FuelCellsWorks

Brunnthal/Munich–SFC Energy AG, technology and market leader in mobile and off-grid power solutions based on fuel-cell technology, will be giving a first assessment of the successful launch of the new generation of EFOY COMFORT fuel cells at this year’s Caravan Salon in Duesseldorf.

The EFOY COMFORT fuel cells, which were introduced on 26 May, will be offered by a current total of 20 motor home manufacturers at Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf. The manufacturers will be offering a version of their vehicles already equipped with an EFOY fuel cell (‘EFOY Inside’) as well as an ‘EFOY Ready’ variant, i.e. motor homes in which owners only have to connect and switch on an EFOY fuel cell.

SFC has established a pan-European network of authorised EFOY dealers in order to support customers better and even more efficiently with information on the numerous benefits and possibilities of EFOY COMFORT fuel cells. Certified dealers have comprehensive knowledge of EFOY technology and applications and are committed to maintaining a stock of EFOY fuel cell cartridges and units for EFOY users at all times.

With the EFOY COMFORT, an SFC product is once again the only standard fuel cell available on the market to be integrated into the “Green Caravaning” motor home of the CIVD industry association. Each year the association presents its green motor home featuring only environmentally sound caravaning products.

The new EFOY COMFORT series consists of three models with a charging capacity of 80, 140 or 210 Ah per day for ultimate flexibility in power supplies. The new product line is characterised by 15 per cent higher performance, by up to 15 per cent higher cost-effectiveness and by even quieter operation thanks to the intelligent use of vibration-absorbing cushioning elements used in the automotive industry. In addition to improved ease of use, the new EFOY COMFORT models for the first time come with an expert mode that allows individual settings to be made such as adjustments to switching thresholds.

Visitors wishing to learn more can experience the new EFOY COMFORT fuel cells live in Düsseldorf at the EFOY booth, A36, in Hall 13.

More information is available at www.efoy.com and www.sfc.com.

About SFC Energy AG
SFC Energy AG (www.sfc.com) is market leader in fuel cell technologies for mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial and defense markets. As one of Germany’s technology pioneers, SFC has won numerous innovation awards. SFC has alliances with leading companies in a wide range of industries.  Unlike most other fuel cell manufacturers, who are in the research and development phase or run subsidized demonstration projects, SFC has shipped more than 21,000 fully commercial products to industrial and private end users for more than six years, and has created a convenient fuel cartridge supply infrastructure. SFC is DIN ISO 9001:2008 certified. SFC is based in Brunnthal, Germany, and has a sales and technical service office in the U.S. SFC Energy AG is listed in the Prime Standard on the German stock exchange (WKN 756857).

Particles of pure magnesium (left) can only collect a limited amount of hydrogen on their outer surfaces, and the process is slow. But when the magnesium is doped with iron (right), far more hydrogen is delivered through the iron layers, which also results in much faster charging. Credit: NIST

With a nod to biology, scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have a new approach to the problem of safely storing hydrogen in future fuel-cell-powered cars. Their idea: molecular scale “veins” of iron permeating grains of magnesium like a network of capillaries. The iron veins may transform magnesium from a promising candidate for hydrogen storage into a real-world winner.

Hydrogen has been touted as a clean and efficient alternative to gasoline, but it has one big drawback: the lack of a safe, fast way to store it onboard a vehicle. According to NIST materials scientist Leo Bendersky, iron-veined magnesium could overcome this hurdle. The combination of lightweight magnesium laced with iron could rapidly absorb—and just as importantly, rapidly release—sufficient quantities of hydrogen so that grains made from the two metals could form the fuel tank for hydrogen-powered vehicles.

“Powder grains made of iron-doped magnesium can get saturated with hydrogen within 60 seconds,” says Bendersky, “and they can do so at only 150 degrees Celsius and fairly low pressure, which are key factors for safety in commercial vehicles.”

Grains of pure magnesium are reasonably effective at absorbing hydrogen gas, but only at unacceptably high temperatures and pressures can they store enough hydrogen to power a car for a few hundred kilometers—the minimum distance needed between fill-ups. A practical material would need to hold at least 6 percent of its own weight in hydrogen gas and be able to be charged safely with hydrogen in the same amount of time as required to fill a car with gasoline today.

The NIST team used a new measurement technique they devised that uses infrared light to explore what would happen if the magnesium were evaporated and mixed together with small quantities of other metals to form fine-scale mixtures. The team found that iron formed capillary-like channels within the grains, creating passageways for hydrogen transport within the metal grains that allow hydrogen to be drawn inside extremely fast. According to Bendersky, the magnesium-iron grains could hold up to 7 percent hydrogen by weight.

Bendersky adds that the measurement technique could be valuable more generally, as it can reveal details of how a material absorbs hydrogen more effectively than the more commonly employed technique of X-ray diffraction—a method that is limited to analyzing a material’s averaged properties.

* Z. Tan, C. Chiu, E.J. Heilweil and L.A. Bendersky. Thermodynamics, kinetics and microstructural evolution during hydrogenation of iron-doped magnesium this films. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 36 (2011), pp. 9702-9713, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.04.196

Using advanced theoretical computations, a team of Kentucky scientists has derived a means to “tweak” an inexpensive semiconductor to function as photoelectrochemical catalyst.

Scientists from the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville have determined that an inexpensive semiconductor material can be “tweaked” to generate hydrogen from water using sunlight.

The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, was led by Professors Madhu Menon and R. Michael Sheetz at the UK Center for Computational Sciences, and Professor Mahendra Sunkara and graduate student Chandrashekhar Pendyala at the UofL Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research. Their findings were published Aug. 1 in the Physical Review Journal (Phys Rev B 84, 075304).

The researchers say their findings are a triumph for computational sciences, one that could potentially have profound implications for the future of solar energy.

Using state-of-the-art theoretical computations, the UK-UofL team demonstrated that an alloy formed by a 2 percent substitution of antimony (Sb) in gallium nitride (GaN) has the right electrical properties to enable solar light energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, a process known as photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. When the alloy is immersed in water and exposed to sunlight, the chemical bond between the hydrogen and oxygen molecules in water is broken. The hydrogen can then be collected.

“Previous research on PEC has focused on complex materials,” Menon said. “We decided to go against the conventional wisdom and start with some easy-to-produce materials, even if they lacked the right arrangement of electrons to meet PEC criteria. Our goal was to see if a minimal ‘tweaking’ of the electronic arrangement in these materials would accomplish the desired results.”

Gallium nitride is a semiconductor that has been in widespread use to make bright-light LEDs since the 1990s. Antimony is a metalloid element that has been in increased demand in recent years for applications in microelectronics. The GaN-Sb alloy is the first simple, easy-to-produce material to be considered a candidate for PEC water splitting. The alloy functions as a catalyst in the PEC reaction, meaning that it is not consumed and may be reused indefinitely. UofL and UK researchers are currently working toward producing the alloy and testing its ability to convert solar energy to hydrogen.

Hydrogen has long been touted as a likely key component in the transition to cleaner energy sources. It can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity, burned to produce heat, and utilized in internal-combustion engines to power vehicles. When combusted, hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water vapor as its only waste product. Hydrogen also has wide-ranging applications in science and industry.

Because pure hydrogen gas is not found in free abundance on Earth, it must be manufactured by unlocking it from other compounds. Thus, hydrogen is not considered an energy source, but rather an “energy carrier.” Currently, it takes a large amount of electricity to generate hydrogen by water splitting. As a consequence, most of the hydrogen manufactured today is derived from non-renewable sources such as coal and natural gas.

Sunkara says the GaN-Sb alloy has the potential to convert solar energy into an economical, carbon-free source for hydrogen.

“Hydrogen production now involves a large amount of CO2 emissions,” Sunkara said. “Once this alloy material is widely available, it could conceivably be used to make zero-emissions fuel for powering homes and cars and to heat homes.”

Menon says the research should attract the interest of other scientists across a variety of disciplines.

“Photocatalysis is currently one of the hottest topics in science,” Menon said. “We expect the present work to have a wide appeal in the community spanning chemistry, physics and engineering.”

For more information, please contact Keith Hautala at the University of Kentucky at (859) 323-2396 or keith.hautala@uky.edu. At the University of Louisville, please contact Judy Hughes at (502) 852-6171 or judy.hughes@louisville.edu.

By Robert Perkins

A team of USC scientists has developed a robust, efficient method of using hydrogen as a fuel source.

Hydrogen makes a great fuel because it can be converted easily to electricity in a fuel cell and because it is carbon free. The downside of hydrogen is that, because it is a gas, it can only be stored in high pressure or cryogenic tanks.

In a vehicle with a tank full of hydrogen, “if you got into a wreck, you’d have a problem,” said Travis Williams, assistant professor of chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

A possible solution is to store hydrogen in a safe chemical form. Earlier this year, Williams and his team figured out a way to release hydrogen from an innocuous chemical material – ammonia borane, a nitrogen-boron complex – that can be stored as a stable solid.

Now the team has developed a catalyst system that releases enough hydrogen from its storage in ammonia borane to make it usable as a fuel source. Moreover, the system is air-stable and reusable, unlike other systems for hydrogen storage on boron and metal hydrides.

The research was published this month in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

“Ours is the first game in town for reusable, air-stabile ammonia borane dehydrogenation,” Williams said, adding that the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation is in the process of patenting the system.

The system is sufficiently lightweight and efficient to have potential fuel applications ranging from motor-driven cycles to small aircraft, he said.

The research was funded by the Hydrocarbon Research Foundation and the National Science Foundation.

SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – Aug. 29, 2011) - Canadian drivers will benefit from research into new technologies for the automobile industry that will develop a battery pack thermal management system for hybrid electric vehicles, more efficient systems for wheel production, performance-enhancing catalytic converters, enhanced fuel cell technology and improved automotive manufacturing workplace design and ergonomics.

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), was joined today by Nina Grewal, Member of Parliament for Fleetwood-Port Kells, and by Suzanne Fortier, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, to announce five new projects to be supported by the Automotive Partnership Canada initiative.

“Our government is investing in research and development with the Canadian automobile industry to make sure these businesses continue to grow, create jobs and increase our ability to compete internationally,” said Minister Goodyear. “These projects will develop new technologies and bring them to the marketplace for the benefit of Canadians.”

These university-industry partnerships will receive more than $16 million in total project support. This includes $6.5 million in funding through the Automotive Partnership Canada initiative, and close to $10 million from industry and other contributions. Two of Simon Fraser University’s projects will be in partnership with Future Vehicle Technologies and Ballard Power Systems; the University of British Columbia will work with Canadian Autoparts Toyota Inc; the University of Alberta will team up with Vida Holdings Incorporated; and McMaster University will collaborate with the United States Council for Automotive Research. These partnerships will be supported with funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

“When Canadian researchers collaborate with industry, new technologies emerge that contribute to a sustainable automotive industry,” said NSERC President Dr. Fortier. “The projects supported through Automotive Partnership Canada also contribute to training, attracting and retaining the highly qualified workers we need for a strong, resilient economy.”

“Working side-by-side in state-of-the-art research facilities, researchers and their private-sector partners will help build Canada’s reputation as a global leader in automotive innovation,” said Gilles G. Patry, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. “It is this kind of strong collaboration that is creating safer, greener, smarter cars for Canadians.”

Announced by the Government of Canada in April 2009, Automotive Partnership Canada is a five-year, $145-million initiative that supports collaborative research and development and pushes the Canadian automotive industry to greater levels of innovation. As an industry-driven initiative, automotive companies play a key role by providing both financial support and essential in-kind contributions to ensure the research projects’ success. Other previously funded Automotive Partnership Canada research projects focus on addressing the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, developing natural gas and diesel engine technologies, and creating on-board storage and reuse of waste thermal energy.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is a federal agency that helps make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for all Canadians. The agency supports some 30,000 post-secondary students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. The agency promotes discovery by funding more than 12,000 professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,500 Canadian companies to participate and invest in post-secondary research projects.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation strives to build our nation’s capacity to undertake world-class research and technology development to benefit Canadians through investments in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment at universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions.

Backgrounder

Automotive Partnership Canada

Automotive Partnership Canada (APC) is a five-year, $145-million initiative that supports collaborative research and development (R&D) activities benefiting the Canadian automotive industry through partnerships between industry and academia and/or National Research Council Canada.

APC’s funding partners are:

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) ($85 million);
• National Research Council Canada (NRC) ($30 million);
• Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) ($15 million);
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) ($5 million); and
• Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) Program ($10 million).

Research Areas

An industry task force guided the development of APC. This included identifying research priorities, grouped under three strategic themes. To be supported, research must fall under at least one of the following themes:

• Improving the Automobile’s Environmental Performance and Impact;
• The Cognitive Car; and/or
• Next Generation Manufacturing.

For more information about Automotive Partnership Canada, visit: www.apc-pac.ca

What follows are descriptions of each of the newly funded APC projects:

Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are currently considered the most viable alternative propulsion system in the automotive industry. They offer a wide range of improvements including the most efficient fuel consumption, ability to fuel from the grid, emission reduction, and enhanced power performance. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop efficient thermal management systems to reduce the cost and weight, and ensure long-term, problem-free operation while increasing the efficiency of HEVs.

This project builds on an existing collaboration between Simon Fraser University and Future Vehicle Technologies Inc. (FVT)—a research and development company specializing in the development of HEVs. The results and experience gained from the proposed project will provide engineering design tools and new, efficient energy management systems specifically designed for HEVs that will aid Canadian automotive companies such as FVT.

Fuel cell-powered buses provide a clean, quiet, low-emission solution for urban transit services. Depending on the source of hydrogen, these buses can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60 to 100 percent, versus incumbent diesel engine technology, while offering similar driving performance and route flexibility. The focus of the proposed research program is on the development and enhancement of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) that is currently a bottleneck for the overall durability and lifetime of the fuel cell stack and hybrid electric drive for transit buses.

With APC support, the overall objective is to develop improved stack technology capable of increasing the fuel cell stack durability without impacting functionality and cost. The project brings together a cohesive research team of multidisciplinary expertise from Ballard Power Systems, Simon Fraser University and University of Victoria, with close interaction between academia and industry.

The University of British Columbia and CAPTIN will work together to develop an advanced water-cooled low-pressure die for the production of automotive wheels. The project will focus on the development of water-cooling elements that will be placed within the die at key locations to rapidly cool the wheel in a manner that will carefully control the path of the solidification front to eliminate void formation.

Advanced computational tools will be developed based on commercial software packages and on in-house codes to design the cooling elements, their optimal placement within the die structure and the timing for when they are switched on and off. Heat transfer analysis, thermal stress analysis and inverse heat transfer tools will be developed and applied during the project. The overall objective is to design an advanced die system that will allow for production yield ratios and operating costs comparable with conventional air-cooled die technology.

Concern over pollutants in vehicle exhaust has led to the development of the catalytic converter, which is a key component of exhaust gas mitigation systems. One of the chief areas of concern is the so-called cold start period, where the catalytic converter is below the light-off temperature, and the conversion of emissions is low. For many automobile journeys, the majority of the emissions are emitted during this period, and thus any method that can reduce this period prior to ignition will give a performance enhancement.

The main concept to be explored in this project is the Multi-Chamber Catalytic Converter (MCCC)—a relatively simple modification to the current catalytic converter design in which thin layers of insulating material are introduced into the ceramic honeycomb in a concentric fashion. This layer alters the thermal characteristics of the ceramic honeycomb and disrupts the flow of heat from the inner to the outer parts of the ceramic, which increases the thermal intake of the catalytic converter and reduces the time necessary to reach light-off temperature. Even minor improvements in energy retention could lead to significant reductions in emissions during this critical period.

Ergonomics is the science of designing work tasks to fit the capabilities of a worker so that injuries can be prevented. For many years, workers would have to get hurt before ergonomics was used to guide improvements to their work environment. However, recently, a number of larger companies have begun to use digital human modelling technologies and computer simulations of tasks, to allow for ergonomic assessments to be performed before these tasks even exist in reality. This technology allows ergonomists to place a digital human model (ie. avatar) within created virtual computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) environments. A variety of virtual analyses can be performed to predict the effectiveness and injury risk associated with a workstation layout, and most of these software packages allow for the prediction of posture, reach, line of sight and joint strength demands. There is evidence to suggest that this process can be extremely cost effective.

The overall purpose of the proposed research is to contribute to a reduction in workplace musculoskeletal disorders and an improvement in the efficiency of the automotive manufacturing design and launch cycle.

The partnership with USCAR brings significant industrial input from all three major North American automotive manufacturers—Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. USCAR provides the framework for these companies to work together on pre-competitive R&D projects and the companies will use their Canadian operations for this research project.

The converted hydrogen-fuelled barge «Ross Barlow» with the Empa-developed hydride storage tank.

Environmentally friendly fuels are not just of interest for use in cars. The University of Birmingham has been operating a canal boat with a fuel cell drive for three years now. In the world of shipbuilding, however, different rules apply than those in the automobile or aircraft manufacturing industries. Weight is of practically no significance, but the propulsion plant must have an operating lifetime as long as that of the boat itself. The hydride storage system – the hydrogen tank – which must meet this challenging requirement was designed by Empa.

One of the most efficient means of transporting freight is by ship. However, many of the ships sailing today are powered by ageing diesel motors fitted with neither exhaust cleaning equipment nor or modern control systems. Three years ago the University of Birmingham initiated an ambitious trial, converting an old canal barge to use hydrogen fuel. The old diesel motor, drive system and fuel tank were removed and replaced with a high efficiency electric motor, a battery pack for short-term energy supply and a fuel cell with a hydrogen storage system to charge the batteries. In September 2007 the converted boat, the “Ross Barlow”, was launched on its maiden voyage on Britain’s 3500 km long canal system. Last year the barge made its longest voyage to date, of four days duration and 105 km length, negotiating no less than 58 locks. A good opportunity to look back and take stock.

The Hydride Storage Module on board the «Ross Barlow».

Mass-produced drive system meets tailor-made storage technology

The first task to be done in converting the 18 m long steel-hulled barge was to calculate the power requirements. Based on experience with other battery driven canal boats it was decided to use a 10 kW permanent magnet motor. To provide energy for longer trips a commercial fuel cell delivering 1 kW of power was chosen. This system was originally designed as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for use in the telephone industry. The capacity of the fuel cell was, however insufficient to power the boat directly, so the “Ross Barlow” was also fitted with a 47 kWh buffer battery. Lead acid batteries were used for this purpose since they are low maintenance, low-priced and easy to charge. The weight of the battery pack is of no consequence when used in an inland waterways vessel.

The hydrogen supply for the fuel cell was provided by hydride storage system developed by Empa and partly financed by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). This device can store hydrogen with an energy content of 50 kWh, which is equivalent to 20 pressurized gas cylinders each of 10 Liter capacity. The storage material consists of an alloy of titanium, zirconium, manganese, vanadium and iron in powder form which is packed into sealed steel tubes. The powder absorbs hydrogen, thus acting as a storage medium, only releasing it when heated. Since when “filling up” with hydrogen the metal powder generates heat which must be removed, each storage module is located in a water tank which can be warmed or cooled as necessary, In addition the ship is fitted with a solar panel which can supply up to 320 W of electric power.

Charging and discharging cycles – for the next 100 years!

The journey through canals and locks makes widely varying demands on the barge’s electrical supply. To save wear and tear on the fuel cell, the motor draws its current from the lead acid batteries during routine sailing. A typical journey takes 4 to 6 hours during which time the canal boat uses 12 to 18 kWh of power. In continuous operation the fuel cell delivers 24 kWh of energy per day. This also powers the electronic monitoring system, leaving about 19 kWh with which to charge the buffer battery pack – enough energy for a daily journey lasting six hours.
The reliability and operational lifetime of the metal hydride storage system was tested in the laboratory during its development. In practical terms this means that when used to power the “Ross Barlow”, if the ship is assumed to travel 650 km per year through the British canal system, it would need refueling once a month with hydrogen. In this case the hydrogen storage system would have an operating lifetime in excess of 100 years, and would therefore comfortably outlast the useful lifetime of the barge itself.
The results of the test voyage

During the 105 km, four-day summer test journey a total of 106 kWh of electric energy was consumed on the “Ross Barlow”, including lighting and recharging the crew’s mobile telephones and laptop computers.
The batteries supplied 71 per cent of this energy, the hydrogen fuel cell 25 per cent and the solar panel 4 per cent. There was unanimous praise from the crew for the practically silent way the boat sailed. Also notable was that when waiting in a lock the “Ross Barlow” was not engulfed by its own diesel fumes. The boat which accompanied it (which was about the same size) used some 50 L of diesel, resulting in a CO₂ emission of approximately 133 kg. The “Ross Barlow” on the other hand produced no CO₂ during its voyage, assuming that the hydrogen it used was derived from renewable sources and delivered free of emissions to the refueling point on the bank of the canal.

2011 R&D 100 Winner
In large amounts, the otherwise useful element chromium is considered toxic and carcinogenic for humans. It’s also poisonous to solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), evaporating from ferritic stainless steel-based interconnects and increasing the electrical resistance. This reduces efficiency and operational lifetime, and is the primary challenge facing developers of SOFCs as viable power sources. SOFCs are considered an attractive power producer of electricity because their only reaction products are water, carbon dioxide, and electricity.

A team of experts from the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Albany, Ore., West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.V., and Faraday Technology Inc., Clayton, Ohio, have developed a manganese-cobalt (Mn-Co) spinel coating specifically tailored for interconnects that prevent chromium poisoning of the cathode, extending the life of the stack. This Electroplated Mn-Co Coating for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Interconnects works by limiting the transport abilities of chromium and oxygen while also meeting a number of criteria necessary to prevent the coating itself from interfering with the action of the SOFC. It is thermodynamically stable, has low ohmic resistance, has a well-matched thermal expansion coefficient, and is chemically compatible with the remainder of the stack.

Technology
Electroplated coating for solid oxide fuel cell interconnects

Developers
National Energy Technology Laboratory
West Virginia University
Faraday Technology Inc.

(l-r): Randall Gemmen, Timothy Hall, Xingbo Liu, Heather McCrabb, Christopher Johnson, and Junwei Wu

The Electroplated Mn-Co Coating for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Interconnects Development Team
Xingbo Liu, Principal Developer, West Virginia University
Randall Gemmen, National Energy Technology Laboratory
Timothy Hall, Faraday Technology Inc.
Christopher Johnson, National Energy Technology Laboratory
Heather McCrabb, Faraday Technology Inc.
Junwei Wu, West Virginia University

VANCOUVER–Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) confirmed today that it has completed consolidation and optimization of product development and production space in its specialized fuel cell manufacturing facilities located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Ballard has also commenced the previously announced sub-lease of space, representing approximately 38% of the facility, to Daimler AG (Daimler) for use in manufacturing fuel cells for its fuel cell car programs.

Surplus space was created as a result of Ballard’s progress over the past several years in implementing automated and continuous manufacturing processes for the Company’s fuel cell products. A key driver in this context has been the introduction of continuous lamination equipment, which cuts and assembles components of Ballard’s proprietary technology, resulting in a 10-fold increase in production while using about 10% of the physical floor space previously required.

Paul Cass, Ballard’s Vice-President of Operations said, “We completed this work on-time, which also enabled the sub-lease of space to Daimler to proceed as scheduled. With the evolution of automated and continuous manufacturing we will be able to produce one-hundred megawatts of fuel cell product annually in this smaller footprint, seeing us through 2013 with no further investment in manufacturing capacity.”

With the Daimler sub-lease, Ballard expects annual savings of approximately $1 million in real estate and related overhead costs. This lower cost manufacturing model is a further enabler on the Company’s path to profitability.

Ballard will continue supplying its FC velocity ^TM products for Daimler’s fuel cell car and bus programs until the end of the current supply agreement. In addition, Ballard will continue supplying Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (AFCC), a private company majority-owned by Daimler, with contract manufacturing and technical engineering services.

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. Products are based on proprietary esencia™ technology, ensuring incomparable performance, durability and versatility. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (ASX / AIM: CFU) a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation units for homes and other buildings, is pleased to announce that its BlueGen(R) Microgeneration Heat and Power (mCHP) product has received final Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) product and factory accreditation, enabling BlueGen customers to benefit from the UK government’s feed in tariff financial incentive scheme.

BlueGen is the first fuel cell product to receive MCS certification and be eligible for the UK feed in tariff.

BlueGen customers will now be able to use their BlueGen to export electricity into the national grid and earn revenue during the process. The feed in tariffs are 10.5 pence per kilowatt hour of electricity generated, plus an additional 3.1 pence per kilowatt hour of electricity exported to the grid.

BlueGen uses ceramic fuel cells to turn natural gas into electricity and heat for hot water, with each unit capable of producing more than three times the electricity needed to power the average UK home. Surplus electricity can be sold back to the grid. BlueGen also provides heat for domestic hot water use. BlueGen units generate electricity at up to double the efficiency of the current UK power grid, reducing energy bills as well as making significant carbon savings.

The MCS certifies microgeneration technologies used to produce electricity and heat from renewable and low emission sources. All microgeneration products must be accredited under MCS in order to be eligible for the UK feed in tariffs. The MCS accreditation process involves an extensive and rigorous third party review of all the procedures involved in manufacturing, installing and maintaining a microgeneration product. MCS accreditation recognises the quality of the highly efficient BlueGen units and gives consumers a financial incentive to migrate to efficient energy production.

Brendan Dow, Managing Director of Ceramic Fuel Cells said,

“Feed in tariffs play an important part in the UK’s clean energy policy and becoming eligible for the feed in tariffs is a significant step forward for sales of our BlueGen product in the UK market.”

PENN YAN, N.Y. — GreenCell, Incorporated (OTCBB:GCLL) announced today that they have demonstrated a new process for ceramic igniters and has successfully produced a 12 and 24 volt igniter. It is now developing and near completion on a 120 volt unit. Utilizing its proprietary UltraTemp-C materials and processes, a range of conductive compounds have been developed exhibiting high chemical purity, extreme control of electrical properties and thermal expansions. This development includes a new anode material for automotive sensors and UltraTemp-C based fuel cells which GreenCell hopes to begin developing in the coming months. GreenCell will seek patents for these materials developments.

David Burt, CTO, of GreenCell comments, “GreenCell is very excited with these developments and looks forward to getting them to market across several different industries.”

About GreenCell, Incorporated

GreenCell is engaged in a joint venture with SenCer Inc. to develop, commercialize and market SenCer’s UltraTemp^TM ceramic composite materials for Home and Transportation applications. GreenCell has identified multiple industries with significant commercial applications with potential revolutionary results. Some of the many applications for this technology are SOFC Fuel Cells, Igniters, Braking, Oxygen Sensors, and Ceramic Heaters.

Proposal Supports Bloom Energy Economic Development, Clean Energy Initiative

NEWARK, Del.- The fuel cell program will enable Bloom Energy to install 30 megawatts of fuel cell generation in Delaware contingent on its constructing a permanent manufacturing facility in Newark, Del. for the fuel cells, creating an estimated 900 jobs, in addition to the potential of 600 more supplier jobs.

Delaware ’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards call for 25 percent of the Company’s energy supply to come from clean forms of energy by 2025. In June the General Assembly approved legislation which expanded the state’s acceptable forms of clean energy sources to include fuel cells.

The application before the PSC is for its approval of the tariffs for the fuel cell program. As proposed, Bloom Energy’s fuel cells will be installed at two locations in the State, with 26 megawatts located near Delmarva Power’s Red Lion substation and four megawatts near its Brookside substation, both are in northern New Castle County, Delaware.

The public is invited to attend comment sessions on the proposed fuel cell project which are tentatively scheduled for (the evening times have not yet been determined):

• Sept. 27, Public Service Commission, Dover, Del.
• Sept. 28, Carvel State Office Building, Wilmington, Del.
• Sept. 29, Delaware Technical & Community College, Georgetown, Del.

loading Steve Zylius / University Communications “We’ll be truly fuel-independent and no longer held hostage by other countries,” says NFCRC director Scott Samuelsen (foreground, with Brouwer) of hydrogen power. “This is the epitome of sustainability.”

Imagine being able to get the equivalent of 70 miles per gallon in your car, keep your home cool and power your computer – all from sewage. Thanks to technology developed by UC Irvine’s National Fuel Cell Research Center and partners, that’s now possible.

Ten years of hard work, led by center associate director Jack Brouwer, has paid off in a cutting-edge project at the Orange County Sanitation District in Fountain Valley. A unique fuel cell generator simultaneously and continuously converts gas created in wastewater digesters to hydrogen used for zero-emission vehicle fuel, electricity and heat in a highly efficient manner.

“This will reduce smog and greenhouse gases and mean a better quality of life for Southern Californians,” says Brouwer, showing off the white generator box and shiny silver pipes across from a waste settling pond, along with a brand-new hydrogen fueling station.

Starting this month, drivers of select hydrogen-run cars will be able to exit the 405 freeway at Euclid Avenue and fill up with converted sewage waste. Numerous major automakers have announced plans to commercially manufacture such vehicles by 2015. Using locally produced hydrogen will increase its supply and bring costs in line with other renewable energy sources.

Air Products interviews key players   

“This is a paradigm shift,” says center director Scott Samuelsen. “We’ll be truly fuel-independent and no longer held hostage by other countries. This is the epitome of sustainability, where we’re taking an endless stream of human waste and transforming it to transportation fuel and electricity. This is the first time this has ever been done.”

At an unveiling of the project Aug. 16, U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, and other officials praised the work, calling those behind it “pioneers in the search for clean energy.”

Recalling his own childhood in a much smoggier Orange County, Rohrabacher said: “Because the people at the Orange County Sanitation District and UCI’s National Fuel Cell Research Center – whose engineers invented the technology – are doing their duty discovering new sources of clean fuel for the future, our children will have clean air, clean water and a clean environment, even as our communities grow.”

According to Brouwer, a third of all cars on the road in the U.S. could eventually be powered by “biogas,” made from human waste, plant products and other renewable elements.

Steve Zylius / University Communications “This will reduce smog and greenhouse gases and mean a better quality of life for Southern Californians,” says National Fuel Cell Research Center associate director Jack Brouwer, at the new “sewage-to-hydrogen” fuel pump.

When waste sits in big, concrete holding tanks, it produces gases, primarily methane, he explains. Most of the methane at Orange County’s sanitation plant is filtered and used for power, with the surplus sold or burned to produce heat. Now that extra methane is being converted to hydrogen on-site by the fuel cell generator.

Fuel cells are like giant batteries. The generator uses chemical catalysts to split hydrogen atoms off each methane molecule. Much of the hydrogen is then transformed into 300 kilowatts of electricity. The rest is siphoned off and piped to the new hydrogen fueling station for use in automobiles equipped with smaller fuel cells, which convert it to electricity to run the engine.

Other collaborators on the project were FuelCell Energy Inc., which makes pollution-free power plants, and Air Products & Chemicals Inc., the biggest global supplier of hydrogen and other industrial gases.

“This location will show how well this technology works,” says Ed Heydorn, Air Products’ business development manager for hydrogen energy systems. “It’s another first for Air Products in terms of the varied sources of feed from which hydrogen can be produced, stored and dispensed.”

There are about 300 hydrogen-fuel cars on the road in California already. They have been leased or sold to an eager group of “early adapters” that includes environmentalists, movie stars, professors and car buffs. The first to pull up to Air Products’ new pump Aug. 16 was Jim Salomon of Newport Beach, in a sleek maroon Honda FCX Clarity he’s been driving for three years.

Despite owning custom muscle machines and other coveted vehicles, he said, “this is my favorite car. People think alternative-fuel cars don’t have guts. This one has great torque.”

Listening to the steady hiss of hydrogen flowing into his tank, Salomon added: “Getting fuel from sewage is even better.”

Funding for the fuel cell project was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

— Janet Wilson, University Communications

Compressor without moving parts reaches 800 Bar

Invention leads to lower cost hydrogen filling stations

HyET, Hydrogen Efficiency Technologies BV, is the first in the world to have achieved electro-chemical compression of hydrogen up to a pressure of 800 Bar. The novel compressor has two unique features: the device contains no moving parts and it is capable of compressing hydrogen from atmospheric pressure to 800 Bar in one single stage. These benefits enable lower capital- and operational costs compared to existing mechanical hydrogen compression technologies. By lowering the cost and footprint required for hydrogen compression, HyET aims to bring forward the large scale implementation of hydrogen fuelled vehicles.

For the first time it is experimentally proven that hydrogen can be electrochemically compressed to 800 Bar. “800 Bar single stage compression was a very important barrier for us” explains Sander ten Hoopen (Head of System Design): “first of all because of the apparent technological challenge, but most importantly because this is above the filling pressure of the next generation Fuel Cell Vehicles. This technological breakthrough enables us to develop highly efficient and robust hydrogen compressors needed in the filling stations for these cars.”

With this result, which has taken nearly three years of research and development to achieve, HyET improved on its own world record. “We now know for sure that we have suitable materials and design concepts” says Wiebrand Kout (Head of Process Design): “But we still have to take this technology from the lab to the commercial market. We know that we can’t do this alone, that is why we are cooperating with leading car manufacturers, research institutes and filling station suppliers. We expect to be able to intensify these cooperations in the near future.”

About HyET

HyET is a privately funded company situated in Arnhem, The Netherlands, where a rapidly expanding team of people has been developing innovative compressor technology since 2009. The inherent advantage of the patented electrochemical compressor is that it contains no moving components and therefore avoids issues around friction and wear. This enables an energy consumption up to three times lower compared to existing compressors. HyET is the only manufacturer in the world capable of realizing a pressure of 800 Bar with an electrochemical compressor. Commercial applications are anticipated in the hydrogen-related industry and in hydrogen filling stations.

Series E funding validates company’s technology and market position; follows strong customer adoption, DOE funding and company growth

HILLSBORO, Ore. –– ClearEdge Power, a leading manufacturer of scalable, high-efficiency stationary fuel cells, today announced that it has raised $73.5 million in Series E financing through the sale of new shares and the conversion of previously issued promissory notes. New investor Artis Capital Management led this round, which also included Austrian-based Güssing Renewable Energy; Southern California Gas Company, a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE); and existing investor Kohlberg Ventures. The financing will be used to further grow customer adoption in key commercial markets, expand internationally and develop and commercialize new products.

“As a leading producer of distributed generation solutions for light commercial applications, ClearEdge Power is changing the way businesses across the world get their energy,” said ClearEdge Power President and CEO Russell Ford. “This new investment provides the capital necessary for ClearEdge Power to build on our already strong foundation by entering new markets, advancing our technology and commercializing new products.”

According to a recent report by Pike Research, in the last two years, the stationary fuel cell industry has seen a 27 percent compound annual growth rate. It also estimates solutions that provide buildings with base load power, such as the ClearEdge5 system, are primed for significant growth. In fact, the clean technology market intelligence firm estimates sales for the sector to surpass 1.2 million units annually by 2017. With a scalable solution that can be sized to meet each individual energy needs, ClearEdge Power is poised to address the growing global demand for continuous onsite power systems.

“The fuel cell industry is reaching an important tipping point and over the next 18 months a clear gap will begin to emerge between companies that have strong products and clearly defined markets and those that do not,” said Dr. Kerry-Ann Adamson, Research Director, Pike Research. “In the recent Pike Pulse: Prime Power Stationary Fuel Cell report, ClearEdge Power scored very highly. The company’s score was due to ClearEdge Powers’ combination of market strategy and ability to execute to meet demand. ClearEdge Power also clearly differentiates its product offering (hitting a real power demand sweet spot) enabling it to reach many verticals with one product.”

The financing follows a great deal of success for ClearEdge Power, including year-over-year revenue growth of more than 480 percent in the recently completed second quarter of 2011. Additionally, the company has created over 150 high-tech jobs in the last three years, representing more than 300 percent growth. Recent highlights include the acquisition of several new customers, a DOE grant to support further adoption of its technology and expansion into international markets. ClearEdge Power has sold systems to a variety of industries, including multi-tenant housing, hospitality, education, utilities, public sector and residential. In June, the company secured a $2.8 million combined industry and government award from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. These milestones are helping the company expand to the Northeastern United States and South Korea, the latter spurred by a 2010 deal with LS Industrial Systems.

Hydrogen-rich ammonia borane could be a step closer to becoming a practical source of hydrogen for fuel cells following the development of a new ruthenium-based catalyst by chemists in the US. The catalyst can dehydrogenate ammonia borane at mild temperatures, producing the largest quantity of hydrogen by any dehydrogenating catalyst to date. The catalyst is stable in air and can be re-used for multiple cycles.

Ammonia borane (AB), H₃NBH₃, is a stable solid at room temperature and consists of almost 20 per cent by weight of hydrogen. Extracting the hydrogen for use in fuel cells is, however, difficult. Heating to above 100°C releases hydrogen, but is energetically inefficient. It can be hydrolysed by water, but this produces ammonia, which can poison fuel cells, and a residue with strong B-O bonds which is difficult to regenerate into AB. The dehydrogenation of AB using catalysts has been demonstrated, but these are unstable in air and are not reusable.

Now, Brian Conley, Denver Guess and Travis Williams of the University of Southern California have developed a stable and reusable ruthenium catalyst that can extract a record amount of hydrogen from AB but produces far fewer by-products poisonous to fuel cells.

The new catalyst, in which a ruthenium centre is coupled to a boron, yields around 4.5 per cent by weight of hydrogen. While one of the products is the cyclic compound borazine – a fuel cell poison – this spontaneously polymerises to a gummy residue, polyborazylene, which not harmful to hydrogen fuel cells.

A new catalyst can release hydrogen from ammonia borane under mild conditions

‘We take a small amount of solvent and mix it with the catalyst and ammonia borane to something with the consistency of oatmeal,’ says Williams. ‘When you heat it to 70°C hydrogen comes flying off, leaving a white residue that sticks to the side of the flask. You can then add more of the ammonia borane and repeat the reaction until the whole flask is full of the residue.’

Williams adds: ‘To our knowledge this is the highest weight content dehydrogenation of AB and with a re-usable catalyst. These two things are important steps towards making the system commercially viable.’

Ian Manners, an authority on the chemistry of ammonia borane at the University of Bristol in the UK, says that understanding how small inorganic molecules such as amine-boranes and related species can be activated and manipulated within the coordination sphere of metal centres is of fundamental importance for their exploitation in hydrogen storage. ‘The fact that the catalyst is well-defined and that the process appears to be homogeneous should help in this regard.’

Abhi Karkamkar who researches ammonia borane at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US, says: ‘The robustness of the catalyst in air and water will open up several commercial opportunities. The ability to work in highly concentrated slurries of AB is extremely appealing from a commercial standpoint.’

Simon Hadlington

The first Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid worldwide went into service in Hamburg on 17 August 2011. For the first time, this vehicle combines the emission-free technology of a fuel cell bus with hybrid technology for energy recovery.

• Four Citaro FuelCELL Hybrids for Hamburger Hochbahn
• Electric, quiet, emission-free
• Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid

Stuttgart/Hamburg – The bus of the future is up and running in Hamburg – ultra-quiet and with zero emissions. Hamburger Hochbahn AG has acquired four Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrids under the German “NaBuZ demo” scheme to promote sustainable bus systems for the future. Three more buses are to follow next year. Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses, handed over the first two buses of this new generation to Günter Elste, CEO of Hamburger Hochbahn AG, in the presence of Olaf Scholz, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and Rainer Bomba, undersecretary at the German ministry of transport. “With the new FuelCELL Hybrid vehicles, Hamburg is once again assuming a pioneering role in this field. This transport company has already made a name for itself and acquired good experience with its trials in Europe of fuel cell buses from the previous generation. Passengers and drivers were also delighted with the new technology,” said Hartmut Schick at the handover ceremony.

Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid

The Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid features a number of key innovations in comparison to the fuel cell buses which went into trial operation in Hamburg in 2003: hybridisation with energy recovery and storage in lithium-ion batteries, powerful electric motors in the wheel hubs offering a continuous output of 120 kW, electrified auxiliary units and more advanced fuel cells. The latter are designed for an extended service life of at least six years or 12,000 operating  hours. The fuel cell stacks of the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid are identical to those of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class FCELL with fuel cell drive, which is also being put to the test by customers in Hamburg. As on the earlier fuel cell buses, the two stacks are already installed on the vehicle’s roof. They are now accompanied by the lithium-ion batteries which store energy that is recovered during braking, for example. With the electric power from this energy accumulator, the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid is able to run for several kilometres on battery power alone. The concept behind the new FuelCELL bus essentially corresponds to that of the Mercedes-Benz BlueTec Hybrid buses which are in service in Hamburg. A key difference is that the latter derive their electric power from a diesel generator, while in the new FuelCELL buses the fuel cells generate the electricity for the drive motors, without producing any emissions whatsoever.

The improved fuel cell components and the hybridisation with lithium-ion batteries result in a reduction of almost 50 percent in hydrogen consumption for the new Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid in comparison to the previous generation. As a result, it has been possible to reduce the number of tanks from the total of nine on board the fuel cell buses deployed in earlier trials in Hamburg to seven on the current vehicles, holding 35 kg of hydrogen in all. The fuel cell bus has a range of around 250 kilometres. The drive system with the fuel cells is furthermore virtually maintenance-free and has a very long service life. These diverse technical advances bring buses running on electric power alone with fuel cells as energy generators a major step closer.

Günter Elste, CEO of Hamburger Hochbahn AG observed: “According to all the forecasts, 20 to 25 years from now mineral oil and, in turn, diesel will be in short supply and too expensive to be a viable fuel for buses.  From the coming decade on, HOCHBAHN thus aims to purchase only electrically driven zero-emission buses. Commissioning this new generation of buses represents an important step on the road to electric mobility.”

Hartmut Schick, head of Daimler Buses, noted: “Hamburger Hochbahn AG is a company that displays a great commitment to sustainability in all areas, from the generation of energy to its sustainable use. We at Daimler Buses have similarly defined sustainability as a leading corporate objective.”

The NaBuZ demo project

Demonstration of the Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid buses as part of the “NaBuZ demo” project is to take place on HOCHBAHN’s regular services. The project is integrated into the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP).

The NaBuZ project receives funding through the federal transport ministry’s National Innovation Programme (NIP). NIP is coordinated by NOW GmbH. There will also be close cooperation with the European CHIC project, in which 26 fuel cell buses are being run in five European cities.

Daimler Buses’ involvement in the NaBuZ demo project and the CHIC project follows on from the European Union’s successful CUTE and HyFLEET:CUTE projects which were staged from 2003 to 2009. In the course of these projects, 36 Mercedes-Benz Citaros fitted with second-generation fuel cell drives put in an excellent showing in operation with twelve transport companies on three continents. Mercedes-Benz buses demonstrated the practical viability of the environmentally friendly fuel cell drive over more than 140,000 operating hours covering more than 2.2 million kilometres.

Ultra Electronics, AMI collaborated with Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] to extend the flight time of the company’s Stalker.  Yesterday, Lockeed Martin announced this new, ruggedized version of its Stalker Unmanned Air System (UAS), called the Stalker eXtreme Endurance (XE) UAS.

The Stalker XE system quadruples Stalker’s flight endurance to eight-plus hours without impacting the mobility or capabilities of the unmanned system.

The Stalker XE system is powered by Ultra Electronics’ industry-leading fuel cell.  The portable power unit integrates with the Stalker’s existing conventional lithium polymer battery to handle power peaks. The fuel cell was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

A fuel cell system that can generate electricity from organic compounds and clean up wastewater at the same time has been developed by scientists in China.

Yanbiao Liu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and colleagues made a photocatalytic fuel cell comprising a TiO₂-nanotube-array (TNA) anode and a platinum-based cathode. The cell uses light energy to degrade organic compounds in wastewater, generating electrons that pass through to the cathode, which converts the chemical energy into electrical energy.

‘Organic compounds in wastewater are important sources of energy,’ says Liu. Organic matter that amounts to a third of the global energy demand is lost in wastewater each year. ‘Seeking sustainable approaches to recover energy from this waste and degrading it to a non-hazardous product is desirable.’

The team used the cell to clear aromatics, azo dyes, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and endocrine-disrupting compounds from wastewater samples. They found that all of these compounds were degraded by the cell to generate energy.

By modifying the electrodes with semiconductors such as CdS, the system can use visible light and solar light instead of UV light as a catalyst, says Liu. This means that the system can be used to treat wastewater outdoors.

‘Liu and co-workers have extended well established photocatalytic and fuel cell concepts,’ says Prashant Kamat, who investigates fuel cells and environmental remediation at the University of Notre Dame in the US. He cautions that choosing the correct semiconductor photocatalyst is crucial when combining environmental remediation with solar energy conversion. ‘One needs to exercise caution while using visible light absorbing semiconductors such as CdS, as it is known to undergo anodic corrosion, especially when the organic contaminant level becomes low,’ he adds.

Liu concludes that the system is just a small laboratory prototype, which he believes can be optimised further and up-scaled for practical environmental applications.

Elinor Richards

The Board of Ceres Power (AIM: CWR.L) is pleased to announce the appointment of David Pummell as Chief Executive Officer. He will take up the post on 5 September 2011. From 2008 to  April 2011, David was Chief Executive Officer of MAPS Technology Ltd, which designs, develops and manufactures non-destructive testing equipment using unique stress management technology. David developed the company from an early-stage technology venture into a commercially successful business selling high value engineered products and services into multiple industrial sectors, including energy. As part of this growth, he delivered strategic partnerships in the oil and gas, aerospace and transport sectors securing the  company’s commercialisation plan. David  successfully oversaw the acquisition of MAPS Technology by the General Electric Company, in April 2011.

Prior to joining MAPS, David held a number of senior executive roles at BP. These included leading the European fuels and lubricants marketing business, directing the restructuring of BP’s global refining and marketing businesses and setting up a new fuels and lubricants business in the Middle East. David has also held a number of  senior roles with responsibility for manufacturing, distribution and operations performance within BP’s downstream business. David has a degree in Chemical Engineering. Brian Count, currently Executive Chairman, will become Non-Executive Chairman of the Company on 5 September 2011.

Dr. Brian Count, Chairman of Ceres Power commented:

‘David will bring directly relevant experience to Ceres Power as the  Company moves towards product launch. He has a strong track record in successfully developing and growing new technology businesses and in operational delivery.’

David Pummell commented:

‘I am delighted to join Ceres Power as Chief Executive Officer. I am excited by the global potential of the CHP  product and the opportunity  to lead the introduction of this  disruptive energy technology.  Ceres has faced a number of recent challenges, but I am confident that we can successfully commercialise the Company’s CHP product and deliver significant shareholder value.’

Latest-generation PureCell® System fleet attains 200,000 hours of operation

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn., Aug. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, today announced that its next-generation stationary fuel cell, the PureCell® Model 400 System fleet has reached a major milestone – 200,000 hours of field operation.  As the company celebrated this significant achievement, UTC Power employees welcomed Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy to its headquarters and manufacturing facility in South Windsor, Conn., as part of the Governor’s “Jobs Tour.”

“It is an honor to host the Governor and his staff as we celebrate the proven reliability of our Model 400 fleet,” said Joe Triompo, vice president and general manager of UTC Power. “Our fleet has averaged an availability of more than 96 percent so far in 2011. We are delighted with the performance of our Model 400 and proud that the product is manufactured in our home state ofConnecticut.”

“From the very start, Connecticut and UTC Power have led the way in the hydrogen fuel cell industry,” said Governor Malloy.  “Now, many of the most successful and innovative companies in the sector are calling the state home.  Over the past several years, the fuel cell industry has experienced vigorous growth with companies like UTC Power continually improving their technology and making their products more practical and less cost prohibitive.  This trajectory will certainly benefit theConnecticut companies which are well-positioned to expand along with the industry.”

The Model 400 fuel cell incorporates new technology and design innovations and builds on UTC Power’s unmatched fuel cell fleet durability and operating experience. Compared to typical central generation and other fuel cell systems, the Model 400 offers customers lower energy costs, reduced emissions and an industry-leading 95 percent system efficiency, 10-year cell stack durability and 20-year product life. The PureCell System is also capable of load following, which is a game-changing feature for many of UTC Power’s customers who want the fuel cell to follow the energy requirements of their facility during peak and off peak periods. This feature not only supports the customer’s bottom-line but also improves the environment through virtually zero emission energy production and the potential of substantial carbon footprint reduction.

The PureCell System operates without combustion, making it virtually pollution free. It has no moving parts, so its operation is quiet and a good fit for urban environments. And, by operating in water balance, the PureCell System saves millions of gallons of water when compared to other power generation technologies.

“By generating most of their power on-site with a PureCell System, UTC Power customers are reducing the burden on an overstrained power grid, lowering their energy costs, increasing their operational reliability and contributing to a cleaner environment,” said Triompo.  ”Some of UTC Power’s repeat customers include world-class companies such as Coca-Cola Refreshments, Cox Communications and Whole Foods Market.”

Since the early 1990s, UTC Power has designed, manufactured and installed more than 300 stationary fuel cell power plants in 19 countries on six continents. The fuel cells are located at diverse locations, including educational institutions, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, office buildings and supermarkets.

The company’s previous generation stationary fleet, the PureCell® Model 200 System has accumulated more than 9.4 million operating hours, unmatched in the industry.  The Model 200 was designed for a cell stack durability of 5 years. To date the fleet leader has attained over 80,000 hours of operation – 9 years and counting – without a cell stack replacement, another industry durability record.  With these significant achievements in stationary fuel cell durability and the recently announced transit bus fuel cell durability record of 10,000 hours on a single fuel cell stack, UTC Power continues to demonstrate that it is the proven leader in commercial fuel cell technology and products.

About UTC Power

UTC Power is part of United Technologies Corp. (UTC), which provides energy-efficient products and services to the aerospace and building industries.  UTC is a founding member of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index each year since it was launched in 1999.  Based in South Windsor, Conn., UTC Power is the world leader in developing and producing fuel cells that generate energy for buildings and for transportation, space and defense applications.  For more information, please visit www.utcpower.com

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.– Air Products (NYSE: APD), the leader in hydrogen fueling technology, today officially opened its newest California hydrogen fueling station drawing its feedstock from a very novel and sustainable source.  Air Products is pumping hydrogen into fuel cell vehicles that is generated from the municipal wastewater treatment plant at the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) in Fountain Valley.  In addition to generating hydrogen, the project also creates electricity and heat from this renewable source. This technology application is uniquely the first in the world and opens significant opportunities for other biogas feedstock streams.

Methane gas is created while the wastewater at the OCSD facility sits in holding tanks.  This methane begins a clean-up process where the gas stream enters a purification system and then feeds into a fuel cell, built by FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL), where it is reformed to hydrogen.  In the fuel cell, clean electricity is produced for use at the OCSD facility and the heat created could also be directed to several site uses.  Excess hydrogen not converted to electricity leaves the unit and is further purified to make it vehicle grade for fuel cell automobile fueling via Air Products’ technology. The facility will produce enough hydrogen for 25 to 50 fuel cell vehicle fuelings per day and generate 250 kilowatts of electricity daily.

“This location will show how well this technology works and can be applied to wastewater and other waste applications to generate hydrogen.  It is another first for Air Products in terms of the varied sources of feed from which hydrogen can be produced, stored and dispensed by our proprietary fueling technology,” said Ed Heydorn, business development manager – Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products.  ”Another plus is that renewable hydrogen is required to be in the mix in fueling stations in California.  We look to this type of technology as a platform to meet the renewable requirement and to supply even cleaner hydrogen to the next generation of fuel cell vehicles.”  Heydorn also praised the public-private project collaboration that included the United States Department of Energy, which provided partial funding, OCSD, Air Products, FuelCell Energy, National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine, California Air Resources Board and South Coast Air Quality Management District.

“This is the epitome of sustainability by taking a human waste and transforming it into electricity which we need, and transportation fuel that we need, as well as thermal product heat that could serve the process of transforming the feed waste into productive products,” said Professor Scott Samuelsen, director – National Fuel Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine. “This project is at the nexus of the challenge for the next millennium associating how we handle in concert transportation, energy and water resources.”

Ed Torres, director – Operations and Maintenance for OCSD, views the project as part of the solution to air quality issues in the region.  ”It provides an alternative to us in dealing with air quality in this basin where we are heavily regulated.  The project also ensures us going into the future that we have a technology that can provide power and heat and produces a transportation fuel with no emissions and comes from a renewable source.  I think this provides a promising future for our industry.”

Feedstock sources such as agricultural, food, and brewery wastes and landfill gas can benefit from this technology. If all of these available streams were converted to hydrogen it could support fueling up to 200 million fuel cell vehicles in the U.S. with hydrogen and point to sustainable energy independence.

Air Products was also involved with another fueling station opening in California three months ago and has 11 stations operating in the state overall.  In May, Air Products’ West Coast hydrogen pipeline system and industry-leading fueling technology were integral in opening the United States‘ first-ever pipeline-fed hydrogen fueling station.  The Torrance station supplies hydrogen for several automobile manufacturers’ fuel cell vehicles in the Los Angeles area. Details on Air Products’ portfolio of hydrogen fueling station technologies are provided at www.airproducts.com/h2energy.

Air Products, the leading global supplier of hydrogen to refineries to assist in the production of cleaner burning transportation fuels, has unique experience in the hydrogen fueling industry. These varied fueling applications provide an opportunity to assess consumer experiences, evaluate product performance and advance product improvements.  In fact, in certain market applications, fueling rates at several individual sites of over 15,000 refills per year are occurring.  The company has placed over 130 hydrogen fueling stations in the United States and 19 countries worldwide.  Cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell towers, material handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled with trend-setting technologies that involve Air Products’ know-how, equipment and hydrogen.  Use of the company’s technology is increasing and is currently over 350,000 hydrogen fills per year.

Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and is on the forefront of hydrogen energy technology development.  Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50 patents in hydrogen dispensing technology.  Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen, and HCNG (hydrogen/compressed natural gas) fueling, and has developed a variety of enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied pressures.  Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a site via truck, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is solar and wind driven.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services.  Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives.  The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment.  In fiscal 2010, Air Products had revenues of $9 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 18,300 employees around the globe.  For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

First in the World, Wastewater Treatment Fuel Cell-Powered Hydrogen Energy Station

DANBURY, Conn.– FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:FCEL) a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power plants, today announced a commissioning event for the Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plant that is providing renewable hydrogen for vehicle fueling along with ultra-clean electricity for the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) in Fountain Valley, California.  The power plant efficiently converts biogas generated from the wastewater treatment process into ultra-clean electricity for use by OCSD and renewable hydrogen for an on-site vehicle fueling station operated by Air Products (NYSE:APD).  Project participants include FuelCell Energy, Air Products and the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California Irvine with support from California Air Resources Board (CARB), South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Southern California Gas Company.

An inauguration event will be held at the OCSD facility on August 16, 2011 to demonstrate the renewable hydrogen vehicle fueling station and the Direct FuelCell power plant. State and Federal legislators are expected to attend as well as leaders from the DOE, CARB, SCAQMD and OCSD.

“Hydrogen represents a viable fuel source for transportation that significantly reduces emissions and greenhouse gases compared to internal combustion engines and, as this project demonstrates, it can be generated domestically in a renewable manner pointing to sustainable U.S. energy independence,” commented Ed Kiczek, Global Director – Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products.

Biogas is generated continuously by the wastewater treatment process at OCSD. DFC power plants convert this biogas into hydrogen, which is then used to generate power in an electro-chemical process that is virtually pollution-free. The hydrogen obtained from the biogas that is not used to generate electricity is routed to the nearby hydrogen vehicle fueling station. The power plant is generating 250 kilowatts of ultra-clean power, enough to power about 200 average size homes and renewable hydrogen that can fuel approximately 25 vehicles per day.

“This project demonstrates how technology developed and manufactured in America can help to address our Nation’s dependence on imported fuel sources by efficiently and cleanly converting waste biogas into renewable hydrogen for transportation needs of the 21^st century,” said Tony Leo, Vice President, Applications, FuelCell Energy, Inc. “Our Direct FuelCell technology is very versatile including the ability to provide renewable hydrogen as well as ultra-clean power and usable high quality heat from a waste stream.”

FuelCell Energy manufactures stationary fuel cell power plants that provide continuous baseload power in a highly efficient and environmentally friendly process. DFC power plants are fuel flexible, using readily available fuel sources such as natural gas or renewable biogas. The electro-chemical power generation process does not utilize all of the hydrogen generated so the unused hydrogen can be used for other purposes such as vehicle fueling or industrial purposes. Due to the absence of combustion in the fuel cell power generation process, virtually no pollutants are emitted such as NOx, SOx, or particulate matter, resulting in ultra-clean power generation.

“Renewable, ultra-clean, baseload power from fuel cells operating on biogas is a powerful value proposition that FuelCell Energy offers to the market,” continued Mr. Leo.

The power plant is operating under a three year contract and is maintained by FuelCell Energy.

About FuelCell Energy

Direct FuelCell® power plants are generating ultra-clean, efficient and reliable power at more than 50 locations worldwide.  The Company’s power plants have generated over 800 million kWh of power using a variety of fuels including renewable biogas from wastewater treatment and food processing, as well as clean natural gas.  With over 180 megawatts of power generation capacity installed or in backlog, FuelCell Energy is a global leader in providing ultra-clean baseload distributed generation to utilities, industrial operations, universities, municipal water treatment facilities, government installations and other customers around the world.  For more information please visit our website at www.fuelcellenergy.com