FuelCellsWorks

By Brian Schorr, PATH Program Manager

Copenhagen, Denmark –Today, a coalition of 16 associations from around the world issued a joint statement to underscore how hydrogen technologies can help to curb global greenhouse gas emissions. The statement, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, points out many significant benefits to the environment and other areas including the elimination of 80% of the emissions from light duty vehicles, according to studies by Japan, the European Union and United States.

“Hydrogen provides so many benefits and works cooperatively with such a wide variety of alternative energy technologies, no national government can afford to leave hydrogen out of its climate change plans.”

“The significant investments by national governments and private companies around the world have resulted in rapid technology advancements recently compared to just a few years ago,” said Terry Kimmel, Chairman of the Partnership for Advancing the Transition to Hydrogen (PATH).  “And as recently as a couple months ago, several countries like Japan and Germany made large commitments to take advantage of these advancements by investing in hydrogen infrastructure, while the United States continues to support technology development and deployment.  Each country around the world has something to gain from using hydrogen technologies and the global community will benefit from the resulting reduction of greenhouse gases.”

“In addition to hydrogen’s ability to replace or more cleanly use carbon-based fuels, hydrogen technologies encourage the widespread use of renewable energy,” added Jeffrey Serfass, PATH’s General Manager. “Hydrogen provides so many benefits and works cooperatively with such a wide variety of alternative energy technologies, no national government can afford to leave hydrogen out of its climate change plans.”

In addition to this statement, PATH is participating in today’s Bridge to Hydrogen event, organized by the European Hydrogen Association.  The event is showcasing the latest hydrogen vehicles next to battery electric cars and second generation biofuel vehicles. The Parade will conclude at the Danish Parliament where executives of the main fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen infrastructure companies will present their plans for the future.

The statement can be downloaded at www.hpath.org

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About the Partnership for Advancing the Transition to Hydrogen (PATH)

The Partnership for Advancing the Transition to Hydrogen (PATH) is a not-for-profit international coalition of hydrogen associations that seeks international cooperation to help advance the transition to hydrogen as a carbon-free energy carrier and a solution to environmental and energy issues. PATH was established in 2002 in collaboration with the governments and national hydrogen associations of Canada, Japan and the United States. Today, members of the 16 PATH associations represent 39% of the world’s population and 76% of the world’s gross domestic product.  www.hpath.org

• Jayco Inc. and SFC Smart Fuel Cell have established a joint research,  market development and testing project on fuel cell products for the North American recreational vehicle market
• EFOY fuel cells by SFC Smart Fuel Cell are tested in a new generation of lightweight and low energy consumption vehicles
• Fuel cells provide lightweight, silent, zero-emission off-grid power supply and deliver 24/7 power availability in any season and weatherBrunnthal/Munich, Germany and Middlebury/Indiana, USA- On the occasion of the 47th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, KY, USA, Jayco Inc., largest privately-held manufacturer of recreational vehicles in North America, and SFC Smart Fuel Cell, leading supplier of fuel cell products for mobile and off-grid power applications, announce the establishment of a joint research and market development alliance to study the feasibility of the utilization of fuel cell technology in North American recreation vehicles.

  In the past months, Jayco has tested the EFOY product series for a new lightweight, low energy consumption series of recreational vehicles. The EFOY fuel cell series, consisting of three models with a charging capacity of 900 to 2,200 watt hours each per day, depending on individual power requirements, ensures 24/7 power availability in any season and weather. Based on the European success – with currently 48 manufacturers offering EFOY in their catalogues and over 15,000 units sold – target of this project is to provide US recreational vehicles users with lightweight, no noise and emission-free power generation for off-grid use.

  “We are enthusiastic about this research and market development alliance which has the capability of providing our customers with a reliable power and zero-emission solution for their Jayco RV”, says Derald Bontrager, Jayco’s president and chief operating officer. “Reliable, comfortable and environmentally-friendly power supply is a significant concern for RV owners and the EFOY provides an excellent alternative: The fuel cell does not generate smell or noise, is small and lightweight, fully automatic and always available”.

  “We are very proud that Jayco, largest privately-held manufacturer of recreational vehicles in North America, has integrated our EFOY fuel cell in a market testing program”, says Dr. Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Smart Fuel Cell. “We are excited about this joint project and hope that US RV users will be able to enjoy comfort of the EFOY fuel cells as caravan owners all across Europe in the future”.

  This is how the EFOY works: The fuel cell is directly connected to the on-board battery. In operation the fuel cell continuously monitors the battery’s charge state. Once this drops below a predefined level, the EFOY will automatically start operation and recharge the battery. When the battery is full, it will just as automatically return into stand-by. The fuel cell produces off-grid power reliably without requiring maintenance or user intervention and is powered by the liquid fuel methanol which comes in safe 5 and 10 liter (1.3 and 2.6 gallons) cartridges. An EFOY M10 cartridge with 10 liter (2.6 gallons) fuel contains 11.1 kilo watt hours of power. In form of these convenient cartridges RV owners can store a lot of energy at very low weight in their vehicle. The EFOY fuel cell works extremely silently – a decisive advantage over generators which produce a lot of noise, exhausts and disturb to nature. By-products of power generation in the EFOY fuel cell are just water steam and carbon dioxide in amounts equivalent to the breath of a child.

  Visitors of 47th Annual National RV Trade Show, Louisville, KY/USA, can experience the EFOY fuel cell live in operation at the Jayco booth 1200 in the South Wing, December 1 to 3, 2009 including an appearance by Dirk Kempthorne, former secretary of the interior and RVer of the year 2007, on December 2, 2009.

  Visit www.jayco.com, www.efoy.com and www.sfc.com for more information.

  About Jayco

  Jayco, Inc. is the largest privately-held manufacturer of recreational vehicles in North America. The company makes and markets Jayco RVs under the Jay Series, Baja, Select, Jay Flight, Jay Feather, Eagle, Octane ZX, Designer, Greyhawk, Precept, Melbourne, Seneca, Embark, and Insignia nameplates. In addition, the company markets Starcraft, R/T, Centennial, Travel Star, Rock Star, Homestead and Lexion RVs through its Starcraft RV division and upscale Aspire, Anthem and Cornerstone motorhomes through the Entegra Coach division.

  About SFC Smart Fuel Cell

  SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG (www.sfc.com) is market leader in fuel cell technologies for mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial and defense markets.  As one of Germany’s technology pioneers, SFC has won numerous innovation awards.  SFC has alliances with leading companies in a wide range of industries.  Unlike most other fuel cell manufacturers, who are in the research and development phase or run subsidized demonstration projects, SFC has shipped more than 15,000 fully commercial products to industrial and private end users for more than five years, and has created a convenient fuel cartridge supply infrastructure. SFC is DIN ISO 9001:2008 certified. SFC is based in Brunnthal, Germany, and has a sales and technical service office in the U.S.

The Viking Lady has been designed by Wärtsilä and is equipped with a complete, integrated Wärtsilä propulsion and power electronics system. Picture by Oddgeir Refvik.

Welcome on board the offshore supply vessel Viking Lady and a cleaner future for shipping. Join us
16 December, during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15), for a press tour of the first and only ship with a fuel cell integrated as part of its power generation.

The Viking Lady will be docked at a unique location in Central Copenhagen, surrounded by the city’s new playhouse, opera and old dock storages.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario– Hydrogenics Corporation (Nasdaq:HYGS) (TSX:HYG), a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products, today announced that Hydrogenics Europe N.V., its Belgium-based operating subsidiary (the “Borrower”), has secured a EUR 3.5 million operating facility from Dexia Bank S.A., a Belgium-based financial institution. The facility will be used to finance working capital requirements for Hydrogenics’ OnSite Generation business in 2010.

“This operating facility will provide increased working capital for our electrolyzer operations next year and speaks to the increased availability of attractive credit in our end markets,” said Daryl Wilson, President and CEO. “The facility will allow our European operations greater flexibility to more rapidly respond to customer orders and ship equipment in a more timely manner. Given our growth plans for 2010, we felt that now was the best time to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Pursuant to the terms of the credit facility, the Borrower may borrow a maximum of 75% of the value of awarded sales contracts, approved by Dexia Bank, to a maximum of EUR 2.0 million, along with a maximum of EUR 1.5 million for general business purposes.

The credit facility bears interest at a rate of Euribor plus 1.45% per annum. It is secured by a EUR 1.0 million first secured charge covering all of the assets of the Borrower, which may be increased to EUR 1.5 million in certain circumstances, and contains a negative pledge precluding the Borrower from providing security over its assets. Additionally, the Borrower is required to maintain a solvency covenant, defined as equity plus current account divided by total liabilities, of not less than 25% and ensure that its inter-company account with Hydrogenics Corporation does not decrease to less than EUR 5.0 million at any time. As of November 30, 2009, the inter-company account was approximately EUR 5.1 million.

ABOUT HYDROGENICS

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