FuelCellsWorks

    -  $6.2 million in funding to Ballard for fuel cell research and
       development projects
    -  Ballard will collaborate with leading U.S. technology partners
    -  Projects will focus on fuel cell durability and cost to enable
       widespread commercialization of fuel cells for diverse applications

VANCOUVER- Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced today that it has $6.2 million in project funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under contract over a four year period. Ballard Material Products, a U.S. subsidiary of Ballard Power Systems, was awarded $4.1 million as prime for a contract that will focus on improvements in fuel cell durability and cost. Additionally, Ballard will be sub-contractor to leading U.S. technology organizations for several other fuel cell research and development projects funded by the DOE.

“We are excited to be working with a technology leader such as Ballard Power Systems,” said Dr. Rod Borup, Fuel Cell Program Manager, Institute for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research at Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of Ballard’s project partners. “This is important work in support of the DOE goal to move fuel cell technology closer to large scale commercialization. Our collaborations with Ballard are in the areas of understanding and improving fuel cell durability and reducing technology cost, which are the primary enablers to rapid market adoption of fuel cell systems.”

Over eighty percent of the announced DOE funding has been allocated to projects aimed at increased durability and cost reduction, with the remaining funds focused on water management modeling. The project for which Ballard Material Products will be prime is meant to improve the understanding of fuel cell materials and components degradation, leading to recommended mitigation strategies to facilitate further commercialization. Resulting advancements will facilitate commercialization of fuel cells for a range of applications, including stationary power generation.

In addition to Los Alamos National Laboratory, Ballard will be partnering with other leading U.S. technology organizations, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, Georgia Institute of Technology, Michigan Technical University, University of Hawaii at Manoa and University of New Mexico.

“The receipt of significant funding from the DOE clearly demonstrates the Department of Energy’s interest in fuel cell market adoption,” said Dr. Christopher Guzy, Chief Technology Officer at Ballard Power Systems. “This funding is completely aligned with Ballard’s plans to continue investing in strategic enhancements of non-automotive fuel cell products.”

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.

"Autarc"(autonomous floating office)

ITM Power (AIM: ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, is delighted to announce that it has signed a Memorandun of Understanding with Ballast Nedam Sustainability Services B.V. (”B-N”) part of the Ballast Nedam Group, a Dutch construction and infrastructure development company, of Ringwade 71, 3439 LM Nieuwegein, Netherlands, for the exclusive provision of hydrogen energy systems for the the “Autarc”(autonomous floating office).

ITM will contribute its design and technology expertise to the Autarc project to produce a self contained clean energy system.  Ballast Nedam and ITM will seek to apply such solutions in the domestic built environment and Ballast Nedam will have exclusive rights to do so in the Benelux group of countries.

Dr Graham Cooley, CEO ITM Power commented; “The agreement with Ballast Nedam Sustainability Services provides ITM with an excellent opportunity to show case its energy storage and clean fuel technology in an “off-grid” situation. The Autarc, will be sited at various locations around the world, to demonstrate the virtues of a green office or green home environment based on hydrogen technology. ITM Power and Ballast Nedam will in addition be addressing the application of zero-carbon sustainable domestic buildings within the Benelux group of countries”.

“Ballast Nedam is a major player in infrastructure and construction projects in the Netherlands and we look forward to providing expertise to add value to the sustainable proposition of their projects.”

Mr Ron Von Wilk, Director of Ballast Nedam Sustainability Services, stated “We are very pleased to be working with ITM Power and their unique energy storage, clean fuel technology that enables renewable sources of energy, such as solar or wind, to be used for power, heating  or cooking using green hydrogen, whenever needed.

Ron added, “ITM’s technology, combined with Ballast Nedam’s building design and construction expertise in deploying state of the art energy conservation methods, is just what is needed in order to enable buildings to become zero carbon for energy.  We believe the Autarc project will mark the beginning of a very rewarding partnership for both companies in delivering truly world beating sustainable, zero carbon building solutions.”

The Autarc http://www.autarc.nl/show/en/home

The Autarc is an architecturally highly advanced houseboat / floating office that is a hundred percent self-sustaining in both its water and electrical requirements. This highly ambitious pilot project sets both an example and a new standard in the field of environmental care (our aim: an “outstanding” Breeam-score).

Not a single compromise is made in aesthetics or user comfort, quite the contrary! The Autarc proves that living and working on the water in exceeding style and comfort is possible even without being connected to external water, electricity and sewage systems.

Ballast Nedam is a Dutch group of companies which offers a wide range of products and services related to construction and infrastructure development.  Ballast Nedam Sustainability Services delivers sustainable total solutions in the built environment, by offering an integrated blend of specialties and operations in all phases of the construction process. This includes the use of a results-oriented sustainability policy.

http://www.ballast-nedam.nl/

ITM Power has developed a range of materials and technology to reduce the cost of hydrogen production. The company is developing equipment to convert renewable energy to a clean fuel; storing the energy as green hydrogen for decarbonising transport, industrial and residential applications. ITM is showcasing its products for the first time at the Hanover Messe on 19^th -23^rd April 2010. www.itm-power.com

GARDNERVILLE, NV– SymPowerco Corporation (PINKSHEETS: SYMW) CEO John Davenport today announced that the company has entered Phase II of its two concurrent prototype projects, the Flowing Electrolyte Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (”FEDMFC”) Prototype Project and the Hybrid Power System Project for small Hybrid Electric Vehicles.

Phase II of the FEDMFC prototype project will include materials and equipment assessments for the various components that will constitute the fuel cell stack and the prototype’s Balance of Plant. In addition, Phase II is intended to produce the complete CAD/CAM design plans of the advanced components that are required to satisfy the recently announced objectives of the program.

Phase II of the Hybrid Power System Project will include formal assessments of the materials and equipment required to test several types of power sources required for small Hybrid Electric Vehicle drive systems.

Stated CEO, John Davenport, “Phase II is intended to take both projects forward to the point of procurement of the equipment and material required for the assembly of the prototypes. Many aspects of Phase II are already at advanced levels of development and the company hopes to complete the remaining Phase II elements in an expedited manner.”

SymPowerco Corporation develops advanced fuel cell and power delivery systems for the rapidly growing personal transportation and portable power system markets that are being created by today’s energy and environmental challenges.

The Australian Academy of Science has released a report on ‘Australia’s Renewable Energy Future’. The report builds on a lecture series hosted by the Academy, including a presentation by Dr Karl Föger, Chief Technology Officer of Ceramic Fuel Cells.

The report includes a strong endorsement of the need to transform Australia’s energy system, and the role for highly efficient fuel cell generators.

Some notable quotes from the report (with some emphasis added):

The adaptation of the electricity and power distribution grid to facilitate the low-carbon economy appears to be pivotal. The current model of a ‘dumb’ grid, centralised power generation, and high-loss transmission is unsustainable.

A successful model for the low-carbon economy must also embrace efficient non-renewable forms of energy such as liquid natural gas (LNG). Natural gas provides notable advantages in electricity generation, heating and transport as it yields relatively less greenhouse gas emissions per energy output, and can make use of modern, efficient equipment.

Although not strictly a ‘renewable’ energy resource, the combined heat and power (CHP) technology, of which fuel cells are one type, represent an important part of Australia’s energy future, given our very large resources of natural gas. This technology is suitable for use at both grid and domestic scales, and could save between 8 to 16 tonnes of per capita emissions of CO2 equivalent per year.

The advantages of fuel cell technology can be summarised as follows:

very high efficiency of conversion to electrical power

low CO2 emissions and noise

ideal for dispersed electrical generation

excellent load-following capability

suitable for co-generation (heat plus electricity).

Fuel cell technology has the potential to overcome the issue of limited load cycles associated with truly renewable energy resources such as wind and solar photovoltaic. Fuel cell grid systems provide a ‘controllable’ generator able to respond rapidly to changes in load, and would therefore make a substantial contribution to grid stability, comparable to installation of significant energy storage.

The fuel cell technology is available ‘off the shelf’, but requires stimulation of demand to achieve significant market penetration in Australia, as volume manufacturing and sales are required to achieve commercially attractive cost targets.

The report recommends several options for encouraging the deployment of fuel cell products, including a national system of feed-in tariff rates for combined heat and power (CHP) domestic generation.

Many other markets have introduced premium feed-in tariffs for small scale natural gas fuel cell generators, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France and The Netherlands. California is consulting now on a similar policy.

Ceramic Fuel Cells will continue to lobby Governments in Australia to introduce a feed-in tariff for small scale natural gas fuel cell generators. We welcome the support of the Australian Academy of Science. www.cleanenergypartnership.de