FuelCellsWorks

On day 39 of the circumnavigation, the F-CELL World Drive embarked on the tenth leg, which leads north through the coastal state of California. The route takes the participants through San Francisco as well as to the Californian capital Sacramento. During this leg, the vehicles cover a total of 950 kilometers. By staging local activities, like in San Francisco and Sacramento, Mercedes-Benz furthermore offers interested parties the possibility to gather information about the potential of fuel cell technology and the B-Class F-CELL. Moreover, a visit at Tesla Motors is part of this tenth leg.

On March 6th, the ninth leg led the B-Class F-CELL vehicles from Phoenix to Los Angeles, California. On its way to L.A. via San Diego, the F-CELL World Drive covered more than 770 kilometres. At the end of the leg in Los Angeles, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL – for the first and only time in the U.S.A. – were refuelled at a public station within only three minutes of time.

ITM Power (AIM: ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, this morning held a launch open day for investors, analysts, media and existing and potential commercial partners. The event took place at London Stansted Airport on the occasion of the commencement of the Company’s HOST (Hydrogen On Site Trials) programme with first participant, Stansted Airport. Attendees were given the first live demonstration of the Company’s HFuel Refuelling system with two Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (HICE) Ford Transit vans. A total of 300 people attended the launch with representatives from central and local government, NGOs, industry, the media and the City as well as many of ITM Power’s shareholders. Commenting for ITM Power, CEO Graham Cooley said: “Today’s well-attended launch demonstrates the increased, and increasing, profile of hydrogen solutions to the key global problems of energy security and carbon reduction. ITM Power is now positioned as an undoubted leader in the field of hydrogen power and storage. I would like to thank all our visitors today for their attendance and to thank the speakers for their time and enthusiasm in presenting the case for hydrogen.”

• California investor-owned utility orders 1.4 megawatt DFC1500
• Fuel Cells Earn Prominent Position within South Korean Renewable Portfolio Standard Pricing Mechanism
• Initial order from the United Kingdom for a Direct FuelCell power plant
• Margins improve with cost ratio moving to 1.09
• $18 million raised from registered direct offering
• $70 million of cash and investments at January 31, 2011

DANBURY, Conn., — FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL), a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power plants using renewable and other fuels for commercial, industrial, government, and utility customers, today reported results for its first quarter ended January 31, 2011 along with its latest accomplishments.

Financial Results

FuelCell Energy reported total revenues for the first quarter of 2011 of $28.1 million compared to $14.6 million in the same period last year. Product sales and revenues in the first quarter were $25.8 million compared to $12.8 million in the prior year quarter as production was increased to meet growing order volume. Product sales and revenues for the first quarter of 2011 included $20.4 million of power plants, fuel cell modules, and fuel cell power plant components, $2.5 million of revenue primarily from the sale of capital equipment to POSCO Power for their fuel cell module assembly facility as well as construction and installation services, and $2.9 million of revenue from service and power purchase agreements.

Margins for product sales and revenues improved by $2.9 million over the prior year quarter with the product cost-to-revenue ratio moving to 1.09-to-1.00 in the first quarter of 2011 from 1.41-to-1.00 in the first quarter of 2010. Results reflect improved product margins combined with lower commissioning and warranty costs compared to the first quarter of 2010.

Total product sales and service backlog as of January 31, 2011 was $159.2 million compared to $84.1 million as of January 31, 2010. Product order backlog was $78.9 million and $58.3 million as of January 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Backlog for long-term service agreements was $80.3 million and $25.8 million as of January 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Research and development contract revenue was $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2011 compared to $1.8 million for the first quarter of 2010. The Company’s research and development backlog totaled $7.9 million as of January 31, 2011 compared to $11.9 million as of January 31, 2010, decreasing as phase two of the solid oxide fuel cell development contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nears successful completion. The Company submitted a proposal to the DOE to participate in the multi-year third phase of the solid oxide fuel cell development program.

Net loss to common shareholders for the first quarter of 2011 improved to $11.7 million, or $0.10 per basic and diluted share, compared to $15.4 million or $0.18 per basic and diluted share in the first quarter of 2010. Higher product margins drove this improvement.

Total cash, cash equivalents and investments in U.S. Treasuries were $70.2 million as of January 31, 2011. Net use of cash, cash equivalents, and investments for the first quarter was $3.2 million compared to net use of $7.2 million in the first quarter of 2010, excluding the net proceeds of $17.8 million from the registered direct offering of common stock and revolver borrowings of $1.0 million. The favorable impact of improved product margins combined with strong cash receipts from U.S. orders resulted in lower cash utilization during the first quarter of 2011 compared to the prior year quarter. Capital spending for the first quarter was $0.3 million and depreciation expense was $1.6 million.

Corporate Highlights

“Solid financial results this quarter, including the favorable impact of product cost reductions combined with growing revenue and production volume, highlight the progress being made,” said Chip Bottone, President and CEO of FuelCell Energy, Inc. “The FuelCell team is focusing on three key areas including, revenue growth, customer satisfaction and operational excellence as we expand our markets. Our products are helping our customers solve their power generation and environmental challenges as well as helping them meet their sustainability goals.”

Market Activity

FuelCell Energy is a world leader in the development and production of stationary fuel cells. Direct FuelCell (DFC(R)) power plants are generating power at more than 50 locations globally and have cumulatively generated over 700 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean power. Key geographic and vertical markets are driving sales of DFC power plants.

California: Our products address the need by utilities for ultra-clean baseload distributed generation. During the first quarter of 2011, Southern California Edison ordered a 1.4 MW DFC1500 to be installed at California State University, San Bernardino. This order follows previous authorization by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric to pursue utility owned fuel cell installations. The CPUC recognizes fuel cells as preferred distributed generation resources due to clean natural gas and renewable baseload power generation that lessens reliance on the electrical transmission grid and represents incremental capacity that avoids or reduces investment in the transmission and distribution system.

Universities represent an attractive market for DFC power plants due to the virtual lack of pollutants that helps universities reach their sustainability goals combined with on-site power generation that enhances energy security. California State University, San Bernardino will be the fifth California university with a DFC power plant, representing eight megawatts in total power generation capacity.

United Kingdom: The Crown Estates ordered a DFC power plant during the first quarter of 2011 for installation in central London, England. The ultra-clean emission profile of the DFC plant combined with reduced greenhouse gas emissions support the sustainability goals of The Crown Estates and were the primary drivers for the order. This order represents the first DFC power plant sold by the Company in the United Kingdom.

The British government recently issued a series of proposals to address aggressive climate targets while balancing the need for replacing a significant portion of existing power generation that is nearing the end of its functional lifespan. Estimates are that about a quarter of the existing power generation capacity in the UK will need to be replaced by 2020. Fuel cells operating on natural gas or renewable biogas are a compelling solution for the needs of the British power market as they provide ultra-clean and efficient baseload power.

South Korea: At the end of December 2010, the South Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy confirmed the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and established the pricing mechanism for new & renewable (NRE) power under the mandates of the RPS. Utilities and independent power producers in South Korea are expected to purchase NRE power generation plants now that the pricing mechanics of the RPS have been confirmed. Penalties for non-compliance are expected to encourage conformance with the RPS. Fuel cells operating on natural gas and renewable biogas earned a prominent position within the pricing mechanism and are expected to represent a significant portion of NRE purchasing as the clean, efficient and distributed generation attributes of fuel cells meet the needs of utilities and the requirements of the RPS.

Responding to this market opportunity, POSCO Power continues to expand its clean power generation business using the Company’s fuel cell technology. POSCO Power has begun production at their 100 MW fuel cell module assembly facility using fuel cell components manufactured at FuelCell Energy’s production facility and will provide balance-of-plant (BOP) for the South Korean market from their existing 100 MW BOP facility. Announcement of the RPS pricing mechanism, combined with the recent completion of local capacity for fuel cell module assembly, is expected to drive their next order for fuel cell components.

Production

Production levels are currently at 35 MW annually compared to production of 22 MW for 2010 to meet backlog. Anticipating increasing order volume, the Company expects to further increase production levels during 2011.

Advanced Technology Programs

DFC hydrogen generation: The DFC300-H2 power plant installed at the Orange County Wastewater treatment facility has begun to produce hydrogen for vehicle refueling along with ultra-clean electricity and high quality heat used for the wastewater treatment process. The plant is operating on natural gas and is expected to begin operating on renewable biogas in the next few months. The demonstration is being performed under sub-contract to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc, with the majority of funding provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Development: The Company continues to partner with Versa Power Systems Inc., for the development of a Large Scale Coal-Based Solid Oxide Fuel Cell under the U.S. Department of Energy Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Program. The FuelCell Energy/Versa team met cost and performance objectives for a minimum 25 kW fuel cell stack in phase two of the program.

Conference Call Information

FuelCell Energy will host a conference call with investors beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on March 10, 2011 to discuss the first quarter 2011 results.

Participants can access the live call via webcast on the Company website or by telephone as follows:

• The live webcast of this call will be available on the Company website at www.fuelcellenergy.com. To listen to the call, select ‘Investors’ on the home page, then click on ‘events & presentations’ and then click on ‘Listen to the webcast’
• Alternatively, participants in the U.S. or Canada can dial 877-303-7005
• Outside the U.S. and Canada, please call 678-809-1045
• The passcode is ‘FuelCell Energy’

The webcast of the conference call will be archived on the Company’s Investors’ page at www.fuelcellenergy.com. Alternatively, the replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call until midnight Eastern Time on Wednesday, March 16, 2011:

• From the U.S. and Canada please dial 800-642-1687
• Outside the U.S. or Canada please call 706-645-9291
• Enter confirmation code 46585555

About FuelCell Energy

DFC(R) fuel cells are generating power at over 50 locations worldwide. The Company’s power plants have generated over 700 million kWh of power using a variety of fuels including renewable wastewater gas, biogas from beer and food processing, as well as natural gas and other hydrocarbon fuels. FuelCell Energy has partnerships with major power plant developers and power companies around the world. The Company also receives funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and other government agencies for the development of leading edge technologies such as fuel cells. For more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com

HOPPECKE announces its partnership with ReliOn, the leading provider of high reliability fuel cell solutions for backup power applications.

Under this agreement, HOPPECKE will market ReliOn’s fuel cell products under the HOPPECKE brand for backup power solutions throughout EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).

The companies have agreed on a multi-phased strategy expanding their collaboration to include localization of product integration and manufacturing, technology transfer, and territory expansion beyond the initial focus in EMEA.

Fuel cells are a clean power supply fueled by hydrogen and producing electric energy, heat and water. Their simple, compact architecture is ideal for customers needing high quality power in a small footprint where reliability and clean electrical generation are essential.

Dr. Marc Zoellner, HOPPECKE’s CEO stated, “We are very pleased to announce this new partnership with ReliOn, which will enable HOPPECKE to extend our product offering across our broad customer base. The fuel cells are just one new component in HOPPECKE’s long term strategy to expand into energy and energy management solutions. HOPPECKE has a longstanding commitment to quality and innovation in the development of power solutions. Our cooperation with ReliOn represents a continuation of the growth in developing and providing clean energy system solutions. We look forward to a long partnership serving our customers’ need for highly reliable power solutions.”

Gary Flood, ReliOn’s CEO commented, “ReliOn is pleased to have a strong partner whose focus and abilities will help us grow our market presence significantly. By cooperating with HOPPECKE, we see the opportunity to not only address the needs of the EMEA markets, but to work with a world class company to continue the development and applications of fuel cell solutions. HOPPECKE’s reputation and expertise in the power industry provide an ideal base for collaboration between our companies. We believe that together we can supply clean, reliable and cost-effective solutions to customers.”

Effectively immediately, HOPPECKE will begin offering fuel cell-based power solutions throughout EMEA to compliment their traditional battery and power systems products.

About HOPPECKE:
Our energy for your success: To ensure the continuing success of our customers in the future, HOPPECKE has specialized in the development of new technology and services for the storage of energy. Today we are the largest manufacturer of industrial batteries, systems and chargers in European ownership.

Since 1927 we have been developing and producing energy storage systems to German Quality Standard with the claim of standard quality worldwide. To date, many of our developments have led the way in the market for industrial batteries.
Our comprehensive range of storage batteries is complemented by the very latest charging methods and monitoring units to form complete systems. With this systems approach it is our aim, as a value-based, independent family enterprise, to continue our growth in the market for industrial battery systems, in terms of both quantity and quality.

This family concern from the small town of Hoppecke in the German Sauerland region is able to look back on more than 80 years’ experience in the business of batteries. Over 1400 employees (half of them in Germany) generate on average annual rates of growth in double figures. With 16 subsidiary companies, and numerous branches, partners and distributors, production and assembly sites worldwide, HOPPECKE is a Global Player.

About ReliOn:
ReliOn’s continuous innovation in core technology has made it a leader in the development and marketing of modular, fault-tolerant fuel cell products for customers seeking solutions to critical backup power applications. With more than 1,100 systems serving sites in 38 U.S. states and 21 countries, ReliOn customers enjoy the benefits of high reliability, low operating costs and easy maintenance. ReliOn fuel cells…simply powerful. www.relion-inc.com.

Carson, Calif.– Multiquip, a diverse manufacturer and supplier of world class quality products and solutions, announced today the company has won a World of Concrete Most Innovative Product Award for its model H2LT hydrogen fuel cell powered light tower. The H2LT light tower was named the Editor’s Choice in the General Tools and Equipment category.

“We are honored to receive The Most Innovative Product award,” said Torsten Erbel, vice president product management, engineering and customer support for Multiquip. “Multiquip’s goal is to continue to provide innovative, high quality products for today and the future. The H2LT is evidence of continued progress in this direction.”

Held annually at World of Concrete, the MIP Award Program showcases many of the new products exhibited. The MIP Program allows attendees and readers of Concrete Construction, Masonry Construction, The Concrete Producer and Concrete Construction Products a chance to vote for the products they judge as innovative. A panel of industry experts, many of whom serve on the World of Concrete Educational Advisory Board, reviewed and selected the MIP award winners. The editors reviewed and selected the products in terms of the innovation they bring to the industry.

Innovative by design, the Multiquip H2LT light tower is environmentally friendly, pollution-free, allowing it to be operated indoors and can be operated for up to 68 hours at a remarkable low noise level of only 43 decibels at 23 feet.  Because of the load following feature of the fuel cell, power is only produced as needed providing an unmatched fuel efficiency compared to conventional combustion engines running at full load at all times.

This is the second award for Multiquip’s hydrogen light tower. In September 2010 the light tower was awarded the 2010 Federal Laboratory Consortium Award “Mid-Continent Region” for “Notable Technological Achievement.”

Production of the H2LT will start in Q3 2011. Pricing for the units will be provided by quote only, due to the availability of energy and tax credits, which vary from state-to-state as well as multiple configuration options.

HALF MOON BAY, Calif.–Now people have even more reasons to feel good about drinking Odwalla. With the recently completed installation of five natural gas fuel cells at its juice packaging plant in Dinuba, Calif., drinking Odwalla can make you feel good about yourself and good about the environment.

Using technology originally developed for NASA, the 500kW Energy Server will cut the plant’s carbon footprint by an estimated 35 percent while supplying 30 percent of the plant’s energy needs. The use of fuel cell technology is yet another step in the natural health beverage company’s commitment to reduce its environmental footprint. Odwalla announced plans to install the fuel cells from California-based Bloom Energy last year and the installation was completed this month.

“Reducing our environmental footprint and our dependence on non-renewable resources is just as important to Odwalla as making great tasting, nourishing beverages,” said Alison Lewis, president, Odwalla. “In addition to celebrating the completion of our fuel cell installation, we’re looking forward to rolling out our innovative PlantBottle™ packaging and kicking off our annual Plant a Tree program later this year.”

The innovative fuel cell technology can convert air and nearly any fuel source – ranging from natural gas to a wide range of biogases – into electricity via a clean electrochemical process. Their primary by-products are water vapor, heat and a small amount of carbon dioxide – basically what we humans expel when we breathe. The process is so clean it requires no emission permits.

About Odwalla

Odwalla, Inc. delivers nourishment coast to coast with the Odwalla family of juices, juice drinks, smoothies, protein drinks, and nourishing food bars. Odwalla has been making juices and innovating in the natural health beverage category for 30 years. Its nourishing beverages and food bars are available in natural food stores, select supermarkets and specialty outlets throughout the country. To learn more about Odwalla products and Odwalla’s commitment to the environment, please visit www.Odwalla.com or www.Facebook.com/Odwalla, or call 1.800.ODWALLA.

Spokane, Wash.–  ReliOn, the leading provider of high reliability fuel cell solutions for backup power applications, today announced its new E-2500 fuel cell system. The E-2500 is the third in a new ReliOn product line, the E-series. The E-2500 fuel cell system offers 2,500 Watts of power in a chassis that is sixty percent of the size of ReliOn’s T-2000 2,000 Watt product. The development of this new product utilizes the patented modular, fault-tolerant aspects of ReliOn’s field-proven fuel cell systems in higher density power modules. The product is a compact complete fuel cell system housed in an 8U (14” tall) 23” rack-mountable package.

As with all of ReliOn’s fuel cell products, emissions are limited to warm air and a small amount of water, and the E-2500 system is exempt from the most stringent air quality standards, such as those set by the California Air Resources Board. A scalable backup power solution, the E-2500 fuel cell system can provide 24 hours of power for equipment needing up to 10kW in an industry-leading footprint. Higher power configurations are available as well. Initial systems have been delivered to customers this quarter. Orders are being taken now for further E-2500 systems.

Joe Blanchard, ReliOn’s Vice President of Product Line Management commented, “The E-2500 fuel cell system continues ReliOn’s history of innovation and product improvement. For customer applications where space is an issue, this addition to our product suite offers a higher density option, while continuing to provide the high reliability and scalability our customers have come to expect from ReliOn.”

The E-2500 fuel cell system joins ReliOn’s current products – the E-200 and E-1100 and the T-1000 and T-2000 – which provide backup power solutions between 50W and 20kW. The company has delivered more than 3.3 megawatts of product to over 1,150 commercial customer sites in 21 countries. While many of ReliOn’s customers are wireless telecommunication providers, the company also serves markets including wireline telecommunications, government, security, and utility communications and transportation networks. ReliOn products can be used for backup power and site hardening in both traditional configurations and as part of a clean technology system integrated with solar and wind power.

About ReliOn:

ReliOn’s continuous innovation in core technology has made it a leader in the development and marketing of modular, fault-tolerant fuel cell products for customers seeking solutions to critical backup power applications. With more than 1,150 systems serving sites in 38 U.S. states and 21 countries, ReliOn customers enjoy the benefits of high reliability, low operating costs and easy maintenance. ReliOn fuel cells…simply powerful. www.relion-inc.com.

Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the WVTA Certified Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter during recent Intelligent Energy visit. Also in the photograph from left to right, Yasuhara Osawa, Managing Director of Suzuki GB, Dr. Henri Winand, Chief Executive of Intelligent Energy, and Dennis Hayter, VP Business Development, Intelligent Energy. (Photo: Business Wire)

LOUGHBOROUGH, England–Intelligent Energy, the global clean power systems company, and Suzuki Motor Corporation, have today announced that the jointly developed Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter has obtained Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) – the first time any fuel cell vehicle has achieved this level of certification. WVTA qualifies the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter design as safe to use on public roads without having to be inspected and tested individually, and brings zero emission motorcycles a step closer to becoming commercially available.

First exhibited at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show in October 2009, the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter, equipped with the latest version of Intelligent Energy’s unique, air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell system, has been participating in a UK public road testing program run by Intelligent Energy and supported by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board. The Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter design has now met with specified EU performance standards meaning that the vehicle and its components are approved for production and sale within Europe.

“Suzuki Motor Corporation is pleased to announce that the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter has become the world’s first fuel cell vehicle to earn Whole Vehicle Type Approval in the European Union,” explained Mr. O. Suzuki, Chairman and CEO, Suzuki Motor Corporation. “Our aim is to make eco-friendly fuel cell scooters increasingly common in Europe, in line with the establishment of hydrogen filling stations and other necessary infrastructure.”

The city-friendly Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter was jointly launched in Europe at London’s City Hall in February 2010. At the event, the Chair of the London Hydrogen Partnership and London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing, Kit Malthouse, hailed the zero emission scooter as a “fantastic piece of kit which shows how we can combat climate change.” A fleet of the scooters will now undergo a further test program in various public road conditions at sites in the East Midlands and London.

“We’re immensely proud that our five year partnership with Suzuki Motor Corporation has led to the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter becoming the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle to achieve Whole Vehicle Type Approval. This is an important day in the history of fuel cell technology and a huge step towards cleaner, more efficient vehicles being part of the mainstream,” said Dr Henri Winand, CEO, Intelligent Energy.

About Intelligent Energy

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

About The Suzuki Motor Corporation

The Suzuki Motor Corporation is one of the rare manufacturers in the world to produce both motorcycles and automobiles. The company designs and manufactures passenger cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs and outboard motors. Its motorcycle products range from scooters to large motorcycles to meet the diverse demands of its customers around the world. Suzuki’s automobile business has a large share of the Japanese mini car market and develops a range of unique products such as SUVs and mini-vans for the global market, focusing on the compact car market in response to increasing concerns for the good of the environment.

The company vigorously promotes technical cooperation through numerous joint ventures overseas and its main production facilities are located in 23 countries and regions around the world, enabling Suzuki to operate as a global organization serving 196 countries and regions.

More information is available at www.globalsuzuki.com

Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change drives the Fuel Cell Black Cab

LOUGHBOROUGH, UK--  Intelligent Energy, the global clean power systems company, played host to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne MP, during a recent visit to the company’s headquarters in Loughborough. The Secretary of State met with Intelligent Energy Chief Executive, Dr. Henri Winand, to tour the company’s headquarters and discuss the commercialisation and manufacturing of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the UK.

As part of the visit, the Secretary of State received a hands-on demonstration of the Suzuki Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter, developed in partnership with Suzuki Motor Corporation, and test drove the Fuel Cell Black Cab – a fleet of which are targeted to hit the streets of London for 2012.

“The zero emissions London taxi, developed here in Loughborough, looks and performs just like a conventional taxi, even over longer distances. It’s a great British innovation and I look forward to seeing them in service in London next year,” said Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. “Low carbon energy is a big growth sector and firms like Intelligent Energy, who are taking innovative ideas out of the lab and putting them into practice, are going to be the big names of the new economy.”

Earlier in the day, Dr. Winand and Rolls Royce Chairman, Sir John Rose, briefed the UK Government Cabinet, including Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osbourne, Business Secretary Vince Cable and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. The briefing followed news earlier this year that Dr. Winand had joined the Government’s new Green Economy Council, composed of senior business leaders across the industrial sector, including Ford, Centrica, and IBM.

“Ministerial visits such as these help us to convey both the significant progress Intelligent Energy is making towards the commercialisation of clean technologies on an international stage, and support our shared goal to position the UK as a leader in the deployment and manufacture of low carbon technologies,” explained Dr. Henri Winand, Chief Executive, Intelligent Energy

Arla Foods, Lindhurst Engineering and the University of Nottingham have unveiled a pioneering microbial fuel cell (MFC) which they predict will revolutionise energy generation on farms and within the dairy industry by converting both farm effluent and dairy by-products into electricity and bio-gas.

The first-of-its-kind MFC demonstrator was revealed at Collaboration Nation, the Government’s Technology Strategy Board’s exemplar project day in Leeds on March 2, having received funding from the body. It has been developed by The University of Nottingham, produced by Sutton-in-Ashfield based Lindhurst Engineering and successfully trialled at The University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonnington Dairy Farm site, which is a member of Arla Foods Milk Partnership. Arla Foods also supplied dairy by-products, some equipment and assisted in the design of the MFC.

The one cubic metre capacity pilot plant not only converts farm slurry and dairy waste into electricity, it also produces hydrogen gas which creates further renewable energy. A larger production scale sized cell has been calculated to be able to either supply a farm with all its annual energy needs if fed with slurry from 200 cows or provide 10 per cent of a large dairy’s annual energy requirement if fed by-products from a large dairy processing site. Neither use would require the need for any additives.

“The trial delivered exactly what we anticipated. It proved the integrity of the cutting-edge technology which has been developed and which is now poised to become a commercial reality,” said Richard Laxton, Arla’s sustainability manager.

“With increasing emphasis being placed on renewable energy sources and the need to reduce carbon, this technology is a huge step forward, both for farmers and the food industry. The fact it uses by-products from each operation is another significant benefit and makes its large-scale implementation even more attractive.

“Within Arla Foods we have set ourselves a target of 30 per cent of our energy coming from renewable sources by 2020 and collaborating on this project is directly in line with this vision.”

Dr. John Andresen from The University of Nottingham added: “This has been a very rewarding collaboration where an innovative technology for renewable energy production, initially developed at The University of Nottingham, has been transferred from the laboratory to a demonstrator and will have a real impact in terms of reduced carbon emission, decreased environmental impact and further support the competitiveness of the UK industry.”

Martin Rigley from Lindhurst Engineering said: “We have been really pleased to bring some of our expertise from the sewerage treatment industry to be able to make this pilot plant a success. We are now excited to develop this project into a production unit and can see the massive potential impact it could make in the dairy, food and drink, and process industries.”

On Thursday 3rd March, Mark Prisk MP, the UK Government Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, visited Intelligent Energy’s Headquarters at Holywell Park, Loughborough. The Minister received a tour of the companies offices, test and production areas and was shown examples of Intelligent Energy’s leading hydrogen fuel cell technologies. The fuel cell systems are presently being commercialised for multiple applications across its transport, stationary, backup and portable power. Following the tour, the Minister had a ride in the company’s fuel cell electric hybrid London Black Cab and discussed the rollout of hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles in the UK with Intelligent Energy’s senior team.

Mark Prisk MP, the UK Governments Minister of State for Business and Enterprise (centre) with Intelligent Energy’s Director of Communications, Dr Jon Moore (left) and Director of Corporate Finance, Dr Mark Lawson-Statham (right).

Mould-flow characteristics of ElectroPhen™ conductive polymer simplify processing and cut manufacturing costs.

Southampton, UK– Bac2, the advanced polymers and fuel cell components company, will be showing moulded bipolar plates for fuel cell stacks on booth D74, Hall 27 at Hannover Messe, 4th – 8th April, 2011. The plates, made using the company’s patented ElectroPhen electrically conductive polymer, reduce the cost of fuel cells because they can be moulded for high volume production. It is economical to tool-up and mould relatively small quantities of plates, sometimes just a few hundred, in order to realize economies of scale. Furthermore, the unique mould-flow properties of ElectroPhen mean that the plates do not need post-processing, such as surface machining or drilling, after moulding. Materials wastage is therefore minimal.

ElectroPhen bipolar plates are available for high-temperature and low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM), direct methanol, alkali and phosphoric acid fuel cell stacks.

Unlike those made from metal, the plates are chemically inert, do not corrode, will not poison fuel cell electrodes and are rugged enough to withstand the harshest environments. They are made using a simple, 2-stage, mix-and-mould manufacturing process.

In addition to moulded plates, Bac2 supplies blank plates that can be easily machined for fuel cell development work. Blank plates are available from stock.

The seventh leg of the F-CELL World Drive led the vehicles from New Orleans in Louisiana over a distance of more than 1.070 kilometers to San Antonio, Texas. Along the way, the tour made a stopover at the mobility project car2go in Austin.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in the US– on the way from New Orleans to San Antonio.

Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive in the US– on the way from New Orleans to San Antonio. Along the way, the tour made a stopover at the mobility project car2go in Austin.

STEPHEN SINGER, AP Business Writer

As fuel cell technology works its way toward viable commercial application in automobiles, researchers at the Midland-based Oxazogen, Inc. are doing their best to help push the science along.

Dr. Dennis Hucul, lead scientist on the project at Oxazogen, an employee-owned company that works with Michigan Molecular Institute, said the early returns on the study “Oxidation Resistant Carbon Supports for Fuel Cells” show much promise. The two-year project, funded through a $472,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Science Foundation, began in September.

“There’s a need in the marketplace for improved durability in fuel cells,” Hucul said. “Fuel cells that use polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) technology offer a source of power that is environmentally friendly, since their only emissions are heat and water. But the membranes’ performance is hindered by catalyst deactivation, which limits the cells’ lifetime.”

The catalyst causes the oxygen and hydrogen to react in a useful way. Deactivation, Hucul said, causes two problems — the catalyst support is subject to oxidation, and the active metal component, usually platinum, sinters during use. Hucul said Oxazogen’s approach may help manage both problems.

“Through a combination of new technology from the ceramics, electronics and catalyst industries, we’re able to produce new support materials which are much more resistant to degradation,” Hucul said. “What we’ve been able to do is replicate our initial results and extend them further. Initially, our catalysts were able to survive about 30,000 cycles. Now we’ve improved the durability of our catalysts so that we’re above 50,000 cycles. That’s very good, because a standard catalyst loses its activity in about 5,000 cycles. And we think we can still do better.”

Hucul said the improvements have been assisted by a technique called X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, or XPS. Using XPS, Hucul has been able to characterize what’s happening on the surface of the catalyst at the atomic level. The improvements haven’t come at the expense of higher cost for materials, Hucul said, which is key.

“One of the real benefits of our method of making these catalysts is that it only adds a cost of about one percent to the process,” he said. “The cost of platinum is still the most problematic piece of the economics for fuel cells, but even with that, sales are strong for fuel cell-powered forklifts, which is the focus of our project.

“The industry has sold about 2,000 of these fuel cell forklifts, and the economics look promising,” he added. “They’re still expensive — it costs between $20,000 and $30,000 — but with an improved lifetime, that’s manageable; you can refill them in a matter of 60 seconds. On the other hand, battery switch-out on typical rechargeable forklifts is a long, complex operation. They’re not like automobile batteries — they weigh a ton, so you need a winch system to take them out, you need battery storage areas, you need recharge areas, you have to handle acid, you have to send them to an EPA-certified processor … with a fuel cell forklift, you eliminate all that, on top of all the green advantages offered, like no greenhouse gas emissions.”

While the advances are encouraging, Hucul said what’s to come should prove to be even more exciting.

“Our project goal is to make a commercial fuel cell-powered 20-to-30 kilowatt device and have it tested within two years,” he said. “We’re working closely with a fuel cell manufacturer and we’re currently testing larger samples. We can certainly duplicate our best results to date, but we’re hopeful that we can still do even better.”

For more information, visit www.oxazogen.com and www.mmi.org.

The City of Columbia, in partnership with the University of South Carolina, hosted two hydrogen and fuel cell powered vehicles during a press conference that was held on Wednesday, March 2, 2011. The press conference took place on Main Street in front of City Hall.

Featured during the press conference was the Honda FCX Clarity, fuel cell powered sedan that produces zero emissions and a hydrogen powered internal combustion engine Ford shuttle bus.

The University, The City of Columbia, EngenuitySC, and SCRA coordinated with Ford and the U.S. Department of Energy to secure a project demonstration of the H2 Shuttle Bus for 12 months in Columbia.

Mayor Steve Benjamin along with representatives from USC and partner organizations were present to announce the significance of fuel cell technology and its impact on our economy.

Mayor Benjamin stated, “By investing in clean energy technologies like fuel cells, we are positioning Columbia and the Midlands region to lead the way in developing a new knowledge economy and creating new high paying jobs in the years to come.”

Information on both vehicles as well as their role in the future development of Columbia was provided during the press conference. This clean transportation initiative is a collaborative effort between the City of Columbia, University of South Carolina, EngenuitySC, SCRA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and Ford Motor Corporation.

About the USC Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative

The University of South Carolina – City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative was formed by the University of South Carolina, the City of Columbia, EngenuitySC and the SCRA to position Columbia, SC as a leader in hydrogen fuel cell innovation and technology. Its mission is to attract private sector partners, top fuel cell scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators to the Columbia region to help grow an innovation pipeline from discovery to development to deployment of fuel cell technology. For more information, visit www.fuelcellcollaborative.com.