FuelCellsWorks

By Dave McCombs

July 8 (Bloomberg) — Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. said General Motors Corp.’s engine technology is the “key driver” of its bid for the failed U.S. automaker’s European unit, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a Beijing Automotive document addressed to GM.

Under Beijing Auto’s proposal, GM would have to “license all alternative propulsion technologies (i.e. hybrid, fuel cells)” to Opel, including the new company’s planned Chinese operations, the report said.

Flying test laboratory will further the development of fuel cells for aerospace applications

On 7 July 2009, Antares DLR-H2, the world’s first piloted aircraft capable of taking off using only power from fuel cells, demonstrated this capability at Hamburg Airport. Antares DLR-H2 has been developed by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR). The Antares flies with zero CO2 emissions and has a much lower noise footprint than other, comparable, motor gliders. The propulsion system for this aircraft was developed at the DLR Institute for Technical Thermodynamics (Institut für Technische Thermodynamik – Stuttgart) in collaboration with its project partners – Lange Aviation, BASF Fuel Cells and Serenergy (Denmark). This motor glider achieves new quality standards in the field of high-efficiency, zero-emission energy conversion and clearly demonstrates the progress that has been made in fuel cell technology.

The centrepiece and greatest innovation on the Antares DLR-H2 is the fact that it is powered directly by means of an ultra-efficient fuel cell. “We have improved the performance capabilities and efficiency of the fuel cell to such an extent that a piloted aircraft is now able to take off using it,” stated Prof. Dr-Ing Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Chairman of the Executive Board at DLR. “This enables us to demonstrate the true potential of this technology, also and perhaps specifically for applications in the aerospace sector. Coupled with our expertise in fuel cell technology, DLR’s many years of extensive experience in gaining official approval for aerospace systems are what made the Antares DLR-H2 a feasible proposition.”

Standard motor glider retrofitted with fuel cell drive

The Antares DLR-H2 is based on the Antares 20E motor glider with a wingspan of 20 metres, constructed by Lange Aviation, a company based in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. With its fuel cell propulsion system, Antares has a cruising range of 750 kilometres, achieved in a flying time of five hours. In order to accommodate the fuel cell and the hydrogen supply on board the aircraft, two additional external load carriers were slung under the specially reinforced wings. Due to the extra 100 kilograms of payload that each of these removable and flexibly interchangeable containers is able to carry, the aeroelastic properties of the wings had to be reconfigured to prevent any adverse impact on the flight stability of the aircraft. Optimisation work at the DLR Institute for Aeroelasticity (Institut für Aeroelastik – Göttingen) now provides the Antares DLR-H2 with an assured capability to fly at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour without any wing flutter. The current propulsion system permits maximum flying speeds of approximately 170 kilometres per hour.

A fuel cell system is the centrepiece of propulsion technology

The fuel cell system was developed by the DLR Institute for Technical Thermodynamics in collaboration with BASF Fuel Cells (electrolytic membrane and catalysts) and Serenergy A/S (stack subsystem). The system uses hydrogen as its fuel, and this is converted into electrical energy in a direct, electrochemical reaction with oxygen in the ambient air, without any combustion occurring. During this zero-particulate reaction, the only by-product is water. If the hydrogen fuel is produced using renewable energy sources, then the motor glider genuinely flies without any CO2 emissions whatsoever. The fuel cell is slung under the left wing and the hydrogen tank under the right wing – with a capacity of either 2 or 4.9 kilograms. The fuel cell system used to power the Antares delivers up to 25 kilowatts of electrical power. When flying in a straight line, the aircraft only requires about ten kilowatts of power. In this situation, the fuel cell is operating at an efficiency level of approximately 52 percent.

The total efficiency of the drive system from tank to powertrain, including the propeller, is in the region of 44 percent, making it about twice as efficient as conventional propulsion technologies based on combustion processes. Systems powered by kerosene or diesel only contribute about 18 to 25 percent of their energy to propulsion.

“The top priority in this project is of course the safety and reliability of the fuel cell propulsion system,” stated Antares Project Manager Dr-Ing. Josef Kallo from the DLR Institute for Technical Thermodynamics. However, having the correct architecture for the entire system is just as important for full implementation of this project: ”This includes having an absolutely reliable fuel cell, in conjunction with propulsion system of the aircraft and, last but not least, a fully mature configuration for the aerodynamics and aeroelasticity of the motor glider.”

Another new feature of the Antares is the way its fuel cell is connected to the main electric motor that powers the aircraft. The motor controller, developed jointly with Lange Aviation and with the College of Advanced Technology in Berne/Biel, is capable of taking in and controlling voltages from 188 to 400 V. Through the direct link between fuel cell and motor, efficiency, costs, reliability and maintenance costs are minimised.

Fuel cell as future energy source for air transport

“With our successful first flight, we have verified the feasibility of fuel-cell powered flight and our next steps will focus on improving efficiency levels and on extending the service life of these systems”, stated Dr Kallo.  This could, for example, make it possible to significantly improve performance by optimising the cooling concepts, fuel cell architecture and components such as the air supply system. “At this stage, we have only tapped into a fraction of the performance capabilities of this technology for aerospace applications. The Antares DLR-H2 will help us to make much greater use of these areas of potential.”

Although the fuel cell may still be a long way from becoming the primary energy source for the propulsion of commercial aircraft, it does already constitute an interesting and important alternative to existing energy systems as a form of reliable on-board power supply. High efficiency levels go hand in hand with minimum pollutant emissions, lower noise levels, safe flying operations and high standards of passenger comfort. The aim of the research work being conducted by DLR is to employ fuel cells in real-life applications for commercial air transport – as a reliable supply source for on-board power. In an initial stage of development, DLR collaborated with Airbus Germany on a fuel cell system for providing an emergency power supply to the hydraulic pumps used to control the DLR research aircraft – the Airbus A320 ATRA. In a second step, the ongoing use of a fuel cell system to provide an on-board supply in large-volume transport aircraft is firmly on the drawing board. In future, the Antares DLR-H2 motor glider will provide a cost-effective platform for testing fuel cell systems for aerospace. Among other things, this optimises the test time of the DLR Airbus A320 ATRA.

Flying test laboratory will in future be teaming up with the Fuel Cell Lab in Hamburg

The Antares DLR-H2 will be based at Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg where, over the next three years, it will be acting as a flying test platform for the fuel cell test activities of DLR as part of its Fuel Cell Labs project. The Fuel Cell Lab was brought into being by the City of Hamburg on a joint basis with DLR and Airbus/EADS and is intended to ‘bundle’ a high proportion of the hydrogen and fuel cell activities being conducted in the greater Hamburg region. By stationing this research aircraft on the premises of Lufthansa Technik, direct contact can be established with an experienced technical development and maintenance operation in the air transport business. This linkage will also help to enhance the ease of operation and maintenance of the future fuel cell systems designed for use in large-volume air transport and developed by DLR in its capacity as a development partner for Airbus. To safeguard and further develop the level all-round flying expertise for this new fuel cell application, DLR and Lange Aviation GmbH have co-signed a cooperation agreement. Other partners who have already joined include BASF Fuel Cell GmbH, Serenergy A/S and Lufthansa-Technik AG, who came on board in the course of 2008.

LATHAM, N.Y., July 7, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Plug Power Inc. (Nasdaq:PLUG), a leader in providing clean, reliable energy solutions today announced that they have received a $1.4 million award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to install and operate three combined heat and power (CHP) GenSys(r) fuel cell systems in New York State homes. These systems will allow Plug Power to validate and enhance product features in preparation for broad scale product commercialization. The first system is scheduled to be installed this summer with all three units expected to be operational this year.

A residential GenSys unit will be installed in the basement of each home and will operate in conjunction with the electric grid, running on natural gas. The fuel cell will produce electricity and high-quality heat to satisfy the home’s heating and domestic hot water demands. Plug Power estimates that GenSys will save the homeowner approximately 30% on their monthly utility bill.

The GenSys solution is expected to achieve an overall combined efficiency of 85%. Currently, homes utilizing grid electricity and typical heating systems average 44% household efficiency. “This increased efficiency level yields an annual CO2 reduction roughly equivalent to not driving your car for six months,” said Mark Sperry, Vice President of Plug Power’s Continuous Power Division. “The residential GenSys solution will allow for tremendous reductions in monthly energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions.”

“This project marks another step toward the commercialization of our residential GenSys product,” said Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power. “GenSys’s state-of-the-art technology has moved out of the labs and into real homes — homes with families, pets and swimming pools. This product will revolutionize the way energy is used around the world.”

Other partners on this project include:

  * National Grid for site selection and grid interconnection
  * CSA Engineering Services, LLC for mechanical integration to the
    home heating system and grid interconnection design
  * Chuck Russo Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC for mechanical
    installation of GenSys fuel cell systems
  * Socaris Electric for electrical installation of GenSys fuel cell
    systems

NYSERDA has funded several projects to advance the development of Plug Power’s high-temperature fuel cell system, and this milestone project marks the culmination of many years of collaboration.

NYSERDA President and CEO Francis J. Murray, Jr. welcomed the demonstration: “Plug Power’s continuing leadership in developing residential fuel cell units has been demonstrated through its GenSys program. NYSERDA is pleased to match Plug Power’s $1.44 million investment in its development, and we look forward to receiving its operating results as a step toward commercialization of a unit that could dramatically reduce a homeowner’s energy bill and carbon footprint at the same time.”

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.

Demonstration of “zero carbon” home energy system and agreement to supply demonstration kitchens and electricity storage systems to showcase housing development

ITM announces that, in line with the strategy set out in June 2009, it is today launching and demonstrating the equipment needed to realise a “zero carbon” home power system aimed at taking commercial advantage of UK legislation on emissions from new homes.

Housing currently contributes just under half of the UK’s carbon emissions and the Government’s July 2007 Building A Greener Future – Policy Statement announced that all new homes will be zero carbon from 2016. ITM has applied its patented technology to designing and building a zero carbon domestic energy system providing heating, lighting, and electric power plus the storage needed to allow this to operate from renewable resources. The system makes and stores non-polluting hydrogen which is then used in specially adapted household appliances. This system is being launched and demonstrated today to media, local authorities, potential commercial partners and potential joint-venture partners. The system has been designed to run from renewable sources of power as well as the national grid.

In addition, ITM announces that it has agreed to participate in the building of an innovative demonstration housing development in South Shields, supplying its expertise and technology, in order to show that affordable housing can be made a net producer, rather than a net consumer of energy. The housing development is being built by a partnership between Groundwork South Tyneside & Newcastle with ONE Northeast, Four Housing Group, and South Tyneside Council. The development is being financed by the partners. These houses and apartments will incorporate the best and most practical aspects of building design commensurate with the cost of the properties still allowing for their designation as affordable homes and will be no less comfortable or convenient to live in than a conventional dwelling.

In addition to ITM’s hydrogen technology, the site will feature state of the art heat pumps, solar energy, renewable wind energy, and modern low energy lighting. ITM will fit two of the properties with hydrogen powered kitchens while hydrogen will also be used as an energy store and for provision of electricity to the properties and for the site lighting. The site will be connected to the grid with energy flows in and out from a 225KW wind turbine. Final designs for the development are now being completed and it is expected that application for full planning permission will be made in late August 2009. If successful, Groundwork envisages rollout of the ITM energy package throughout projects in the North East region.

Commenting on today’s news, Dr Graham Cooley, ITM’s newly appointed CEO, said, “I am committed to pursuing multi-market routes to commercialisation with the best strategic fit to the Company’s technology.  Today’s demonstration and the showcase agreement with Groundwork will bring us to the attention of potentially one of the most important of these markets.”

For further information please visit www.itm-power.com or contact:

Melbourne-based clean energy company Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (ASX/AIM: CFU), a global leader in fuel cell development, today announced it had appointed Mr. Roy Rose to its board.

Mr. Rose, based in Melbourne, will be a non-executive director of the company and will join the board’s Technical Committee.

Mr. Rose, aged 62, has 30 years experience in the paint, chemicals, fertilizer and medical products industries and brings to Ceramic Fuel Cells strong skills in technology and innovation, including experience commercialising and manufacturing innovative technologies.

Mr. Rose has held non-executive directorships of Incitec Limited, CRC for Environmental Biotechnology and Qenos Pty Ltd.  Mr. Rose has also held senior management positions at Orica Australia.

He is currently chairman of CSIRO’s Future Manufacturing Flagship Advisory Committee and is a non-executive director of ITL Limited, a rapidly growing medical technology company specializing in innovative medical devices, hospital equipment and pre-sterilized surgical procedure packs. Mr. Rose chairs ITL’s Audit & Risk Management Committee.  ITL Limited is based in Australia, with manufacturing facilities in Malaysia and customers in 35 countries.

Mr. Rose has a B.Sc with a major in chemistry from Monash University and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mr. Rose has also served on the following industry groups:

Member & Past President – Australian Industrial Research Group

Member – Green Chemistry Centre Advisory Board, Monash University

Member – Industrial Advisory Group, Faculty of Science, Melbourne University

Member – Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia Advisory Board

Member – Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering & Innovation Council Working Group “Australia’s Science & Technology Priorities for Global Engagement” (2006)

Member – Energy Futures Forum (2005-2006)

Member – National Nanotechnology Strategy Taskforce Reference Group (2005)

Member – Low Energy Technology Action Group (2005)

BOULDER, Colo. — Fuel cells have long represented an elusive opportunity, literally a technology in search of a market, with hockey stick growth curves perpetually only a few years away. However, according to a new report from Pike Research, the key to fuel cells’ adoption lies in the tactical alignment of their capabilities with the growing need for reliable, long-lasting, affordable alternatives to conventional batteries and small generators for many different portable device categories.

“There is no one killer app for fuel cells. Instead, there are dozens of niche applications that have an increasing need for the clean, reliable power that fuel cells can provide,” says industry analyst Bill Matvichuk. “Over the next several years, fuel cell manufacturers must tailor their offerings to serve the specific requirements of a multitude of consumer and industrial products.”

Matvichuk argues that these applications will be determined largely by the power level capabilities of the fuel cells themselves. A few examples for each of the power level segments are as follows:

1-20 watts – consumer electronics, small appliances, toys, remote sensors 20-100 watts – unattended sensors, video surveillance, medical devices, military electronics 100-500 watts – first responder battery charging, power tools, unmanned vehicles Sub 2 kilowatts – replacement for gasoline and diesel generators, watercraft, combat support systems, auxiliary power units 2-7 kilowatts – materials handling such as forklifts, weapon systems, causeway systems

Pike Research’s report, “Fuel Cells for Portable Power Applications”, provides a tactical, applications-oriented analysis of the emerging market for portable fuel cells. It examines the market opportunity for specific niche applications within five key power level segments: 1-20W, 20-100W, 100-500W, 1-2 kW, and 2-7 kW. The report also includes profiles of key industry players and global market forecasts through 2017. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Renewable Energy, Clean Transportation, Clean Industry, Green Consumers, and Environmental Management sectors. For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com or call +1.303.997.7609.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The California Fuel Cell Partnership announced that Linde North America has joined CaFCP as an associate member.

Linde North America is a member of The Linde Group, one of the world’s largest hydrogen producers and suppliers. As a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, Linde brings years of experience designing hydrogen delivery systems, including developing ground-breaking technology that provides safe, fast and efficient ways to fuel hydrogen vehicles.

Mike McGowan, head of hydrogen solutions for Linde North America, says the CaFCP’s efforts are contributing to a greener world and cleaner environment. “Linde has long admired the California Fuel Cell Partnership’s tremendous work and is pleased to become a member. California’s leadership in deploying hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is due largely to the CaFCP’s efforts. As the CaFCP continues its mission to go beyond demonstrations to achieve commercial deployments, Linde is excited to help make driving and refueling hydrogen cars practical for California residents.”

“As hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are nearing commercial market entry, it’s crucial that the first customers find fueling to be convenient, fast and easy,” said Catherine Dunwoody, Executive Director of CaFCP. “Linde’s expertise building refueling stations around the world will translate nicely into building customer-friendly stations in California.”

Mike Beckman, head of Linde’s Western region, said he’s excited about supporting the CaFCP’s efforts to make a difference in the state. “Linde’s strong local presence, combined with our global expertise in hydrogen, will complement the fantastic work the partnership has been doing in California.”

The Linde Group

As one of the earliest entrants into the hydrogen energy arena, Linde is a leader in the safe production, storage and distribution of hydrogen. Linde is the world’s only company with the in-house technology to fuel gaseous or liquid hydrogen regardless of the mode of on-board storage.

Linde has equipped over 70 hydrogen fueling stations in 15 countries, supplying hydrogen for projects large and small. Amounts supplied range from a few hundred cubic feet of compressed hydrogen in cylinders to thousands of tons of liquid and gaseous hydrogen delivered by tank truck or pipeline.

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 52,000 employees working in around 100 countries worldwide. In the 2008 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 12.7 billion (USD 15.9 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.

Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

US researchers have developed an efficient way of producing hydrogen from urine – a feat that could not only fuel the cars of the future, but could also help clean up municipal wastewater.

Using hydrogen to power cars has become an increasingly attractive transportation fuel, as the only emission produced is water – but a major stumbling block is the lack of a cheap, renewable source of the fuel. Gerardine Botte of Ohio University may now have found the answer, using an electrolytic approach to produce hydrogen from urine – the most abundant waste on Earth – at a fraction of the cost of producing hydrogen from water.

Botte says the idea came to her several years ago at a conference on fuel cells, where they were discussing how to turn clean water into clean power. ‘I wondered how we could do this better,’ she adds – so started looking at waste streams as a better source of molecules from which to produce hydrogen.

Urine’s major constituent is urea, which incorporates four hydrogen atoms per molecule – importantly, less tightly bonded than the hydrogen atoms in water molecules. Botte used electrolysis to break the molecule apart, developing an inexpensive new nickel-based electrode to selectively and efficiently oxidise the urea. To break the molecule down, a voltage of 0.37V needs to be applied across the cell – much less than the 1.23V needed to split water.

‘During the electrochemical process the urea gets adsorbed on to the nickel electrode surface, which passes the electrons needed to break up the molecule,’ Botte told Chemistry World. Pure hydrogen is evolved at the cathode, while nitrogen plus a trace of oxygen and hydrogen were collected at the anode. While carbon dioxide is generated during the reaction, none is found in the collected gasses as it reacts with the potassium hydroxide in the solution to form potassium carbonate.

The group initially tested their process with ’synthetic’ urine made of dissolved urea, but also showed that the process works just as well with real human urine. ‘It took us some time to get clearance to work with human urine – which held up publication of the research,’ says Botte.

According to Botte, currently available processes that can remove urine from water are expensive and inefficient. Urea naturally hydrolyses into ammonia before generating gas phase ammonia emissions. These emissions lead to the formation of ammonium sulphate and nitrate particulates in the air, which cause a variety of health problems including chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks and premature death.

The group are currently conducting long term stability studies on their electrolysis systems, as well as conducting computational experiments to better understand the mechanisms at work.

Botte believes the technology could be easily scaled-up to generate hydrogen while cleaning up the effluent from sewage plants. ‘We do not need to reinvent the wheel as there are already electrolysers being used in different applications.’ She believes the only the thing that would hamper the process would be the presence of a lot of salt.

Bruce Logan, an expert in energy generation from wastewater and director of Pennsylvania State University’s H2E Center and Engineering Environmental Institute, applauded Botte’s efforts in developing a more energy efficient way of producing hydrogen than splitting water. However, he did caution that urea gets converted very quickly into ammonia by bacteria, which could limit the usefulness of the technique.

However, Logan does feel that it would be a good idea to start saving up our urine – although not for the hydrogen. ‘You have to remember about the P [phosphorus] in pee - globally we need to start thinking about conserving phosphorus for fertiliser, because, just like oil, one day the deposits are all going to run out and we need to start building phosphorus recycling into our infrastructure,’ he says.

Matt Wilkinson

Eight companies have agreed to launch a joint effort to develop equipment and facilities to supply hydrogen to fuel-cell vehicles, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are regarded as highly eco-friendly because they emit no carbon dioxide.

The group comprises Nippon Oil Corp., Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K., Idemitsu Kosan Co., Cosmo Oil Co., Japan Energy Corp., Tokyo Gas Co., Osaka Gas Co. and Toho Gas Co., according to sources. They plan to invite auto manufacturers involved in the development of fuel-cell vehicles to take part in the energy-supply project.

The group aims to commercialize the supply of hydrogen to fuel battery-powered vehicles before 2015. The eight companies have been working on developing technologies to extract, transport and fill hydrogen in fuel-cell vehicles.

However, they have decided to jointly start a research association, which is eligible for preferential tax treatment, in the near future.

A fuel-cell vehicle is powered by electricity obtained through the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen.

It is regarded as a future green car, following the development of a gas-and-electric-powered hybrid vehicle and an electric car with a chargeable battery.

Honda Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and other auto manufacturers have been working on the development of fuel-cell vehicles. However, fuel-cell vehicles remain very expensive, as are the costs automakers would incur to independently construct networks of hydrogen-supply facilities.

As a result, the number of fuel-cell vehicles in use in the country had not reached 50 as of the end of 2007.

The eight companies are looking to reduce costs of constructing a network of hydrogen supply facilities by unifying standards and systems.

When the group launches its joint venture to operate a network of hydrogen supply stations, it may seek investment from the Industry Innovation Organization, a semipublic investment fund. The start-up costs of the group’s joint business may be as much as several tens of billions of yen, the sources said.

Zero CO₂ is the world’s first-hydrogen powered yacht with a fully integrated laboratory to study pollution in the Mediterranean.

The objective of the Zero CO₂ project is to sail around the Mediterranean using a clean carbon-free auxiliary motor (petrol motors are commonly used in yachts for all port manoeuvres). The yacht will be presented for the first time at the Paris Boat Show in December 2009.  A 12m craft built by the RM shipyard of La Rochelle, the yacht will be equipped with an electric motor driven by a hydrogen fuel cell, developed by CEA Liten of Grenoble.

Test pollution levels in the Mediterranean using a built-in laboratory

A scientific platform installed on the yacht by the University Joseph Fourier (UJF) and its technology transfer subsidiary, Floralis, will be used to collect scientific data on man-made pollution throughout the length of the 10 month trip. The yacht will travel around the Mediterranean coast as far as Turkey on a journey that will commence in March, 2010.

The “Grenelle de la Mer” a major French maritime event that promotes key environmental issues will signal the beginning of the project. The Zero CO₂ journey should open up amateur and professional sailors to new ways of enjoying the sea, using cutting-edge technologies that are both more respectful of the environment and more economic in terms of energy consumption.

A key aim of the project is to develop and promote new energy sources that will replace fossil fuels and consequently lead to a reduction in carbon emissions and an improvement with regards to the greenhouse effect. Throughout the journey around the Mediterranean, the Zero CO₂ crew will also carry out research into the possibility of producing “green hydrogen” produced through the installation of solar panels and wind turbines on the roofs of port-side buildings. It is through such initiatives that the long-term objective of achieving truly carbon neutral power sources could become achievable.

The Zero CO₂ project remit: test an environmentally-friendly boat powered by hydrogen and renewable energies

The Zero CO₂ journey around the Mediterranean will enable the project owners to:

-demonstrate the efficiency of the combined energy types that power the RM 1200, an environmentally-friendly craft that uses clean energies in place of petrol. These include a hydrogen fuel cell that powers an auxiliary electric motor and renewable energies (solar, wind, hydro power sources) for onboard power requirements.

-analyse data obtained from the air, sea and port sediments using the boats integrated onboard laboratory in order to evaluate pollution from the sea and coastline, especially pollution originating from fossil fuels.

-raise awareness of climatic change, pollution and the importance of alternative energies to the Mediterranean population and professional/amateur sailors.

-promote a culture based on respecting maritime environments through the adoption of self-sustainable energies in port and coastal areas in place of traditional fossil fuels. The project will also aim at increasing the uptake of carbon-neutral renewable energies that do not contribute to the greenhouse effect

The Zero CO₂ project team has developed an internet site http://www.zeroCO2sailing.com which will feature a wide range of information on the progress of the project including the various stages of the yacht’s development.  The site will also give details of the boat’s journey around the Mediterranean as well as give regular updates on the data that has been collected and analysed by the onboard laboratory. ZeroCO2sailing.com is also an important means of communicating key information about the project to an audience that includes researchers, schoolchildren and the general public. An RSS feed will enable contacts to be sent regular updates on the project.

Key dates and destinations: the « Zero CO2 around the Mediterranean calendar

March to December 2009: construction of the boat, integration of the hydrogen fuel cell and onboard laboratory, planning for the ship’s course around the Mediterranean, and preparation of all logistics for the Zero CO₂ expedition.

5th to 13th December 2009: presentation of the Zero CO₂ yacht equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell and fully integrated onboard laboratory, for use in environmental experiments at the Paris Boat Show.

January to February 2010: launch and first tests of the yacht on the “Lac du Bourget” in Savoie, Rhones-Alpes, France with the support of the Savoie Local Government and INES (National Institute for Solar Energy).

March to December 2010: first tests of the yacht on the Mediterranean followed by the start of the Zero CO₂ trip. This period will see the start of the scientific phase of the trip: environmental data on man-made pollution will be captured and analysed onboard the yacht. Studies will commence regarding the feasibility for the production of “green hydrogen” through the installation of solar panels and wind turbines in suitable port-side locations. Public relations activity (presentations) on the project will take place demonstrating the importance of the project in relation to climate change in selected Mediterranean ports.

Geographic Areas covered by the scientific expedition

After initial tests on the Lac du Bourget in Savoie, France, the boat will be tested again in the Mediterranean before following the Southern French coast and heading for Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Tunisia, Crete, Turkey, the Greek coast, Montenegro, Croatia, the Italian coast, Spain, and the Balearic Islands before sailing back to Marseille in late 2010.

Major Research and Development themes covered by the Zero CO₂ around the Mediterranean project

Clean propulsion systems for boats

For the first time, a yacht (an RM 1200 built in La Rochelle) will be equipped with a scientific research and development platform:

·        The yacht will be entirely self-sufficient in terms of energy production

·        The hydrogen fuel cell and the integration of hydrogen storage systems will be managed by the CEA Liten Institute in Grenoble.

Understanding boats and their environment

The integrated onboard laboratory is made up of two key innovative analytic devices developed by Floralis’s business units, Sara and Ecometrix. These devices will enable the accurate testing of atmospheric pollutants linked to human, urban and industrial activity. These pollutants include carbon monoxide, ammonia and methane, but the team will also collate data on more complex compounds such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the water and sediments of ports.

Coastal Environments

Key areas of focus for the project will include:

·        Potential means of producing self-sustaining “green hydrogen” using solar panels and wind turbines, strategically placed on portside buildings, in order to reduce fuel consumption

·        This “green hydrogen” study will be carried out by the University Joseph Fourier and its laboratories.

Financing/Sponsorship Opportunities

The project has been part-financed through a “crédit d’impôt recherche“  (a means of reducing tax expenditure by committing to research projects which have been validated for their socio-economic value).

http://www.zeroCO2sailing.com/

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have urged Senate Appropriators to fully fund fuel cell research and development. The United States is a leader in fuel cell research and development and is a critical component of our economic recovery.

Companies across New York including GM, Delphi Automotive, Plug Power, Ener-G-Rosors, Nanodynamics, ENrg, Kodak, and Harris RF Communications, as well as institutions including the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology are contributors to fuel cell research and development.

“Fuel cells have been and will continue to be an economic engine in New York State, particularly in Western New York and the Rochester Finger Lakes region,” said Schumer.  “Maintaining, and even increasing, the amount of money that goes towards fuel cell research will allow New York companies and universities to continue the ground breaking research they are doing, provide jobs for New Yorkers, and allow the country to work towards a future of energy independence and low pollution vehicles.”

“Companies in New York are at the cutting edge of fuel cell research and development for products of all types, from cars to cameras,” said  Gillibrand, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. “Investment in fuel cells will help us compete internationally in energy and transportation, enhance our country’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will create new jobs across the country. It is a significant contributor to our local employment, and I am committed to fighting for jobs throughout New York.”

The state’s investment in the hydrogen industry seeing a return on its investment at a 10-to-1 ratio, said House Speaker Bobby Harrell Jr.

Through direct state appropriations and support of the Centers of Economic Excellence program, South Carolina has invested more than $12.2 million in hydrogen over the past 5 years. By conservative estimates, this has spurred more than $115 million in non-state investments.

“When we created the Centers of Economic Excellence to help grow our state’s knowledge-based economy, we did not know for certain what direction this public/private partnership would lead us,” said Harrell, R-Charleston. “Driven by industry investments and world-class scientists, hydrogen research took off and presented itself as a viable industry that could lead to a booming knowledge-based economy for South Carolina.”

The investment in hydrogen has created 229 jobs in South Carolina. With 65% of those jobs being created in the last 5 years, this is proving to be a growing industry, he said.

Pursuing a knowledge-based economy and growing related industries is crucial for the state’s economic future, Harrell said. Unemployment in May was at 12%. Since 2003, the number of unemployed people in South Carolina has increased by more than 100%.

“Our current economic development strategy of inaction needs to end, watching other states successfully attract new jobs and investments while our economic development leaders stand idly by is hurting jobless South Carolinians,” Harrell said. “If we are going to combat this 100% increase in unemployment, we must actively pursue new economic opportunities. Hydrogen has the potential to create the high-paying jobs of tomorrow by becoming the next economic engine driving our state’s knowledge-based economy.”

In 2005, ICF Consulting conducted a thorough statewide analysis of South Carolina’s hydrogen and fuel cell potential. The study determined that “this industry represented a significant knowledge-based market opportunity for the state.”

Most industry experts think the technology for affordable hydrogen-powered vehicles is still far off. This is one of the main reasons that the Obama Administration proposed cutting the federal funding for hydrogen vehicle research. However, many other uses for this technology are viable and are ready for real world application, Harrell said.

Bridgestone Firestone Manufacturing in Aiken is switching over its entire forklift fleet to run on more efficient and cost effective hydrogen fuel cells, the city of Columbia is backing up its emergency broadcast towers with longer lasting fuel cells and is operating a hydrogen fueled city bus and ETV is using cameras that run on hydrogen power.

“The results we are seeing from our state’s investment in hydrogen are significant,” Harrell said. “In just the Midlands alone, we have seen a 60% return on investment. Most importantly, our partnership with over 40 companies means that the pursuit of this knowledge-based industry is being driven by the private sector.”

SAHIMO, a hydrogen-powered car built by students from Sakarya University, came in third in a race across Europe last year.

If you are wondering whether three liters of fuel is enough to get you through a tour around Turkey, don’t bother asking anymore. Driving the new hydrogen car SAHİMO, made by several Sakarya University students, it’s now possible to travel all the way from Edirne to Iğdır on just three liters of fuel.

This new vehicle was created by members of the Sakarya University Advanced Technologies Implementation Group (SAİTEM), who rolled up their sleeves in an effort to construct Europe’s most fuel-efficient vehicle. SAHIMO did manage to leave its Turkish competitors in the dust, while coming in third across Europe last year. Able to go 568 kilometers on just one liter of hydrogen, SAHİMO is the pride of Turkey.

The success by this group of Sakarya University students comes as the world enters further into the 21st century, an era many scientists have already begun to term the “age of energy.” Interestingly, this latest hydrogen-powered car, SAHİMO, comes in the wake of a previous project by SAİTEM members, a solar powered vehicle they called the “SAGUAR.”

SAHİMO was voted the third-most fuel efficient vehicle in Europe in the 26th Shell Eco Marathon in 2008. Achieving a distance of 568 kilometers on just one liter of hydrogen, SAHİMO would theoretically be able to travel from Turkey’s eastern region of Iğdır to Edirne in the west — a distance of around 1,744 kilometers — on just three liters of hydrogen.

SAHİMO, which cost $170,000 to build, weighs only 110 kilograms. The effort to create as lightweight a vehicle as possible means that SAHIMO is made up of 90 percent carbon fiber materials. This environmentally friendly hydrogen vehicle bears the license plate “90 SAHİMO 54.”

Turkish universities with sufficient budgets have been participating in Europe-based contests aiming to encourage competitors to creating and develop alternative energy technologies for the past 26 years. Interestingly, though more prestigious Turkish universities like Boğazıcı Üniversitesi and Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) have entered these competitions over the past years, it has been the less well known Sakarya University which has been most successful. The president of Sakarya University’s SAİTEM club, Fazlı Melemez, notes that despite the university’s less-ample budget, students there have more-than-sufficient knowledge to make up for a lack of funds. He also notes that larger projects undertaken by his group do need sponsorship and support for their research and development efforts.

Melemez, a fourth-year student in the engineering department at Sakarya University, says: “Right now we are preparing for the Global Green Challenge contest, which will take place in Australia in October. This contest takes place once every two years, and is more prestigious. We are hoping to raise our record from 568 kilometers on one liter of hydrogen up to a full 1,000 kilometers on one liter, and we believe we can do it. But of course, there will be great cargo and logistic expenses involved with this, as well as ticket costs for the students going to the contest. From this perspective, we do need logistical support. We have no doubt that we will bring smiles to the faces of those who support us.” At this point, it should also be noted that SAİTEM is planning on working on non-piloted aircraft for the national defense industry in a few years. They are currently in talks with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) regarding these plans.

The work done by SAİTEM these days began originally as homework for two students at Sakarya University in 2003; today research and development is carried out by a 40-member group. The group divides its workload into three basic parts, with students responsible for technical-mechanical work, sponsorships-institutional work and press promotion work. One student, Mehmet Burak Mısırlı, is a third-year student in Sakarya University’s Metallurgy Engineering program; he helps out in the technical-mechanical section of SAİTEM. Meanwhile, Aybike Zeynep Çakır, one of only eight female students in SAİTEM and a first-year student at the university, explained that she does voluntary press promotional work for SAİTEM.

IdaTech’s ElectraGen(TM) NG DC power generator, fueled by natural gas, will be built incorporating Ballard’s new FCgen(TM)-1300 fuel cell. Ballard plans to begin shipping its FCgen(TM)-1300 fuel cell product in the last quarter of 2009.

“The news that the ElectraGen(TM) H2 has been accepted by ACME and its customers is a very exciting development for IdaTech and, we believe for the industry as a whole. This order further validates the use of fuel cells as a viable and economic alternative to diesel generators,” said Hal Koyama, CEO of Idatech.

“The performance of the ElectraGen(TM) H2 unit, incorporating Ballard’s FCgen(TM)-1020 ACS fuel cell, passed our acceptance criteria and expectations,” stated Sanjay Dhawan, CEO, ACME Tele Power Ltd. Atul Sabharwal, Chief Operating Officer, ACME Group, further commented, “We are excited to be working with both Ballard and IdaTech. The strong performance of the hydrogen fuel cells is an important operational milestone and demonstrates that we are on track for the broader deployment of the natural gas fuel cell product to begin later in the year.”

Extended duration backup power for wireless cell phone towers is a necessity in India, where due to an unstable electrical grid, daily extended power outages are common. Fuel cells provide extended run times, longer lifetimes and lower overall maintenance costs over the incumbent diesel generator and lead acid battery solutions. In addition, fuel cell backup power systems reduce noise and air emissions along with avoiding disposal issues associated with lead acid batteries.

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.

SAO PAULO – Sao Paulo state officials have launched what they say is Latin America’s first passenger bus with an electric engine powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Gov. Jose Serra says the bus will start test runs on the streets of South America’s biggest city in August and will be joined by three similarly powered vehicles next year.

In a fuel cell, hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce electricity and water.

“Brazil is one of five countries in the world that have mastered this technology and that has developed a hydrogen-powered bus,” Serra said at Wednesday’s launching ceremony. Among the others are the U.S. and China.

The state government has not provided information regarding investment or future production plans.

With today’s publication of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative (JTI)’s second call for proposals for research, Europe stays the course to realise the potential of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies and to create a cleaner energy system for the future. Around €140 million have been allocated to this second call, with €71.3 million by the Commission matched by in-kind contributions of the industrial partners. The 29 project topics aim to put fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies on the market two to five years sooner than what is estimated without the support it offers. Selected teams of researchers will investigate bottlenecks in the whole range of applications for these energy technologies, from cars to large scale power plants, as well as the whole supply chain from hydrogen production to demonstration of the market-readiness of applications. Breakthrough research should foster the use of hydrogen-fuelled buses and fuel cell vehicles. It will help develop hydrogen storage and improve fuel cells’ durability, performance and the cost-efficiency to make green applications such as power stations or laptops ready for the market. This call is the second being launched by this EU-wide collaborative private-public partnership whose total budget amounts around €1bn to be invested by 2014.

Welcoming the launch, EU Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Poto č nik, said:

“ The new step taken today by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen JTI highlights the continued commitment of the European Commission and the European industry to develop breakthrough technologies to put Europe at the forefront of green technologies. Precious partnership in this area and others that are to follow in the framework of SET Plan will help the EU to meet its ambitious energy and environmental goals faster and cheaper. Such Investments today are a guarantee for EU competitiveness and growth tomorrow “.

The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Joint Undertaking, Gijs van Breda Vriesman, also welcomed the launch of the second call, saying:

“The industry has been thriving to create this partnership for a long time. It is important to join forces to overcome the technical and economic hurdles to market-introduction of these technologies which have a big potential to address problems of climate change and energy import dependence. It is gratifying to see the long work done by the partners bearing fruit. We have a well-prepared research agenda and we are receiving a good response from the industry and the research community. We are just in time to grasp the chance to make Europe a leader in these technologies.”

Targeting obstacles to market-introduction

Fuel cells, as an efficient conversion technology, and hydrogen, as a clean energy carrier, can be applied in a variety of end uses, from cars and other vehicles to stationary power generation in power stations and homes, to portable applications such as laptops.

The 29 topics of the call address key issues that need to be tackled to achieve market breakthroughs. They are divided in 5 application areas: transportation and refuelling infrastructure; hydrogen production and distribution; stationary power generation; and early markets, such as portable applications or small utility vehicles. The fifth application area focuses on cross-cutting issues, supporting research necessary for market creation, such as developing a life cycle assessment framework, training regulators or supporting SMEs. Complementarities exist, and the research results will in many cases be useful for several types of applications.

Next steps

The application deadline for the call is 15 October 2009 and projects selected for contract negotiations will be announced in March 2010.

Background

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen JTI was launched on 14 th October 2008. Its main goal is to speed up the development of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in Europe to enable their commercialisation between 2010 and 2020. Current membership includes the European Commission and 64 companies, from multinationals to small and medium enterprises, represented by the European Industry Grouping for the FCH JTI (NEW IG), as well as 54 universities and research institutes, represented by the Research Grouping N.ERGHY, engaging more than 2000 researchers in the field of fuel cells and hydrogen.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden–In partnership with international corporations Midroc and OCAS, the Swedish Energy Agency and the Volvo Group are investing SEK 200 M in Volvo’s development of fuel cells. The investment will create around 100 new positions in the Gothenburg region within the next three years.

To accelerate the introduction of fuel cells into the market, the Volvo Group, through its company Volvo Technology Transfer, will receive investment from the companies Midroc New Technology and OCAS, as well as from the Swedish Energy Agency. The parties make a joint investment of SEK 200 M in Powercell Sweden AB in Gothenburg. Powercell Sweden is currently owned by Volvo Technology Transfer but following the investment, Volvo will be a minority owner.

In the autumn of 2009, Powercell Sweden will need to hire around 60 people in an entirely new plant in the Gothenburg region. Per Wassen, who is Investment Director at Volvo Technology Transfer and chairman of Powercell Sweden AB, foresees that the company will create around 100 new jobs within the next three years.

“We are immediately going to start hiring qualified people for production, product development, marketing and sales”, says Per Wassen.

A 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.

“I am immensely proud that we are building this company on a technology that has been developed by Volvo for 15 years”, says Per Ekdunge, CEO of Powercell Sweden.

The company Powercell Sweden AB is based on two patented components: a fuel converter (reformer) and a PEM fuel cell – the type of fuel cell most often used in transport applications. The fuel converter produces hydrogen gas from bio fuels such as ethanol, DME (Dimethyl ether), biogas, methanol and biodiesel, but also from regular diesel or gasoline. The PEM fuel cell then converts the hydrogen gas into electricity.

“Thanks to our reformer technology we are now ready to start our production without having to wait for an infrastructure for the distribution of hydrogen gas. This is truly a major step in the development of fuel cells”, says Per Wassen.

Volvo Technology Transfer is a subsidiary of the Volvo Group. Volvo Technology Transfer develops and supports new business that is relevant to the Volvo Group. This comprises investing in companies and projects that are of strategic, technical and commercial interest.

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 Vastra 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. OCAS will support Powercell Sweden with the development and optimizing of materials and their implementations.

The Swedish Energy Agency’s portion of the investment comprises a loan of SEK 30 M for three years.

BEND, OR, Jul 02, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — IdaTech plc (AIM: IDA.L), an advanced fuel cell products company, is pleased to announce positive progress regarding its contract with ACME Telepower Group (’ACME’). The Company received notification that its advanced fuel cell system, the ElectraGen(TM) H2, has successfully passed all customer specification testing.

The ElectraGen(TM) H2 system was developed following the Supply Agreement between IdaTech, ACME and Ballard Power Systems Inc. (’Ballard’) signed in October 2008. Under this Agreement, IdaTech will develop and supply fuel cell systems for delivery to ACME in 2009 and 2010, including 310 direct hydrogen fueled systems for delivery this year. The direct hydrogen fueled systems use Ballard’s FCgen(TM)-1020 ACS fuel cell stack, while the remaining systems will utilise natural gas and will incorporate Ballard’s new FCgen(TM)-1300 fuel cell stack. ACME selected IdaTech to develop and produce these systems based on IdaTech’s proven technology and its proprietary fuel reforming, with its ability to produce hydrogen onsite and on demand from a wide range of commonly available convenient liquid fuels, and its system integration experience. IdaTech has already deployed over 150 fuel cell systems worldwide to date to a variety of customers.

The direct hydrogen system, the ElectraGen(TM) H2, is to be used by ACME to develop the Indian telecommunications market ahead of the deployment of the natural gas fueled hydrogen fuel cell systems, due to commence in 2010.

10 ElectraGen(TM) H2 systems were shipped in June 2009 with the remaining 300 to be delivered during the remainder of 2009.

The ElectraGen(TM) H2 systems are being assembled in IdaTech’s existing low cost Mexican production facility.

The development of the natural gas fueled system continues, ahead of its expected deployment in 2010.

Commenting on the product acceptance and order for 310 systems, Hal Koyama, CEO, said:

“The acceptance of IdaTech’s ElectraGen(TM) H2 by ACME for telecommunication deployment in India is an exciting milestone for IdaTech. ACME’s acceptance process included the most rigorous testing any IdaTech product has faced to date. Passing this and securing the purchase order for the first 310 ElectraGen(TM) H2 validates the robustness of the product and ACME’s commitment to the program. Our system integration skills and real world field experience, gained from the 150 systems we have already deployed, have proved invaluable to ensuring the success of the ElectraGen(TM) H2.”

Sanjay Dhawan, CEO of ACME Telepower Group, commented:

“The performance of the ElectraGen(TM) H2 unit, incorporating Ballard’s FCgen(TM)-1020 ACS fuel cell, passed our acceptance criteria and expectations.”

Atul Sabharwal, Chief Operating Officer of ACME, further commented:

“We are excited to be working with both IdaTech and Ballard. The strong performance of the hydrogen fuel cells is an important operational milestone and demonstrates that we are on track for the broader deployment of the natural gas fuel cell product to begin later in the year.”

John Sheridan, Ballard’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said:

“Having the IdaTech ElectraGen(TM) H2 fuel cell product pass product acceptance is a key proof point in our joint partnership with ACME. This formal acceptance triggers the order of 310 hydrogen units.”

About IdaTech

IdaTech plc is an advanced fuel cell products company which is operationally headquartered in Bend, Oregon, USA and is listed on AIM with the ticker code IDA.

IdaTech designs, develops, and manufactures extended run backup power fuel cell products for Telecom applications requiring 100 W to 15 kW of backup power. IdaTech’s unique PEM fuel cell technology provides solutions for a wide range of applications to directly support efforts towards sustainable energy.

IdaTech’s portfolio of industry-certified fuel cell products are based on the company’s fuel processing, purification and fuel cell system integration capabilities. With the support of strategic partners and customers, the company’s extended run backup power products are being deployed worldwide for stationary applications.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting the company direct or by visiting its website at http://www.idatech.com.

LONG BEACH, Calif.–Hydrogen Energy International has won $308 million of Department of Energy (DOE) funding for its Kern County, California, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant which will capture and permanently store 90% of its carbon dioxide.

The funding award comes to California as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and is part of the third round of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) highly competitive Clean Coal Power Initiative.

“This award is a significant commitment by the US Administration to low-carbon power generation with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Both the DOE and Hydrogen Energy recognize that this project may become the model for new power generating facilities throughout the world,” said Lewis Gillies, Chief Executive of Hydrogen Energy International.

“Today’s news, together with Hydrogen Energy having just completed the engineering and design for its low-carbon project in Abu Dhabi, demonstrates how our company is working on two of the most advanced large scale CCS power projects in the world. We are on a schedule that would allow us to make the final investment decision late next year or in early 2011,” added Lewis Gillies.

Federal DOE support follows on the heels of earlier support this year from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in its decision approving Southern California Edison’s $30 million request for participation in a Hydrogen Energy California (HECA) project study.

“This federal and state partnership represents a win-win for California, and could not have happened without the leadership of Governor Schwarzenegger and all five of the CPUC commissioners led by President Michael Peevey,” added Jonathan Briggs, regional director of the Americas at Hydrogen Energy International. “These policy leaders have publicly encouraged the state’s utilities to work together to demonstrate and deploy carbon capture and storage technology. In addition to this, the California Energy Commission is managing the permitting process.”

“Today’s announcement is an important step for the HECA project and also demonstrates the importance and viability of the project in meeting the dual challenges of global climate change mitigation and increased state and national demand for energy security. And, importantly, these critical federal funds flowing from the President’s economic stimulus package will have a positive impact for California and the local Kern County area,” Briggs continued.

HECA is an IGCC power plant that takes petroleum coke, coal, or blends of each, combined with non-potable water and converts them into hydrogen, a clean burning gas, and carbon dioxide (CO₂). The hydrogen gas will be used to fuel a net 250-megawatt power station, and the CO₂ will be transported by pipeline to nearby oil reservoirs and injected for storage with the additional benefit of enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

HECA helps realize the stated goal of the DOE program to “demonstrate new technologies and pathways to power and hydrogen production with integrated carbon management capabilities.”

“One thing that we can be sure of,” summarized Briggs, “is that this critical federal funding supporting the delivery of the additional benefits of the project could not have occurred without the diligent support of numerous local, state and federal policymakers who have come to understand the need for this environmentally responsible energy technology.”

Notes to Editors:

About HECA (Hydrogen Energy California) project:

The goal of the HECA project is to generate low-carbon, hydrogen power to meet California’s increasing electricity demand while capturing CO₂ to address concerns about climate change and to meet California’s requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The CO₂ will be used for EOR and stored permanently in nearby oil fields, also enhancing U.S. energy security by boosting domestic oil production. Occidental Petroleum plans to use the CO₂ for enhanced oil recovery in its Elk Hills oil field.

HECA will be located in Kern County, California, which offers numerous benefits, including existing, adjacent oil reservoirs for CO₂ storage and for economic use of the CO₂ in enhanced oil recovery operations. Existing electric transmission lines and substations are nearby, providing the opportunity to interconnect to the local electricity grid. Local delivery points for western coal are nearby as are local refineries that produce petroleum coke. Pipeline corridors already exist and are close to existing oil fields to store carbon dioxide. HECA will also treat and use local brackish groundwater sources that are not otherwise suitable for agricultural use.

The DOE grant will help to realize HECA’s full benefits, including:

• Providing over 150,000 homes in the local community with new, low-carbon electric power (250 megawatts), at a time when state agencies are predicting possible power shortages in coming years.
• Preventing more than 2 million tons/yr. of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by storing them underground.
• Enabling additional production from existing California oilfields, producing previously unrecoverable oil reserves by injecting the CO₂ into oil reservoirs, where the CO₂ will also be stored.
• Demonstrating near-term commercial availability of CCS technology in well-characterized geologies, such as oilfields.
• Creating clean hydrogen, making it available for power generation as well as other potential uses, including clean transportation, contributing to the realization of a low-carbon energy economy in central California.
• Boosting the local economy in the San Joaquin Valley region by creating up to 1,500 construction jobs and up to 100 permanent “green collar” jobs in various operational positions.
• Generating $5 million in new tax revenues from construction and $1 million in annual tax revenues from operation.
• Furthering California’s leadership in deploying cutting-edge technologies that benefit the U.S. and the world, and demonstrating that CCS technology deployment is one of the critical elements to achieve California’s climate policy goals.

About Hydrogen Energy International:

BP Alternative Energy and Rio Tinto Hydrogen formed Hydrogen Energy International to create low-carbon hydrogen from fossil fuels. The hydrogen would initially be for use in industrial scale power generation plants and the CO₂ from the fossil fuel would be captured and stored in deep geological formations.

GLOSTRUP, Denmark – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that a total of forty Motorola TETRA Base Stations with fuel cell back-up are now live across Denmark’s SINE public safety network, with approximately 50 planned and commissioned for installation throughout the remainder of the year.

The environmentally friendly, fuel cell-based back-up solution, which was developed with Dantherm Power, was installed to provide mission-critical operations with continuous secure communication across the nationwide SINE network in Denmark. It is the first network of its kind in the world.

“The use of our hydrogen fuel cell technology in mission-critical environments provides public safety networks across the country with uninterrupted network access.” says Per Albæk, CEO for Dantherm Power. “Our partnership with Motorola is a world’s first and we hope to continue developing innovative technology that helps professionals do their jobs more effectively.”

Government guidelines dictate that batteries or conventional generator solutions have to be provided as a backup for main power at critical locations or if the main power has regular outages. However, conventional diesel or petrol-based generators have a number of disadvantages, including carbon emissions and noise. Fuel cell technology offers a no carbon, low acoustic alternative to match the needs for TETRA base stations in challenging locations. They are proven in critical power back-up situations and can run for extended periods limited only by the supply of the hydrogen, and the only emission is water.

“Loss of power should never be an issue to professionals working in mission-critical or emergency environments, and Motorola has continued to invest in environmentally-friendly backup power systems for TETRA” said Jens Kristiansen, vice president and general manager, TETRA Global Products and Solutions, Motorola. “We are delighted that the SINE rollout has been such a success and we look forward to rolling out further hydrogen powered fuel cells in critical locations across Northern Europe.”

Where the fuel cell power system is being used at a TETRA base station in an emergency, and no main power is available, excess back-up power can be used to recharge TETRA radios, eliminating the need for the user to return to the base to recharge. Motorola has worked to ensure that as its TETRA technology is extended to more and more industries and locations, its solutions have remained cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

SOUTHFIELD, Mich.– Federal-Mogul Corporation leading global supplier of powertrain, chassis and safety technologies, has developed an innovative gasket technology to assist in fuel cell development for energy-efficient vehicles. Federal-Mogul’s patented Liquid Elastomer Molding (LEM(TM)) gaskets are constructed with small engineered elastomeric beads molded onto thin carriers that provide superior sealing performance while significantly reducing the size and weight of each fuel cell stack, compared to other molded sealing technologies. Each LEM gasket can be 0.3-0.5 mm thick, whereas the conventional molded gasket measures at least double that.

While hydrogen fuel cell development dates back to the 1830s, mass production of fuel cells has been hampered by issues such as size, cost, infrastructure and packaging. Federal-Mogul’s LEM proprietary technology assists fuel cell manufacturers in overcoming some of these challenges. Currently, Federal-Mogul is working with a major Tier One supplier of fuel cells to deliver an innovative gasket design which addresses weight and packaging challenges.

A typical fuel cell stack is comprised of several hundred fuel cells; each cell contains an ion exchange membrane and bipolar plates. An electrochemical reaction takes place on the surface of these membranes to combine hydrogen with oxygen releasing electrical energy and water as a byproduct. As a result, each membrane must be sealed from the other layers and from the external environment. Each fuel cell stack requires hundreds of bipolar plates and membrane elements which need to be sealed, thereby requiring hundreds of gaskets, adding length and weight to each fuel cell stack.

Federal-Mogul’s patented LEM gasket technology is ideal to address this challenge. In fact, LEM technology has been demonstrated to provide superior sealing performance with a gasket that is estimated to be at least half of the thickness, or size, of other gaskets. Additionally, the LEM technology offers the potential to directly incorporate the gasket into the bipolar plates offering further reduction in assembly complexity.

“Federal-Mogul’s LEM gasket provides a unique sealing technology, offering one of the smallest sealing cross-sections and lowest load to seal in the industry,” said Gerard Chochoy, senior vice president, Federal-Mogul Powertrain Sealing and Bearings. “Our sealing technology can contribute to a more optimized fuel cell package and reduced weight which can support fuel cell technology to become more widely accepted.”

About Federal-Mogul

Federal-Mogul Corporation is a leading global supplier of powertrain, chassis and safety technologies, serving the world’s foremost original equipment manufacturers of automotive, light commercial, heavy-duty, agricultural, marine, rail, off-road and industrial vehicles, as well as the worldwide aftermarket. The company’s leading technology and innovation, lean manufacturing expertise, as well as marketing and distribution deliver world-class products, brands and services with quality excellence at a competitive cost. Federal-Mogul is focused on its sustainable global profitable growth strategy, creating value and satisfaction for its customers, shareholders and employees. Federal-Mogul was founded in Detroit in 1899. The company is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 40,000 people in 36 countries. Visit the company’s Web site at www.federalmogul.com.

POSCO Power’s fuel cell power plant in Nowon, Seoul

POSCO Power, Korea’s leading fuel cell maker, has obtained approval from the United Nations for a new fuel cell clean development mechanism (CDM) methodology it developed on its own for the first time in the world in connection with the manufacture of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs).

The MCFC power generation system can reduce 1,648 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per megawatt annually, if natural gas is used as fuel, considering that it is about 30 percent more efficient than conventional thermal power generation. This amount of green house gas reduction is equivalent to the planting of 294,286 trees every year.

If a 2.8MW MCFC power generation system is installed, it would be possible to save about W110 million (approximately US$85,938) through the sale of emission rights under the CDM each year.

As the country’s first applied case, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and POSCO Power are jointly preparing to operate an MCFC power generation system at a fuel cell power plant that was dedicated in May in Nowon-gu, Seoul.

A POSCO Power executive said, “The eco-friendliness of the MCFC power generation system has been recognized throughout the world in the wake of the UN’s latest approval of the CDM methodology. With this as momentum, we’ll further contribute to producing clean energies by concentrating more energy on developing and spreading the MCFC power generation system.”

Meanwhile, POSCO Power succeeded in developing fuel cell balance of plant (BoP) components, peripheral facilities of the MCFC power generation system, last year, and will begin mass production of such components by dedicating a power plant stack, a key facility, in the second half of this year.

World’s largest Coca-Cola bottler to further reduce its energy use and carbon footprint at N.Y. facility through clean energy technologies

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn., and ELMSFORD, N.Y. — UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company (NYSE: UTX), announced today it will supply two of its new PureCell(R) Model 400 fuel cell systems to provide on-site electricity and heat for Coca-Cola Enterprises’ (NYSE: CCE) production facility in Elmsford, N.Y. The efficient energy and heat source will help further CCE’s sustainability efforts, specifically around energy conservation and water stewardship.

UTC Power will install two fuel cell systems on-site at the CCE facility. Together, the fuel cells will generate enough energy and heat for 30 percent of the facility’s overall operational needs. They also will serve as a backup source of power in the case of a utility power outage. UTC Power will own, operate and maintain the fuel cells as part of a 10-year energy services agreement.

“At Coca-Cola Enterprises, corporate responsibility and sustainability are integral to our overall business strategy,” said Ron Lewis, vice president of supply chain for Coca-Cola Enterprises. “The fuel cell systems at our Elmsford facility will help us further our environmental commitment to our local communities, reducing our carbon footprint and our use of the local power grid.”

Fuel cells are one of the cleanest and most efficient energy-generation sources available in the world today. Hydrogen and oxygen are combined in an electrochemical process to produce electricity, heat and water. A hydrogen-rich fuel is derived from natural gas in a process called reforming.

“Bottling and production facilities such as CCE’s Elmsford, N.Y., facility are a great fit for fuel cell technology,” said Neal Montany, director, UTC Power stationary fuel cell business. “We are delighted to be associated with CCE, one of the world’s most respected companies and a leader in the area of sustainability.”

CCE has demonstrated a strong commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability in New York. The company has deployed 20 hybrid electric delivery trucks throughout metro New York City and has installed innovative water-saving technology in all of its New York production facilities. CCE is also considering adding fuel cells at some of its 431 facilities across North America and Western Europe.

“NYSERDA is pleased to provide $2 million for this exciting project, which will showcase the substantial energy and environmental benefits of fuel cell technology and combined heat and power,” said Francis J. Murray, Jr., President and CEO of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). “Our partnership with Coca-Cola Enterprises and UTC Power will complement Governor Paterson’s comprehensive energy agenda, which will make New York the most energy-efficient state in the nation, encourage the use of renewable energy technologies and tackle the crisis of global warming.”

About Coca-Cola Enterprises

Coca-Cola Enterprises is the world’s largest marketer, distributor, and producer of bottle and can liquid nonalcoholic refreshment. Coca-Cola Enterprises sells approximately 80 percent of The Coca-Cola Company’s bottle and can volume in North America, and is the sole licensed bottler for products of The Coca-Cola Company in Belgium, continental France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, and the Netherlands. CCE has set targets in its three Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability environmental focus areas of water stewardship, energy conservation/climate change, and sustainable packaging/recycling. For more information, please visit www.cokecce.com.

About UTC Power

UTC Power is part of United Technologies Corp. (UTC), which provides energy-efficient products and services to the aerospace and building industries. UTC is a founding member of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index each year since it was launched in 1999. Based in South Windsor, Conn., UTC Power is the world leader in developing and producing fuel cells that generate energy for buildings and for transportation, space and defense applications. For more information, please visit www.utcpower.com.

About NYSERDA

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) was established by law in 1975 as a public benefit corporation. NYSERDA provides energy-related technical and financial packaging assistance to businesses and institutions to promote energy efficiency and economic development, as well as providing energy research and development programs that promote safe and economical energy production efficiency technologies in New York State. NYSERDA also analyzes the effect of New York’s energy, regulatory and environmental policies on the State’s business, institutional, and residential energy consumers.

Berlin –  Heliocentris Fuel Cells AG, a leading fuel cell system integrator, announced the successful, on-schedule delivery of an electrolyzer to the city of Barth in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The electrolyzer will be used for fueling the city’s hybrid midi-bus as well as for optimizing the sewage treatment plant. Last year, Heliocentris already successfully integrated a 32kW fuel cell system in the city’s midi-bus.

“Having successfully completed the fuel cell bus integration, we are pleased to have also delivered the complimenting hydrogen generation system. This further demonstrates our competence and ability to deliver comprehensive solutions in the hydrogen and fuel cell technology arena” said Dr. Henrik Colell, CEO of Heliocentris Fuel Cells AG.

The hydrogen electrolyzer from Hydrogenics delivers 10 m3 of hydrogen per hour and will generate the hydrogen required to operate the fuel cell bus. A major advantage for the city of Barth is the simultaneous generation of 5 m3 of oxygen per hour, which will be used to increase the capacity of the local sewage treatment plant.

“Heliocentris submitted the bid with the best price-performance ratio and convinced us that we made the right decision throughout the implementation of the project,” Mr. Hellwig, Project Director of the City of Barth, adds with satisfaction.