FuelCellsWorks

Imagine a car that runs on hydrogen from solar power and produces water instead of carbon emissions. While vehicles like this won’t be on the market anytime soon, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers are making incremental but important strides in the fuel cell technology that could make clean cars a reality.

Materials science and engineering assistant professor Dane Morgan and Ph.D. student Edward (Ted) Holby have developed a computational model that could optimize an important component of fuel cells, making it possible for the technology to have a more widespread use. Essentially, they investigate how particle size relates to the overall stability of a material, and their model has shown that increasing the particle size of a fuel cell catalyst decreases degradation and therefore increases the useful lifetime of a fuel cell.

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that facilitate a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing electrical power and forming water. In the type of fuel cells Morgan is researching, called proton exchange membrane fuel cells, or PEMFCs, hydrogen is split into a proton and electron at one side of the fuel cell (the anode). The proton moves through the device while the electron is forced to travel in an external circuit, where it can perform useful work. At the other side of the fuel cell (the cathode), the protons, electrons and oxygen combine to form water, which is the only waste product.

Though the premise sounds straightforward, there are multiple hurdles to producing efficient fuel cells for widespread use. One of these hurdles is the catalyst added to aid the reaction between protons, electrons and oxygen at the cathode. Current fuel cells use platinum and platinum alloys as a catalyst. While platinum can withstand the corrosive fuel cell environment, it is expensive and not very abundant.

To maximize platinum use, researchers use catalysts made with platinum particles as small as two nanometers, which are approximately 10 atoms across. These tiny structures have a large surface area on which the fuel cell reaction occurs. However, platinum catalysts this small degrade very quickly.

“The stability of bulk versus nanoparticle materials can be understood intuitively by thinking of cheese,” says Morgan. “When you leave a large chunk of cheese out and the edges get crusty, the surface is destroyed, but you can cut that off and there is still a lot of cheese inside that is good.

“But if you crumble the cheese into tiny pieces and leave it out, you destroy all of your cheese because a larger fraction of the cheese is at the surface.”

Rapid catalyst degradation means the fuel cell doesn’t last long, and the U.S. Department of Energy estimates fuel cells must function for 5,000 hours, or approximately seven months of continuous use, to be practical for automotive energy solutions.

Morgan and Holby, who are working in collaboration with Professor Yang Shao-Horn from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have found a possible solution to the rapid degradation problem: When it comes to catalyst particle size, sometimes smaller isn’t better.

Their modeling work, which is funded by 3M and the U.S. Department of Energy, shows that if the particle size of a platinum catalyst is increased to four or five nanometers, which is approximately 20 atoms across, the level of degradation significantly decreases. This means the catalyst and the fuel cell as a whole can continue to function for much longer than if the particle size was only two or three nanometers.

The research into the fundamental physics of particle size will be useful as scientists extend their platinum studies to exploring platinum alloys, which can reduce platinum consumption when used as fuel cell catalysts. Morgan is beginning to research models to study size effects on the stability of platinum alloys, such as copper-platinum and cobalt-platinum catalysts.

“Fuel cells are just one of many energy technologies — solar, battery, etc. — with enormous potential to reduce our dependence on oil and our carbon emissions,” says Morgan. “Computer simulation offers a powerful tool to understand and develop new materials at the heart of these energy technologies.”

by Sandra Knisely

Author of the PhD thesis, Ana Martínez Amesti

While our standard of life increases, so does the worldwide energy demand. In this vein, the application of technologies based on fuel cells is put forward as an alternative to the massive consumption of fossil fuels. One of the fuel cells of greatest current interest is the solid oxide one.

The PhD thesis by researcher at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Ms Ana Martínez Amesti, focused on optimising solid oxide fuel cells, one of the most promising technologies of the future for various applications (residential, commercial, portable devices, electric power stations, and so on). The author has entitled her thesis Solid oxide fuel cells. Studies on reactivity and optimisation of cathode-electrolyte interlayer.

Solid oxide fuel cells are the type of cells most studied in recent years. They have basically two outstanding characteristics: the electrodes and the electrolyte are solid and the versatility in the choice of fuels and oxidants due to high operational temperatures. As regards problems arising with this kind of cell, there are also two important ones: on the one hand, the difficulties in manufacturing, given that the ceramic materials of which they are made require high temperatures for their processing and, on the other, in some cases, the solid electrolyte degrades easily at the cell’s working temperature, thus affecting its stability.

Thus, the principal alternative for achieving the economically viable marketing of solid oxide fuel cells is to reduce their operating temperature. In this way, one of the requisites is having mixed conducting materials that can be used as cathodes at operating temperatures of between 550ºC and 800ºC.

Study of materials

Ms Martínez has studied the problem that presents mixed oxides employed in solid oxide fuel cells, given that these materials react on occasions with the electrolyte, diminishing the power of the cathodes. As a solution to this problem, Ms Martínez proposed including an interlayer between the material employed as a cathode and the electrolyte, with the objective of reducing the solid state reactions taking place and, thus, improving the electrochemical response of the system. According to the PhD author, the introduction of an interlayer between the cathode and the electrolyte considerably enhances the conducting properties of all the cathodes.
This precisely has been one of the main objectives of this research work: the study of the processes that occur in at the electrolyte-cathode interphase. Once these interactions were investigated, a process of optimisation of the interlayer parameters was carried out, such as the microstructure, porosity and thickness. Finally, Ms Martínez undertook basic research on durability, aimed at determining the degradation suffered by the cells studied with temperature and time of exposition.

About the author

Ms Ana Martínez Amesti (Ermua, 1978) is a graduate in Chemical Engineering and carried out her PhD thesis under the direction of Ms Mª Isabel Arriortua Marcaida and Ms Lide M. Rodríguez Martínez from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the UPV/EHU’s Faculty of Science and Technology. She is currently working as a researcher at the same Department. While undertaking her PhD thesis, Ms Martínez had the support and help of the Ikerlan-Energy Technological Centre.

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass.–Protonex Technology Corporation (LSE: AIM: PTX and PTXU), a leading provider of advanced fuel cell power systems for portable, remote and mobile applications, today announced that it has received a $598,813 contract with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for advanced development of high power fuel cell systems for small unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). This new program builds upon Protonex’ portfolio of UAV power system initiatives.

Development work under this program will focus on increasing the power density of the company’s Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) UAV fuel cell system while simultaneously scaling up the power output of the system. Ultimately, the advanced system will be integrated into a small NRL plane. The resulting hydrogen fuel cell system is anticipated to provide up to 1.5 kW of power output (approximately equivalent to a 2hp engine) and double the existing system’s gravimetric power density. The increase in power will provide additional capability to the UAV platform including improving climbing, maneuverability, dash speed, as well as additional payload capability.

Protonex’ fuel cell power systems for small UAVs offer significant benefits over existing technologies including lower heat and noise signature compared to internal combustion engines while providing up to five times the energy density over today’s advanced batteries. These advantages enable a wide range of military applications and provide an opportunity to broaden mission capabilities for small UAVs.

“We are very fortunate to have the continued support and interest from the NRL and the Office of Naval Research,” commented Dr. Paul Osenar, Chief Technology Officer, Protonex. “The team is excited to have this opportunity to continue to optimize our core technology by increasing the net power of our fuel cell system while significantly improving the overall functionality of small UAVs.”

About Protonex Technology Corporation

www.protonex.com

Protonex Technology Corporation develops and manufactures compact, lightweight and high- performance fuel cell systems for portable power applications in the 100 to 1000 Watt range. The Company’s fuel cell systems are designed to meet the needs of military, commercial and consumer customers for off-grid applications underserved by existing technologies by providing customizable, stand-alone portable power solutions and systems that may be hybridized with existing power technologies. The Company is headquartered in Southborough, Massachusetts.

Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid (left: City of Hiroshima, right: Hiroshima Prefecture)

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation today delivered one Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid each to the City of Hiroshima and Hiroshima Prefecture government authorities in western Japan. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid is Mazda’s latest hydrogen rotary engine (RE) vehicle that uses hydrogen as a fuel and features a unique hybrid system. Including the first lease of a Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid to the Iwatani Corporation in May 2009, Mazda has now delivered three hydrogen hybrid vehicles to fleet customers to date. The City of Hiroshima and Hiroshima Prefecture each had a rotary engine RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicle delivered in April 2006, making this the second hydrogen-fueled model that has been handed over to the local government authorities.

The Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid can run on both hydrogen and gasoline thanks to a dual-fuel system that was developed for the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE. The addition of a hybrid system to the Premacy Hydrogen RE significantly enhances the vehicle’s performance and contributes to its increased hydrogen fuel range of 200 kilometers, which is double that of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE.

Akihiro Kashiwagi, Mazda’s program manager in charge of hydrogen RE vehicle development, said, “As a company proudly rooted in Hiroshima, Mazda is delighted to deliver our hydrogen rotary engine vehicles to the City of Hiroshima and Hiroshima Prefecture, who are already using the RX-8 Hydrogen RE. We are working hard to keep improving the performance of Mazda’s hydrogen-fueled rotary engine vehicles and do our part to help achieve a hydrogen energy-based society in the future.”

Based on its Sustainable Zoom-Zoom plan, Mazda is committed to pursuing harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety features. Mazda constantly strives to offer vehicles that “look inviting to drive, are fun to drive, and make you want to drive them again.”

Main specifications of the Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid
Base model Mazda Premacy
Overall length 4565 mm
Overall width 1745 mm
Overall height 1620 mm
Base engine Mazda Hydrogen rotary engine (with a dual-fuel system)
Motor Alternating current synchronous motor
Maximum output 110 kW
Generator Alternating current synchronous generator
Battery Lithium ion (Li-ion)
Seating capacity Five
Fuel Hydrogen and gasoline
Fuel tank 35 MPa high-pressure tank for hydrogen gas and a gasoline tank

History of Mazda’s hydrogen vehicle development
1991 Developed first hydrogen rotary engine vehicle, the HR-X
1992 Conducted test drive of a golf cart equipped with a fuel cell
1993 Developed second hydrogen rotary engine vehicle, the HR-X2
Developed MX-5 test vehicle equipped with a hydrogen rotary engine
1995 Conducted Japan’s first public road tests of a hydrogen rotary engine vehicle, the Capella Cargo.
1997 Developed the Demio FC-EV
2001 Developed the Premacy FC-EV, conducted first public road test in Japan
2003 Announced RX-8 hydrogen rotary engine development
2004 Received MLIT approval for public road testing of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE
2006 Started commercial leasing of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE in Japan (eight units have been delivered to date)
2007 Signed an agreement to provide RX-8 Hydrogen REs to HyNor, a Norwegian national transportation project
2008 Commenced public road tests in Norway with a RX-8 Hydrogen RE validation vehicle
2009 Commenced commercial leasing of the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid in Japan

TUPMAN, Calif. — State officials got more information Wednesday night on a proposed hydrogen power plant, which would be the first of its kind in the U.S., that could be built in western Kern County.

Two of the five members of the California Energy Commission held a public hearing, listening to several public comments and a presentation from Hydrogen Energy California, which is proposing the 250-megawatt facility near the Tule Elk State Preserve.

Proponents argued for the new jobs and tax benefits to the county, as well as a new source to meet the energy demands of today and beyond.

But opponents argue the plant still generates a high amount of pollution, and would take away some of the most efficient farmland in the Central Valley.

The hearing is part of a year-long certification process held by the California Energy Commission to either approve or deny the plant, which recently received $308 million from the Department of Energy in stimulus funding to build the project.

“All the commissioners are very interested in this technology, but it still must meet all requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act,” said commissioner Jeffrey Byron. “We will not be cutting it any slack in that regard.”

Another hearing is scheduled for November.

AUSTIN, Texas — Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have received about $2.5 million to identify new materials that will efficiently absorb sunlight and split water (H2O) into clean hydrogen fuel, which could power cars and be used to generate electricity.

For the next three years, chemical engineering Professor Charles Mullins, chemistry Professor Allen Bard and mathematics Professor Irene M. Gamba will collaborate on the endeavor, which encompasses two grants from the National Science Foundation ($1.4 million) and the U.S. Department of Energy (about $1.1 million). Bard and Mullins are affiliated with the Center for Electrochemistry at the university.

The center is a multi-faculty collaboration devoted to research on fundamental and applied aspects of electrochemistry, which has already received research support for work on electrochemical energy sources such as batteries and fuel cells, solar energy research and new materials.

“Sustainable energy ultimately will involve the conversion of solar energy economically and efficiently to chemical fuels and electricity,” Bard said. “Our work focuses on discovering new materials for this and obtaining a better understanding of how their composition and structure govern their behavior.”

Mullins added, “The grants will fund us to explore finding new materials that will efficiently absorb sunlight and drive chemical reactions to break water into hydrogen (a fuel) and oxygen. These materials also need to be cheap and composed of elements that are abundant.”

The researchers will be examining novel metal oxides (variations of more common ones like titanium dioxide and iron oxide), which can act as semiconductors.

Mullins said because sunlight and water are relatively inexpensive and plentiful starting points, the hydrogen fuel produced by an efficient process would also be cheap.

“Plus, it would be a sustainable form of energy,” he said. “And energy, of course, is a terribly important problem that we are currently facing.”

Mullins said that researchers have studied water splitting using photoelectrochemistry for the past 40 years and progress has been made. However, efficient, cheap and abundant materials have yet to be discovered to make solar water splitting a viable process.

He said Bard will use a “combinatorial” approach for rapidly making complex compositions of metal oxides and testing them for their promise as photoelectrocatalysts, the material that facilitates the split.

“Once promising materials have been identified, we’ll research how to create nano-scale structures of that material that enhance the intrinsic properties of the material for light-absorption and water-splitting chemistry,” Mullins said.

Gamba’s past work in the mathematical treatment of electron and hole transport in semiconductors makes her essential to establishing useful theoretical models for these systems.

Mullins holds the Z.D. Bonner Professorship in Chemical Engineering, Bard holds the Hackerman-Welch Chair in Chemistry, and Gamba holds the Joe B. and Louise Cook Professorship in Mathematics.

For more information, contact: Daniel Vargas, Cockrell School of Engineering, 512-471-7541; Charles Mullins, Cockrell School of Engineering, 512-471-5817; Allen Bard, College of Natural Sciences, 512-471-3761; Irene M. Gamba, College of Natural Sciences, 512-471-7711.

SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG, based just outside Munich, won the Energy category for developing small, lightweight fuel cells that can be used by soldiers instead of much bulkier, heavier batteries to power communications and navigation devices and other battlefield equipment.

One advantage of the SFC fuel cells is that they produce power from methanol. Many fuel cells produce electricity from hydrogen. But hydrogen is highly explosive, so it needs to be stored in special heavy-metal cartridges. Cartridges for the SFC fuel cells are less expensive, lighter and less bulky.

Technology which could see “pollution-free cars” developed for the mass market is to be road-tested in Leicestershire.

Researchers at Loughborough University have been given planning permission for a plant to produce and store fuel for hydrogen- powered vehicles.

They have applied for permission to build an electrolyser, which will create compressed hydrogen gas that is pumped into the fuel cells of specially-adapted vehicles.

Academics say it would not only be the first step in running university vehicles on environmentally-friendly hydrogen, but would help develop the technology for the mass car market.

Professor Rob Thring, of the university’s department of aeronautical and automotive engineering, is leading the project.

He said: “This is technology which is going to make a huge difference to motoring in the future. An alternative is needed to conventional fuels because they are polluting and resources are finite.

“As oil stocks fall, the price goes up and that will be passed on to the motorists.

“There’s no limit to the amount of hydrogen we have so I believe this has to be the way forward.

“It is not a commercial proposition at the moment as there are not many hydrogen-powered cars, but the research we will be able to do will hopefully convince major car manufacturers they need to start making cars that run on hydrogen.”

Professor Thring said he had held discussions with the university’s estates office and catering firm Imago about getting them to run hydrogen vehicles on campus.

He said: “They are enthusiastic about it and it is an aim we have but the problem is getting funding for vehicles.”

He said he would be looking for cash from groups like the East Midlands Development Agency and the Engineering and Physics Research Council.

Hydrogen fuel is an alternative to petrol and vehicles run on it produce water from their exhausts rather than polluting gases.

The university has one of the few hydrogen refuelling pumps in the UK and buys in the gas, at £80 a tank, from a firm.

With the new plant, it will be able to make and store its own fuel – and hopes to have it up and running by March next year.

Hydrogen-fuelled vehicles designed so far include £60,000 Microcabs which do about 150 miles on one charge and have a top speed of about 50mph.

Dr Rupert Gammon, chairman of the British Midlands Hydrogen Forum, said: “The research that this facility will allow will help improve fuel efficiency and that is vital in getting the car industry to embrace the technology.

“Loughborough is one of the few places in the region to have a station where hydrogen vehicles can be refuelled.

“We need to increase the infrastructure around the whole of the UK because we have a chicken and egg situation. The idea is that the cars will follow when there are more refuelling stations but we are only likely to get the refuelling stations if there are enough cars on the road.

“It’s an emerging industry and Loughborough is playing a very important role in our work.”

FRANKFURT– Mercedes-Benz will launch a production hydrogen fuel cell car in the United States next year based on its subcompact B class currently sold in Europe.

Of the 200 B-class fuel cell cars produced, about 100 will go to the United States, primarily in California where there are hydrogen filling stations, Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member for r&d, said earlier today at the motor show here.

“They will go to private customers,” Weber said.

The cars will be leased, but terms have not been finalized, Weber said. “We are going into a small volume production and at least half will go to the United States as fast as they have enough infrastructure,” he said.

Weber said the B-class fuel cell car will have a range of 250 miles before requiring a fill up.It takes about three minutes to refuel the car.

The B class is the current-generation car, not the vehicle being considered for sale in the United States in two to three years.

The car has a hydrogen motor and a small electric battery.

* Government funding runs out in March 2010

* Germany, car makers investing in hydrogen technology

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canadian hydrogen and fuel cell company executives warned on Tuesday that the sector needs a fresh infusion of government cash to prevent falling behind other countries and foreign firms spending billions to promote the alternative energy technology.

“Canada until now has been the cradle of the hydrogen technology industry,” said Daryl Wilson, chief executive of Hydrogenics Corp (HYG.TO) referring to decades of research, mostly by Ballard Power Systems Inc (BLD.TO), into developing fuel cells as a clean power source.

As of March next year there will be no specific government funding for hydrogen and fuel cell development in Canada when the current C$150 million ($140 million) five-year program runs out.

The lobbying effort comes a week after Germany announced it is planning to launch a countrywide hydrogen fueling network by 2015, the date most of the world’s biggest car makers say they will roll out hydrogen-powered cars.

“Canada has such a strong position in terms of this technology but if we don’t keep the momentum there is a huge risk of losing it to other countries,” said Andreas Truckenbrodt, CEO of the Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation, a joint venture between Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) and Ford Motor Co (F.N).

The group, based in Vancouver, was formed around Ballard’s automotive fuel cell unit which the company sold in 2006 after deciding it would take too much money and time to develop an affordable new propulsion system technology.

The executives said that without a government roadmap and funding, it is very difficult to attract investment from the private sector, which wants certainty on the industry’s direction and doesn’t want to shoulder all the risk.

The delegation will meet with Industry Minister Tony Clement and Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt.

They will ask for a federal procurement incentive for hydrogen and fuel cell products, an investment tax credit that already exists in the United States. They will also seek new funding for product research, development and deployment.

($1 = $1.07 Canadian) (Reporting by Nicole Mordant; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson)

No Gasoline or Tailpipe Pollution in Reaching Unprecedented Milestone

DETROIT– The Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric vehicles today passed 1 million miles of gasoline and tailpipe pollution-free driving by homemakers, accountants, computer game designers and others using the vehicles every day in real-world conditions.

More than 50,000 gallons of gasoline have been saved so far in the fuel cell Equinox, more than 100 of which are part of the largest consumer fuel cell demonstration fleet in the world. The fuel cell electric Equinox runs on electricity created by an on-board fuel cell stack. The only emissions are wisps of water vapor.

About 5,000 people have driven the fuel cell Equinox in short test drives. More than 80,000 people in New York, Washington, D.C., and Greater Los Angeles, volunteered to drive the vehicles as part of Project Driveway, which began in November 2007.

The Fuel Cell Equinox carries about 4.2 kilograms of compressed hydrogen on board, enough for about 168 miles before a five-to-seven minute refill is required. Regenerative braking, which sends energy created in stopping, back to the vehicle battery, extends the driving range. Drivers refill at hydrogen stations in New York, Washington, and South California.

“It has never been our focus to get a million miles, but it’s given us an incredible learning experience,” said Mark Vann, who manages Project Driveway for Chevrolet. “This says a lot about the viability of fuel cell vehicles – that they are not one or two decades away but are doable today.”

The officially recognized millionth mile in a Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicle was driven by Jeanine Behr-Getz, an author of children’s books and mother of a first-grade daughter in Greenwich, Conn. Behr-Getz was chosen to participate in Project Driveway because she would likely purchase a fuel cell vehicle out of concern for the environment and to reduce the nation’s use of petroleum.

“The Chevrolet Fuel Cell Equinox fit my family, groceries, golf clubs and work supplies with no problem and it drove the same as my fossil fuel crossover vehicle,” Behr-Getz said. “And as a bonus, I was the only parent allowed to idle my car in the pickup line at school.”

In Project Driveway, participants keep the mid-size Equinox crossovers for about two months with free fuel and insurance in exchange for providing regular feedback to engineers. Having people living with the vehicle helps Chevrolet improve the fuel cell experience. The feel of the regenerative brakes was one change that resulted from customer comments.

“I think when people first hear about the car, they expect something that looks like an experiment,” said Stephanie White, an Equinox fuel cell electric driver in Southern California. “So when they see how real the car is, particularly after driving it, they want to know, ‘Where can I buy one?’ or ‘When can I buy one of these cars?’”

The Equinox fuel cell is part of Chevrolet’s electrification of the automobile which continues next year with commercial production of the Volt extended -ange electric vehicle. Feedback and learning from the Equinox fuel cell is being shared with the Volt development team.

While Project Driveway shows how easily hydrogen-powered vehicles could become normal transportation, the high cost of development and lack of fueling infrastructure have prevented a decision on a mass production fuel cell vehicle.

In addition to individual drivers, Project Driveway vehicles are on loan to celebrities, a range of government and non-government entities, including the U.S. Postal Service which has delivered more than 700,000 pieces of mail in the Equinox. Other vehicles are used by Virgin Atlantic and Disney, which wrote the fuel cell into a featured role in a recent episode of the ABC Family comedy “Ruby & the Rockits.”

The significance of Project Driveway is especially appreciated in California, where most of the vehicles are in use.

“One million miles shows that people are driving the Equinox FCVs as part of their everyday lives,” said California Fuel Cell Partnership executive director Catherine Dunwoody. “Many of those miles were on California roads, including hundreds I put on one as a Project Driveway driver. Fuel cell vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell will provide regular people with the range and convenience of a conventional vehicle plus zero emissions, a low-carbon footprint and a sustainable, domestic fuel.”

About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is one of America’s best-known and best-selling automotive brands, and one of the fastest growing brands in the world. With fuel solutions that go from “gas-friendly to gas-free,” Chevy has nine models that get 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway, and offers three hybrid models. More than 2.5 million Chevrolets that run on E85 biofuel have been sold. Next year, Chevrolet will soon offer the Volt, an extended-range electric vehicle scheduled for production in late 2010. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and provides the best value in every segment in which it competes. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About General Motors: General Motors Company, one of the world’s largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 219,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. General Motors Company acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation. More information on the new General Motors Company can be found at www.gm.com.

DANBURY, Conn. — FuelCell Energy, Inc.(FCEL), a leading manufacturer of high efficiency ultra-clean power plants using renewable and other fuels for commercial, industrial, government, and utility customers, today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded it approximately $1.9 million for the Development of a Microchannel High Temperature Recuperator for Fuel Cell Systems. The award will be funded from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

The program’s goal is to improve the performance and cost of fuel cell power plants that are integrated with unfired gas turbines in combined cycle applications such as FuelCell Energy’s patented Direct FuelCell/Turbine, by using advances in microchannel technology. Microchannels are tiny passages in the heat exchangers (recuperators) that significantly enhance heat recovery effectiveness and potentially reduce recuperator cost. The project includes the testing of prototype recuperators, test analysis, model validation, and design of units sized appropriately for a MW-class fuel cell system.

“This award is the first of several we hope to win under the ARRA,” said Christopher Bentley, Executive Vice President of FuelCell Energy. “Our partnership with DOE over the last forty years has been a critical factor in the successful development and commercialization of fuel cell technologies.”

The recuperator will be developed using FuelCell Energy’s DFC/Turbine and solid oxide fuel cell systems. Today’s carbonate DFC technology was developed under a $135 million DOE Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Product Design and Improvement Program. FuelCell Energy’s DFC/Turbine delivers approximately 60 percent electrical efficiency — twice that of the electrical grid — and is ideally suited for utilities that have an increasing need for clean distributed generation where their systems are weakest.

Additionally, FuelCell Energy is developing coal-based solid oxide fuel cell systems under a $30 million DOE Office of Fossil Energy Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Coal-Based Systems Cooperative agreement.

FuelCell Energy, in partnership with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), will fabricate and test a 15 kilowatt and a 150 kilowatt thermal recuperator. This project involves the development of design, scalability analysis, fabrication, and commercial applicability of microchannel-based recuperators for fuel cell systems.

The ARRA was passed to create jobs and spur economic recovery. The Act allocates over $30 billion for energy-related projects that include energy efficiency, new clean technologies, and a strong, reliable grid infrastructure.

About FuelCell Energy

FuelCell Energy is the world leader in the development and production of stationary fuel cells for commercial, industrial, municipal and utility customers. FuelCell Energy’s ultra-clean and high efficiency DFC(r) fuel cells are generating power at over 50 locations worldwide. The company’s power plants have generated over 340 million kWh of power using a variety of fuels including renewable wastewater gas, biogas from beer and food processing, as well as natural gas and other hydrocarbon fuels. FuelCell Energy has partnerships with major power plant developers and power companies around the world. The company also receives funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and other government agencies for the development of leading edge technologies such as fuel cells. For more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com

SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass. –Protonex Technology Corporation (LSE: AIM: PTX and PTXU), a leading provider of advanced fuel cell power systems, today announced that it has partnered with Cummins Onan, a business group of Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI), a global leader in power generation and distribution, to cooperate in the promotion of advanced fuel cell power solutions into the recreational vehicle (RV) market.

Under the terms of the agreement, Protonex and Cummins Onan plan to jointly conduct rigorous field testing of the Protonex M250-B fuel cell power system within RVs and Cummins will provide Protonex with selected marketing assistance at trade shows and other related events. In addition, Cummins is in the process of becoming a certified installer of Protonex fuel cell systems developed for RVs. The resulting testing, certification and promotional efforts are expected to facilitate the delivery of Protonex fuel cell power solutions to the RV market.

“Protonex is very pleased to have been selected by Cummins as a partner for providing advanced fuel cell power solutions to the RV market,” stated Scott Pearson, CEO of Protonex. “Teaming with the global industry leader in commercial mobile power generation will have a significant impact on our ability to reach the RV market and will enable us to broaden the accessibility of fuel cell power solutions to consumers and the commercial mobile market.”

Ed Pickens, RV Marketing Manager for Cummins Power Generation added, “We look forward to working with Protonex to explore applications for fuel cell technology in the RV market. As the RV market evolves, we see a role for fuel cells as a solution for mobile power needs.”

Protonex plans to display its M250-B fuel cell power system in the Cummins Onan Booth (Booth H) at the 41^st Annual Pennsylvania RV and Camping Show—one of America’s largest RV shows—September 16-20, 2009.

The M250-B power system leverages breakthrough advances in fuel cell and hybrid power technology developed by Protonex. The proprietary technology blends the advantages of a fuel cell power generator with conventional hybrid batteries. The M250-B runs on safe, clean, biodegradable methanol fuel. The system is configured to seamlessly integrate with existing power components typically found in an RV, including deep cycle batteries, generators, inverters, chargers, solar panels, and alternators.

About Protonex Technology Corporation
www.protonex.com

Protonex Technology Corporation develops and manufactures compact, lightweight and high- performance fuel cell systems for portable power applications in the 100 to 1000 Watt range. The Company’s fuel cell systems are designed to meet the needs of military, commercial and consumer customers for off-grid applications underserved by existing technologies by providing customizable, stand-alone portable power solutions and systems that may be hybridized with existing power technologies. The Company is headquartered in Southborough, Massachusetts.

About Cummins Onan
www.cumminsonan.com

Cummins Onan Generators is a brand of Cummins Power Generation, a subsidiary of Cummins Inc. Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI), a global leader that manufactures, distributes and services engines, fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, (USA) Cummins serves customers in more than 160 countries through its network of 550 company-owned and independent distributor facilities and more than 5,000 dealer locations. The Cummins Onan brand is found on generators and products manufactured for the RV, marine, commercial, residential and portable generator markets. Press releases can be found on the web at www.cumminsonan.com.

Groundbreaking fuel cell technology

Stord: The joint industry project FellowSHIP today passed an important milestone with the installation of a full scale fuel cell on board the supply vessel Viking Lady. This will be the first merchant vessel ever to test fuel cell technology for production of electricity on board. The research project, which could imply an environmental revolution within ship power systems, is led by DNV.

The project was initiated by DNV in 2003 with a purpose of adapting fuel cell technology so that it can be used for the propulsion of vessels in the future. A fuel cell system has been tested onshore at Stord, Norway, for the past couple of months. With today’s successful installation onboard Viking Lady the testing of the fuel cell can start at sea.

Groundbreaking fuel cell technology
After today’s installation experts will continue testing and examining whether or not fuel cell technologies have a viable future within shipping. DNV project manager Tomas Tronstad warns that there’s a long way to go. “A lot of development still remains to be done, but I am convinced that fuel cells will have an important role in the future of shipping.”

The project has developed a fuel cell power system rated at 320 kW. Fuel cell technology of this magnitude has never before been installed in merchant vessels, and the project is innovative on a world scale. The achievements of the project will include significantly reduced CO2 emissions, improved energy efficiency and zero emissions of harmful substances, when compared to conventional engine technology.

Norwegian-German cooperation
The FellowSHIP project is a joint industry project managed by DNV. The fuel cell is developed by MTU Onsite Energy GmbH. The supply vessel Viking Lady which will be used as a test laboratory for the fuel cell is owned by Eidesvik. Wärtsilä Ship Design has designed and adapted the vessel, while Wärtsilä Norway has developed the necessary power electronics and control systems which connect the fuel cell to the electric grid on board the vessel.

DNV has approved the system considering all safety- and risk aspects of the installed equipment. The development of class rules for installation of fuel cells on board vessels has been an important part of the project.

The project is supported by the Norwegian Research Council, Innovation Norway and the German Federal Minestry of Economics and Technology

Fuel Cell Markets is delighted to announce that H Bank Technology Inc. has joined Fuel Cell Markets. H Bank Technology is a leading Taiwanese developer of metal hydride and hydrogen purification technology.

“H Bank’s metal hydrides offer good cycling properties” commented Duncan Bott, Managing director of Fuel Cell Markets “. Their technology is well suited to backup remote power applications in regions where load shedding is a common occurrence and long autonomy is a required condition.”

Fuel Cell Markets will be working with H Bank to increase global awareness of their hydrogen metal hydride technology for remote power and renewable energy storage applications.

To view H Bank’s subsite, please click here.

“About H Bank Technology Inc.

Our products are considered as an excellent hydrogen storage solution for renewable energy projects. With the widespread recognition, H Bank’s hydrogen storage systems are de facto a symbol of the best hydrogen storage solutions for 1-20KW FC devices. Our products have been successfully tested in dozens of laboratories in Europe, North America and Asia with different experimental fuel cells as well as with standard FC products from Plug Power, Ballard, Voller, FC R&D, et al. Due to his experienced R&D team, H Bank is able to design the right compositions for the storage alloys in very short period of time and offer to his customers high quality tailor made storage products, which can fully meet their demands.

Our Patented Material

Using special vacuum technology, rare-earth and transition metals can be melted into alloys, which are able to absorb hydrogen from the gas phase. These alloys, at room temperature and under certain hydrogen pressure, are absorbing extremely large quantities of hydrogen by forming solid metal hydrides. The chemical reaction of hydride formation is accompanied with release of heat into environment. The hydrogen absorption process can be reversed if the hydrogen pressure is lowered below some certain value. In this case, desorption of hydrogen gas is accompanied with heat absorption from environment.

The hydrogen storage alloys, based on rare-earth metals, Ti, Zr, Fe, et. al, are extensively studied. However, only rare-earth based AB5-type and transition metal based AB2-type alloys have reached the stage of mass production and commercialization. At the same time, as a reversible gas storage material, only AB5-type alloys can operate at moderate temperatures (from -20°C up to +60°C), while the AB2-type ones require additional heating.

Developed by H Bank in 2000, our patented alloy compositions are able to absorb hydrogen as high as 1.65wt.%, whereas the maximum values for commercial AB5-type alloy is below 1.5wt.% so far. Our alloy outperforms any existing AB5-type alloy.

In 2004, we devoted in putting the solid state hydrogen storage idea into the market. We have developed a big variety of hydrogen storage tanks and containers with amount of stored hydrogen from 10 up to 100,000 litres. All our rights on these products are protected with corresponding patents. We will devote every effort to replace dangerous high-pressure hydrogen cylinders with safe metal-hydride based storages. ”

About Fuel Cell Markets Ltd

Fuel Cell Markets Ltd are a 7-year old independent company headquartered in the United Kingdom. We provide services to a global network of leading companies involved in the commercialisation of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies across all applications and operate one of the largest online resources serving these industries – www.FuelCellMarkets.com. Our team has unrivalled global experience and is connected at the highest level both in industry and the public sector, speaking and chairing numerous events around the world, consulting for leading OEM’s and advising governments.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.– UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company, and Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ:WFMI) today are presenting a fuel cell case study during the 2009 Food Marketing Institute’s Energy & Technical Services Conference at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif. UTC Power provides fuel cells for Whole Foods Market, Price Chopper and Shaw’s Star Market stores.

Whole Foods Market has chosen to power two of its New England stores with UTC Power fuel cells. A 200-kilowatt UTC Power fuel cell has powered a Whole Foods Market store in Glastonbury, Conn., since March 2008. A 400-kilowatt fuel cell will supply 90 percent of the power and all of the hot water needs for a new store in Dedham, Mass., the largest Whole Foods Market in the Northeast region.

Fuel cells are one of the cleanest and quietest power-generating technologies in the world today. Highly efficient and virtually pollution-free, fuel cells produce electricity, heat and water through an electrochemical process. Both the Glastonbury and Dedham installations, by virtue of their environmental benefits, qualified for state-level grants through the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, respectively.

More than half of the energy potential in traditional power plants is lost to the atmosphere as waste heat or in transmission line losses. But a fuel cell turns potential waste heat into usable energy, capturing it to cool supermarket refrigeration cases year-round and to heat the store in the winter months.

“We are seeing increased interest from both supermarkets and the big box retail industry for our fuel cells,” said Neal Montany, director of the UTC Power stationary fuel cell business. “Energy-intensive businesses that need power around-the-clock and that can use the heat byproduct are a very good fit for fuel cells. The UTC Power PureCell^® system also can be configured to provide enhanced energy security and protect supermarkets against costly food spoilage in the event of a power failure,” Montany added.

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.

Hungerford, Berkshire, United Kingdom- UPS Systems plc has today announced that judges for the prestigious National Business Awards 2009 have selected its fuel cell marketing campaign for the finals of the marketing strategy of the year’ award.

UPS Systems believes in fuel cell technology and has a vision for its future. After following the development of fuel cells for several years it was keen to address the growing market opportunity. In June 2008, UPS Systems appointed PR and marketing consultancy Resonates SLM Ltd to create a marketing strategy to raise awareness of fuel cells for portable and stationary applications.

UPS Systems’ campaign has reached the finals on the strength of its workable, cost-effective plan to help it introduce fuel cells to new market sectors in the UK. The judges were looking for evidence of marketing strategies that have achieved high levels of commercial success.

“Over the last year, Resonates support has helped position us as the UK’s market leader for fuel cells in portable and stationary applications,” said UPS Systems Managing Director, Tom Sperrey. “As a result of the campaign our fuel cell revenue has substantially increased.”

Resonates’ Director Chris Dace commented, “We believe the campaign reached the finals for three reasons. First because we are marketing a worthy product – fuel cells are a cleaner source of sustainable energy. Second, the campaign has been successful – we created a practical, workable, cost-effective and integrated plan that raised awareness and generated sales. And finally because our success resulted from strategic thinking – we researched target markets and best practice for marketing clean technologies and green products.”

Philip Forrest, Chairman of Judges, The National Business Awards, said, “The economic climate continues to present UK businesses with an unprecedented challenge and some sectors have suffered in its wake. It is therefore encouraging that the entries in this year’s National Business Awards has shown no drop in quality or performance. This not only reflects the resilience and optimism that are the hallmarks of UK enterprise but has served to make this one of the most competitive years so far.”

“To reach the final stage of the UK’s most important business recognition programme is an enormous achievement. It is companies like Resonates, who are bucking the economic trend and delivering excellent results that will benefit most when the upturn finally comes. It will be fascinating to see which companies walk away with the awards in November,” said Martin Lyne, Director for small and medium enterprise for headline sponsor, Orange.

The winner will be announced at a gala dinner and awards ceremony at The Grosvenor House hotel in London on 10 November 2009.

UPS Systems plc (upssystems.co.uk) is the UK’s largest independent supplier of standby power solutions. Through its independent position, allied to close working relationships with the world’s leading manufacturers, the company is uniquely able to offer impartial technical advice on the widest range of standby power solutions. An authority on fuel cell technology, UPS Systems implemented the UK’s first two hydrogen fuel cells providing AC standby power, and is currently working on projects where the technology will be used for the supply of backup or prime power to utilities, telecommunications, remote telemetry, portable signage and renewable energy applications.

Resonates (resonates.com) is a marketing communications company based in Newbury, Berkshire. Its services range from research and planning to PR, direct marketing and green marketing. Resonates consultants have the expert marketing and PR skills needed to help clients meet their promotional objectives in the most effective ways possible.

The National Business Awards: Open to organisations of all sizes from all sectors across the UK, The National Business Awards is the UK’s most prestigious business recognition platform with its particular emphasis on success, innovation and ethical business. The National Business Awards connects the nations’ professionals through its annual awards ceremonies, year-round marketing and promotional activity and is United Business Media’s leading awards programme.

PHOENIX– RoseStreet Labs Energy (RSLE) scientists announced a leap forward in generating hydrogen gas directly from sunlight by a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC). This hydrogen fuel is generated spontaneously in a single device without external power and without petroleum products such as natural gas. Hydrogen gas is a key resource for next generation hydrogen fueled cars, and also a key component in the renewable process of harvesting biofuels and biodiesel for replacement of oil based gasolines and jet fuels.

RSLE’s discovery is coupled with RSLE’s Full Spectrum photovoltaic development which is expected to start field trials in late 2010 with +25% efficiencies. Full Spectrum technology is primarily based on Nitride Thin Film semiconductors which have excellent robustness to extreme environments including solar radiation, heat and corrosive environments. RSLE’s photoelectrochemical cell development is targeting the high performance terrestrial market for renewable energy.

Bob Forcier, CEO of RSLE, stated, “We are excited about this new development in capturing the full spectrum of the sun for not only instantaneous power generation, but also for energy storage via liquefied hydrogen or to assist the emerging biofuel and biodiesel efforts. Although this is a significant milestone in our scientific research in Nitride Thin Film photovoltaics, it also represents the opportunity to commercialize this technology to the next level with RoseStreet’s partners.”

Wladek Walukiewicz, CTO of RSLE, announced, “I am pleased with the great strides we have made in this Nitride Thin Film photoelectrochemical cell technology working with our distributed R&D teams. We are accelerating our efforts in carbon-free Full Spectrum photovoltaics and photoelectrochemical cells for the high performance energy market.”

RoseStreet Labs Energy, Inc. (RSLE) is a privately held firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. RSLE is commercializing full spectrum photovoltaic devices for high performance applications. RoseStreet Labs LLC, the parent company of RSLE, is a privately held supplier of products and services for the renewable energy,

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) celebrated over 7,000 fuel cell forklift fuelings at the Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Distribution Depot (DDSP) in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, on August 21, 2009. The 40 fuel cell forklifts at DDSP are the first installment of a total of 100 forklifts that DLA will deploy in four of its high-volume distribution centers across the country. DDSP is the largest and most active DOD depot in the United States, providing round the clock service to the armed forces including direct support to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These fuel cell deployments are part of DOE’s efforts to support the early market adoption of clean, efficient, reliable fuel cell technology in the federal government. Successful demonstration of fuel cell technology at DDSP serves as a model of early adoption showcasing energy and cost savings. Early market successes will help pave the way for future growth by strengthening consumer acceptance and expanding infrastructure, accelerating commercialization, and creating additional green jobs in manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and support services.

Fuel cells for material handling equipment (i.e., forklifts) have been identified as an application that can be competitive in today’s market. Compared to battery-powered forklifts, fuel cells can increase operational efficiency and raise productivity because they can be refueled in about three minutes, whereas changing batteries can take from 15 to 30 minutes. Forklifts powered by fuel cells are able to operate at a constant voltage, unlike those powered by batteries, which are prone to voltage drops as the battery charge wears down which leads to losses in productivity.

In presence of multiple press representatives and dignitaries, the Belgian crew prepared their winning zero emission vehicle for the final GP of this seasons Formula Zero European Championship. Home team UnizartecH2 from Zaragoza was quick behind and took first place during both races. Greenchoice Forze started with minor technical difficulties during the sprint race qualifying, but the students from Technical University Delft (the Netherlands) solved their problems and were as quick as the Spanish team. Imperial Racing Green from London finished both races in third and kept their podium place in terms of championship standings.

To score only two points in four Grands Prix, the crew of the zero emission racing team from Belgium were extremely happy to celebrate their overall winning. Despite working with brand new technology, they managed to build the quickest and most reliable vehicle of this season. UnizartecH2 is ranked first with five points, while the British and Dutch team battled their way for the final spot on the podium.

During the 11th Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, between 21 and 24 September 2009 in London (UK), France’s high-tech clusters specialising in renewable energy, together with research laboratories and innovative companies in the sector, will present and introduce their R&D projects in hydrogen technology and fuel cells, as well as their expectations in terms of Franco-British technological and business partnerships.

The 11th Grove Fuel Cell Symposium is a prestigious and exciting event that will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in the heart of London between 21 and 24 September of this year. As part of the Symposium, the French delegation will include the three hi-tech clusters in France that are involved in R&D in the field of fuel cells and hydrogen technology — TENERRDIS, S2E2 and CAPENERGIES.

France’s hydrogen and fuel-cell clusters are taking part in this mission to the United Kingdom with the support of the DGCIS (a division of the French government that supports business and innovation), of UBIFRANCE (the French export-support agency), of the French Trade Commission in the UK, and of the Science Department of the French Embassy in London.

The purpose of this promotional operation is to underpin and expand R&D collaboration projects in the major areas of hydrogen technology and fuel cells. The intention is, therefore, for participants to discuss R&D projects, thanks to the organisation of meetings between key British and French players in these fields, and to develop potential business and academic relationships that will lead to successful technology partnerships between the two countries.

The three clusters of scientific and industrial excellence combine the whole value chain of R&D skills in the field (with cutting-edge companies, advanced-research centres and world-leading educational institutions), and have much to offer to potential partners and investors.

During the first phase of the cluster policy (pôles de compétitivité) instigated by the French government (2005-2008), the three hi-tech clusters actively supported 139 collaborative R&D projects in this sector, representing a total investment of €206 million.

For more information on the French delegation at the Symposium, interested parties should contact the French Trade Commission in London (full details at the bottom of this press release), and a full catalogue will be sent to them.

CAPERNERGIES

CAPENERGIES is a competitiveness cluster dedicated to the energy sources that do not produce greenhouse gases, with a focus on energy efficiency, renewable energies and nuclear technology.

CAPENERGIES pools 400 members together, including industrial concerns, research centres and higher-education institutions in Provence–Alpes-Côte d’Azur (in south-eastern France), together with similar private- and public-sector players in the Mediterranean island of Corsica, on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, and on Guadeloupe in the French West Indies.

CAPENERGIES sees it as its aim to facilitate exchanges between its members; to develop co-operative and innovative projects on energy solutions and systems; to assist members in developing their projects and products; and, finally, to support members in their international development.

Since its creation in 2005, CAPENERGIES has certified 170 projects for an overall volume of investment totalling €1 billion. The key objective of Capenergies’ international strategy, and that of its members, is to develop R&D and industrial partnerships with companies outside France and other hi-tech clusters operating in the field of climate change.

For more information, go to: www.capenergies.fr

TENERRDIS

Responding to worldwide energy issues, TENERRDIS, in the Rhône-Alpes region of south-eastern France, aims to leverage innovation in order to develop and attract players and technologies in the new energy sectors, including renewable forms of energy.

TENERRDIS encourages the setting-up of partnerships between specialist companies and research entities, as well as involving training and institutional stakeholders, so as to develop projects that may create skills while generating economic activities and jobs.

The cluster addresses a comprehensive set of issues in the field of energy through five technology-development programmes.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cells programme focuses on hydrogen (production, transport and storage) and fuel cells. The Solar Energy and Construction programme specialises in photovoltaic solar power and thermal solar power, together with the issue of energy efficiency in buildings. The Network Management programme centres on smart grids and the technology that underpins them. The Biomass programme aims to harness agricultural and forest biomass, together with thermo-biochemical processing technologies. Finally, the Hydroelectric Power programme is focused on the innovation and optimization of water turbines.

The TENERRDIS hi-tech cluster gathers 200 stakeholders. During the first phase of its development (2005-2008), TENERRDIS certified (as part of the procedure known as labellisation) 254 collaborative R&D projects, among which 102 were funded to the tune of €96 million.

Hydrogen and fuel cells are one of the cluster’s leading sectors of activity, with 29 R&D projects being funded, to the tune of €41 million. Since 2006, 189 patents have been filed by the cluster’s stakeholders on hydrogen technology and fuel cells, as well as developments in solar energy and biomass, which represents a remarkable 60% of French patents — and 6% of European patents — in these sectors.

For more information, go to: www.tenerrdis.fr

S2E2

The Electrical Energy Sciences & Systems hi-tech cluster, or S2E2 for short (in French, Sciences et Systèmes de l’Energie Electrique), is a network regrouping 100 participants, including over 70 companies — industrial groups as well as SMEs — research centres and training organisations.

The hi-tech cluster aims to optimise the consumption of electrical energy from its source (production) to its use (including storage, conversion and distribution). As a result, S2E2 addresses three distinct markets: first, energy management in the construction industry; second, energy efficiency and energy-efficient equipment; and, finally, new energy sources.

S2E2 has as its main mission to instigate and support collaborative R&D projects between companies, research centres and training organisations. All the projects backed by S2E2 relate to energy management and are structured around five key areas in research and development: wind, photovoltaic, and geothermic energy (conversion and monitoring); electricity and hydrogen (conversion and storage); devices, packaging, connectors and systems; communication technologies in the construction industry and in buildings; and, finally, lighting technologies and road-sign systems.

From September 2005 to December 2008, 30 projects were certified by the S2E2 cluster, so that they received specific funding from the hi-tech cluster and were able to get under way. In total, this represented an amount of €100 million in R&D expenditure. Out of these 30 projects, more than a third (13 projects, precisely) relate to hydrogen technology and fuel cells, representing €40 million in R&D expenditure.

With energy efficiency at its core, S2E2 has positioned itself at the heart of sustainable development, turning the whole Centre-Limousin region into a European centre of excellence for energy efficiency.

Created in September 2005, S2E2 is one of 71 clusters supported and recognised by the French government. It is a not-for-profit association under French law. S2E2 is situated in the Centre and Limousin regions of central France.

For more information, go to: www.s2e2.fr

About the Grove Fuel Cell Symposium

British scientist Sir William Robert Grove (1811-1896), who came from Wales, produced the first fuel cell in 1839. He combined a successful legal career (he was a lawyer and a judge) with his highly innovative work in the scientific field — he anticipated the general theory of the conservation of energy and pioneered fuel-cell technology. The Symposium is named after him.

The 11th Grove Fuel Cell Symposium will be held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, in Westminster, from 22 to 24 September 2009. The Conference Centre is situated opposite the Houses of Parliament, in Central London (UK). Registration will start on 21 September 2009 between 5pm and 6:30pm.

Attendees will include, among others, academics, researchers, company executives, entrepreneurs, as well as officials representing government agencies and other public-sector entities — all of whom are actively involved in the development of hydrogen technology and fuel cells.

The 11th Grove Fuel Cell Symposium is organised by Elsevier, publishers of a range of scientific titles relating to the topic of the event, including the Journal of Power Sources, the Fuel Cells Bulletin, and Fuel Cell Focus.

For more information, go to: http://www.grovefuelcell.com/

About the French Trade Commission in London

The 11th Grove Fuel Cell Symposium will host the three hi-tech clusters in France that are involved in R&D in the field of fuel cells and hydrogen technology, i.e. TENERRDIS, S2E2 and CAPENERGIES. This will be part of a trade mission to the UK, from 21 to 24 of September 2009, organised with the support of DGCIS (Direction Générale de la Compétitivité, de l’Industrie et des Services, a department of the French government), of UBIFRANCE (the French export-support agency), and of the French Trade Commission in London, together with the Science Department of the French Embassy in London.

The French Trade Commission in the UK promotes trade development between France and Britain by offering a range of commercial and corporate services to French companies. The Infrastructure, Industry & Transport Department (ITI) at the French Trade Commission organises B2B events in the form of conferences and networking initiatives, mainly in London.

For more information, contact Ms Véronique Sinclair at the ITI Department or Ms Kate Ambler, press officer at the press bureau of the French Trade Commission in London (contact details below).

Ms Véronique Sinclair, Commercial Attaché
Infrastructure, Industry & Transport Department
The French Trade Commission in London
Tel.: (44) (0) 20-7024-3649 (Direct line)
Email: veronique.sinclair@ubifrance.fr

MENLO PARK, Calif.– SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, announced today it will present new research identifying methods for designing safer structures in the future for hydrogen fueled vehicles, at the upcoming International Conference on Hydrogen Safety, Sept. 16 – 18, in Ajaccio-Corsica, France. The paper, titled Experimental Study of Hydrogen Release Accidents in a Vehicle Garage, was authored by SRI researchers, with funding from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) through the Institute of Applied Energy (IAE), both based in Japan. SRI conducted experiments to determine the risks associated with accidental hydrogen releases and subsequent combustion in a structure built to simulate a one-car garage. SRI’s research highlights important insights that will help consumers use hydrogen safely on a daily basis.

“We are starting to see an increase in the use of hydrogen as a clean energy storage medium in many applications, including fuel cell vehicles and stationary power generation. For these applications it is important to investigate the hazards that can occur when hydrogen is released and develop approaches for mitigating the risk in these scenarios,” said Erik Merilo, SRI research engineer. “Hydrogen has been used safely for many years in different industries, and SRI is working with industry and government officials to provide the data necessary to ensure that hydrogen can be used safely by the general public.”

SRI’s work on hydrogen dispersion and deflagration was recently presented to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The data will be used for evaluating the risk associated with accidental hydrogen leaks in residential-type garages and for development of mitigation techniques, such as ventilation.

SRI has many years of experience in hydrogen safety research, and has performed large-scale tests to obtain fundamental hydrogen combustion data and investigate potential accident scenarios involving fuel-cell vehicles, transports, products and storage facilities. The data has been used to develop codes and standards, validate numerical models, and investigate risk mitigation approaches. In all tests, SRI measured the characteristics of the deflagration and detonation, as well as the potential hazard produced.

For more information about the International Conference on Hydrogen Safety, visit: http://conference.ing.unipi.it/ichs2009/

• Leading industrial companies agree upon a built-up plan for a nationwide infrastructure
• Significant expansion of hydrogen fuelling stations network by the end of 2011
• Important milestone on the way to emission-free mobility
• Leading vehicle manufacturers pursue the development and commercialization of electric vehicles with fuel cell. Commercialization with several hundred thousand units anticipated from 2015 onwards

European first with hydrogen fuel cell generator Purity