Fuel Cells 2000's Fuel Cell Technology Update - March 2003
For more information on the following stories, click on the provided
link, contact Jennifer Gangi at jennifer@fuelcells.org
or call (202) 785-4222, ext. 17.
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LEGISLATION
U.S. Legislators Propose H2GROW Act.
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Christopher Cox
(R-CA) have introduced a bipartisan bill called the H2GROW Act - Hydrogen
Transportation Wins Over Growing Reliance on Oil. The bill includes
tax credits: for the purchase of fuel cell vehicles; for hydrogen fuel;
and for building a hydrogen-fueling infrastructure. The goal of the H2GROW
Act is to reduce reliance on 30 million barrels of foreign oil a year. The bill
also mandates that hydrogen-powered vehicles must comprise a minimum
percentage of federal fleets, from five percent for fleets of 100 vehicles or
more in 2006 to 50 percent for fleets of 50 vehicles or more in 2012.
http://wyden.senate.gov/media/2002/2003211557.html
TRANSPORTATION APPLICATIONS
Nissan and UTC Sign Development Agreement. Nissan Motor Co. and UTC Fuel Cells (UTCFC) announced the signing of
an agreement to jointly develop proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell
technology. Under terms of the agreement, Nissan will obtain rights to UTCFC's technology, and the two companies will continue to jointly
develop this technology for automotive applications. UTCFC will also have
rights to any intellectual property jointly developed by the two companies for use in
non-automotive applications, including commercial stationary power plants.
http://www.utcfuelcells.com/news/archive/020503.shtml
Astris, CareAction Form Astris Transportation Systems.
Astris Energi, Inc. and Montreal-based CareAction, Inc. have joined and formed a new company named Astris Transportation Systems, Inc.
(ATSI). Their first project will be to adapt the Astris E7-MC250 fuel cell
generator to power the Zenn electric vehicle designed for use by the disabled and
seniors, as well as the general public. The Zenn is a product of Feel Good Cars Inc., an affiliate of
CareAction. The first fuel cell-powered Zenn will be rolled out before the end of this year, followed by volume
production of fuel cell power units for both stationary and mobile applications, including use in golf cars, neighborhood electric
vehicles and other people and material movers.
http://www.astrisfuelcell.com/news/index.html
EPA Issues First Certification of a Fuel Cell Vehicle.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the first certification for fuel economy and emissions of a hydrogen fuel cell zero-emission
vehicle to the 2003 Honda FCX. EPA's Ann Arbor (Michigan) laboratory is the first
federal facility capable of testing and certifying a fuel cell vehicle for emissions and fuel economy.
http://www.epa.gov/newsroom/headline_021103.htm
GM Increases HydroGen3 FCV Range.
General Motors has increased the range of its HydroGen3 compressed hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 80 percent with a successful test of a
10,000-psi (700 bar) hydrogen storage system. The HydroGen3 Zafira minivan has a
range of 170 miles, up from 95 miles achieved in Summer 2002.
http://media.gm.com/news/releases/030210_hydrogen.html
STATIONARY POWER
Plug Power and LIPA Install Fuel Cell at McDonald's, LIPA to Purchase 45 More.
Plug Power and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) have installed a fuel cell to partially power a Long Island, New York McDonalds. The
McDonald's fuel cell was installed by LIPA as part of its alternative energy technologies research and development program, which is part of its
Clean Energy Initiative (CEI). LIPA will purchase an additional 45 GenSys(tm)5CS
fuel cell systems for installation across Long Island this year. Twenty-five will be installed at LIPA's West Babylon Fuel Cell
Demonstration Site, which currently contains fuel cell systems feeding directly into the
Long Island electrical grid. The remaining 20 systems will generate on-site heat and power for single or multi-family residential sites.
http://www.plugpower.com/news/press.cfm
Michelin Plant Operating FuelCell Energy and MTU Fuel Cell.
FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCE) announced that a Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plant built by its partner in Europe, MTU CFC Solutions
Gmbh, a company of DaimlerChrysler AG, has begun operating at a Michelin tire plant in
Karlsruhe, Germany. The power plant will supply both electricity and process steam for tire vulcanization for the facility. The fuel cells in the
power plant were manufactured by FCE and shipped to MTU for incorporation into their power plant known as the Hot Module.
http://www.fce.com/#
FCT Receives Purchase Contracts for SOFC Units.
Fuel Cell Technologies (FCT) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the Electric Power
Research Institute (EPRI) have placed orders to purchase the company's SOFC units.
NETL will purchase one 5kW unit for testing at a facility in Morgantown, WV, after which the system will be delivered to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) for installation at an abandoned hardrock mine in Montana to
provide electricity for operating instrumentation and communications
equipment. FCT will also deliver a five-kW SOFC unit to EPRI later this year for performance testing in collaboration with FCT and NETL.
FCT also signed a contract with the Gas Technology Institute to "deliver,
install and commission a 5kW SOFC unit at the Memphis Botanical Garden in Memphis,
Tennessee.
http://www.fct.ca/29_01_03.html
CA Certifies FCE DFC for Grid Connection.
FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCE) has received notice from the California Energy Commission
(CEC) that its DFC300A Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plant has been certified for grid interconnection under California's "Rule
21" standard. According to FCE, the standard is a collaborative effort of CEC
and California's three largest investor-owned utilities that specifies interconnection, operating and metering requirements for distributed
electric power generators such as fuel cells. Caterpillar and FCE Expected to Win Ohio Contract.
Caterpillar Inc. and FuelCell Energy, Inc. (FCE) are expected to win a contract to install one of the nation's first advanced utility-scale
fuel cell power plants designed to feed power from a substation into a
local electric distribution system. The innovative project award is the first by
the state of Ohio, which is investing more than $100 million in a three-year initiative to expand fuel cell research and development, including
increased fuel cell generating capacity.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030227/cgth054_1.html
Nippon Oil to Test Residential Fuel Cell System.
Nippon Oil began testing fuel cells for residential use in a model house in Yokohama's Nishi Ward. The Tokyo-based oil company also plans to begin
testing fuel cells in the official residence of Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada. The experiment, which uses propane as fuel, will last for
about a year. Nippon Oil plans to begin sales of the system in 2005, at a cost of
about 500,000 yen (approx. US$4,254).
http://www.japantoday.com/e?content=news&cat=4&id=248316
PORTABLE/BACKUP POWER
Axane Fuel Cell Used in North Pole Experiment.
Air Liquide subsidiary Axane's 300-watt Polar Pac proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell operated for more than 500 hours during a three-month
experiment near the North Pole. The Polar Pac fuel cell was used by French explorer Jean-Louis Etienne to power communication, lighting and
computer equipment.
Toshiba International and Plug Power Enter Marketing Agreement. Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) and Plug Power Inc. have
entered into a joint marketing agreement to explore the application of fuel
cells for industrial premium power markets. The agreement will define a product
that combines Plug Power's proprietary fuel cell technology with TIC's uninterruptible power systems. The companies expect the joint
marketing agreement to lead to subsequent product development and commercialization
agreements.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030219/nyw037_1.html
Ballard to Purchase Fuel Cell Generator Assets from Coleman Powermate.
Ballard Power Systems has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding whereby it will purchase Coleman Powermate's AirGen(tm) fuel cell generator
assets, acquiring all related inventory, tools and molds, software and intellectual
property, including the AirGen(tm) brand, and will develop its own sales marketing and distribution strategy for the fuel cell generator.
http://www.ballard.com/pdfs/4%20Coleman_F.PDF
FUELS/REFORMERS/STORAGE
Stuart Unveils Intelligent Hydrogen Energy Station.
Stuart Energy unveiled and demonstrated the world's first intelligent electrolytic Hydrogen Energy Station (HES) at its headquarters in
Mississauga, Ontario yesterday. Attending the event were industry and
government officials, executives from major Stuart Energy's Asian joint venture partner Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings as well as project
partners Ford Motor Company and representatives of Ballard Power Systems.
http://www.stuartenergy.com/news/press_releases/press_feb18.html
SAWC Develops Hydrogen Fuel Transport Truck.
Sumisho Air Water Company (SAWC) has developed Japan's first truck capable of transporting hydrogen fuel for fuel cell-powered vehicles. The
truck, which is expected to retail for between 50 and 60 million yen (between $415,000 and $498,000), will be purchased by Toyota Motor
Corporation. This Mobile Hydrogen Station will be driven directly to fuel cell vehicles to provide fuel.
PES Supplies HOGEN 380 for Fuel Cell Bus Project. Proton Energy Systems, Inc. (PES) has supplied one of its HOGEN 380
hydrogen generators for use in a new hydrogen and renewable energy project in
Barth, Germany. The system, which was delivered late last year, was commissioned
and successfully passed acceptance-testing earlier this month. The HOGEN 380 hydrogen generator will be used to compress and store hydrogen at
high-pressure to provide fuel for a fuel cell-powered bus. The oxygen byproduct from the unit will be used to increase Barth's wastewater
treatment capacity by adding oxygen to its biological wastewater treatment system. The Barth environmental site will also incorporate solar
panels for zero emission electricity generation.
http://www.protonenergy.com
Dynetek to Deliver Storage Systems to MAN, John Deere.
Dynetek Industries, Inc.'s wholly owned European subsidiary Dynetek Europe GmbH will deliver two 5,000-pounds per square inch (psi), or 350-bar,
hydrogen storage systems to Germany's MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG later this year for use in two fuel cell powered buses that will operate at the Munich
Airport. Back in North America, Dynetek has been selected by Deere & Company (John Deere) to supply its 5000psi (350bar) hydrogen storage
system as part of a technology demonstrator fuel cell-powered commercial work vehicle. The demonstrator will be a modified John Deere
Pro-Gator(tm) utility vehicle.
http://micro.newswire.ca/releases/February2003/20/c2364.html/47875-0
http://micro.newswire.ca/releases/February2003/06/c7454.html/47875-0
EU to Fund Hydrogen Fuel Pumps.
The European Commission is funding a three-year initiative to develop the technology to deliver hydrogen fuel pumps to petrol stations by
connecting them to a country's existing natural gas supply.
http://dbs.cordis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?CALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=
&RCN=EN_RCN_ID:19723>
QuestAir Wins Research and Development Award.
QuestAir Technologies Inc. has been awarded the 2002 Energy Research and Development Award by the Canadian Institute of Energy (British
Columbia.). The Energy Research and Development Award recognizes the efforts of B.C.-based firms that are conducting leading-edge research into energy
technology. The evaluative criteria considered in this award include the degree of innovation, commercial market potential, environmental
benefits, as well as the indirect benefits (such as productivity increases and product
quality improvements) resulting from the research.
http://biz.yahoo.com/cnw/030227/questair_energy_award_1.html
FUEL CELL COMPONENTS
SatCon Receives Order for Power Conditioning Systems.
SatCon Technology Corporation has received a $1.2 million purchase order for three megawatts of power conditioning systems for fuel cell power
generation. The UL 1741 compliant three phase multi-mode inverters
will provide power conversion and conditioning and the electrical balance of plant for a fuel cell power generation system. The units are to be
delivered in 2003.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030220/202049_1.html
NETL Generates Hydrogen from Water Without Electrolysis.
Researchers at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have patented a new method of generating hydrogen from water, without using
electrolysis. The method involves "catalytic decomposition of
water" using mixed proton-electron conducting membranes.
http://www.netl.doe.gov/newsroom/briefs/rb-0012.html
AMI Launches Third Generation Test Suite Software.
Advanced Measurements (AMI) has launched its third generation Fuel Cell Test Suite software. Possible testing options are reduction tests, power
curve tests, fuel utilizations tests, load profiling tests and impedance
spectroscopy tests.
http://www.advmeas.com/
REPORTS/MARKET STUDIES
Fuel Cells 2000 and Fuel Cell Today Release Hydrogen Fueling Station Information.
Fuel Cells 2000 and Fuel Cell Today have released a comprehensive guide and information package on hydrogen fueling stations. Both free, Fuel
Cells 2000's worldwide hydrogen fueling station reference chart is
available at: http://www.fuelcells.org/charts.htm
, and Fuel Cell Today's worldwide hydrogen fueling station report is available at:
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/surveys
.
DOC Office of Technology Policy Publishes Fuel Cell Vehicle Report.
The U.S. Department of Commerce Technology Administration's Office of Technology Policy recently published "Fuel Cell Vehicles: Race
to a New Automotive Future," which features market projections,
technology barriers, and detailed summaries of foreign investments in fuel cell vehicle
research and development programs.
http://www.ta.doc.gov/reports/TechPolicy/CD117a-030129.pdf
DTI Report Examines Role of U.K. in Fuel Cell Market.
The United Kingdom (U.K.) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Carbon Trust have released a new report, which found that the country's fuel
cell technology industry could become a significant player in the world market, given the right investment. The report, authored by E4Tech, urges
the U.K. government to establish an industry forum that will develop a vision for
fuel cells in the U.K. and act as a central liaison point for producers, government and academia.
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk
BCC Hydrogen Report.
Hydrogen as a Chemical Constituent and as an Energy Source, a recently updated report from Business Communications Company, Inc. claims the
total U.S. hydrogen demand will increase by a factor of 1.32, from 10,963 billion
cubic feet in 2002 to 14,454 billion cubic feet in 2007. This increase will be equivalent to an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 5.7%. By
2007, BCC estimates that more than 1,000,000 vehicles fueled by hydrogen will be
operating throughout the United States. This will increase the market value of hydrogen for renewable energy production.
http://www.bccresearch.com
REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS
CaFCP Seeks Fleet Vehicle Demonstration Interest.
The California Fuel Cell Partnership has started a new website-based questionnaire to gather information from those interested in helping
to test and operate fuel cell electric vehicles and related infrastructure in
real-world conditions.
http://www.cafcp.org/releases/2003_2-03_2003_fleets.html
NYSERDA Funding Available for DG/CHP Projects.
$10 million in funding is available from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for distributed generation (DG)
and combined heat and power (CHP) projects, including fuel cell feasibility studies, technology transfer studies, and demonstration projects.
Proposals are due by April 16, 2003.
http://www.nyserda.org/750pon.html
Climate Change Fuel Cell Buy-down Program.
The Department of Defense, through the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory, has issued its 2003 Climate Change Fuel
Cell Buy-Down Solicitation, to provide grants of up to $1,000/kW for the purchase
& installation of fuel cell power plants with a combined capacity rated between 3 and 3,000 kW. $2.8 million is available under this
solicitation. It is anticipated that there will be between 10 and 14 awards
resulting from the solicitation. Applications are due on June 1, 2003.
http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOE/PAM/HQ/DE-PS26-03NT41463/listing.html
MISCELLANEOUS
DOE EERE Web Site Renamed, Moved.
The web site for DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), formerly known as EREN, has moved to a new address. The
site's new address places greater emphasis on the reorganized office's 11 technology
programs - including the Hydrogen, Fuel Cell and Infrastructure Technologies
Program - and reflects DOE's move from doe.gov to energy.gov. The new EERE web site is
http://www.eere.energy.gov/ .
CONFERENCES
Fuel Cell Investment Summit.
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, the U.S. Fuel Cell Council and Fuel Cells 2000 present the first annual Fuel Cell Investment Summit. This
conference will be held on March 17-18, 2003, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville,
Connecticut. For registration information, please visit http://www.fuelcellis.com
.
Pennsylvania Fuel Cell Workshop.
"The Path to a Fuel Cell Economy in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic Region" will be held on March 18, 2003, at the Sheraton
Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For more information, please go to
http://www.cleanair.org/fuelcell
.
Aspen Clean Energy Roundtable.
Montreux Energy's 10th annual Aspen Clean Energy Roundtable will be held March 26-28, 2003, at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado. For
registration information, please visit http://www.montreuxenergy.com/aspen.htm
.
Excellence in Fuel Cells Summit.
The "Excellence in Fuel Cells" Conference and Workshop will be April 9-11, 2003, at the Hannover Fair, Germany. For details, go to
http://www.eyeforfuelcells.com/events/hannover2003/
.
Small Fuel Cells 2003.
The 5th Annual Small Fuel Cells conference - Small Fuel Cells for Portable Power Applications will be May 7 - 9, 2003, at the Hyatt Regency New
Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. For conference details, go to
http://www.knowledgepress.com/events/10301507.htm
.
Industrial Short Course.
"An Introduction to the Science and Engineering of Fuel Cells and Fuel Processors" will be May 7-9, 2003, at the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For details, go to
http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/cheme/fuelcellcrse/index.html
.
Fuel Cell Fundamentals.
The Fuel Cell Fundamentals Short Course will be May 8-9, 2003, at the WPI Worcester Campus in Worcester, Massachusetts. For course information,
go to http://www.ce.wpi.edu/FC/ .
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells 2003.
Join over 700 delegates to discuss the latest developments in hydrogen, fuel cell research and product developments in Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada on June 8-11, 2003. Also available will be an exciting array of industrial and product demonstrations.For more information, please
visit http://www.hydrogenfuelcells2003.com
.
Grove Fuel Cell Symposium VIII.
Join international delegates to discuss developments in fuel cell technology and commercialization at the Eighth Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, in
London, England on September 24-26, 2003. New for 2003 is a large exhibition area
featuring over 100 exhibitors, vendor presentations and live demonstrations. Find out more at
http://www.grovefuelcell.com or contact
mailto:sm.wilkinson@elsevier.com
.
EPRI DR Conference.
EPRI's Eighth Annual DR Conference will be October 15-17, 2003, at the Intercontinental New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana.
http://www.epri.com
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