FuelCellsWorks

U.S. Vice President Chevrolet Marketing Jim Campbell (right) presents a newly wrapped Chevrolet Equinox hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to Leann Hinkle as part of the Project Driveway initiative during a Chevrolet event in New York on Monday, March 29, 2010. Hinkle is receiving a long-term loan of the fuel cell vehicle as part of the Project Driveway initiative that has logged nearly 1.3 million miles of petroleum-free driving on public roads. (Photo by Steve Fecht for Chevrolet)

Le Ann Hinkle, a former participant in the Project Driveway fuel cell demonstration program, will be back behind the wheel for at least six months more of zero emissions driving after getting the keys to the updated Chevy Fuel Cell vehicle on Monday from Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet Marketing.

Hinkle joins Los Angeles resident Stephanie White as ambassadors for the fuel cell program, which is moving into its next stage as Project Driveway winds down after 30 months and nearly 1.3 million miles of real-world driving by more than 6,000 people, including 80 families that had one of the 119 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell electric vehicles for up to two months.

A production intent fuel cell system with a 2015 target date is in pre-production while some of the Project Driveway vehicles, like the one Hinkle received on Monday,  are being upgraded with technology advancements as part of a technology demonstration with businesses and governments and high-profile involvements in special events such as the 2010 Expo in Shanghai.

Greg Hands MP refueling ITM’s HICE Ford Focus with green hydrogen from ITM’s high pressure refueling station, with Sheffield parliamentary candidates Nicola Bates and John Sharp (left).

Conservative Treasury Spokesman, Greg Hands MP, paid a visit to ITM Power on Friday (March 26) to see how home grown, cutting edge technology developed by the Sheffield company can play a vital role in allowing the UK to meet strict renewable energy and carbon emissions reduction targets. Greg Hands was accompanied by the Conservative candidates for Sheffield Hallam, Nicola Bates and Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, John Sharp.

During his visit the Shadow Treasury Minister enjoyed a tour of the factory and took part in the refuelling of a car with green hydrogen, which had been generated by a solar panel installed at ITM. Mr Hands also saw the range of products which ITM is shipping to international hydrogen trade fairs in Hannover Germany and Long Beach USA.

Mr Hands refuelled ITM’s HICE Ford Focus, received a brief presentation on the company and visited ITM’s hydrogen home demonstration facilities, which is all on site at the company’s Sheffield HQ. On the factory floor Greg witnessed hydrogen being generated using ITM’s electrolyser technology.

Greg Hands told ITM that he was fascinated by the technology and most interested that Sheffield’s excellent academic and manufacturing base had helped ITM choose to base themselves in the City. He also said he was keen to see the concepts of better energy storage and the ability to harness energy from renewables being supported by the Conservative Party in the future.

Dr Graham Cooley, CEO ITM Power commented; “We are delighted that the Shadow Treasury Minister Greg Hands, visited ITM Power, at a time when the company is preparing to showcase its first generation of products this April in Germany and the USA. We believe that his visit is especially appropriate considering the global reach of our products, and the potential opportunities our technology presents to the economy in Sheffield and the UK.”

Nicola Bates stated “We are keen to support the growth of technologically advanced companies such as ITM. Our policies follow the advice of Sir James Dyson’s review setting out a road map to make Britain the leading high tech exporter in Europe. After the recession, we know our future prosperity has to be built on private sector enterprise and we will support firms by various means including cutting the tax on new jobs.”

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 products for the first time at the Hanover Messe on 19-23 April and the NHA in California, USA on 3-6 May 2010.

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 19th -23rd April 2010.

Acta Energy, a leader in research and development of systems for hydrogen production, proudly announces its partnership with the Marine Supply (Callegari and Shadow) company for years at the top in the production of tenders and boats. The purpose, shared by these two important Tuscan companies, is to use cleaner source of energy to offer to the marine sector, the first tender in Zero environmental impact, ensuring optimal performance. The best ally for this aim is definitely HYDROGEN.

Until now hydrogen has always been seen as the fuel of the future, or limited to industrial applications. Indeed hydrogen represents the most simple, clean and economical source of energy available in nature: the use of hydrogen does not generate C0₂ and pollution, but only water vapor. The production of hydrogen has become a process that is safe and within the reach of everyone, thanks to the technology of Acta Energy. Hydrogen is an energy source that can be used to produce electric current through a fuel cell, heat through burning, or motion through injection into a combustion engine.

A new way of conceiving the tender which exploits the silence of electric propulsion, the cost savings and Zero environmental impact of hydrogen, which can be produced directly on board through Acta Energy hydrogen generator. A small tool, compact and easy to install (just plug in the electrical and hydraulic plant of the boat), in order to supply not only the tender, but the whole range of products that Acta Energy and Marine Supply are developing.

The near future will see the two companies actively engaged in implementing a range of important products through the use of innovative technologies in propulsion, but also in the construction of the hulls through the use of special materials such as Carbon and Polyurethane for the tubes.

The first hydrogen tender prototype was presented exceptionally at the Big Blu exhibition in Rome from the 20 to the 28 of February 2010. It’s market launch will take place in Genoa on October 2 at the International Boat Show.

The tenth forum for producers and users of fuel cells, “f-cell”, on September 27 and 28, 2010, in Stuttgart will demonstrate: the stationary, mobile, and portable use of fuel cells is one of the sustainable energy supply solutions of the future. In 2010, the international congress and trade fair event will focus on the following points: “Fuel cells for household energy supply and industry application” and “Electromobility – fuel cells and batteries move the future”. The f-cell is once again sponsored by EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG. Information on the internet: www.f-cell.de.

Stuttgart (eos) – What sounded like speculation only ten years ago is a certainty today: in the meantime, the first fuel cell units supply buildings with power and heat. In the near future, electric cars as well as a wide variety of mains-independent devices will be driven by power from fuel cells. The fuel cell specialist forum f-cell, which will take place in Stuttgart on September 27 and 28, 2010, for the tenth time, also continues to support the exciting development process from laboratories all the way to applications in each market. The 2010 forum, which combines a congress and trade fair, will be focusing on the use of fuel cells to supply industrial facilities and apartment buildings, where they convince as miniature power stations in the basement with high levels of efficiency and dynamic power output. Large-scale field tests are currently running. At the f-cell, experts will report on the current situation.

Vehicles: fuel cells and batteries are equally important
“Electromobility – fuel cells and batteries move the future” is an additional special topic of the event. “We want to show that we use both for future sustained mobility – and how we do so: purely battery-electric cars as well as electric vehicles that draw the necessary power from hydrogen and fuel cells. The two technologies complement one another and, in contrast to frequently voiced opinions, they belong together,” explain the event organizers. f-cell thus reflects a trend in the industry that does not focus solely on fuel cell vehicles but on electromobility as a whole: “The days of a single drive concept for all applications, for passenger cars on short and long journeys, for trucks and buses, are finally over. In future, there will be various solutions side by side,” says Dr. Klaus Bonhoff, CEO of the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology in Berlin (German acronym: NOW). As a logical step, NOW coordinates the implementation of not only the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology but also of the National Development Plan for Electromobility.