FuelCellsWorks

Washington, DC— U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced  the selection of five projects to receive more than $20.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Two of these projects will be fuel cell projects.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) (Sacramento, CA)
SMUD will install the state’s first-ever ‘Solar Highway’, which will feature three PV system installations on 2 miles of highway right-of-ways  (300kW of concentrating PV, and 400 and 800 kW of flat plate PV distributed at 2 sites), with total capacity of 1.5 MW. SMUD will also install a full scale co-digestion process of fats, oil and grease (FOG) and liquid food processing waste with sewage to produce biogas with estimated power recovery of 1 – 3 MW, and install two low-NOx anaerobic digesters fed by two dairy facilities that will produce 500 kW of combined heat and power, and generate 600 kW of electricity through a molten carbonate fuel cell. The projects will demonstrate that solar PV and anaerobic digesters can be readily implemented through collaborative partnerships, and avoid siting issues and transmission constraints that pose barriers to renewable energy capacity additions.  SMUD will partner with the State of California (CEC, CalTrans, and CARB) and DOE to promote replication of their approaches, technologies and implementation strategies statewide and nationally. DOE share: $5,000,000

University of California at Davis (Davis, CA)
UC Davis’ proposed Waste-to-Renewable Energy (WTRE) system is one component of a campus oriented mixed housing and commercial development venture. The system would generate power from a renewable biogas fed fuel cell.  The organic waste will enter a receiving station in which it can be collected and prepared for digestion.  Once the appropriate mix has been created in buffer tanks, the waste will flow to the reactor where methanogenic bacteria will generate methane and carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, etc. These gases will flow to the Bio-methane Upgrade System for hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide removal, so that cleanup is to a level appropriate for use in a fuel cell system, and the cleaned gas is stored. Housed alongside the WTRE system within the Community Energy Park will be an advanced storage battery and a 300kW fuel cell that will be fueled by the on-site biogas and provides electric power to West Village end-users.  DOE share: $2,500,000
http://www.energy.gov/news/8536.htm

Proton Power Systems plc (AIM:PPS), a leading designer, developer and producer of fuel cells and fuel cell electric hybrid systems, is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (”MoU”) with Smith Electric Vehicles (”Smith”), the commercial electric vehicle division of The Tanfield Group Plc.  Under the MoU both parties will collaborate to build and market a battery-powered commercial vehicle, equipped with a Proton Power fuel cell system as a range extender.  The collaboration will aim to supply systems to local authorities and other fleet operators across Germany initially, and will address projects in the UK and North America.

This partnership will target Smith’s highly successful Edison range of electric light-duty vehicles, which are currently used by leading UK brands such as Sainsbury’s, Scottish & Southern Energy and Royal Mail.  Smith has also rolled out its larger Newton vehicle in North America, through its associate company Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp.

Proton Power and Smith will present the first prototype at the Hannover Fair in April 2010, a premier trade event for the power industry.  Thereafter, the partners plan to roll out the vehicle in transport and maintenance applications across German municipalities, with the first vehicles due to be delivered in the last quarter of 2010.  The German-based hydrogen and electric vehicle promotion organisation (’NOW’) – backed by the German government – has expressed an interest in providing funding support to operators of electric vehicle fleets and local authorities in Germany for the purchase of up to 20 vehicles with specifications similar to the prototype which will be presented at the Hannover Fair.

Electric vehicles integrated with a fuel cell expand the addressable market for zero emission vans and trucks. Pure electric commercial vehicles have a limited range and are restricted to low mileage, urban operations.

Proton Power’s PM200 fuel cell will improve the range of vehicle operation (from 160km to up to 300 km) enabling the vehicles to have a wider application within large fleets.  It will also provide an on-board electrical supply which will boost the ease of maintenance work, improving a vehicle’s suitability for every-day back-to-base applications, while also supporting auxiliary functions such as air conditioning and heating.

Commenting on the MoU, Thomas Melczer, CEO of Proton Power, said: “Our partnership with Smith Electric Vehicles is a major milestone for the Group.  Fuel cell range extenders are an attractive option for overcoming the current problems of electric vehicles.  There are strong initiatives, such as NOW, in Europe towards the adoption of electric vehicles and there is also considerable interest in the United States and Canada.  We aim to use our fuel cell range extender to help electric vehicle manufacturers such as Smith break further into these markets.

“Smith has extensive experience with electric vehicles and a strong reputation in the market. We look forward to working with them to roll out our fuel cells as vehicle range extenders in Germany and beyond.”

GLOUCESTER, England–Ultra Electronics Precision Air Systems, a leading pneumatic systems company, has secured an £400,000 grant from the government-funded Technology Strategy Board. The funds, won in competition as part of the Board’s “Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technologies” programme will be used to develop advanced balance of plant solutions for hydrogen fuel cell based power generation systems.

Ultra Electronics is leading a consortium which comprises Diverse Energy Limited, Dynamic Boosting Systems Limited, City University London (Centre for Energy and Transport) and TURBOCAM Europe Limited. The consortium will address the need to improve the performance of the ancillary subsystems which manage gas flows and humidity within a hydrogen fuel cell system. These subsystems have a critical influence on the overall energy efficiency of a hydrogen fuel cell power plant and through life operating costs.

The consortium will be focussing on developing an advanced power plant for off-grid deployment for uses such as remote telecoms base stations and other critical infrastructure applications. The global market shows high growth potential for such applications within the next decade.

Andy Yates, Managing Director of Ultra Electronics Precision Air Systems, commented “This award marks an exciting move into a new sector for the business. It is one where Ultra can apply its systems engineering skills to integrate and optimise sub-systems and components to improve the overall performance of a fuel cell power system. I look forward to the project’s successful conclusion and the resultant business opportunities that will follow.”

About Ultra Electronics

Ultra Electronics is a group of specialist businesses designing, manufacturing, and supporting electronic and electromechanical systems, sub-systems and products for defence, security and aerospace applications worldwide. The Group focuses on obtaining a technological edge in niche markets, with many of its products and technologies being market leaders in their field.

About Diverse Energy Limited

Diverse Energy makes emission-free, low-cost PowerCubes® to replace diesel generators, powering cell-phone towers in rural developing countries. Silent, clean fuel cells, powered by readily available ammonia, improve the local environment, are more efficient and reliable, and give cellular providers a green alternative.

About Dynamic Boosting Systems Limited

Dynamic Boosting Systems Ltd is a spinout company from Imperial College London. They are developing and commercializing an innovative patented forward-swept, shrouded, centrifugal turbomachine, ‘TurboClaw’. The company has extensive expertise to design and develop electric machines and drives. This includes high-speed permanent magnet disc and drum configuration topologies and associated power and control electronics.

About City University London – Research Centre for Energy and Transport

The Research Centre for Energy and Transport is focussed upon research in basic and computational fluid dynamics, development of new experimental technologies and their application to internal combustion engines, compressors, alternative energy systems and combustion research towards the achievement of environmentally sustainable transportation systems and improved efficiency in fluid power systems.

About TUBOCAM Europe Limited

TURBOCAM specialise in providing manufacturing solutions for complex components, with a core competency in 5-axis machining supported by in-house developed software. The company is a leading supplier to major Automotive, Aerospace and Turbomachinery industries. The TURBOCAM group of companies have over eighty 5-axis machining centres, plus other CNC machines and equipment, with manufacturing sites in the UK, USA, India and Romania.

About the Technology Strategy Board

The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its role is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve the quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). For further information please visit www.innovateuk.org.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM/ASX: CFU), a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation units for homes and other buildings, has received an order for its BlueGen power and heating unit from Kiwa Gas Technology in The Netherlands for delivery in Q2 2010.

Kiwa Gas Technology provides services in the area of gas technology nationally and internationally. Its expertise in the area of extraction, distribution and utilisation of gas is used for, among other things: advising, engineering, consultancy, product development and training. Kiwa Gas Technology serves many global customers, including many large energy companies.

Follow up:

Kiwa Gas Technology will test and operate the BlueGen unit at its facility in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, on behalf of leading gas utility GasTerra.

GasTerra, also based in The Netherlands, is an international supplier and trader of natural gas and a Fortune 500 company. GasTerra is owned by Shell, ExxonMobil and the Dutch government and has a strong position in the Dutch gas market. In 2009 GasTerra recorded revenues of 25 billion Euros (approx. A$40 billion).

GasTerra is actively investing in the development of highly efficient gas appliances like small scale power and heating products (mCHP). Jur Kruger, project manager Energy Transition at GasTerra, recently told the parliament of the Dutch province Groningen that GasTerra believes that within the next ten years one million mCHP units could be installed in The Netherlands.

BlueGen is the latest breakthrough in small scale electricity generation. About the size of a dishwasher, each BlueGen unit can produce twice the electricity needed to power an average home, with the surplus electricity sold back to the grid. BlueGen also produces heat, to make enough hot water for an average home.

BlueGen units can generate electricity more efficiently than the current European power grid, significantly reducing a home’s carbon emissions and cutting energy bills.

The order from Kiwa Gas Technology is Ceramic Fuel Cells’ second order for BlueGen units in Europe, following a recent order from German utility EWE. Ceramic Fuel Cells has also deployed fully integrated mCHP products with leading energy companies and appliance manufacturers in France and the United Kingdom.

Acta, the provider of clean energy products and environmental catalysts, issues the following trading update today for the year to 31 December 2009.  The preliminary results are expected to be announced on Thursday 25 March 2010.

Commercial and Technical Review

During January 2010 Acta has shipped the Company’s first hydrogen generators and power generators to distributors for testing and demonstration purposes, and has received encouraging technical and commercial feedback.

Following the strong level of demand for distribution rights that the Company received through its trade fair programme in November and December 2009, fifteen European distributors have been selected to cover key sectors and applications.  Product samples are now being shipped to these distributors, and framework distribution agreements will be concluded over the next three to six months, giving the Company access to a wide distribution network into key early-adopter sectors such as leisure (nautical and camping), UPS and automotive accessories (fuel saving and emission reduction).

The current level of product demand has exceeded management’s expectations, and the Company is now implementing a program to increase production facilities and supply chain capacity to meet this demand.  The Company’s production strategy, incorporating subcontract manufacture of components and internal assembly and quality control of finished products, minimises the investment requirements and timeframe needed to achieve commercial production levels.  A production capacity of 100 units per month is planned by the end of 2010, and thereafter the Company intends to use the processes and experience gained during this year to increase production capabilities up to breakeven volume capacity by mid-2011, to be financed from existing resources.

Acta has also continued to pursue partnerships and opportunities in the Italian photovoltaic installation sector.  This activity aims to complete the Company’s renewable energy value chain, from solar or wind source, through compressed hydrogen generation from intermittent power, to end user products (consumer applications, energy independent homes, etc).  The Italian market is currently attracting a high level of PV installation investment interest, and the Company is hopeful of announcing concrete progress in these activities in due course.

Financial Review

During 2009 Acta has benefitted from the cost reduction programme introduced in late 2008 and pursued through the last year, with significant overhead savings compared to 2008 levels.  The growth of new commercial activities in 2010 will require cost commitments in new staff and sales and marketing activities, and modest investments in production capacity, and these will be carefully managed from within the Company’s existing financial resources.

Paolo Bert, Chief Executive, commented:

“2009 saw the start of a substantial transition in the Company’s commercial strategy and market positioning, based upon the exceptional opportunities that we see for our unique hydrogen generator product range. During 2010 we will be focusing on bringing these products through to full commercial operations, while continuing to pursue the wider opportunities from solar to fuel cells available to us in the renewable energy and clean technology sectors.”