FuelCellsWorks

Hydrogen generation for power storage in wind turbine system

Acta, the clean energy products company, is pleased to announce that it has received a €780,000 grant for the development of a domestic power generation, storage and recovery system, linking a microgeneration wind turbine to Acta’s hydrogen generator and fuel cell system. This award is part of a total funding of €1.3 million for the 18-month project, granted by the local government of the Tuscany Region and involving Acta, the University of Pisa, and Aequalis Srl, a specialist local wind turbine developer.

The combined system is being developed for use in homes that are not connected to the electricity grid and for remote renewable energy storage applications. It will also act as a demonstrator for larger-scale peak energy shaving applications. Energy generated from a wind turbine will be used to produce hydrogen from water using Acta’s unique electrolysis technology. The pure, dry, compressed hydrogen can be stored and then used, on demand, to produce electricity through a mid-sized fuel cell. The Company believes that future applications will include distributed power microgeneration and storage, and ultimately that the system can be scaled up to utility-sized installations for use with commercial wind farms.

Paolo Bert, Chief Executive, commented: “We are very pleased to have received funding approval for this strategic application of our highly innovative hydrogen generator. The market for distributed power generation, storage and buffering applications is enormous, and this project will allow us to demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of our renewable energy storage solution. We are confident that this project will demonstrate further the potential that our hydrogen generator has in promoting the adoption of renewable energy.”

A demonstration model of the Delphi Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit is shown mounted to a commercial vehicle.

Delphi Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology

Delphi is focusing on the development of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) that generate electric power for commercial vehicles, stationary power generation, and military applications. The SOFC converts chemical energy in conventional fuels directly into useful electrical power without combustion resulting in minimal emissions. And with very few moving parts, it operates at a low level of sound.

As a result of its fuel flexibility, the Delphi SOFC can be engineered to operate with many types of fuels including natural gas, diesel, bio-diesel, propane, gasoline, coal-derived fuel and military logistics fuel. It will also be able to use tomorrow’s next generation fuels.

Delphi began work on solid oxide fuel cells in 1998 and has been a leader in the technology ever since. Delphi is the only member of the U.S. Fuel Cell Council that has developed and demonstrated a practical, operational SOFC auxiliary power unit (APU) for heavy duty commercial trucks.

Delphi has partnered with private industry and leading academic institutions in the development of solid oxide fuel cell technology and has received funding from the U. S. Department of Energy and the U. S. Department of Defense for fuel cell development.

Commercial Vehicle Applications

Delphi’s solid oxide fuel cell auxiliary power unit operates independently from a heavy duty commercial truck’s main internal combustion engine to power in-cab electrical accessories such as cab lights, refrigerators, microwave ovens, and audio systems. Currently, operators power those features by idling their main engines or with diesel engine APUs. According to development testing, Delphi’s SOFC APU can reduce fuel consumption by up to 85 percent.

In future applications, Delphi’s SOFC APU will also be able to provide power to replace belt-driven components such as engine cooling fans and water pumps. Thus, it will remove loads from the primary engine, resulting in improved vehicle fuel economy and engine performance.

Delphi’s SOFC APU can be incorporated into the architecture of a commercial vehicle by the manufacturer with minimal modifications. Operators will also appreciate the quiet operation of Delphi’s SOFC APU.

Delphi is field testing its SOFC APU with a heavy duty truck manufacturer and the technology is scheduled to be in production in 2012.

ALBANY, N.Y.–MTI MicroFuel Cells Inc. (MTI Micro), the developer of the Mobion^® off-the-grid portable power solution, and a subsidiary of Mechanical Technology, Incorporated (MTI) (OTC: MKTY) announced today that it has received a $1.2M grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), broadening the cost-shared program fund that supports the manufacturing process for Mobion^® fuel cell systems and reducing the overall cost of micro fuel cell systems.

“We are extremely grateful for the confidence and continued support that the U.S. Department of Energy has taken to maintain micro fuel cell technology leadership in the U.S.,” said Peng Lim, President and CEO of MTI Micro. “This grant will bring us to the next phase of our development – field testing – which is a precursor start to our Mobion^® production process, helping to bring a more efficient and environmentally friendly power source to the global market.”

This $1.2M grant supplements the cost-shared program awarded to MTI Micro in April 2009, bringing the aggregated amount to about $6 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The grant is being used to support the acceleration of fuel cell use to power portable electronic devices in the consumer electronic device market.

About MTI MicroFuel Cells

MTI MicroFuel Cells Inc. (“MTI Micro”) (OTC:MKTY), a subsidiary of Mechanical Technology, Incorporated, is the developer of Mobion® off-the-grid portable power solutions. MTI Micro has a team of entrepreneurial business executives, researchers and scientists; a proprietary direct methanol micro fuel cell power system and a number of system prototypes demonstrating size reductions and performance improvements; and related intellectual property. MTI Micro has received government funding and developed strategic partnerships to facilitate efforts to achieve commercialization. More information is available at www.mtimicrofuelcells.com.