FuelCellsWorks

Kia Motors Corp. is offering a chance to drive the hydrogen fuel cell powered version of the sport utility vehicle Mohave for six months.

Applications for the event can be filed at the company’s website at www.kia.co.kr until the end of October.

The event is open to residents of Seoul and surrounding areas, who are over the age of 20.

Five successful applicants, who will be announced on Nov. 12, will be provided with hydrogen-powered Mohave vehicles for six months from December. Fuel costs will be covered by the company.

MUNICH, Germany — A research group of the Freiburg university (Germany) and semiconductor vendor Micronas AG has integrated a fuel cell array on a chip. The device could power autonomous microsystems, also known as ‘Smart dust’.

The chip contains 42 microscale fuel cells on a CMOS device plus four cells to power the control circuitry necessary to keep the output voltage of 3.3 V constant. While the semiconductor structures have been manufactured using a standard CMOS process, the fuel cell elements — a palladium layer for H₂ storage, cathode and membrane — have been added in a post-process spin-on, explained Karl Hoffmann who oversees the project for Micronas.

According to Hoffmann, a challenge was to intelligently interconnect the fuel cells in a way that allows the control circuitry to keep the output as stable as possible during the element’s life time. “With several elements in parallel and in series, it is much easier to keep voltage and current constant,” Hoffmann said.

With a lifetime of about one year at nominal load in the triple-digit microwatt range, the device could eventually power smart autonomous systems in applications where no conventional power source is available. Energy harvesting devices are not regarded as competing with the chip-level fuel cell, Hoffmann said. “They rather can complement each other,” he said. “A fuel cell could be used as a power buffer for periods when energy harvesting methods don’t generate enough power.”

Sounds like space applications? Rather not, Hoffmann said. The researchers have more down-to-earth applications in mind. Building monitoring, for instance.

TAIPEI–Taiwanese researchers said Friday they have developed hydrogen-powered mobile phone chargers, in a development that could boost the island’s efforts to become a player in green technologies.

The device can recharge a mobile phone battery in two hours without being plugged, according to scientists at the Industrial Technology Research Institute in north Taiwan’s Hsinchu city.

“Hydrogen is a recyclable material. The device is energy-efficient and will help protect the environment,” said Tsau Fanghei, a researcher at the institute.

“We will continue to improve the invention. We hope the hydrogen-powered device can replace current cell phone recharge systems in 2012.”

Ma Hwong-wen, an environmental scientist at the National Taiwan University, said the invention appeared to be breaking new ground.

“It is new,” Ma said. “Hydrogen, in theory, will produce no hazard to the environment.”

The charger will be key to the Taiwan government’s endeavour of carving out a space for itself in future energy generation, according to Yeh Hui-ching, director of the economics ministry’s Bureau of Energy.

“The government hopes to acquire a slot in the global green energy industry’s production chain with the hydrogen fuel cell technologies,” Yeh said, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

Taiwan is under pressure to develop new energy sources, as it imports about 98 percent of its energy.

Launches New www.poweringnow.ca Website

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–Today marks the introduction of the first of BC Transit’s fleet of 20 fuel cell electric buses that will operate in Whistler, British Columbia as part of public transportation for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. After the 2010 Winter Games, the fleet will remain in Whistler in regular revenue service.

H2i, brought to you by the BC Hydrogen Highway, congratulates BC Transit, the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada on this milestone and their role in stimulating the start of an international sustainability solution for transit agencies and riders. BC Transit’s hydrogen fuel cell electric bus program is one of a number of initiatives that H2i will showcase in advance of and during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and help move us toward a cleaner environment.

The hydrogen fuel cell electric buses produce zero tailpipe emissions and do not emit any air pollutants – their only emission is water vapour. These buses will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and will provide a more pleasant riding experience for transit drivers and users.

“The British Columbia Hydrogen Highway features the world’s largest single deployment of hydrogen fuel cell electric buses and the world’s largest capacity hydrogen fueling station,” said John Sheridan, Chairperson of the BC Hydrogen Highway. “It will showcase the benefits of hydrogen fuel cells to a worldwide audience and will help stimulate adoption of the technology – not only in mass transit applications, but also in other commercial markets, such as materials handling and backup power.”

The deployment of a fuel cell electric bus fleet is part of B.C.’s commitment to fuel cell technologies and the Hydrogen Highway as part of the overall plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent by 2020.

Concurrent with the launch of the fuel cell electric buses, the BC Hydrogen Highway is launching their new website at www.poweringnow.ca. With the demand for “green” energy sources, the new website will be the ideal resource for educating the public, government, potential users, and media about the benefits and developments of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in BC. In addition to product information, visitors can quickly find news releases, industry links, an event calendar, press kit materials and animation of how a fuel cell works. Offering RSS feed capability, visitors can be quickly notified of updated information required to meet their needs in regards to British Columbia’s hydrogen and fuel cell sector.

About The BC Hydrogen Highway

The BC Hydrogen Highway, formed in 2004, is a forward-looking group of hydrogen and fuel cell technology providers, organizations, and government agencies who are promoting the development, deployment and commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell powered products as a vital part of the solution to our environmental challenges. The BC Hydrogen Highway is managed by the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.

SAN DIEGO, CA– Today in Vancouver, the Province of BC, the Government of Canada, and BC Transit will unveil the first BC Transit hybrid fuel cell bus, which includes the ISE Hybrid Fuel Cell Drive System. This vehicle is the first of 20 buses in a zero-emission fleet that will run during and after the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games in Whistler. The unveiling takes place immediately following Premier Gordon Campbell’s closing remarks at the UBCM (Union of British Columbia Municipalities) convention at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre.

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