Motorola, a major global telecommunications solution provider. Dantherm Power A/S, through its affiliate Dantherm Air Handling A/S, is utilizing Ballard’s fuel cell product in a fully integrated cabinet solution for Motorola TETRA base stations throughout Denmark’s SINE network.

Michael Goldstein, Chief Commercial Officer of Ballard stated, “Motorola’s deployment of Ballard’s FCgen(TM)-1020ACS product in a TETRA-standard public safety system highlights the significant market potential for fuel cells in wireless network deployments worldwide. Telecommunications solution providers are valuing the virtually unlimited backup power provided by fuel cells.”

Motorola is responsible for establishment and operation of Denmark’s nationwide SINE public safety network, which consists of approximately 500 sites. Ballard fuel cells will provide reliable backup power in 123 base stations across Denmark.

Denmark’s SINE network is based on the TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) standard, developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. The TETRA standard and protocol are being specified for use in numerous professional mobile radio systems around the globe. These systems ensure that various public safety authorities – such as police, fire and ambulance services, transportation organizations, utilities and military groups – are able to maintain continuous, secure communication with one another during any emergency situation. TETRA standards ensure a higher level of reliability than public cellular services. As of September 2008, a total of 2,232 TETRA-based contracts were in-place across 105 countries in Europe, the Asia Pacific region and the Middle East.

Backup power solutions based on fuel cell technology deliver a number of significant advantages over conventional batteries and diesel generators, including higher reliability over a wide range of operating conditions, lower maintenance costs, longer operating life, and reduced size, weight, installation footprint, and environmental impact. The FCgen(TM)-1020ACS fuel cell stack provides all of these advantages and enables an extremely compact and cost-effective backup power solution with its air-cooled design.

About Ballard Power Systems

Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) is recognized as a world leader in the design, development, manufacture and sale of clean energy fuel cell products. Ballard’s mission is to accelerate fuel cell product adoption. To learn more about what Ballard is doing with Power to Change the World(R), visit www.ballard.com.

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO–( Hydrogenics Corporation (TSX:HYG)(NASDAQ:HYGS), a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products, announced that on July 10, 2009, General Motors Company acquired ownership and control of 11,364,006 common shares of Hydrogenics Corporation from General Motors Corporation in connection with the sale of substantially all of the assets of General Motors Corporation under U.S. bankruptcy proceedings. This is the same stake which had previously been owned by GM since October 26, 2001; the acquired shares represent approximately 12.3% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Hydrogenics.

The acquired shares were originally issued to General Motors Corporation by Hydrogenics as consideration for entering into a master intellectual property agreement and a corporate alliance agreement with Hydrogenics. As part of, and in connection with, the bankruptcy proceedings, General Motors Company was assigned, and became a party to, the master intellectual property agreement and a corporate alliance agreement and acquired the shares.

ABOUT HYDROGENICS

Hydrogenics Corporation (www.hydrogenics.com) is a globally recognized developer and provider of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products and services, serving the growing industrial and clean energy markets of today and tomorrow. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Hydrogenics has operations in North America and Europe.

Washington, DC –With much of the focus on light-duty vehicles as a means for carbon and oil reduction, zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell buses have been quietly servicing passengers all around the world for years, with a recent surge of interest and many new orders on the way.

In addition to the great reduction in greenhouse gases that fuel cells provide, other benefits of fuel cell buses include a smooth, quiet ride and centralized fueling.   There are at least ten bus manufacturers working with fuel cell developers and transit agencies to put these vehicles in service.

Recent fuel cell bus developments include:

• 20 new fuel cell buses will be provided by New Flyer Industries to BC Transit for demanding routes at the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia and will remain in revenue service after the Olympics.  These buses have demonstrated full freeway speed capability and fully loaded climb of a 20% grade starting from a stop.

• Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in California has 12 Van Hool buses with UTC Power fuel cell systems on order.  This is in addition to the three fuel cell buses already in its fleet that have travelled more than 165,000 miles with an overall fuel economy 70 percent better than a control fleet of like diesel buses.

• UTC Power PureMotion® 120 fuel cell systems are also powering buses at SunLine Transit in California, CT Transit in Connecticut, and at DeLijn in Belgium; CT Transit will add four more fuel cell buses later this year.

• Latin America´s first hydrogen-powered public transport bus began a two-month test in São Paulo, Brazil on July 1st.  After the trial, the bus will be incorporated into the regular fleet, with the goal of 4 hydrogen buses by June 2010.

• Daimler recently unveiled its new Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid bus in Vienna and starting in 2010, will deploy ten of these buses for operation in Hamburg.  Shell is adding hydrogen pumps to four public filling stations to support the vehicles.

• Daimler’s bus program already has deployed 36 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses in 12 cities in Europe, Australia and China, logging more than 1.3 million miles and  139,000 hours, and serving more than 8 million passengers.  Since 2000, the company has invested approximately US$111 million in their fuel cell bus program.

• A 40-passenger Hydrogenics fuel cell bus will be commissioned this month in Gladbeck, Germany as part of the Rampini Fuel Cell bus project.   Additional models are expected to be ready for procurement after testing is complete. Ten Hydrogenics fuel cell powered hybrid MidiBuses are already in operation in Germany.

• Hydogenics also has contracts to provide fuel cell power modules to bus manufacturers Proterra for hydrogen hybrid transit bus deployments in California, South Carolina, Texas and Washington, and EVAmerica for a hydrogen transit bus for Birmingham, Alabama.

• NASA’s Glenn Research Center is working on a prototype of a commercial renewable hydrogen fueling station to fuel a fuel cell transit bus for the Cleveland area.

• ISE Corporation currently has commitments for delivery of 28 fuel cell buses, with a production line in place at its Poway, California facility. ISE can deliver a fuel cell bus in just a few months.

• The Hydrogen Bus Alliance, which includes Canada, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Columbia, Cologne, Hamburg, London, Madrid, South Tyrol, and Western Australia, is aggregating orders and projecting price reductions to the $1M level in the next six years (by 2015), with expectations of 50 buses per city.

To see how transit agencies and their riders feel about the fuel cell and hydrogen bus demonstrations, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) sponsored “A Report on Worldwide Hydrogen Bus Demonstrations, 2002-2007.”  The study surveyed participants in California and Connecticut, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Iceland, China, Japan and Australia.  Reliability and performance were better than expected.  A number of other demonstrations are in the planning stage.  See http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/ReportOnWorldwideHydrogenBusDemonstrations_2002to2007.pdf

BOTHELL Wash., July 13, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NEAH Power (OTCBB:NPWS) www.neahpower.com, the company leading development in fuel cells for the military and portable electronic devices, will present its disruptive and unique methanol-nitric fuel cell, funded by the Office of Naval Research, at the 11th Electrochemical Power Sources R&D Symposium beginning today in Baltimore, MD. Attendees include representatives from all branches of the military, as well as many leaders from the civilian energy sector. http://www.11ecpss.betterbtr.com/index.html.

Dr. Tsali Cross, VP of Engineering at NEAH Power, will describe NEAH’s Development and characterization of porous silicon based methanol-nitric fuel cell prototype systems for portable military applications at the Power Sources Symposium. The presentation summarizes NEAH’s research and development on anaerobic fuel cells.

“We are very grateful to the ONR for their generous support of the anaerobic direct methanol fuel cell project over the past year and we are happy to showcase our findings at this prestigious conference. The anaerobic fuel cell system will serve as the foundation for numerous fuel cell products,” Dr. Chris D’Couto, NEAH’s President and Chief Executive Officer, noted.

About NEAH Power

NEAH Power Systems, Inc. (NPWS) is developing long-lasting, efficient and safe power solutions for the military and for portable electronic devices. NEAH uses a unique, patented, silicon-based design for its micro fuel cells that enable higher power densities, lower cost and compact form-factors. The company’s micro fuel cell system can run in aerobic and anaerobic modes.

Further company information can be found at www.neahpower.com.

Berlin — During her stay in Berlin Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited Heliocentris to discuss the potential of hydrogen and fuel cell technology in order to increase the usage of renewable energy.

Dr. András Gosztonyi, CFO, and Dr. Claus Fischer, Sales Director for the Asian markets, introduced Her Royal Highness to the diverse fuel cell solutions for educational, research and industry purposes offered by Heliocentris. Education was found to be the key driver of economic success.

With the expansion of the company’s activities in Asia, Heliocentris is proud to count several universities in Thailand among its customers. These conduct research and develop energy solutions including hydrogen and fuel cell technology. The delivery of a comprehensive fuel cell educational laboratory to the renowned Khon Kaen Vocational College in north-east Thailand constituted a major milestone of our activities.

Barry R. Finegold, Massachusetts state representative

The U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu recently announced that the Department of Energy reduced funding for fuel cell technology by more than $132 million and is effectively cutting the hydrogen fuel cell research and development program. Secretary Chu argues that fuel cell technology is still decades away from large-scale implementation, and so not an option in the near term. I strongly disagree.

Fuel cells have vast potential as a means of powering cars and trucks and as a technology for energy storage. In fact, the DOE’s own budget documents state that fuel cell cars have the greatest potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 of any advanced vehicle technology.  With over $1.4 billion in public funding and an estimated $4 billion in private investment to date, continued investment from the DOE will ensure that fuel cells play a major role in our mission to finding non-fossil-based fuels and reducing emissions.

Fuel cells have made substantial progress over the past five years. According to leading car companies, fuel cell technology has progressed at a faster rate than battery technology and offers a promising solution to our long-term energy issues. Chevrolet has 115 Equinox fuel-cell vehicles that have logged more than 750,000 miles. Other companies have spent billions of their own money and produced two generations of cars, 318 of which remain on the road. Nuvera Fuel Cells Inc. in Billerica has developed a hybrid fuel-cell bus for use at Logan Airport, as well as other hybrid fuel-cell vehicles for commercial and industrial use. These practical applications are commercial today and will have a real impact as we move toward a clean energy culture.

Fuel cells for cars have been criticized for the costs involved and the lack of hydrogen fueling stations. The federal stimulus package, however, indicates a willingness to invest in myriad projects that lay the foundation for an integrated infrastructure that bridges the gap between old, fossil-fuel powered cars and new, renewable-energy powered cars. What’s more, local governments are signing contracts with companies to build that infrastructure.
There are now 65 hydrogen fueling stations in the U.S.  With continued support from municipalities and state officials, the infrastructure will continue to grow and the economy will benefit. A Breakthrough Technologies Institute study shows that as many as 189,000 jobs may be created by 2021 as a result of the fuel cell industry. Fuel cell technology is a long-term solution, and the jobs created today will be available in the decades to come.  We cannot stymie this field and stall the research projects that are under way.

While fuel cell technology for cars is not ready for mass production, progress is made every day. In the U.K., a company is developing a prototype for a hydrogen-fueled car that could start production as early as 2013. This car is projected to get the equivalent of 360 mpg. Yes, the costs are still prohibitive and the infrastructure is not in place yet. Solar companies also faced high production costs in the 1980s and 1990s, at nearly $300 per watt; today, the cost is roughly $5 per watt. Like the solar industry, fuel cell companies need to cut production costs. In light of the challenges we face in today’s economy and energy needs, we cannot afford to choose winners and losers among these promising solutions.

In the coming weeks, the House and the Senate appropriations committees will deliberate the federal budget. I urge the members to restore the $132 million that was cut from the DOE’s budget. As we continue to commercialize this promising technology, the costs will decrease and fuel cells will be one of the solutions to reducing our carbon footprint. We have the opportunity to create, reduce the effects of our carbon consumption and  support the advancement of this innovative technology.

Barry R. Finegold is the Massachusetts state representative from the 17th Essex District and was recently appointed as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – July 10, 2009) – Hydrogenics Corporation (TSX:HYG)(NASDAQ:HYGS), a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products, today announced that its consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, dated March 24, 2009 filed on Form 6-K on March 26, 2009 and subsequently included in the Company’s Annual Report filed on Form 20-F on June 30, 2009, contain a going concern qualification from its independent accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Management’s plans to address the going concern issues are discussed in its Management’s Discussion and Analysis included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F. In addition, as previously announced on June 12, 2009, the Company announced that it has entered into an agreement with the trustees of Algonquin Power Income Fund (TSX:APF.UN), which, subject to various conditions will result in a non-dilutive financing to Hydrogenics with gross cash proceeds of approximately C$10.8 million, or approximately C$9.3 million net of transaction related expenses. The transaction involves a Plan of Arrangement and an Exchange Offer pursuant to which, among other things, Hydrogenics will offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding units and convertible debentures of Algonquin Power in exchange for new securities of Hydrogenics. The transaction is subject to various conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals, which include the approval of The Toronto Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. The transaction is also subject to approval by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and by shareholders of Hydrogenics.

The transaction is subject to various conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals, which include the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. The transaction is also subject to approval by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and by shareholders of Hydrogenics and unitholders of Algonquin Power.

NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5250(b)(2) requires NASDAQ-listed companies to publicly announce through the news media the receipt of an audit opinion containing a “going concern” qualification. This announcement does not represent any change or amendment to the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F.

ABOUT HYDROGENICS

Hydrogenics Corporation (www.hydrogenics.com) is a globally recognized developer and provider of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products and services, serving the growing industrial and clean energy markets of today and tomorrow. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Hydrogenics has operations in North America and Europe.

http://www.courant.com/business/hc-proton-energy-systems.artjul09,0,920258.story

The SME Education Foundation expanded their introduction to science and technology for 6th and 7th graders attending their Gateway Academy by allowing them to experience an advanced energy initiative – the development and installation of a fuel cell.

DEARBORN, Mich., —  The basics of fuel cell engineering now complements a summer technology camp offering robotics, aeronautics and computer design for 6th and 7th graders attending the Gateway Academy offered by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation being held this summer at Ballston Spa High School in Latham, N.Y.

This education outreach initiative is part of a major program recently announced by Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), a leader in providing clean, reliable energy solutions, and National Grid an international natural gas and electric utility, in their selection of Union College, Schenectady, N.Y. as the host site for the first field-trial of Plug Power’s residential fuel cell, GenSys. Plug  Power’

StableFlow Technology Key to Maximizing Efficiency in Large Power Generators

WALLINGFORD, Conn. — Wallingford hydrogen-technology producer Proton Energy Systems (www.protonenergy.com) said today it earned a patent for its proprietary control system for regulating the purity and pressure of the hydrogen gas used to cool large electric power generators. Proton’s StableFlow system is a breakthrough product for electric power generators that actively controls purity and dew point, monitors pressure and, enables more efficient power production while also enhancing capacity and generator life.

“We are pleased that the U.S. Patent office has recognized the critical importance of the StableFlow hydrogen control system, which provides utilities the opportunity to improve the operating efficiency of their plants, creating major savings in fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions,” said Rob Friedland, President and Chief Executive Officer of Proton Energy Systems. “Our mission at Proton Energy is to apply our advanced hydrogen technology in creative and practical ways to deliver the most reliability, durability and savings for our customers. With this patent, we are committed to sharing this value with additional partners throughout the world.”

With this latest achievement, Proton Energy continues to lead the market in hydrogen innovation. Proton Energy is the world’s leading supplier of onsite hydrogen generators utilizing proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology, and combining Proton’s HOGEN generators with the StableFlow system provides a utility with full control over its hydrogen generating system – maximizing efficiency, cost and safety. Proton’s StableFlow system can save most plants an average of one megawatt per hour in windage losses per generator. A megawatt of power production is equivalent to $50-$100 an hour in electricity revenue to the average power plant and is equivalent to one ton of CO2 reduction per hour in stack emissions. StableFlow provides efficiency improvements to a plant’s power generators that effects both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions providing the plant with a very attractive return on investment.

The issuance of this recent patent adds to Proton’s growing strength in the power industry and demonstrates its commitment to remaining a key industry supplier of innovative solutions. Proton Energy’s commitment to innovation has also been recognized with several recent Department of Defense projects, developing Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems for backup power and creating advanced fueling systems capable of sustaining a military fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

For more information on Proton Energy Systems, visit www.ProtonEnergy.com.

About Proton Energy Systems

Proton Energy Systems designs and manufactures proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrochemical systems to make hydrogen from water in a zero pollution process producing safe, pure, reliable onsite hydrogen to meet today’s global hydrogen requirements. Proton Energy Systems has been developing and manufacturing world-class electrolysis systems since 1996, with more than 1500 units deployed world-wide, on every continent. With a reputation for building robust, reliable, and safe systems, federal, state, and commercial partners repeatedly seek the creative solutions that Proton Energy Systems has proven it is capable of delivering.

Website: http://www.protonenergy.com

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory have created a reversible route to generate aluminum hydride, a high capacity hydrogen storage material. This achievement is not only expected to accelerate the development of a whole class of storage materials, but also has far reaching applications in areas spanning energy technology and synthetic chemistry.

“We believe our research has provided a feasible route to regenerate aluminum hydride, a high capacity hydrogen storage material,” says Dr. Ragaiy Zidan of SRNL, lead researcher on the project. The SRNL team, supported by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, has developed a novel closed cycle for producing aluminum hydride (AlH3), also known as alane, that potentially offers a cost-effective method of regenerating the hydrogen storing material in a way that allows it to repeatedly release and recharge its hydrogen. In this process, the hydride is made via an electrochemical method, and the starting material is regenerated directly with hydrogen. Although many attempts have been made in the past to make alane electrochemically, none of these previous attempts were totally successful.

For years, one of the major obstacles to the realization of the hydrogen economy is hydrogen storage. Solid-state storage, using solid materials such as metals that absorb hydrogen and release it as needed, has many safety and practicality advantages over storing hydrogen as a liquid or gas, and many storage materials have been examined trying to meet DOE’s goals. Several materials have been discovered that have met or exceeded the DOE gravimetric and/or volumetric performance targets. Of those, however, the majority do not have the required thermodynamic and kinetic properties that allow them to release their hydrogen when needed, and be efficiently and economically reloaded with hydrogen when spent.

Alane possesses the desired qualities, but had been considered impractical because of the high pressures required to combine hydrogen and aluminum to reform the hydride material. Alternate methods of production using chemical synthesis have typically produced stable metal chloride byproducts that make it practically impossible to regenerate the alane. The electrochemical cycle demonstrated by Dr. Zidan and the SRNL team for production of alane avoids both of these issues.

In conjunction with this research, the SRNL team discovered novel ways to facilitate separation and formation of aluminum hydride that also apply to the formation of other complex metal hydrides and have the potential to cost-effectively regenerate other high capacity hydrogen storage materials. The SRNL results are expected to accelerate the development of a whole class of similar materials needed for hydrogen, batteries and other energy storage applications.

In addition, this work will significantly impact other fields including those of thin films, adduct based syntheses, and the recycling and regeneration of other materials.

The research is reported in an article published in Chem. Commun., 2009, 3717�, a publication of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The work was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

SRNL has a long history of successful research and development in the field of hydrogen storage methods, an outgrowth of the Laboratory’s decades of support for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s tritium mission. Tritium is the radioactive form of hydrogen used in national defense.

SRNL is DOE’s applied research and development national laboratory at the Savannah River Site (SRS). SRNL puts science to work to support DOE and the nation in the areas of environmental management, national and homeland security, and energy security. The management and operating contractor for SRS and SRNL is Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC.

Next month a Volvo Penta subsidiary will hire around 60 people in an entirely new plant in Gothenburg, Sweden to manufacturer an environmentally friendly electrical power generator for powerboats and over-the-road trucks. The new system will use hydrogen and it will replace diesel generating systems putting out from 5 kw to 15 kw. That means it will be applicable to powerboats from about 25’ to 45’ – the heart of the diesel and gas generator market for companies such as Onan, Westerbeke and Kohler. The new system appears to have few, if any, moving parts and will therefore eliminate the annoying noise and vibration that current diesel-powered generators produce. Volvo says the emissions are a big improvement over current diesel generation technology. The big news here is that the new Volvo system does not have to wait for hydrogen “stations” to be set up around the country, as its new unit will simply make its own hydrogen gas out of conventional fuels, including ethanol, biomass, alcohol, biodiesel.

Volvo Penta’s new system “reforms” hydrocarbons creating hydrogen which creates electrical current in a “fuel cell stack.” No noise, vibration, CO, or worries–

For now, we will have to be content with using this new technology as a replacement for a boat’s generator, not its primary engines. That day is still a long way off. Nevertheless, the silent creation of on-board electricity is compelling. Typically generators in the 5 kw to 15 kw range cost from about $8k to $20k depending on the mark-ups of your boat yard.

The new system is a technological leap forward for the marine industry.

Benefits of the New Generator

So long as the price is competitive, this new Volvo Penta product should get a warm reception from all boaters using generators in this range, particularly from yachtsmen that are used to having a second generator as a back up to the first.

Further, the difficult problem of matching the load to the generator will be eliminated by this new system obviating the need for both a large generator and a small one, the second one often called a “night” generator. Boats now carrying an artificial loading device will no longer need that.

The new system is lighter, smaller, can use the nooks and crannies in an engine room or lazarette. Moreover, since diesel fuel will not be sent through injectors the worry about filtration is eliminated. In addition the unit will have zero CO emissions and other emissions will be less than current SOTA diesel generators.

Hydrogen fuel cell stacks have been around for years.

Even though the new device can burn ecologically friendly substances, it is expected that most people will simply to use the same diesel fuel for the new hydrogen system as they do for their main engines. The company has not yet announced when products will be commercially available or even weather they will be sold to the aftermarket in the beginning.

According to the company the first fully operational APUs (auxiliary power units) will be shipped in 2012. Separate sales of fuel cells will begin in 2010.

Drawing of a reformer.

From the Press Release, Swedish Powercell Website, and other sources–

Sweden’s Volvo Group has teamed up with the Swedish Energy Agency, Midroc New Technology and OCAS to invest SEK 200m ($26.2 million) in the development of Volvo’s fuel cell technology. Powercell Sweden AB has two patented components: a fuel converter (reformer) and a PEM fuel cell – the type of fuel cell most often used in transport applications

Who’s Owns Who?

Midroc New Technology, a part of Midroc Europe, develops and invests in future technologies within Clean Tech and BioMed. Midroc is owned by Mohammed H. Al-Amoudi who among other companies owns Preem Petroleum, Swedish Petroleum Exploration and Västra Hamnen Funds. OCAS is an advanced market-driven material research center based in Belgium. OCAS’ part in the investment is taken up by its sister company, the investment fund Finindus.

Volvo Penta will be a minority owner of the new company.

“We are immediately going to start hiring qualified people for production, product development, marketing and sales”, says Per Wassén, CEO pf Powercell Sweden.

How it Works

The company says that its new fuel cell resembles a small battery. It is charged with hydrogen gas and converts this into electricity, water and carbon dioxide through a chemical reaction. The areas of use can be power supply units for households, trucks, boats, radio masts in remote locations and electric hybrid vehicles. Compared with normal diesel or gas-powered engines, fuel cells produce significantly less carbon dioxide and no emissions at all of particulates and nitrogen oxides. In addition, they are more efficient, smaller and lighter.

Company Intentions

Fuel cell products have an enormous potential to be a main source of electrical power, replacing several existing technologies. Powercell´s mission is to provide the market with environmentally friendly fuel cell based systems that provide electrical power (www.powercell.se).

System Offering

The core behind Powercell´s product is the system solution around an exclusively patented fuel cell technology and fuel reforming technology.

An Environmental Friendly Power Generator

In order to resolve the issue of hydrogen accessibility, the electrical power generator from Powercell operates on commercial fuels and is based on two main sub-systems; the Fuel Processor and the Fuel Cell stack.

Fuel Processor – the Hydrogen Generator

Powercell has developed a Fuel Processor, protected by patents, which converts, ethanol, biogas, DME, methanol, propane standard grade diesel or gasoline into hydrogen used to fuel the fuel cell system.

Fuel Cell Stack – Produces Electrical Power

The patented Fuel Cell stack from Powercell is a PEM -based fuel cell– which is today the most common technology used in automotive applications. The core of our technology is the unique cell design which allows for the production of highly robust fuel cell’s. The cell can work on reformate as well as clean H2.

System – The Power Generator

The generator from Powercell is superior to existing automotive and marine APU (auxiliary power unit) based generators with respect to emission, noise, cycle efficiency, size and weight. Main characteristics are: – Emission levels – generates electricity with zero emissions of CO, NOx and particulates. – High fuel efficiency and reliability, with a lighter and smaller system. – Fuel flexibility – diesel, ethanol, biogas, DME, methanol, propane, gasoline and others – Increased customer comfort level – reduced noise, smell and emission levels.

The Two Primary Markets

For the APU two main market segments in the transport industry are focused, the Marine leisure segment and the Truck market.

For the Marine leisure market segment the customer need electrical power and the existing solution, diesel engine based generators, has a lot of negative characteristics as un-healthy emissions, high sound levels, vibrations and smells. Features of a fuel cell generator handles and effecting the perception of all the negative aspects of the existing product.

The Truck APU market segment is driven by the need of environmental friendly power generators (APUs), mainly by anti-idling legislation in North America. All sleeper cab trucks need power during rest for comfort loads as air condition, TV and to the kitchen.

Product Development and Sales

Initially sales of separate fuel cell packages to other applications will take place. Substantial contracts for such applications are under negotiations.

Powercell is now focusing to meet the following main milestones;

- Separate sales of fuel cell will start 2010.
- First complete APU product to market in 2012.

The US Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development approved Fiscal Year 2010 funding legislation that, among other elements, would provide $27.398 billion for the Department of Energy—$1.109 billion below the President’s budget request—including $190 million for the continuation of the Hydrogen R&D program, which the administration had terminated.

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