FuelCellsWorks

Clean power systems company will travel to Silicon Valley to showcase market-leading technology; Wins place on prestigious Clean & Cool Mission 2010

Loughborough, UK– Intelligent Energy, the leading clean power systems company, has been given a place on the Clean & Cool Mission 2010 to San Francisco, meaning that the company will meet with investors, potential partners, media and peers on the US West Coast at the end of February 2010.

The Clean & Cool Mission 2010 gives the UK’s twenty most innovative and growing clean technology companies the opportunity to engage with the top technology businesses in Silicon Valley. The mission is a collaboration between the Technology Strategy Board, UK Trade and Investment, market intelligence company Polecat, and is supported by Orrick, BP Alternative Energy and the Cleantech Group. Intelligent Energy will now travel to the US West Coast from 20th February to 26th February.

“The real story here is about these very successful UK business people who have embarked on innovative ventures in a new but growing sector,” said Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board. “They are pioneers and we are working with them because we want to see them find their place in what looks set to become a successful international market.”

Intelligent Energy has already got off to a flying start in 2010, following the launch of the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter at London’s City Hall. The scooter is the product of Intelligent Energy’s successful partnership with the Suzuki Motor Corporation, and is the next step towards offering cleaner, more efficient motorcycles in a practical and accessible form with the potential to significantly reduce emissions around the world. The company is also leading a programme to develop a fleet of fuel cell London taxis in time for 2012.

“This Clean and Cool Mission is very timely for Intelligent Energy, and being able to engage with the financial community and those who set the public policy agendas relevant to clean technology businesses in the US, is a great opportunity for us,” explained Dr. Mark Lawson-Statham, Director of Corporate Finance at Intelligent Energy. “In addition, the chance to meet with USA’s top technology businesses and discuss new market opportunities will help continue to accelerate our commercialisation plans at a time when our clean power systems are taking centre stage in the market.”

About Intelligent Energy

Intelligent Energy is a clean power systems company, with a range of leading fuel cell and hydrogen generation technologies. The company is focused on the provision of cleaner power and low carbon technologies. Intelligent Energy partners with leading companies globally, in the transportation, oil and gas, aerospace, defence, distributed generation and portable power markets. Current partners and customers include Scottish & Southern Energy plc with whom the company has formed a joint venture to commercialise fuel cell combined heat and power (CHP) systems, and The Suzuki Motor Corporation. Intelligent Energy’s successes in recent years include the development of the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell motorbike and supplying the fuel cell system to Boeing which powered the world’s first manned fuel cell aircraft. The company also recently supplied Airbus with a multi-functional fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU) aimed at on-board power and other loads in future commercial airliners.
www.intelligent-energy.com

Last April, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced an impressive $114.3 million in funding—$41.9 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and $72.4 million from industry—for the rapid deployment of approximately 1,000 fuel cell systems. Many of these systems are now operating in backup power, combined heat and power, and material handling (i.e. forklift) applications across the United States.  And the technology validation team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is watching.

Jennifer Kurtz, Todd Ramsden, Keith Wipke, and Sam Sprik of the Hydrogen Technologies and Systems Center are charged with providing an independent assessment of how these fuel cell systems fare in the real world, with a focus on performance, operation, and safety.  The team is poised to release its first set of findings later this month.

“DOE selected these applications for fuel cell system deployment because they’re seen as key early markets where fuel cells can compete with conventional power technologies,” Kurtz said.  “The unprecedented speed and scale of this deployment provide us with a unique opportunity to gather a significant amount of operational data very quickly.”

Accelerating the use of fuel cell technologies in these early market applications supports commercialization and helps build a domestic manufacturing and supplier base. It also expands the growth of the green job market, with new opportunities in manufacturing, fuel cell maintenance and support systems, and hydrogen production.

This new assessment builds on NREL’s six-year history of working with automotive companies and fuel providers to evaluate the performance of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the refueling infrastructure.

At a data facility in Germantown, Md., the Energy Department runs its most mission-critical operations: office management applications; e-mail services; network management; personnel, procurement, financial and project management applications; and others.

That’s why Jake Wooley, deputy director of Energy’s information technology management office, worries what might happen if the East Coast’s power grid failed.

Like IT managers at a handful of other federal agencies, Wooley has begun studying whether hydrogen fuel cells could be used as an alternate power source for the Energy Department’s primary data center.

Besides the promise of offering greater energy security, fuel cells come with another benefit, Wooley says: less ozone-damaging pollution than traditional energy sources. Fuel cells generate energy through a hydrogen reaction, which is cleaner than energy produced by combustion at coal-fired power plants.

One drawback: Fuel cells may be too large to install near many Washington buildings. Finding space for fuel cells — some of which can be the size of half a semi-truck — is a challenge for agencies and companies, said Frank Wolak, vice president of business development for FuelCell Energy, a Connecticut-based company consulting with agencies on fuel cell technology.

“Those buildings were designed to be esthetically pleasing. … The building stock is also old, so there’s not a lot of mechanical space for fuel cells,” he said.

Nevertheless, the Commerce and Interior departments are talking with a local utility company and a fuel cell manufacturer about installing fuel cells for their Washington headquarters. Commerce has considered placing fuel cells in the courtyard.

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A lot of people go to the car show to see the new classy chassis. But now the focus is also on more efficient mileage and green energy.

GM is showcasing the car of the future at the Buffalo Auto Show. General Motors is proud of its latest development in fuel cell technology. This engine is powered by hydrogen. And talk about going green: he only by-product is water. GM has three Chevy SUV’s at the auto show and people can sign up with a chance to test-drive these cars on Friday and Saturday. GM’s Dan O’Connell was in town to tell News 4 how a fuel cell works.

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Graduate students Jennifer Hensel and Gongming Wang tested the performance of composite nanomaterials in PEC cells for hydrogen production. Photo by Yat Li.

A novel strategy for engineering semiconductor materials can boost the performance of water-splitting solar cells for hydrogen production, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Using sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen is potentially a clean and sustainable way to generate hydrogen for fuel-cell vehicles. Photovoltaic cells use solar energy to generate electricity, and electricity can be used to split water by electrolysis. But a more direct and efficient approach is provided by photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, which use solar energy to generate hydrogen inside the cell itself.

The UCSC researchers focused on the semiconductor material used as a light-absorbing anode in the PEC cell. They combined two techniques–called elemental doping and quantum dot sensitization–that have been used to improve the performance of metal oxide semiconductors in solar cells. These techniques use nanotechnology to manipulate the structure of a material on the scale of billionths of a meter.

Previous work in the laboratory of Jin Zhang, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UCSC, showed that this combination of techniques has a synergistic effect, markedly enhancing the performance of photovoltaic cells (see earlier story). In the new study, Zhang teamed up with Yat Li, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, to test the same strategy in a PEC cell.

“Elemental doping and quantum dot sensitization are two different techniques that work well by themselves. We found that we can combine them to get a synergistic effect,” Li said. “We not only extended this idea nicely to a photoelectrochemical cell for hydrogen generation, we also proposed a new model to explain the observed experimental data.”

Zhang noted that more theoretical work is needed to fully understand the mechanisms involved. “Understanding the mechanisms will allow us to optimize the effects,” he said. “The model we proposed in the first paper was very preliminary, but the new results have helped us refine our model.”

The researchers reported their findings in the journal Nano Letters in a paper posted online on January 25. Lead authors of the paper were Jennifer Hensel, a graduate student in Zhang’s lab, and Gongming Wang, a graduate student in Li’s lab.

The researchers synthesized thin films of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, as well as titanium dioxide nanowire arrays vertically aligned in a thin film on a substrate. The titanium dioxide films were doped with nitrogen, and cadmium selenide nanoparticles were used for quantum dot sensitization. The resulting nanostructured composite materials were then used as photoanodes in a PEC cell to compare their performance in carefully controlled experiments.

The results are an important demonstration of the potential to improve the performance of photoelectrochemical cells, as well as photovoltaic solar cells, using carefully designed materials, Zhang said. “The key is that combining different approaches in a rational manner can significantly boost performance,” he said.

This research was supported by UCSC, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the NSF of China.

BOTHELL, Wash. — Neah Power Systems, Inc., (’Neah’) (OTCBB:NPWZ) , the company developing fuel cell based renewable energy solutions, reported that it has signed documents with CyVolt Energy Systems (’CyVolt’) to acquire all of its technology and assets. The cost of the acquisition would be covered by the company’s recently announced financing that management plans to use to acquire businesses that are expected to provide positive cash flows in the near term.

Dr. Chris D’Couto, President and CEO of Neah Power Systems, said, “Neah’s goals, as part of the recently announced funding, is to complete strategic acquisitions that complement Neah’s technology and meet our target of having commercially available products within the next 6 months. CyVolt meets these high standards.”

Neah intends to introduce the product, a hybrid fuel cell technology that recharges industry-standard lithium ion batteries, to the retail market within four to six months. Lithium ion batteries are the most common form of battery used in portable electronics. The product will produce ongoing power by “hot-swapping” additional fuel via cartridges or refills, thereby eliminating dependence on access to the electrical grid.

CyVolt Energy Systems is a Cleantech company developing fuel cell based portable power products for the consumer and military electronics market. CyVolt has developed a renewable fuel cell technology with the potential of significantly reducing development and downstream manufacturing costs. www.cyvolt.com

About Neah Power

Neah Power Systems, Inc. (NPWZ) is developing long-lasting, efficient and safe power solutions for the military, industrial and consumer applications, Neah uses a unique, patented, silicon-based design for its micro fuel cells that enable higher power densities, lower cost and compact form-factors. The company’s micro fuel cell system can run in aerobic and anaerobic modes. The company is developing energy generation and storage solutions based on its patented technology.

Further company information can be found at www.neahpower.com

The University of Glamorgan has strengthened its position as a leader in hydrogen energy research, with the announcement today (Friday 12th February 2010) of two funding awards totalling £6.6m.

£6.3m has been awarded to a project entitled CymruH2Wales. This builds on the University’s expertise and previous investment in the field of hydrogen energy to develop new processes, products and services. The funding will enable the University to progress research in a number of key areas including:

• Hydrogen production from renewable electricity.
• Hydrogen as an energy store.
• Hydrogen combustion engines and fuel cells for use in clean vehicles.
• The strategic build up of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.
• Biological hydrogen production.
• Product gas clean up.
• Development of novel co-products.

Professor Alan Guwy who is leading the project said, “CymruH2Wales addresses many of the critical aspects in the development of hydrogen and fuel cells as vital emerging energy technologies and aims to establish Welsh jobs in this important new energy industry. The project will involve researchers from the faculties of health, sport and science, and advanced technology, will employ 20 new research staff over the next three years and aims to create 63 permanent jobs in hydrogen energy.”

This three-year project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the European Union’s Convergence programme administered by the Welsh Assembly Government as part of the activities of the Low Carbon Research Institute.

The University of Glamorgan will lead the project, engaging partners from industry and other universities, including Swansea and Bangor.

The University has also been awarded £240,000 for its South Wales Alternative Fuel Gateway project. This project is part funded by the UK Department for Transport’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Grant Programme, managed by CENEX – the UK Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technologies.

The money will be used to build a new hydrogen, natural gas and biomethane vehicle refueling facility at the University’s Pontypridd campus as well as further developing the existing alternative refueling facilities at its Hydrogen Centre in Baglan.

These facilities will not only support the hydrogen and alternative vehicle drive train research and development work of the University, but will be the initial steps for the creation of a broader alternative refuelling infrastructure along the M4 corridor in Wales.

The project is fully supported by the Welsh Assembly Government as part of their statutory commitment and policies to support sustainable development, and their specific aim to create a Low Carbon Fuel Technology Corridor along the M4 in South Wales.

The M4 in south Wales is to become a “hydrogen highway”, with alternative energy refuelling points, ministers are due to announce.

The scheme, to extend into south west England, is aimed at making hydrogen and electric-powered vehicles a viable alternative to petrol-driven machines.

Under the plan, Wales will lead in developing alternative fuels, including hydrogen from renewable sources.

The aim is to create an extensive renewable refuelling infrastructure.

Hydrogen has long been touted as an alternative energy source to carbon-hungry fossil fuels.

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Energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power has been awarded grant funding of 0.337m to help develop a transportable ‘green hydrogen’ refuelling station.

The grant, over 13 months, is part of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Demonstrator Programme managed by the Technology Strategy Board. ITM’s application was supported by Gateway to London and Revolve Technologies.

Paul Turner, Revolve’s technical director, said the grant was a major advance in promoting a clean fuel with carbon-free emissions from the company’s H2ICE Ford Transit vans for commercial fleet operators.

John Williams, CEO of Gateway to London, described the award as a ‘major step forward for the clean-tech revolution in London Thames Gateway, and an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of green hydrogen technology’.

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. — Air Products (NYSE: APD) has been awarded the prestigious Rushlight Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Industry Award for its innovative Series 100 Hydrogen Fueling Station technology.  The technology, which is helping break down barriers to the development of the hydrogen economy, clearly fit the Award’s aims of promoting and celebrating leading environmental technologies in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland.

“Receiving the Rushlight Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Award is a great honor.  It demonstrates the importance in developing hydrogen infrastructure in line with hydrogen vehicle development and the ultimate potential benefits of drastically reducing carbon emissions.  As the market leading hydrogen producer and the global leader in the deployment of hydrogen infrastructure, the supply flexibility of our Series 100 fueling station is complemented by the different routes of economical green hydrogen that we’re developing.  Our goal to introduce infrastructure alongside hydrogen vehicles with well-to-wheel emissions that are virtually zero, making a green hydrogen world not far away,” said Ian Williamson, director, Hydrogen Energy Systems–Air Products Europe.

The Air Products Series 100 Hydrogen Fueling Station has been an important enabler in changing industry and consumer perception in the UK as to the validity and safety of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier.  The Rushlight Award acknowledges the success of this fully integrated fueling station in meeting the needs of hydrogen fueling test and demonstration programs.  The Series 100’s features include simple operation for hydrogen compression, storage and dispensing, a small footprint, quick installation and ease of relocation.  Details on Air Products’ hydrogen fueling station technologies are provided at www.airproducts.com/h2energy.

As the automotive industry increases its investment in developing fuel cell vehicles and power systems, the challenge of infrastructure is being addressed at the same time.  The Rushlight judges recognized Air Products’ Series 100 Hydrogen Fueling Station as a first step to do this in the UK, demonstrating the potential for further market penetration in the future.

The current Series 100 systems in place form a ‘backbone’ of hydrogen fueling facilities and the basis of a UK Hydrogen network.  The further development of this network will strengthen the UK’s hydrogen position globally, ultimately helping generate carbon savings.  It also makes the UK an attractive place for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to bring hydrogen vehicles and further develop the marketplace.

Air Products, the leading hydrogen supplier to refineries to assist in making cleaner burning transportation fuels, has placed over 110 hydrogen fueling stations in the United States and 18 countries worldwide.  Cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, other material handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled with this trend-setting technology that involves Air Products’ know-how, equipment and hydrogen.  Use of the company’s technology is increasing and is currently at 135,000 hydrogen fills per year.

Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and is on the forefront of hydrogen energy technology development.  Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50 patents in hydrogen dispensing technology.  Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen, and HCNG (hydrogen/compressed natural gas) fueling, and has developed a variety of enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied pressures.  Hydrogen for these stations is delivered to a site via truck, or produced by on-site natural gas reformation, biomass conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is solar and wind driven.

Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services.  Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives.  The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment.  In fiscal 2009, Air Products had revenues of $8.3 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 18,900 employees around the globe.  For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

Protonex Technology Corporation, a leading provider of advanced fuel cell power systems today announces that it has been selected by Lockheed Martin to develop power supply concepts that will enable its HULCTM robotic exoskeleton to support 72+-hour extended missions. Protonex will evaluate fuel cell-based power solutions that can be carried by the HULC, while at the same time powering the exoskeleton and the user’s mission equipment during extended dismounted operations. Lockheed Martin’s un-tethered HULC exoskeleton is an anthropomorphic, electro-hydraulic design that currently operates on lithium polymer batteries. An on-board micro-computer senses the user’s actions and ensures the exoskeleton moves in concert with the operator. The HULC design maintains combat flexibility, allowing deep squats, crawls, and upper-body lifting with minimal human exertion. “Protonex is very pleased to be selected by Lockheed Martin to develop designs for advanced, long duration fuel cell power systems for its innovative and important HULC platform,” stated Greg Cipriano, Vice President of Marketing & Military Development at Protonex. “We see a very strong fit between the capabilities of our advanced fuel cell systems and the specific power requirements of the HULC exoskeleton.” Protonex brings significant expertise in developing and manufacturing 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 by providing customizable, stand-alone and portable power solutions.

Arnhem– Solvay signs a contract with NedStack fuel cell technology for the delivery of a 1 MW hydrogen PEM fuel cell power plant.

The order has a total value of 4.5 million Euro. NedStack’s largest order since its establishment in 1998. This project is defined in cooperation with WaterstofNet and is supported by Europe, the Flemish government, the Dutch government and the industry, within the Interreg subsidy program.

World’s biggest PEM fuel cell power plant of 1 MW is based on NedStack’s

proprietary PEM fuel cell technology. The 1 MW generator will be connected to the Chlorine-alkali plant of SolVin, at  Antwerp-Lillo Belgium. With the by-product hydrogen from its production process of Chlorine, electricity is being recovered on the spot. The PEM power plant is highly efficient, highly safe, emission free and silent.

A part of this plant will be used for dynamic testing up to 250 kW. These dynamic tests are important to improve fuel cells in automotive applications like city buses and city distribution trucks.

Next to demonstrating the economic feasibility and the dynamics of this 1 MW PEM power plant concept, the project partners also like to improve the PEM fuel cell performance, both in respect of lifetime as well as to cost reduction.

Given this extra scope of business Solvicore, joint venture of Solvay and Umicore, will supply the MEA’s (Membrane Electrode Assemblies) needed for the PEM fuel cell stacks integrated in this power plant.

MTSA Technopower BV in Arnhem is selected by NedStack to build the mechanical part of the plant.

NedStack, the privately owned and independent company, was established in 1998 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. The company is currently Europe’s largest producer of PEM fuel cells stacks, and is one of the largest producers in the world. NedStack is using its own unique and patented technology.

The increasing demand from applications like power plants, buses, trucks, small stationary and back-up devices is requiring the company to expand its capacity significantly in the coming years.

NedStack employs over 50 people.

For additional information about NedStack see homepage: www.nedstack.com.

SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs more than 29,000 people in 50 countries. In 2008, its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 9.5 billion, generated by its three sectors of activity: Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay is listed on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Brussels (NYSE Euronext: SOLB.BE – Bloomberg: SOLB.BB – Reuters: SOLBt.BR). Details are available at www.solvay.com.

SolVin is a joint venture of Solvay (75 % ) and BASF (25 %). Leader of the vinyl market in Europe and of the PVDC world-wide.

Cutting-edge facility will be an estimated 60% more energy-efficient than company’s traditional refrigerated centres and will test fuel cell technology

VANCOUVER– Walmart Canada announced today that it will open its first sustainable refrigerated distribution centre in Balzac, Alberta, later this year. Expected to be one of the most energy-efficient distribution facilities of its kind in North America, the cutting-edge centre will be an estimated 60 per cent more energy-efficient than Walmart’s traditional refrigerated distribution centres. The centre will include a pilot of fuel cell technology and many other sustainable features.

The announcement was made at the Walmart Canada Green Business Summit in Vancouver today, a high-profile event that brought together more than 300 of Canada’s largest corporations, NGOs, academics and government leaders to share the business case for sustainability.

The company expects to open the sustainable distribution centre in the fall of 2010 and is investing $115 million in its construction. The centre will create 1,400 jobs, including trade and construction jobs.

“We’ve set the ambitious goal of building the most sustainable distribution centre possible, while at the same time delivering a compelling return on investment,” said Andy Ellis, Senior Vice-President of Supply Chain for Walmart Canada. “The centre will be a living lab that demonstrates sustainable operations, products and technologies, while showing that environmental sustainability can go hand-in-hand with business sustainability.”

Some of the distribution centre’s sustainability features include:

    Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology

    In keeping with its long-term environmental goal, to be supplied 100 per
    cent by renewable energy, Walmart Canada will test the use of hydrogen
    fuel cells for the first time. Hydrogen fuel cells produce only heat and
    water as by-products and will replace traditional lead acid batteries in
    the centre's entire material-handling fleet. Fuel cells will increase
    productivity and reduce operational costs because they last longer, do
    not need to be changed and can be refuelled in three minutes. Hydrogen
    will come from Quebec, where the element is produced using 98 per cent
    renewable energy sources, particularly hydroelectricity. Powering the
    material-handling fleet with fuel cells will reduce greenhouse gas
    emissions (GHG) by an estimated 530 tonnes.

    Solid-State Lighting

    In a first for a refrigerated distribution centre, the entire facility
    will be lit exclusively by low-energy solid-state (LED) lighting. LED
    lights operate at low temperatures, have long life spans and strike
    instantly, providing important operational and environmental benefits in
    a refrigerated building. Using LED lights is expected to half the energy
    bill for lighting and save an estimated 1,400,000 kilowatt hours annually
    or the equivalent of powering 121 average size Canadian households with
    power for a year.

    Solar and Wind Energy

    Walmart Canada plans to test solar and wind energy at the Balzac
    facility. Sixteen solar thermal panels, mounted on the side of the
    centre, will supply clean, renewable energy to heat hot water for the
    facility. A 225-kilowatt wind turbine on-site will produce enough energy
    to supply 55 average size Canadian homes with energy.

    Energy-Efficiency

    Operating a large refrigerated building requires a large amount of
    energy. Walmart Canada has carefully evaluated its purchasing decisions,
    improved building design and made technology choices to make the facility
    more energy-efficient. The company undertook a state-of-the-art infrared
    scan of an existing refrigerated distribution centre in Ontario,
    identifying areas that could be made more energy-efficient in the new
    centre. Key features of the Balzac facility include a leading-edge
    refrigeration system requiring significantly less power, high-efficiency
    doorways between temperature zones, upgraded seals throughout the
    building and a white roof membrane that deflects an estimated 85 per cent
    of sunlight to reduce heat gain and demand on the electrical grid.

    Sustainable Construction

    Environmental sustainability is an important part of the construction
    phase, now underway. Through innovative waste diversion strategies,
    Walmart Canada expects to divert as much as 50 per cent of its
    construction waste from landfill. The entire construction phase will also
    be powered by renewable energy through Bullfrog Power, a Canadian
    provider of low-impact renewable electricity.

“The Balzac distribution centre is not only about reducing our own environmental footprint and making strides to achieve our long-term sustainability goals, it’s about leading change across an industry and the business world at-large,” added Ellis. “Our hope is that in the future, facilities like this will no longer be demonstration facilities but the norm for the industry.”

About Walmart Canada

Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Walmart Canada operates 317 retail outlets nationwide and serves more than one million customers daily. The company’s vision is to demonstrate environmental leadership by reducing the ecological impact of its operations through company-wide programs focused on waste, energy and products, as well as outreach programs that preserve and enhance local environments. Walmart’s global goal is to generate zero waste, to be powered 100 percent by renewable energy and to sell products that sustain people and the environment.

                                 FACT SHEET
                                 ----------
                         Balzac Distribution Centre
    Facts

    -   Location: Balzac, Alberta, Canada
    -   Expected Opening Date: Fall 2010
    -   Size: 450,000 square feet
    -   Walmart Investment: $115 million
    -   Developer: Stuart Olson
    -   Operator: Centric Retail Logistics will operate the centre once
        complete
    -   Construction is expected to create approximately 1,400 jobs including
        800 trade and construction roles
    -   Centre will employ 600 people once complete

    Sustainable Features

    -   Hydrogen fuel cells in entire material-handling fleet
    -   Use of solar and wind energies
    -   Use of low-energy solid-state (LED) lighting exclusively
    -   High-efficiency doorways between temperature zones to minimize heat
        transfer
    -   Insulated and windowless docking doors
    -   Insulated docking plates with upgraded seals
    -   A white roof membrane to deflect sunlight by an estimated 85 per cent
        and reduce heat gain and demand on the electrical grid during the
        summer
    -   Increased insulation in the roof to reduce energy loss
    -   Solartubes(TM) on the roof of the building over office spaces take
        advantage of natural light and reflect it into interior spaces,
        reducing the need for artificial light
    -   Leading-edge refrigeration system reduces energy needs and uses
        ammonia instead of more harmful refrigerants
    -   Waste heat from refrigeration system heats building during winter
        months
    -   Chemical-free water treatment process in refrigeration system
    -   Concrete floors using fly ash reduce the use of cement and replace
        chemical-intensive tiling throughout the centre. A by-product of coal
        burning at electric utility plants, the use of one tonne of fly ash
        saves the equivalent of one barrel of oil.
    -   Use of low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint and materials
    -   Low-flow sinks, toilets and urinals in washrooms
    -   Native plant landscaping to replace traditional manicured lawns
    -   A sedimentation pond, adjacent to the centre, collects storm water
        and allows sediment, which can affect water quality, to settle before
        water is returned to local water systems

The inverter was supplied by staxera’s customer and partner Vaillant, and was developed by a well-known electronic component supplier. The inverter was specially developed for use in SOFC systems.

An inverter is used to feed DC electricity from the SOFC stack into the AC grid. staxera will conduct long term ISM durability tests using the inverter; which replaces the electronic load. This demonstrates staxera’s committment to performing performance tests under system-relevant conditions.

After displaying the electric Indica and hybrid Nano, now India’s leading auto maker, Tata Motors has developed a range of hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles like buses and light trucks. The fuel-cell powered commercial vehicles are now under trials in the company’s European Technical Centre.

“We are looking to run a fleet of fuel cell vehicles to gain experience of how they actually work in operation. That will be a stage prior to considering production,” said John Richmond, Group Chief Engineer, Tata Motors Europe Centre.

With the trend of eco-friendly vehicles on the way and scope for more subsidies from the governments, the international auto major are testing their expertise in coming out with vehicles having less pollution. And in this trend of green technology, many other global car companies like Nissan, Honda, BMW, Daimler Benz have also joined.

The hydrogen-based fuel cell is considered a very ecologically-friendly technology because it emits only water vapours.

According to a company statement, this type of fuel cell commercial vehicles from Tatas are in line with its strategy to work on alternate fuel technologies like bio-diesel, ethanol, hybrid, electricity and fuel cells to run the automobiles.

Earlier,Tata Group had inked a MoU with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 2006 to design and run buses using hydrogen. It is also working on cars that run on hydrogen fuel cells.

Ceramic Fuel Cells has sold its fourth BlueGen power and heating unit in Germany, to leading utility RheinEnergie AG.

RheinEnergie is one of Germany’s top 10 energy utilities and supplies electricity, natural gas, water and heating services to about 2.5 million residential and commercial customers.

RheinEnergie will operate a BlueGen unit in co-operation with the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, from the second quarter of this year and evaluate it for potential rollout to customers.

Ceramic Fuel Cells has received orders for 10 BlueGen units since late 2009 from customers in Australia, Japan, Germany and The Netherlands, including a recent order from German utility EWE and Dutch gas utility Gasterra.

Solvay announces today it will invest over EUR 5 million in the construction of a test fuel cell with a total electric power of 1 megawatt (MW) at the SolVin plant in Lillo, Antwerp, Belgium. The investment is part of the Project Hydrogen Region Flanders – South Netherlands. The fuel cell will convert hydrogen produced by electrolysis at SolVin’s plant into electricity and by doing so increase the energy efficiency of the electrolysis. This Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell will demonstrate fuel cell technology can be scaled-up to a peak output of 1.7 MW and a generation of 1 MW at steady rate, by using Solvay’s innovative special polymers and SolviCore’s membrane electrode assemblies. The test fuel cell will also be used by WaterstofNet vzw for research and test programs to support and promote the development of the use of hydrogen in the region.

Follow up:

In fuel cells hydrogen binds with oxygen into water in a catalytic reaction and this reaction produces electrical energy and heat. The PEM fuel cell will be made up of a large number of membrane electrode assemblies in special polymers and electrodes with platinum. These assemblies are manufactured by SolviCore in its plant in Hanau, Germany. SolviCore is a 50-50 joint venture of Solvay and Umicore and was incorporated in 2006. Dutch company NedStack will construct the fuel cell out of SolviCore’s assemblies.

This project is realized in cooperation with WaterstofNet, which is coordinating the Project Hydrogen Region Flanders – South Netherlands. The Project Hydrogen Region Flanders – South Netherlands aims at developing knowhow and projects about hydrogen applications in the region with a clear focus on sustainable hydrogen and early market applications, such as maritime, logistical and interurban applications.

The Project Hydrogen Region, which runs from 2009 until 2012 with a total budget of EUR 14 million, was approved by the Interreg Program Border Region Flanders – Netherlands and is financed by the EU, the Flemish government, the Dutch government and the industry. The Project Hydrogen Region will subsidize Solvay’s budget of over EUR 5 million for the test fuel cell by EUR 1.5 million. This project is the first milestone in the Project Hydrogen Region Flanders – South Netherlands.

“The fuel cell in the Lillo plant does not only increase the energy efficiency of the electrolysis, but it creates also the possibility for Solvay and SolviCore to optimize the efficiency of fuel cell technology on an industrial scale”, comments Leopold Demiddeleer, Executive VP Future Businesses at Solvay.

It is quite probable that fuel cells will become an important energy technology for a wide variety of applications such as busses, cars, ships, trucks, fork lifts, cogeneration and electricity generation devices. The 1 MW test installation at SolVin’s plant in Lillo (Antwerp) will contribute substantially to the development of this promising technology.

Hitting water with a 2 iron: A novel nanophotocathode for hydrogen production that is based on a multilayer array of InP quantum dots activated with a synthetic diiron catalyst, which is related to the subsite of FeFe hydrogenase.

Energy from Light and Water

Weinheim, Germany–Hydrogen-powered fuel cells and solar energy are the best hope for a more environmentally friendly and resource-sparing energy supply in the future. A combination of the two is considered to be particularly “clean”: the production of hydrogen by splitting water with sunlight. Previous approaches to this have suffered from high costs and the limited lifetime of their catalytic systems. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a team led by Thomas Nann and Christopher J. Pickett at the University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK) has now introduced an efficient, robust photoelectrode made of common, inexpensive materials.

The new system consists of a gold electrode that is covered with layers of indium phosphide (InP) nanoparticles. The researchers then introduce an iron-sulfur complex, [Fe2S2(CO)6], into the layered arrangement. When submerged in water and irradiated with light under a relatively small electric current, this photoelectrocatalytic system produces hydrogen with an efficiency of 60%. “This relatively high efficiency is a breakthrough,” says Nann.

The researchers have proposed the following mechanism for the reaction: The incoming light particles are absorbed by the InP nanocrystals and excite electrons within the InP. In this excited state, the electrons can be transferred to the iron-sulfur complexes. In a catalytic reaction, the iron-sulfur complexes then pass their electrons on to hydrogen ions (H+) in the surrounding water, which are then released in the form of hydrogen (H2). The gold electrode supplies the necessary electrons to replenish the InP nanocrystals.

In contrast to current processes, the new system works without organic molecules. These must be converted into an excited state to react, which causes them to degrade over time. This problem limits the lifetime of systems with organic components. The new system is purely inorganic and lasts correspondingly longer. “Our newly developed photocatalytic electrode system is robust, efficient, inexpensive, and free of toxic heavy metals,” according to Nann. “It may be a highly promising alternative for industrial hydrogen production.”

Author: Thomas Nann, University of East Anglia, Norwich (UK), www.uea.ac.uk/che/people/faculty/nannt

Title: Water Splitting by Visible Light: A Nanophotocathode for Hydrogen Production

Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Permalink: dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.200906262

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DANBURY, Conn. — FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: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 the appointment of Chip Bottone as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

His focus at FuelCell Energy is to accelerate profitable revenue growth by capitalizing on heightened demand by the world’s industrialized and emerging nations for clean, alternative forms of energy generation — a need well-matched by the company’s Direct FuelCell^® (DFC^®) power plants. He is also responsible for developing and implementing strategies to further expand the company’s market opportunities and growth potential.

Bottone’s qualifications include 25 years of experience at Ingersoll Rand Company, the diversified multi-national industrial concern where he held a series of roles culminating in President of the Energy Systems division. There he built a global alternative energy business providing distributed energy and environmental solutions for customers in the U.S., China and Europe. He also was a senior executive for the company’s Power Generation business and its Portable Power division, among others. During his tenure, he managed business activities with operations in the U.S., the United Kingdom, China, India, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Russia. Throughout his career at Ingersoll Rand, Bottone increased sales and profitability for his areas of responsibility.

“As an executive who brings senior strategic management skills, long-standing customer relationships and deep experience in the energy industry, Chip is ideal for leading our drive to grow the size and pace of our order pipeline,” said R. Daniel Brdar, Chairman and CEO of FuelCell Energy. “His record of executing innovative strategies and building businesses will be especially important in our efforts to develop and capture new markets. We’re delighted to have him aboard.”

Bottone earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and holds a Certificate of Professional Development from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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® fuel cells are generating power at over 55 locations worldwide. The company’s power plants have generated over 400 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.

February 12, 2010, 10 am – 11:30 am, Senate Dirksen Office Building, Room 628

As Zero Emission Vehicles approach commercialization, energy supply infrastructure needs to be built in tandem if large stranded asset costs are to be avoided.  Deploying hydrogen fuel cell, electric drive hybrid vehicles will require considerable investment in fueling equipment to realize their full potential to eliminate oil consumption and emissions, while creating many new jobs.  Devising solutions is a significant economic challenge.  The importance of these factors was anticipated in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.  Various federal and state budgets since the mid-1990s have funded considerable research, development and demonstration.  Industry and governments have invested more than $8B in RD&D, and markets are within reach.

California and 14 other states are implementing plans to require ZEVs soon.  GM, Toyota, Honda, Daimler, Ford, Hyundai/KIA, and Nissan-Renault have all announced commercial rollouts.  This briefing will explore the relative costs and technical challenges facing energy supplies for light duty ZEVs, and look towards their extensive deployment as cost-effective solutions evolve.  There will be preliminary remarksfrom several Members of Congress.  We expect a lively discussion.

* Benefits, Costs and Infrastructure-Solving the Challenges: Dr. C.E. Thomas, Board of Directors, National Hydrogen Association

* Synchronizing Rollout of Vehicles and Infrastructure-the German Agreements: Sascha Simon, Advanced Product Planning Group, Mercedes-BenzUSA

* Transforming the U.S. Transportation Sector: Charles Freese, Executive Director of Fuel Cell Activities, General Motors

* Progress in Hydrogen Fueling: Michael McGowan, Head of Strategic Alliances, Alternative Energy Solutions, The Linde Group

Moderators will be Jerome Hinkle from the NHA and Robert Rose from the USFCC-

Please contact us for further information at (202) 223-5547 or visit www.hydrogenassociation.org.  RSVPs not needed.

Presentations from this event will be available on the NHA website at:  http://www.hydrogenassociation.org/policy/briefing_12feb10.asp

National Hydrogen Association

1211 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20036-2701 U.S.A

Phone:  202-223-5547

Fax: 202-223-5537

Email:hinklej@HydrogenAssociation.org

BOTHELL, Wash.– Neah Power Systems, Inc., (’Neah’) (OTCBB:NPWZ)   a leading developer of fuel cell-based renewable energy solutions, reported today that Neal Kaufman will assist management in the transition to revenue generation. Kaufman has extensive experience in leading roles in General Electric’s Internet subsidiary, and with 3Com Corporation. With this engagement, Neal Kaufman has joined the advisory committee of NPWZ.  Mr. Kaufman has significant experience working with large and small high-tech companies, leveraging advanced technologies to bring products to the market. He will work with Neah Power to accelerate the transition from research & development to commercializing products based on the company’s award-winning technology.

Dr. Chris D’Couto, Neah Power CEO, said that enhancing and expanding the management structure of the company is a key factor for the growth and success of the company. “We welcome Neal Kaufman to Neah. His leadership expertise with leading public companies is extremely valuable to Neah Power at this crucial moment of the company’s development and growth. Neah Power has made significant strides in technology and product development, and operating cost reduction, including continuous run time of more than 2,000 hours for our unique fuel cell. We are now taking orders for our patented, porous, silicon-based anaerobic fuel cells as stand alone products and in integrated consumer, military and industrial applications.”

Neal Kaufman commented, “Developing new forms of energy storage is crucial in the current economic and political environment. Neah Power has industry leading technology; over $40 million invested, development partners in the U.S. and India, and is developing and commercializing exciting products to capitalize on this business opportunity.”

Mr. Kaufman has provided support to organizations looking to expand and grow new clean technology efforts. Recently he was an investment banker, wholly focused on bringing capital to support new business efforts in this growing sector. Prior to that, he was the Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded company focused on using recycled composite materials to replace existing chemically treated wood products. From 2001 to 2005 he worked at 3Com Corporation, where he was responsible for stackable switches and SMB products. Prior to that, he worked for NBC Internet, opening and running international offices. He began his career at McKinsey & Co., working in the U.S., Europe and South America. He has a BA in economics from Harvard College, an MA from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

For product enquiries, please contact products@neahpower.com

About Neah Power

Neah Power Systems, Inc. (NPWZ) is developing long lasting, efficient and safe power solutions for the military, industrial and consumer applications. Neah uses a unique, patented, silicon-based design for its micro fuel cells that enable higher power densities, lower cost and compact form-factors. The company’s micro fuel cell system can run in aerobic and anaerobic modes. The company is developing energy generation and storage solutions based on its patented technology.

Further company information can be found at www.neahpower.com.

VANCOUVER- – Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that it has entered into a sale-and-leaseback agreement with Madison Pacific Properties Inc. (TSX: MPC) (www.madisonpacific.ca). Ballard will sell its head office building site in Burnaby, British Columbia in return for gross cash proceeds of approximately C$20.8 million (US$19.5 million). The company will also enter into an initial fifteen-year lease agreement for the same property. The transaction is expected to close on March 9, 2010.

Bruce Cousins, Ballard’s Chief Financial Officer, said, “This transaction presented an opportunity to extract cash from a non-core asset and further fortify our strong balance sheet, augmenting the company’s cash reserves to approximately $100 million. At the same time, Ballard’s continued use of the site is secured through a long-term lease arrangement.”

John Sheridan, Ballard’s President & CEO, added, “This transaction, along with the monetization of our Share Purchase Agreement and our progress in market development in 2009, has positioned Ballard for strong performance in 2010. We continue to expect revenue growth in excess of 35% and improved cash flow from operations by 30% in 2010, and positive EBITDA performance during 2011.”

About Ballard Power Systems

Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.

Effective immediately, Dieter Klein has been named the new CEO of the provider of energy-management solutions and has accordingly been entrusted with strategic and operative managerial responsibilities.

In his previous position at P21, Klein was responsible for all sales and marketing activities worldwide. He also took care of cooperative activities such as partnerships and the implementation of services, as well as orientating the firm’s portfolio of solutions to meet its customers’ needs in the target markets of Europe, MEA and Asia.

“During the past year, Dieter Klein optimally familiarized himself with the market and the needs of our customers, and he was an essential participant in successful business transactions. Now he will also contribute his expertise in a strategic capacity,” says Waldemar Jantz, chairman of the advisory board of the P21 GmbH and representative of the principal shareholder, the Munich-based venture-capital firm Target Partners. “Dieter Klein is distinguished by his profound managerial know-how, his strong sense of dedication, and his undeviating orientation toward success. These characteristics combine to make him the ideal choice to serve as the business’s CEO.”

Before joining P21, Klein was CEO of Nokia Siemens Networks Indonesia, in which position he directed the entire operative business of the merged enterprise in Indonesia and thus formatively contributed to its economic success. Klein has held numerous highresponsibility positions in the course of his professional career, thereby acquiring crossfunctional managerial expertise in the telecommunications industry and comprehensive global business praxis.

“I am honored by the trust my colleagues have placed in me,” Klein says. “Our focal

point is to further develop our portfolio of solutions and services to optimally meet the needs of our customers: i.e. using energy with the greatest possible efficiency while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions. My highly motivated coworkers and I daily strive to reach these important goals. Together with my team, I intend to further develop P21 so that we can achieve our growth targets.”

About P21

Headquartered in Munich, P21 GmbH develops, produces and markets energy-management solutions for the telecommunications industry. P21 has successfully proven the capability of its technology in various field tests with international mobile-telephony providers since 2004. On the basis of its patented hydrogen-powered PEM fuel-cell systems, the enterprise is already a leading supplier of energy solutions to assure uninterrupted electrical supply. P21 broadened its portfolio of services in 2009 to include other products and solutions which contribute toward efficient energy savings and cost reductions, as well as toward reduced CO2 emissions. Founded in 2001, P21 currently employs a staff of 50 people.

The largest fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses (as well as the largest fueling station for vehicles) went into service in Whistler, BC last week, just in time for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games