FuelCellsWorks

BMW continues to focus on hydrogen

Despite a number of reports to the contrary, BMW Group is not planning an exit from hydrogen technology.

BMW continues to count on hydrogen as a fuel and on the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) – for a future free of emissions.

Contrary to various reports, the BMW Group will not get out of hydrogen technology.

BMW continues to focus on the energy of hydrogen and the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) – for an emission-free future.

Background of the messages was an interview with Dr. Klaus Draeger, head of development of the BMW Group.

The announcement was misleading that BMW was planning for the time being not to add any new cars to its BMW Hydrogen 7 fleet.

“We see before and after hydrogen as an alternative to ensure long term sustainable individual mobility. This is particularly true mobility to the middle and long distances. Therefore, in the existing demonstration projects like the CEP, the BMW Hydrogen 7 fleet for R & D purposes will continue” said Hans-Christian Wagner, project manager at BMW CEP.

WESTWOOD, Mass– Acumentrics Corporation, an industry leader in Rugged Uninterruptible Power Supplies for mission critical military and industrial applications and a developer of solid oxide fuel cells, today announced that Gary D. Simon will retire from the company, and that its board of directors has appointed Adam P. Briggs as its new President and CEO, both effective January 1, 2010.

“The Acumentrics Board of Directors accepts Gary’s decision to retire with understanding and enormous gratitude for the value of his leadership and vision,” commented James Rosenfield, chairman of the board of directors. “During Gary’s five and a half years leading Acumentrics, the company has achieved profitability and made significant strides and innovation in its Rugged-UPS(TM) and fuel cell product development. On behalf of the board, I would like to recognize and thank Gary for these and so many other accomplishments.”

“I would like to thank our customers, employees, investors and Board of Directors for helping Acumentrics to become a successful enterprise,” Mr. Simon noted. “I have enjoyed the opportunity to lead this company since 2004, overseeing a 2006 reorganization and laying a foundation for future growth. I am confident that Adam’s strengths leading the development and launch of the company’s new power products will drive further success for our fuel cell and Rugged-UPS(TM) products.”

Mr. Briggs, 48, has served the company in the role of President and COO since June of this year. He has over twenty-five years of global power sources experience, with a track record of developing and marketing new products. Before joining Acumentrics, he was president of Millennium Cell Inc., a hydrogen storage and fuel cell technology company. Prior to that he was with Duracell Inc. for 17 years, where he held roles of increasing responsibility in the technical, sales, marketing and program management functions, culminating in the position of vice president of Duracell’s global OEM sales and consulting group. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Bowdoin College.

“It’s an honor to follow Gary as the CEO of Acumentrics, a company with recognized product leadership, a pipeline of new products and terrific people behind it,” commented Mr. Briggs. “I look forward to leading the Acumentrics team as we enter a new chapter focused on growing and capitalizing on the opportunities for our fuel cell and Rugged-UPS(TM) products.”

About Acumentrics

Acumentrics is an ISO 9001 certified company and a leader in rugged AC and DC uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for military and industrial power conditioning, backup, and other mission critical applications. The company’s Rugged-UPS(TM) products are trusted in punishing environments, with over 60,000 units deployed in military and industrial situations. Acumentrics also builds solid oxide fuel cells with a durable, fuel-flexible, tubular ceramics-based technology. For more information on Acumentrics, please visit www.acumentrics.com.

The Machinists union has agreed to a three-year contract with United Technologies Corp. for about 150 hourly workers who manufacture fuel cells, in a deal that includes raises, a signing bonus and a new “alternative work week” schedule for some employees.

The contract covering UTC Power’s South Windsor unit, was approved “overwhelmingly” in a vote Sunday, the union said. The company also announced the vote; a tally was not released. The agreement calls for annual raises of 2.5 percent, a $1,000 signing bonus, ongoing cost-of-living adjustments, and increases in pension and savings plan benefits — all of which offset higher worker costs for health coverage.

Some employees will work three 12 hour shifts each week, and others will work four 10-hour days, under the new agreement, although most remain on a 5-day schedule.

“We’re hopeful that now that negotiations are over, we can work with the company to bring fuel cells to full commercialization. The world needs sources of alternative energy, and fuel cells are ready to fill that need,” said James Parent, chief negotiator for the union.

Ground-breaking ‘green’ fuel-cell technology is being trialled in Sunderland with the help of transport experts from China.

Development agency One North East is backing ECO2Trans, a high-tech engineering solution that is spearheading advances in hydrogen propulsion systems.

Sunderland University’s Institute of Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP), Shanghai’s Shen Li High Technology and VID Vehicles are collaborating on the project.

It has involved converting two electric Gulliver U500EUK buses into hydrogen vehicles using a fuel cell, battery and capacitor combination.

Hydrogen cells produce water as the only waste product, and are one of a range of ultra-low-carbon and zero-emission vehicles being developed in the North East.

Says AMAP researcher Dirk Kok: “Visitors from Shen Li have helped us to understand the fuel-cell operation, train us in its use and help mount it in the buses.

“These vehicles will act as a test bed to evaluate novel hydrogen technologies in vehicles, and will enhance the region’s status as an important automotive research-and-development centre.”

AVID Managing Director Ryan Maughan said: “This is cutting-edge technology that is helping develop the workforce of the future with the required skill set in low carbon vehicle technology.”

The project is intended to educate people, act as a catalyst for the development of the hydrogen infrastructure in the region and help to stimulate growth in the sector.

Said One North East’s Helen Armstrong: “This is another catalyst for the development of the power distribution and charging infrastructure for low-carbon vehicles in the region.”

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario– Hydrogenics Corporation (Nasdaq:HYGS) (TSX:HYG), a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation and fuel cell products, today announced that the Company has been awarded a contract for one of its HySTAT-30 electrolyzers to be used at a fueling station in Los Angeles, California. The fueling station will serve vehicles as part of California’s “Hydrogen Highway” initiative; Hydrogenics had previously supplied an electrolyzer-based hydrogen generation system to Shell Hydrogen LLC for a similar fueling station on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Los Angeles.

“California’s Hydrogen Highway network is meant to support the increasing number of zero emission vehicles that will be available over the coming years,” said Daryl Wilson, President and CEO. “A large, reliable fueling infrastructure is critical to the mass adoption of alternative energy vehicles, and Hydrogenics is well positioned for the requisite hydrogen generation. By 2017, the State of California estimates that 50 to 100 retail hydrogen stations will be necessary to meet the demand created by both automotive and bus deployments. Hydrogenics will continue to seek out opportunities for our unique technologies to assist in this rapid growth.”

For more information about the California Hydrogen Highway Network, please visit www.HydrogenHighway.ca.gov.

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.

Nemo, the world's first canal boat powered by hydrogen fuel cell, arrives in Amsterdam December 9, 2009. REUTERS/Paul Vreeker/United Photos

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Emitting only water vapour and gliding silently through Amsterdam’s centuries-old canals, a canal boat — a popular tourist attraction — powered by fuel cells made its debut cruise on Wednesday.

The “Nemo H2,” which can carry about 87 people, is the first of its kind designed specifically to run on a fuel cell engine, in which hydrogen and oxygen are mixed to create electricity and water, without producing air-polluting gases.

“That’s important in a city like Amsterdam with over 125 canal trips per day,” said project manager Alexander Overdiep.

A boat trip around Amsterdam’s concentric semi-circles of canals is a popular tourist pastime in the Dutch capital.

From spring, visitors will have the option of a ‘CO2 Zero Canal Cruise’, for an extra 50 (euro) cents, which will go toward further research into carbon-reducing technology, said Freek Vermeulen, managing director of Lovers boat company.

The new boat cost more than double to build than a canal boat running on a diesel engine, and needs to visit a hydrogen dispensing station for a refill once a day, while normal boats only need a fuel top-up once a week.

But developers of the 3 million euro project, which was partly government funded, said costs would decline as more boats followed this test phase, and if more advanced hydrogen distribution infrastructure emerged.

(Reporting by Catherine Hornby; editing by Ralph Boulton)