FuelCellsWorks

ONE YEAR AFTER THE WIN OF QUALITEC TECHNOLGY AWARD, ACTA ENERGY COMES BACK TO CARRARA TO AMAZE AGAIN.

It spent exactly one year since Acta Energy, Tuscan company specializing in systems for the production of clean energy, landed in Carrara offering to the pubblic an innovative product, but still young and being tested. In spite of this, the EL100, portable hydrogen generator, managed to win the Qualitec Technology Award with extreme happiness and satisfaction throughout the company.

Today, one year later, Acta Energy comes back to Carrara after making headlines for the initiatives undertaken over the whole 2010, including the launch of HIDRO the first tender powered by hydrogen. Thanks to the important feedback had in the nautical sector, new studies have been carried out, but also new implementations of existing products range, allowing anyone to be able to introduce, in their daily life, systems that can dramatically reduce harmful emissions without huge economicalinvestment.

The two innovation presented during the show were:

HIDRO SELF POWER. Compact and easy to transport and assemble, this system can generate hydrogen from clean solar energy at zero cost, without any environmental impact and in absolute autonomy. 1 kw photovoltaic canopy transfers solar energy to Acta’s hydrogen generator EL200 that transforms and accumulates solar energy in pure, compressed and dry hydrogen fuel, consuming only distilled water. HIDRO SELF POWER canopy takes limited space (approx 3m x 2m) and thanks to that could be easily installed anywhere.

HIDRO1000 POWERTRAIN. Electrical outboard engine connected to a Power Generator. Thanks to a fuel cell inside the Power Generator, the stored hydrogen is used to charge the internal battery of the electrical engine designed by Acta. The combination of Power Generator and HIDRO1000 POWER TRAIN, allows the enhancement of the boat performance in terms of autonomy, overcoming the main problems associated with classic electrical engines and coming close to the level of a petrol powered engine.

Another Leading Wholesaler Chooses Oorja Protonics Fuel Cells

FREMONT, CA — Today, Oorja Protonics announced that they have installed 24 OorjaPac Model III fuel cell systems towards a purchase order placed by EARP Distribution. Furthermore, the installation of 24 OorjaPac Model III fuel cells will fully convert EARP Distribution’s entire pallet jack fleet. This decision comes as EARP evaluated various state-of-the-art options for battery charging for its material handling fleet and selected the OorjaPac after considering various benefits such as energy savings, productivity and green benefits. Earp Distribution, which is the sole wholesale provider of foods and goods to approximately 450 restaurants in the Midwest, plan to use the Methanol fuel cells in its Kansas City distribution center.

“We are pleased that Earp Distribution is using our fuel cells. Oorja is looking forward to continuing to build our relationship with Earp Distribution” said Sanjiv Malhotra, founder and CEO of Oorja Protonics. “Earp’s leadership is showing that green solutions are good for business and the environment.”

About Oorja Protonics

Founded in 2005, Oorja Protonics is the leader in providing reliable and economical liquid fuel cells for the material handling industry. By leveraging its breakthrough technologies, Oorja manufactures the most efficient and powerful portable liquid fuel cells that significantly reduce operating costs and green house gas emissions. The company is headquartered in Fremont, CA. For more information, visit www.oorjaprotonics.com.

VANCOUVER–Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that it has been conditionally awarded up to C$7 million by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). This funding will be used to extend the operating life and lower the product cost of FCgen(TM)-1300, the fuel cell power plant that powers Ballard’s CLEARgen(TM) distributed generation system.

The first application of this new lower cost distributed generation solution is expected to be a six-megawatt (6MW) CLEARgen(TM) system at the ERCO Worldwide (ERCO) sodium chlorate plant in North Vancouver, British Columbia. ERCO is the specialty chemicals division of Superior Plus Corp. (TSX: SPB). The ERCO plant in North Vancouver generates large quantities of hydrogen, as a by-product of sodium chlorate production, and this by-product hydrogen can be used to power the Ballard CLEARgen(TM) system to generate megawatts of clean electricity.

John Sheridan, Ballard’s President and CEO stated, “This SDTC award, along with the co-investments by Ballard and ERCO, will enable our CLEARgen(TM) solution to become more competitive with grid power in regions that support zero-emission clean energy generation. This is a win-win-win program for Ballard, Vancouver and Canada, since it enables clean energy generation in Canada and export opportunities.”

“The technology being demonstrated through this project will allow the delivery of reliable power at a lower cost and with less greenhouse gas and air emissions,” said Vicky Sharpe, President and CEO of SDTC. “This is especially significant for remote communities, which currently have to rely on environmentally unfriendly and expensive means of generating power.”

“Our Government is committed to supporting clean energy technology in Canada as an effective measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create high-quality jobs for Canadians,” said Mark Warawa, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment and Member of Parliament for Langley. “This project is an example of our leadership in driving technology innovation to help create a viable clean energy industry in Canada.”

Paul Timmons, President of ERCO Worldwide added, “Electricity represents over seventy percent of our input costs, so this new fuel cell power generator will be a valuable cost management tool. It also supports our corporate goal to make efficient use of available resources as we continue measures to lower our carbon footprint.”

Terasen Gas is a leading integrated energy provider and will undertake a feasibility study to look at the use of heat created by the CLEARgen(TM) system at ERCO’s site for district heating applications in North Vancouver.

Ballard distributed generation fuel cell systems convert hydrogen into clean electricity through a non-combustion, zero-emission process. This clean electricity can be used by customers for base load power at their premises or for sale of power to the grid.

Ballard recently entered the distributed generation market, in addition to using the company’s clean energy fuel cell products for backup power, material handling and transit bus applications. In 2010 Ballard announced commissioning of a 1MW CLEARgen(TM) system in Ohio for FirstEnergy Generation Corp., one of the largest regional U.S. utilities, as well as a system sale to K2 Pure Solutions, which will use by-product hydrogen from its bleach production plant in California to generate clean electricity.

Receipt of SDTC project funding is contingent on final agreements being reached between Ballard, ERCO Worldwide and BC Hydro as well as internal Board approvals. Subject to these agreements being approved, the manufacturing and site commissioning work is planned for 2012-13.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif.–This evening, Jackie Autry, the former owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and widow of singer, actor and businessman Gene Autry, hosted elected officials, city planners, sustainability managers, architects, utility executives and thought leaders to showcase the fuel cells from ClearEdge Power currently providing both heat and power to her Coachella Valley home. The ClearEdge5 fuel cell is the first of its kind to be developed for residential use.

“This installation is a great example of how fuel cells can soon be commonplace at home – much like rooftop solar panels have become”

“People live in Palm Springs because of its beauty,” said ClearEdge Power President and CEO Russell Ford, “but when the weather heats up, residents want to be able to cool down without straining the environment around them. With the ClearEdge5, homeowners and business owners can power their homes and businesses while reducing their environmental impact. We are pleased to do our part to help residents keep Palm Springs beautiful.”

Since the adoption of this technology for residential use by pioneers like Autry, almost 30 additional Palm Springs area homeowners have also purchased the system. The ClearEdge5 energy appliance is eligible for $17,500 in financial incentives, including utility rebates and federal tax credits. Such incentives, combined with the up to 50 percent savings homeowners can experience with the ClearEdge5 fuel cell, translates into a four- to six-year return on investment, on average. In addition to the cost savings, homeowners can also reduce their carbon emissions by one-third. For environmentally minded homeowners like Autry, this was the strongest selling point.

“My ClearEdge Power fuel cell system will reduce the same amount of carbon emissions in a year as if I’d planted six acres of trees in my backyard,” said Autry. “So I’m getting the power I need, and I’m reducing my impact on the environment. It’s a home run.”

The ClearEdge Power five-kilowatt combined heat and power stationary fuel cell uses a chemical process to constantly convert natural gas into electricity and heat around the clock, regardless of weather conditions. It is 11 times more productive than comparable solar solutions and only requires 35 square feet for installation and service. It can be located indoors or outdoors and incorporates robust system for monitoring performance over a standard IP connection.

The ability for homes and businesses to generate their power at the point of use – in essence turning their home or business into their very own power plant – has been an appealing prospect to several utilities searching for ways to expand their clean energy portfolio, prevent brown- and black-outs for their customers and invest in the smart grid of the future, have found fuel cells like the ClearEdge5 an ideal solution for their customers. Southern California Gas Company, for example, who has a long history with fuel cells, announced a $1 million investment in ClearEdge Power earlier this year. The utility, which provides 20.9 million consumers in more than 500 communities with safe and reliable natural gas, has funded fuel cell research since the 1970s. It also co-founded the National Fuel Cell Research Center at UC Irvine.

“This installation is a great example of how fuel cells can soon be commonplace at home – much like rooftop solar panels have become,” said Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for Southern California Gas Company. “We believe fuel cells, powered by clean natural gas, will play a pivotal role in the sustainable energy future of California, the nation, and offer the promise to be a key element of the evolving smart energy network. Fuel cells are among a number of clean and green energy solutions that we are helping to develop through our technology and market development programs that will benefit our customers and help to build vibrant clean-energy markets.”

About ClearEdge Power

ClearEdge Power is a global, privately held, technology company leading the way for smarter, cleaner on-site energy systems focused on commercial, institutional and residential buildings. The company designs, manufactures and markets the ClearEdge5 system, a proven fuel cell appliance that cleanly converts natural gas to electricity and heat, offering both significant financial and energy savings, as well as a greatly reduced impact on the global environment. The ClearEdge Power corporate management systems are certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. For more information, please visit us online at ClearEdgePower.com.

- Hyundai to showcase its excellence in Fuel Cell technologies in Germany

- Expected to further enhance competitiveness in the development of environment-friendly car
The Hyundai Motor Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with members of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) to help promote Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) and showcase the company’s competitiveness in eco-friendly vehicles.

The initial agreement was signed today in Seoul, attended by Dr. Hyun Soon Lee, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, Dr. Klaus Bonhoff, Managing Director of NOW GmbH (National Organization of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology), Patrick Schnell, Chairman of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) and other CEP members.

As part of its global activities to prepare commercialization of fuel cell vehicles, Hyundai intends to join the Clean Energy Partnership in 2011. The parties agreed to negotiate respective terms for participation.

The German Federal Government together with stakeholders from various industry sectors and academia set up the National Innovation Programme to support the market preparation of fuel cell technology in Germany. The combined budget for the Programme amounts to Euro 1.4 billion and covers the period 2007-2016.

“With Hyundai coming on board, the CEP would gain another strong partner from the automotive industry. We believe this can advance the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles” said Patrick Schnell, Chairman of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP).

“By participating in the Clean Energy Partnership, Hyundai intends to generate another momentum in finding ways to better fuel cell technology and performance” said Vice Chairman Dr. Lee of the Hyundai Motor.

Last January, the Hyundai Motor Group had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with four Northern European countries to operate a test fleet of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) in the European market.

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Motor Group which has ranked as the world’s fifth-largest automaker since 2007 and includes more than two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Hyundai Motor, which has six manufacturing bases outside of South Korea, sold approximately 3.6 million vehicles globally in 2010. Hyundai vehicles are sold in 186 countries through some 5,300 dealerships and showrooms. Further information about Hyundai Motor and its products is available at www.hyundai.com.

Written by Nancy Lamontagne

The new Solar Fuels Laboratory at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore is now open. It aims to create efficient and sustainable sources of fuel by developing a device that uses artifical photosynthesis to extract large amounts of hydrogen from water using sunlight.

Professor Bertil Andersson, the university’s President-Designate and an internationally-renowned biochemist, officially opened the Solar Fuels Laboratory, and a seminar on solar fuel generation and artificial photosynthesis was held in conjunction with the opening ceremony. The lab will be jointly managed by Nanyang Technological University’s School of Materials Science and Engineering and Energy Research Institute.

Current technology requires huge amounts of energy to draw minute amounts of hydrogen from water, but the university is working on a commercially viable solution. For large-scale production of solar fuels the researchers need to find suitable combinations of chemical catalysts to speed up the artificial photosynthesis process while using minimal energy.

To work on this project, the university has assembled a team of bright young researchers to work with world-class experts that include Professor James Barber from Imperial College London; Professor Michael Grätzal from Switzerland’s Ecole Polytechnic Fédérale de Lausanne; Dr. Heinz Frei, Deputy Director of Helios Solar Energy Research Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Dr. John Turner from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The international experts will collaborate on this research with Nanyang Technological University Assistant Professors Joachim Loo (principal investigator) and Lydia Wong as well as Assistant Professor Zhao Yang.

“Clean energy research is an exciting area to be in. As the principal investigator, I am delighted to have within the research team the world’s leading lights in solar research and some of the brightest talents from NTU. At NTU, we are big in sustainability research and this latest Solar Fuels Lab is another major step in this direction,” said Dr. Loo.

SAFCell, Inc. (Pasadena, CA) delivered this week a 1.4 kW solid acid fuel cell (SAFC) stack to Nordic Power Systems (NPS, Norway), exceeding the target performance and marking a major technical milestone in its 18-month development contract with NPS.

In January 2010 SAFCell was contracted by the Norwegian system integrator to develop its patented SAFC stacks for incorporation into NPS’ diesel auxiliary power units (APUs).

The SAFC stack will be integrated into NPS’ proprietary cool flame diesel reformer system, converting the chemical energy of the diesel fuel directly into clean electrical power and heat. Combining these two advanced technologies will result in lighter, quieter, less costly, and higher performing diesel fuel cell systems that NPS plans to market for both mobile and stationary auxiliary power applications. With support from the Norwegian Research Council the integration of these two technologies is proceeding rapidly.

The SAFC stack demonstrated operability with both dilute hydrogen and reformate gas, with only a marginal difference in performance between the two fuel streams. The performance confirmed SAFC tolerances to high levels of impurities that “poison” and dramatically decrease the performance of lower temperature fuel cell technologies.

“Hitting, and even exceeding, this technical milestone confirms that SAFCell’s stacks are scalable to the kilowatt level and can run on commercially available fuels such as diesel,” stated SAFCell’s founder and CEO, Dr. Calum Chisholm. Moreover, SAFCell has “observed extremely high reliability in our stacks over the past year, and we believe that the technology is ready for commercialization in key initial markets,” said Dr. Chisholm.

“We are very excited by the results demonstrated so far, especially as the power and performance is now at a level where it can be integrated into our APU,” said Dr. Dag Overbo, the Technology Director for Nordic Power Systems. He also stated that “incorporating SAFCell’s stacks could greatly simplify our overall system and lead to both weight and efficiency gains.”

NPS develops efficient, environmentally friendly fuel cell power packs that enable nearly silent and emission-free power generation from commercially available fuels. NPS’ cool flame reformer innovation allows for onboard, on-demand diesel or biodiesel reforming in fuel cell systems, thus opening a variety of markets for fuel cell applications. As a preparation for commercial introduction of the power packs, NPS is currently delivering its first demonstrators to select partners.

SAFCell, Inc. develops scalable solid acid fuel cell stacks for applications requiring tens of watts to tens of kilowatts. Based on technology developed at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and operating at mid-range temperatures around 250°C, SAFCell’s stacks tolerate fuel impurities that pose obstacles to other fuel cell technologies. This allows SAFCell stacks to run more easily on commercially available gas fuels (e.g., propane and butane) or liquid fuels (e.g., methanol, diesel and bio-oils), greatly reducing the overall fuel cell system complexity and cost. SAFCell is partnering with targeted system integrators to enter first portable, and then stationary power markets.

VPhase runner-up for product which lowers and regulates household energy

Cella Energy was last night named the national winner for the Shell Springboard Awards 2011, for developing a technology which allows hydrogen to be stored in a cheap, practical way, bringing the prospect of hydrogen fuelled cars one step closer to reality.

Cella Energy’s invention uses nanotechnology to store hydrogen safely in tiny micro-beads (smaller than a grain of sand) which then release hydrogen when heated, producing energy which can fuel cars, lorries, ships or planes. Storing hydrogen in this way means that it can be safely transported in micro-bead form opening the door to it being available at petrol stations for consumers.

L to R: Atahl Nathanson, Stephen Voller and Dr Arthur Lovell (Cella Energy Ltd) and James Smith (Chairman, Shell UK)

The hydrogen micro-bead technology is compatible with standard combustion engines and can either be used as an additive to conventional fuels where it would reduce carbon emissions, or on its own to make hydrogen gas creating zero-carbon vehicles.

Cella Energy received their award at a ceremony held at the Royal Society of Science in London. Their invention impressed a panel of judges which included leading climate change expert Lord Oxburgh, UK Low Carbon Business Advisor Professor Julia King and Greenpeace Chief Scientist Doug Parr.

Stephen Voller from Cella Energy said:

“Being named the overall Shell Springboard winner for 2011 is a great boost for Cella Energy which will give us real credibility in the eyes of customers and potential investors alike.  The £40,000 will enable us to scale up our technology to an industrial scale in order to help us realise our ambition of providing a safe, zero-carbon hydrogen fuel which can be used to power the transport industry and dramatically cut carbon emissions.

James Smith, Chairman of Shell UK, said:

“Over the last six years, Shell Springboard has supported over fifty small businesses that have new ideas for products and services to tackle climate change. They have received no-strings-attached financial awards totalling £2 million. It’s great to these businesses still coming through even in these tough times. Congratulations and best wishes for success to Cella Energy.”

Vphase plc was named as the Shell Springboard runner up 2011 for its product which lowers and regulates household voltage use allowing customers to immediately cut their energy costs without changing their energy supplier or lifestyle.

The Vphase product reduces and manages the voltage coming into people’s homes, to ensure most electrical appliances use less electricity and cost less to run, in turn lowering carbon emissions. This reduction of domestic voltage can lead to a decrease in household electricity bills of between six to twelve per cent.

The three other finalists competing last night were:

• Ashwoods Automotive Ltd, which has designed a  product that regulates and lengthens the lifespan of electric car batteries, which can cost up to £50,000 each
• Cambridge Carbon Capture, which has created technology that captures and stores CO₂ from the atmosphere. The product also produces CO₂ free electricity in addition to carbonate which can be sold to the building industry
• Naked Energy Ltd, which has developed a solar panel which is able to generate both electricity and hot water in cool climates.

The global market for low carbon goods and services, which is already worth over £3 trillion, is expected to exceed £4.5 trillion by 2015, with the UK market the sixth largest in the world. Nearly 200 small businesses from across the UK entered the Shell Springboard awards this year.

The 2010 Shell Springboard award winners, Hi Mag Solutions Ltd, used their award to hire a new production engineer, allowing them to develop and introduce new high quality solar powered products. The recognition of winning a Shell Springboard Award has helped Hi Mag Solutions attract investment interest drawn engineering talent to their business.

Last year’s runner up, Shiply.com, the online marketplace for transporting goods, has saved the UK in excess of 4m kg of CO₂ since winning the award last year.

Electrogenic bioreactors treat waste and produce usable renewable hydrogen for fuel cells

CINCINNATI, OH. and SINGAPORE –Pilus Energy, a leading developer of clean technologies and biogas solutions announced its strategic relationship with Singapore‐based Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, Pte. Ltd.

The partnership aims to combine Horizon’s hydrogen fuel cells to Pilus Energy’s renewable hydrogen production platform, with the goal of providing a unique turnkey, end‐to‐end solution to generate clean power at a low cost. Distributed or localized production of hydrogen can decrease the reliance on external hydrogen supplies and opens the opportunity for self‐sustainable power systems in remote off‐grid locations.

Distributed bio‐hydrogen production using waste or waste‐water as feedstock also offers the promise of a carbon‐free solution for both urban environments and remote off‐grid locations.

“Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies is a globally‐recognized leader in the development and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell power solutions,” said Jason E. Barkeloo, Pilus Energy’s Founder and President. “Hydrogen fuel cells are gaining traction in various parts of the world and in multiple market applications.

We believe now is the time to begin coupling Horizon’s fuel cells to our ability to produce distributed hydrogen by extracting the hydrogen value from wastes.”

“Our goal is to offer complete fuel cell power solutions to our clients, which also means creating hydrogen fuel supply solutions,” stated Taras Wankewycz, Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies. “The bio‐reactors developed by Pilus Energy offer a dual purpose: they can produce renewable hydrogen locally at a low cost – while effectively treating waste. We are eager to begin test‐bedding of the combined systems to demonstrate a new generation of zero carbon fuel cell energy solutions in portable, stationary and small vehicle power applications.”

Mr. Barkeloo finished by adding, “After an extensive analysis of the hydrogen fuel cell landscape we believe Horizon’s hydrogen‐to‐power solutions are highly  omplementary and provide the nearest‐term commercialization opportunities in the sector.”

About Pilus Energy

A developer of alternative cleantech energy solutions Pilus Energy is leading bacterial metabolism solutions that consume waste molecules and produce electricity and economically important biogases.

Pilus Energy intends to sell low‐cost, scalable electrogenic bioreactor (EBR) platforms. The Company will provide consumables and accessories to the EBR platform. For more information, please visit Pilus

New Cumberland, PA, – Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc., a global provider of integrated fuel cell systems for forklifts and hydrogen generators for on-site refueling, today announced that it has received a follow-on order from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for 18 PowerEdge RL25 fuel cell units to operate at the Susquehanna Defense Distribution Supply Depot (DDSP) in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. The RL25 units have joined 20 fuel cell systems powered by Nuvera’s technology in service at DDSP since 2009.

The 1.5 million square foot DDSP facility is the largest Department of Defense distribution center in the U.S., with 2000 employees and 800 pieces of material handling equipment operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The PowerEdge RL25 units are repowering Yale standup counterbalance trucks already in the fleet, and are being serviced by Manchester Industries of York, Pennsylvania. Refueling equipment is supplied by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

“Quick hydrogen refueling and the elimination of batteries in these trucks have led to increased fleet availability at DDSP,” commented Robert Schafer, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Nuvera Fuel Cells. “Their decision to expand their fleet is a testament to their, and by extension, the Department of Defense’s, belief in fuel cell powered forklifts and in Nuvera’s technology.” The Department of Energy provided the funding for the aquisition.

PowerEdge™ is a hybrid motive power source for forklifts, consisting of a fuel cell power module, advanced maintenance-free batteries, compressed hydrogen storage tanks, OEM recommended counterweight, and a computerized control system with operator interface. Unlike conventional lead-acid batteries, PowerEdge stays in the truck and is refueled in less than 2 minutes. Nuvera also manufactures PowerTap™, an on-site hydrogen generation and refueling solution for forklift fleets. A PowerEdge freezer package is available for cold storage applications. Quick refueling, combined with consistent voltage throughout the shift, has led to productivity gains of 10% and higher.

Nuvera Fuel Cells is a global leader in the development of fuel cell systems and fuel processors for both end users and OEMs. With offices located in the U.S. and Europe, Nuvera provides clean, safe, and efficient products for industrial vehicles and equipment in addition to furthering the development of power systems for automotive and transportation applications.
Contact
Danielle Andre
Marketing Communications Specialist
Nuvera Fuel Cells
Tel: +1-617-245-7571
Fax: +1-617-245-7511
Email: DAndre@nuvera.com

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited [AIM/ASX:CFU], a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation units for homes and other buildings, is to exhibit its BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator at E.ON’s stand at the forthcoming Ecobuild trade show.

This is the first time that BlueGen has been made available for public viewing in the UK.

BlueGen uses ceramic fuel cells to turn natural gas into electricity and heat for hot water. BlueGen units can generate electricity far more efficiently than the current power grid, providing significant cost savings to energy bills and large carbon savings.

Ecobuild, which is to be held at the ExCeL exhibition and conference centre in the London’s Docklands from 1 March to 3 March 2011, is the world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment and the UK’s largest construction event of any kind.

On 22 December 2010 Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited announced that it had sold three BlueGen gas-to-electricity generators to E.ON, one of the UK’s leading energy companies and that the two companies are continuing to develop fully integrated power and heating products for the UK market.

Investors or media interested in learning more about BlueGen or receiving a demonstration at Ecobuild should contact Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited.

www.ecobuild.co.uk/index.html

SHEFFIELD, England– ITM Power plc ["ITM Power"] will present at CleanEquity Monaco 2011; the conference is on March 3rd & 4th at the Sporting d’Hiver, Monaco.

ITM Power was included, by expert selection, as one of the world’s most inspiring cleantech companies, to present to industry-specific, senior financial and strategic investors, policy makers, legislators, end users and media.

ITM Power designs and manufactures Hydrogen Energy Systems for Energy Storage and Clean Fuel production. The Company is committed to clean sustainable energy solutions based around water electrolysis. Our principal motivation is to engineer zero-carbon hydrogen energy systems that provide energy security and independence from fossil fuels.

ITM Power’s electrolyser and fuel cell technologies have the potential to become the cornerstones of a future hydrogen economy based on ‘green’ hydrogen. Our hydrogen systems are able to convert renewable energy to a clean fuel that can be indefinitely stored for use in transport, residential and industrial applications.

ITM Power has grown from its original platform of novel polymeric electrolytes (for water electrolysis and hydrogen fuel cells) to that of a technology provider. ITM Power now has both a strong base of intellectual property and engineering expertise for providing complete hydrogen solutions.

Innovator Capital, the London specialist investment bank, hosts the annual invitation-only event. CleanEquity Monaco’s regional host is the Monaco Chamber of Economic Development.

Other local partners include Prince Albert II of Monaco’s Foundation, the Monte Carlo SBM, and the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation. Collaborators for the 2011 event include The United Nations (UNEP Fi), Covington and Burling, PR Newswire, The Carbon War Room, Invest Securities, 21 Ventures and Biocode Incubation.

www.cleanequitymonaco.com

MURRAY HILL, N.J. & NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J.–Linde North America will support the Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive, commemorating the 125th anniversary of the invention of the automobile. The drive will make stops in 32 cities in North America between February 24 and March 18.

Linde North America is part of The Linde Group, which was selected by Mercedes-Benz as the exclusive global hydrogen partner for the F-CELL World Drive, an ambitious endurance drive of three Mercedes B-Class F-CELL hydrogen-powered fuel-cell cars around the world.

The tour launched on January 30, from Stuttgart, Germany. Each of the cars will travel over 18,500 miles across four continents and 14 countries in 125 days. The vehicles will arrive in the U.S. for the North American leg of the tour — starting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on February 24 and ending in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on March 18. The vehicles will make fueling stops in 32 cities in between, including eight cities where Linde plants are located.

“We are excited about the opportunity to participate in Mercedes-Benz’s world tour,” said Pat Murphy, president of Linde North America. “It’s a great opportunity for Linde to demonstrate the capability of our hydrogen fueling technology,” he said. “Linde has years of hydrogen fueling experience encompassing both stationary and mobile technologies. We are proud that Mercedes-Benz has recognized this experience and our innovative capabilities and has chosen us as their exclusive hydrogen fueling partner for the tour,” Murphy said.

Linde and Mercedes-Benz co-developed a new mobile 700-bar refueling unit that houses all the technology required to compress and fuel hydrogen on the move. Key design criteria include 700-bar refueling pressure and a compact footprint for easy transport by air. Linde also developed the entire hydrogen supply and logistics concept for about 400 refuelings planned around the globe, remote regions included. Linde will supply more than 600,000 normal cubic feet of hydrogen in total for the tour.

Linde was one of the earliest entrants into the field of hydrogen fueling and is a leading supplier of hydrogen fueling systems. The company has already equipped more than 70 stations in 15 countries and has supported well over 200,000 successful hydrogen refuelings worldwide. The company is involved in many hydrogen fueling station projects throughout North America including the successful installation of hydrogen fueling stations for forklifts for Wal-Mart in Ohio. Linde is currently installing fueling stations for both buses and cars for AC Transit in Emeryville, California.

The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion (USD 15.3 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.

Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

F-CELL World Drive

During the F-CELL World Drive, three Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL vehicles with fuel cell drive will be driving through 14 countries and across 4 continents – travelling around the globe. Starting on January 30, 2011, the round-the-world trip will take 125 days and 30,000 kilometers until the vehicles arrive at Stuttgart on beginning of June. The objective is to demonstrate that electric vehicles equipped with fuel cells are technically mature and suitable for everyday use as well as to call the attention to the urgent need of an area-wide hydrogen infrastructure.

Five-time award winner presents Grand Prize design to industry professionals at Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy 2011 conference

WASHINGTON, DC –The winners of the 2011 Hydrogen Student Design Contest were announced today in a keynote session of the 2011 Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy conference, held this year at the Gaylord National Convention Center outside of Washington, D.C.

The team from the University of Waterloo was declared the Grand Prize winner. This Grand Prize marks the fifth award for the University of Waterloo in the six-year history of the Contest. Contest newcomers Imperial College London and University of California Riverside were awarded honorable mentions.

For the 2011 Contest, students were challenged to plan and design a residential hydrogen fueling system. As a part of their entry, teams developed a technical design; conducted an economic analysis; and developed business, marketing, and public education plans for their systems.

“Universities from all around the world submitted entries for the 2011 Contest,” said Kyle Gibeault, Contest Manager. “The three teams recognized today at the conference are truly the best of the best. We are pleased to bestow these awards on a frequent winner as well as teams new to the competition. We are already looking forward to their participation in our next contest starting this fall.”

The 2011 Contest was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Praxair, Honda, and Proton Energy Systems. For information about the Contest, visit www.hydrogencontest.org.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is collaborating with Oorja Protonics of Fremont, Calif., on a two-year project to deploy and demonstrate methanol fuel cells for power pallet jacks–a kind of forklift–in four commercial wholesale distribution centers.

The total cost of the project is just over $2 million; NREL will contribute $900,000 to fund the project and Oorja will provide $1.2 million. NREL will collect and analyze data from the deployment project and will provide a third-party assessment of the performance of these emerging methanol fuel cell technologies in material handling applications. Using data from this project, NREL expects to help industry understand the business case for using methanol-fueled fuel cells in material handling applications.

During the course of the technology validation project, 75 direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) power packs will provide power to Class III material handling lifts at warehouses operated by Unified Grocers (Stockton, Calif., and Commerce, Calif.), Earp Distribution (Kansas City, Kan.), and Testa Produce (Chicago). The fuel cell-powered lifts will use renewable bio-methanol, an organically derived fuel made from crude glycerin resulting from vegetable oil and animal fat processing. Methanol offers high fuel density and low fuel and fueling infrastructure costs.

Fuel cell-powered lifts offer longer runtimes and increased autonomy compared to traditional battery-powered lifts. Fuel cell-powered material handling equipment eliminates the need for battery swapping and electrical demand associated with traditional battery lifts. By eliminating time-consuming battery changes, fuel cell lifts can increase overall distribution center productivity. Eliminating electric grid based battery charging also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. By operating on renewable methanol delivered to warehouse sites, the fuel cell-powered lifts used in this deployment project are expected to reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by 1 million pounds over the course of the project.

“Hydrogen-powered fuel cell material handling equipment has emerged as one of the fastest-growing applications for hydrogen fuel cells,” said Ramsden. “DMFCs hold promise to deliver many of the same operational benefits of hydrogen-powered fuel cell material handling equipment, including long runtimes, short refueling times, and increased productivity.”

In 2009, Nissan North America (Nasdaq: NSANY) announced that it will deploy methanol fuel cells made by Oorja to power its material handling equipment (tugs) at its Smyrna, Tenn., assembly plant.

From Frederik Pleitgen, CNN

Eckernfoerde, Germany (CNN) — It is almost totally silent, radiates virtually no heat and is constructed entirely from non-magnetic metals.

Meet the U212A — an ultra-advanced non-nuclear sub developed by German naval shipyard Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft, who claim it to be “the peak of German submarine technology.”

And few would argue. The super-stealth vessel is the first of its kind to be powered by a revolutionary hydrogen fuel cell that lets it cruise the deep blue without giving off noise or exhaust heat.

That’s important, because according to Bernd Arjes, a captain in the German Navy, silence keeps submariners alive.

“We operate in coastal waters around Europe and this submarine is specially designed for finding submarines. If you want to find other submarines of course you have to be quiet,” he said.

With this latest technology, he added, “the boat is virtually undetectable.”

But being indistinguishable is not the only thing that sets the U212A apart. Unlike conventional subs, which need air to combust diesel, the fuel cell doesn’t require oxygen to operate.

This means it can remain submerged for many weeks — holding its breath many times longer than its gas-guzzling cousins.

You’d expect a boat like this to pack a punch, and you’d be right.

The 212A is armed with 12 heavyweight wire guided torpedoes, each capable of destroying a war ship or disabling an aircraft carrier.

“An aircraft carrier might not break with one torpedo but probably gets hit at the rudder or something. And then he probably can’t maneuver into the wind to use his aircraft,” said Arjes.

Germany, which has no nuclear weapons or nuclear-powered ships of its own, is the world’s third largest exporter of defense goods.

HDW began developing the technology for the U212A in 1994, with the first vessels reaching market in 2003.

Export editions have already been sold to the navies of Greece, Portugal and South Korea.

But sub-aquatic sailors around the world should think twice before getting too excited over this new toy.

With a high degree of self-automation, the sub requires only a small crew and there is extraordinarily little in the way of creature comforts for those few on board.

And so it seems that even with all this state-of-the-art technology, a submariners life still remains one of confined living quarters and shared bunks.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.–WATT Fuel Cell Corp., a designer and developer of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems, announces an agreement granting the company an exclusive worldwide license to fuel cell technology intellectual property (IP) previously developed and implemented at NanoDynamics Energy Inc. As part of the agreement, WATT Fuel Cell has established a joint venture (JV) with Solar Acquisitions Corp. to form Evolution Fuel Cell Inc., an entity licensed to develop the IP for applications up to 500W. In addition, the agreement supplies WATT Fuel Cell with the equipment used to initially develop the IP.

“This joint venture presents an exciting opportunity for the commercialization efforts of portable SOFCs at WATT Fuel Cell,” said Dr. Caine Finnerty, President of WATT Fuel Cell Corp. “The JV and exclusive cross-licensing structure will enable WATT Fuel Cell and Evolution Fuel Cell to enter the industry with state-of-the-art technology and associated equipment, launching WATT Fuel Cell into an immediately competitive market position. This is an enormous step forward, both for WATT Fuel Cell and the industry at-large, and we expect it will translate into great things for advanced energy technology.”

Under the joint venture, WATT Fuel Cell will develop Evolution Fuel Cell products up to a 500W power output for applications requiring lightweight units that deliver high energy density and efficiency. The joint venture also furnishes WATT Fuel Cell with an exclusive license to independently control the IP for developing SOFC systems from 200W up to 50kW.

“The technology that Solar Acquisitions brings to the table has clearly demonstrated the viability of SOFCs for a variety of portable applications,” Finnerty said. “Combining this established technology with experience, drive and a focus toward commercialization, the WATT Fuel Cell team is well positioned to lead the industry with reliable, portable energy products. We expect these efforts will have a significant impact on the fuel cell market’s ability to achieve its true potential.”

“There are some excellent synergies between this IP and WATT Fuel Cell’s new technology,” commented Paul DeWald, Director of Systems at WATT Fuel Cell. “Utilizing these technologies, we will expand the capabilities of our systems and create superior solutions for the portable energy market.”

“Some fuel cell systems are struggling with the economical production and distribution of high purity hydrogen,” explained Benjamin Emley, WATT Fuel Cell Director of Technology. “It’s great to be working with a fuel cell technology that operates efficiently on today’s readily available energy resources, while also offering the potential to bridge us into the future as renewable resources are established.”

-Financial incentive for clean, on-site power production

-System will offset power demand at Californian bleach plant

VANCOUVER, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ – Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD; NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that it has finalized the agreement to deploy a clean energy fuel cell power generator at a K2 Pure Solutions bleach plant in Pittsburg, California.

The agreement between Ballard and K2 Pure Solutions, previously announced in August 2010, anticipated receipt of a routine air permit exemption for the fuel cell system from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and a grant from California’s Self Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). Ballard now confirms that both the air permit exemption and the SGIP Final Reservation Notice Letter have been issued for this project.

Ballard’s CLEARgen(TM) fuel cell system will convert by-product hydrogen into clean load-following electricity that will partially offset power demand at the state-of-the-art bleach plant. System installation and commissioning is planned for completion by mid-2012.

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.

Dr. Henri Winand, Chief Executive of Intelligent Energy, has joined the UK Government’s Green Economy Council. The Council, which is composed of senior business leaders from across the industrial sector, including Ford, Centrica and IBM, held its inaugural meeting today.

The Council uniquely combines Ministers from three key government departments – Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) – with senior business leaders to discuss the transition to a low carbon economy.

“Further accelerating the commercial growth of low carbon business and the widespread adoption of cleaner, more efficient technologies in the UK will benefit greatly from the creation of the Green Economy Council” commented Dr. Henri Winand. “A forum for business and industry leaders to engage regularly with the Ministers of three key government departments, to share vision, exchange ideas and develop strategy, represents an unprecedented opportunity to help shape future Government policy.”

The press release follows – Source: BIS

The Green Economy Council is holding its first meeting today (16 February) to discuss how government and industry can work together to support the transition to a green, low carbon economy and minimise the costs for business while maximising the opportunities.

A group of high level business leaders from a cross-section of industries and sectors will advise government on green and green growth policies such as infrastructure, innovation, investment, and unnecessary regulation.

The Council will uniquely bring together Ministers from three key departments – the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Among the key issues on today’s agenda will be the Green Economy Roadmap, which is being developed by all three departments and will be published in the spring. This will set out the Government’s long term strategy on climate change and the environment.

Business Secretary Vince Cable chaired the first meeting. He said:
“The transition to a green economy brings both opportunities and challenges that we need to tackle now to achieve sustainable growth and meet climate change targets. I’m delighted that we have attracted top business leaders from key sectors to join us on the Green Economy Council and help us develop these policies. We need to minimise the burdens on business and industry during this transition, while we create the necessary conditions for green growth and investment in the green economy.”

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne said:
“If we don’t get off the oil hook we risk getting buffeted by each and every oil spike, damaging our economic and energy security. We want to work with Britain’s industry experts to make green jobs and investment come to the UK. We can be a world-leading low carbon economy, but we need to get ahead of the likes of China who are closing down on us fast. The Coalition is putting in place the framework for significant low carbon investment, including reforming the electricity market, setting up the Green Investment Bank, and legislating for the Green Deal.”

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said:
“Economic growth and protecting the natural environment must go hand-in-hand. More sustainable use of natural resources will help to reduce business costs, while planning for the likely impacts of climate change will help businesses to increase their resilience and also create new markets and jobs. The Green Economy Council is an opportunity to work with top industry figures for the good of both businesses and the environment.”

Kate Craig-Wood, Managing Director of Memset, a managed hosting and cloud computing provider, and Chair of Intellect’s Climate Change Group, said:
“The Green Economy Council is a welcome and long overdue initiative. The Government, through the Council, need to understand the issues that SMEs in the high-tech sector face and the important role they can play in achieving sustainable growth. That’s a message I’m happy to help convey.”

Dr Henri Winand, CEO of Intelligent Energy said:
“Further accelerating the commercial growth of low carbon business and the widespread adoption of cleaner, more efficient technologies in the UK will benefit greatly from the creation of the Green Economy Council. A forum for business and industry leaders to engage regularly with the Ministers of three key government departments, to share vision, exchange ideas and develop strategy, represents an unprecedented opportunity to help shape future Government policy.”

Nigel Keen, Director Property Services and Property and Development, John Lewis Partnership said:
“If the economy is to grow sustainably out of recession, it is important that Government, businesses and their employees work together. We therefore welcome the opportunity to engage on this agenda.”

Andy Reynolds-Smith – Divisional Chief Executive, GKN, said:
“A green economy is the future, it is crucial that in the UK we develop and sustain our industrial capabilities to compete globally. With this in mind, GKN very much welcomes the creation of the Green Economy Council and its ambition to take a leading role in the development of the green economy in the UK. Almost every engineering and manufacturing initiative has an environmental dimension to it these days. GKN will look to the Council to take a dominant role in the co-ordination and development of cross-cutting Whitehall policy, legislation and investment that will allow UK industry to compete effectively and develop a capability that will allow it to exploit opportunities at home and globally. I very much look forward to working closely with BIS, DECC and DEFRA in achieving this.”

Gearoid Lane, Managing Director, New Markets, Centrica said:
“The green economy will be a very significant platform for growth, offering the prospect of many thousands of new jobs. Over the next two years alone, in British Gas we will be taking on an additional 2,900 people into ‘green collar’ roles. I am delighted to join the Green Economy Council, which I hope will be able to play a proactive role in advising Government on how to realise the benefits available for the UK.”

Dan Labbad, CEO Europe, Middle East and Africa, Lend Lease said:
“From the perspective of the property sector, there are huge opportunities to significantly contribute to greening the economy. Greening both new and existing buildings will require the right conditions, removing confusion and creating a platform for both investment and innovation. This will need focussed collaboration between government and business. For this reason, the creation of the Green Economy Council is a welcome development.”

Ian Goodfellow, Managing Director, Shanks plc and Chairman, Environmental Services Association said:
“The waste management industry has shown how the private sector can deliver investment, growth, and higher environmental standards such as more recycling all at the same time. We want to do more, but need a smart, stable policy framework to do so. I’m looking forward to ensuring that the Green Economy Council is focused on delivering this.”

Stephen Leonard, Chief Executive, IBM UK & Ireland said:
“We believe the imperative for sustainable action is strong, but sustainability has to be balanced across the social and economic aspects of society as well as environmental. No one organisation can achieve this on their own and there is a growing need for collaboration between businesses and government to create a shared vision. This vision will aim to drive the right investments and create a common strategy across all aspects of sustainability to maximise opportunities for the UK.”

ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Ultra Electronics, Adaptive Materials, Inc. (AMI), recently repaid its Michigan 21^st Century Jobs Fund award.  The $6.27 million, awarded in 2007 to fund the company’s efforts to commercialize its fuel cells, is, to date, the largest investment made by the Michigan Economic Development Corp (MEDC).

“Michigan supported AMI’s transition from a research and development start-up through its successful acquisition by a global defense contractor,” said Michelle Crumm, chief business officer, AMI.  “Combined with the wealth of engineering talent in the Ann Arbor region, MEDC resources were a catalyst for the company’s continued growth.”

AMI worked with the MEDC throughout its evolution, including securing a MEGA tax credit for its move to its current Ann Arbor manufacturing facility.  AMI also worked with MEDC to secure workforce training resources as well as a Center of Energy Excellence award.

“AMI is a great story of entrepreneurial success, thanks to its focused leadership and state support at a critical early point in their lifecycle,” said Michael A. Finney, president and CEO, MEDC.  “Our help and confidence in the company’s technology enabled AMI to secure state and local funding, training and other assistance. This success story demonstrates MEDC’s broad-ranging capabilities and commitment to helping businesses grow in Michigan.”

AMI’s 21^st Century Jobs Fund award was still in its grace period when the company repaid the award, including $250,000 in interest.  The award repayment was due in May 2017.

About Ultra Electronics, AMI

Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., Ultra Electronics Adaptive Materials, Inc. (AMI) is the first company to develop, demonstrate and deliver a portable, affordable, and fuel flexible solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system. The company offers 50 and 250-watt fuel cell systems that are powered by globally available and energy dense propane, butane and LPG. Adaptive Materials’ fuel cell system provides portable power to the United States Armed Forces as well as industries including leisure, remote monitoring, and medical devices. For more information, visit www.adaptivematerials.com.

About Ultra Electronics

Ultra Electronics is an internationally successful defense and aerospace company with a long, consistent track record of development and growth. Ultra businesses constantly innovate to create solutions to customer requirements that are different from and better than those of the Group’s competitors. The Group has over 100 distinct market or technology niches within its 24 businesses. The diversity of niches enables Ultra to contribute to a large number of defense, aerospace and civil platforms and programs and provides resilience to the Group’s financial performance.

Ultra has world-leading positions in many of its niches and, as an independent, non-threatening partner, is able to support all of the main prime contractors with specialist capabilities and solutions. As a result of such positioning, Ultra’s systems, equipment or services are often mission-critical to the successful operation of the platform to which they contribute. In turn, this mission-criticality secures Ultra’s positions for the long term, which underpin the superior financial performance of the Group.

Ultra offers support to its customers through the design, delivery and support phases of a program. Ultra businesses have a high degree of operational autonomy where the local management teams are empowered to devise and implement competitive strategies that reflect their expertise in their specific niches. The Group has a small head office and executive team that provide to the individual businesses the same agile, responsive support that they provide to customers as well as formulating Ultra’s overarching, corporate strategy.

The production of inexpensive hydrogen for automotive or jet fuel may be possible by mimicking photosynthesis, according to a Penn State materials chemist, but a number of problems need to be solved first.

“We are focused on the hardest way to make fuel,” said Thomas Mallouk, Evan Pugh professor of materials chemistry and physics. “We are creating an artificial system that mimics photosynthesis, but it will be practical only when it is as cheap as gasoline or jet fuel.”

Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen can be done in a variety of ways, but most are heavily energy intensive. The resultant hydrogen, which can be used to fuel vehicles or converted into a variety of hydrocarbons, inevitably costs more than existing fossil-based fuels.

While some researchers have used solar cells to make electricity or use concentrated solar heat to split water, Mallouk’s process uses the energy in blue light directly. So far, it is much less efficient than other solar energy conversion technologies.

The key to direct conversion is electrons. Like the dyes that naturally occur in plants, inorganic dyes absorb sunlight and the energy kicks out an electron. Left on its own, the electron would recombine creating heat, but if the electrons can be channeled — molecule to molecule — far enough away from where they originate, the electrons can reach the catalyst and split the hydrogen from the oxygen in water.

“Currently, we are getting only 2 to 3 percent yield of hydrogen,” Mallouk told attendees today (Feb. 19) at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. “For systems like this to be useful, we will need to get closer to 100 percent,” he added.

But recombination of electrons is not the only problem with the process. The oxygen-evolving end of the system is a chemical wrecking ball and this means the lifetime of the system is currently limited to a few hours.

“The oxygen side of the cell is making a strong oxidizing agent and the molecules near can be oxidized,” said Mallouk. “Natural photosynthesis has the same problem, but it has a self-repair mechanism that periodically replaces the oxygen-evolving complex and the protein molecules around it.”

So far, the researchers do not have a fix for the oxidation, so their catalysts and other molecules used in the cell structure eventually degrade, limiting the life of the solar fuel cell.

Currently, the researchers are using only blue light, but would like to use the entire visible spectrum from the sun. They are also using expensive components – a titanium oxide electrode, a platinum dark electrode and iridium oxide catalyst. Substitutions for these are necessary, and other researchers are working on solutions. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology group is investigating cobalt and nickel catalysts, and at Yale University and Princeton University they are investigating manganese.

“Cobalt and nickel don’t work as well as iridium, but they aren’t bad,” said Mallouk. “The cobalt work is spreading to other institutions as well.”

While the designed structure of the fuel cell directs many of the electrons to the catalyst, most of them still recombine, giving over their energy to heat rather than chemical bond breaking. The manganese catalysts in photosystem II — the photosynthesis system by which plants, algae and photosynthetic bacteria evolve oxygen — are just as slow as ours, said Mallouk. Photosystem II works efficiently by using an electron mediator molecule to make sure there is always an electron available for the dye molecule once it passes its current electron to the next molecule in the chain.

“We could slow down major recombination in the artificial system in the same way,” said Mallouk. “Electron transfer from the mediator to the dye would effectively outrun the recombination reaction.”

Currently the system uses only one photon at a time, but a two-photon system, while more complicated, would be more effective in using the full spectrum of sunlight.

Mallouk’s main goal now is to track all the energy pathways in his cell to understand the kinetics. Once he knows this, he can model the cells and adjust portions to decrease energy loss and increase efficiency.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is collaborating with Oorja Protonics of Fremont, Calif., on a two-year project to deploy and demonstrate methanol fuel cells for power pallet jacks, a kind of forklift, in four commercial wholesale distribution centers.

The total cost of the project is just over $2 million; NREL will contribute $900,000 to fund the project and Oorja will provide $1.2 million. NREL will collect and analyze data from the deployment project and will provide a third-party assessment of the performance of these emerging methanol fuel cell technologies in material handling applications. Using data from this project, NREL expects to help industry understand the business case for using methanol-fueled fuel cells in material handling applications.

During the course of the technology validation project, 75 direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) power packs will provide power to Class III material handling lifts at warehouses operated by Unified Grocers (Stockton, Calif., and Commerce, Calif.), Earp Distribution (Kansas City, Kan.), and Testa Produce (Chicago). The fuel cell-powered lifts will use renewable bio-methanol, an organically derived fuel made from crude glycerin resulting from vegetable oil and animal fat processing. Methanol offers high fuel density and low fuel and fueling infrastructure costs.

“The deployment project offers a significant opportunity to increase the number of commercially available DMFC systems, expand practical user operating experiences, and validate the performance of the systems using real-world data,” said NREL Project Manager Todd Ramsden.

Fuel cell-powered lifts offer longer runtimes and increased autonomy compared to traditional battery-powered lifts. Fuel cell-powered material handling equipment eliminates the need for battery swapping and electrical demand associated with traditional battery lifts. By eliminating time-consuming battery changes, fuel cell lifts can increase overall distribution center productivity. Eliminating electric grid based battery charging also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. By operating on renewable methanol delivered to warehouse sites, the fuel cell-powered lifts used in this deployment project are expected to reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by 1 million pounds over the course of the project.

“Hydrogen-powered fuel cell material handling equipment has emerged as one of the fastest-growing applications for hydrogen fuel cells,” said Ramsden. “DMFCs hold promise to deliver many of the same operational benefits of hydrogen-powered fuel cell material handling equipment, including long runtimes, short refueling times, and increased productivity.”

NREL is the Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

The SOFCRoll uses double spiral geometry to replace the mechanical support of the fuel cell; this reduces the weight, and hence cost, of the cell while still providing good mechanical strength. The spiral also separates the anode and cathodes and so removes the requirement for high temperature seals. Laminating and a single firing step used in cell preparation are all low cost methods – coupled with the efficient use of the ceramic materials, make these cells very cost effective. Their performance will however still be competitive with the more expensive designs, particularly in terms of volumetric and gravimetric power density.

Key Benefits

•Simple modular & monolithic design

•Self-supporting – removes need for large amounts of ceramic

•Scaleable production methods;tape casting and co-firing

•Low operational costs

Applications

The small size and weight of the cells makes them ideal in the first instance for small portable LPG fuelled appliances. However the double spiral geometry could be used in any SOFC application up to large stationary Combined Heat and Power systems and fuelled using hydrogen or natural gas fuel.

IP Status

The University has applied for patent protection for this novel fuel cell IP (WO03036746) and the research group involved continue to perform R & D on this advanced fuel cell technology.

The IPR is available under licence from the University.