August 2008

A Peterbilt Model 386 truck "hotel" with its diesel engine turned off is powered by a Delphi solid oxide fuel cell unit. See story below.

around the industry

Delphi SOFC Powers Peterbilt Truck

Delphi Corp. of Troy, Michigan, and Peterbilt Motors Co. of Denton, Texas, have successfully demonstrated a Delphi solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) auxiliary power unit (APU) powering a Peterbilt Model 386 truck's "hotel" loads. During recent testing at Peterbilt's headquarters, the Delphi SOFC provided power for the truck's electrical system and air conditioning and maintained its batteries ‚ all while the Model 386's diesel engine was turned off.

The Peterbilt/Delphi test replicated a typical trucker's day to evaluate the real-world usefulness and capacity of the SOFC. Throughout the test, the SOFC APU provided an average of 800W to the Peterbilt Model 386. "We are encouraged by the performance of the demonstration, especially given the 95F heat," says Mary Gustanski, Delphi Powertrain Systems director of engineering.

By limiting idling time and running a SOFC instead of the main engine, emissions are reduced, noise is nearly eliminated, and operators realize significant fuel savings. The new Delphi technology will be able to use natural gas, diesel, bio-diesel, propane, gasoline, coal-derived fuel and military logistics fuel. In addition to its fuel flexibility, the SOFC will be compact in size.

MTI Micro Demonstrates Industry Breakthrough

MTI MicroFuel Cells Inc. of Albany, New York, has achieved 2,700 hours of continuous operation with a Mobion® laboratory cell ‚ the building block of the company's Mobion chip and systems. In comparison, a typical cell phone plan in the U.S., marketed to moderate to heavy users, includes 3,000 minutes per month which, over the life of a typical two-year contract, translates to only 1,200 hours of use.

In an industry report published by the Journal of Power Sources, tests conducted on direct methanol micro fuel cells show degradation of up to 35% after only 360 hours of operation.

"In less than a year, we have been chosen by three consumer electronic OEMs who strive to meet the needs of consumers who want a longer lasting and more reliable power source," says Peng Lim, MTI's chairman and CEO.

SFC Achieves Fuel Cell Technology Breakthrough

Germany's SFC Smart Fuel Cell, world leading supplier of fuel cell products for mobile and off-grid power applications, has achieved more significant breakthroughs in its ongoing technology and product development programs. Enhanced, highly efficient EFOY fuel cell systems have repeatedly demonstrated an energy density of 1,580Wh electric per kilogram of fuel. This record-high energy density was achieved by continued efficiency improvements of major system components.

The new technology will introduce decisive competitive advantages into SFC's successful product range of mobile and portable fuel cells. User benefits are additional weight savings, cost savings, and simplified logistics. Customers who operate safety-critical remote or defense applications will especially appreciate the significantly reduced de-tectability of such fuel cells due to even lower infrared and noise signatures.

"Industry and defense customers have long been requesting this improved energy density and operability under extreme conditions, and we have been the first to present these features to them," says Dr. Jens Mueller, COO of SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG.

Melczer Becomes Proton Motor CEO

Melczer

Thomas Melczer has been appointed the new CEO of Proton Motor Fuel Cell of Munich, Germany, to enhance the company's industrial expertise. Felix Heidelberg, who previously held this position, will be concentrating on further development and applications of the technology and products of Proton Motor in his new role as CTO.

Melczer, 49, has years of international industrial experience in sales and production. Before joining Proton Motor, he was vice president for sales at the British company, Chloride, for seven years. Before that, he spent 20 years working for Siemens AG where he held numerous positions, including managing director of a subsidiary. In 2007 he founded SPower Holding GmbH, a company offering uninterruptible power supplies.

Loy Becomes Entegris Executive VP and COO

Loy

Entegris Inc. of Chaska, Minnesota, has appointed Bertrand Loy as the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer. Loy, who previously served as executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Entegris, succeeds Jean-Marc Pandraud, who is retiring.

Loy, 43, had served as chief administrative officer since the completion of the Entegris/Mykrolis merger in August 2005, after serving as chief financial officer of Mykrolis Corp. since January 2001. He previously served as the chief information officer of Millipore Corp. He holds a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from ESSEC in Paris, France.

Pandraud, 55, will continue to play an important active role as a senior advisor to the company and its management on matters related to customer, technology and market development.

England Joins FuelCell Energy Board

England

J.H. (Herb) England has joined the board of directors of Danbury, Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy Inc., a leading manufacturer of high efficiency ultra-clean power plants using renewable biogas and other fuels for commercial, industrial and utility customers.

England is currently an independent business consultant as well as the CEO and a director of Stahlman-England Irrigation Inc. and HEMS LLC, an investment partnership. He is a current director of Enbridge Inc. and a past member of the board of directors of John Labatt Ltd., Canada Malting Co. Ltd., and the St. Clair Paint and Wallpaper Corp. His appointment brings FuelCell Energy's board membership to 11.

HydraStax® Selected to Power Hydrogen Village

Hydra Fuel Cell Corp. of Beaverton, Oregon, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Security Resources Corp., reports that its distributor, Conexa Products of Miami, Florida, has signed a letter of intent with Distribution Management Services, Inc, to provide HydraStax® hydrogen fuel cells for 174 deluxe, affordable homes that DMGS are developing near Orlando, Florida. DMGS plans to begin construction on the first 25 homes within 60 days according to DMGS announcements.

ARSC is a holding company developing clean energy technologies. Its Hydra Fuel Cell Corp. subsidiary is developing high volume, mass producible hydrogen fuel cells. Its American Hydrogen Corp. subsidiary is developing a method to inexpensively formulate hydrogen from ammonia

PolyFuel Prototype Fuel Cell Notebook

PolyFuel has just unveiled a prototype Lenovo T40 ThinkPad that does not run on standard batteries. Instead it relies on a small notebook-class fuel cell. According to PolyFuel, this fuel cell offers the ability to run continuously as you can change tiny methanol cartridges on-the-fly.

PolyFuel is currently looking into the viability of notebook manufacturers integrating it into their future products, although that will still take quite some time to come. The positive environmental impact is almost immediate ‚ you'll have less headache trying to figure out how to dispose of the dead batteries.

Electro Energy to Provide Battery for Fuel Cell Bus

Electro Energy Inc. of Danbury, Connecticut, has been selected to supply a customized battery pack using its patented bipolar wafer cell nickel metal hydride technology to the Georgetown University Methanol Fuel Cell Transit Bus Integration and Test Project.

EEI will partner with other team members, such as EV America, to develop the bus design as well as the battery and fuel cell integration and test plan to deliver a methanol fuel cell transit bus. In addition to supplying the customized battery pack, Electro Energy will also provide engineering and technical expertise.

The program will integrate the fuel cell system into a modern, 30-foot transit bus hybrid platform, and demonstrate the methanol fuel cell bus in varying venues and environments within several transit agencies.

Group to Set Standards for Hydrogen Stations

The Fuel Cell Commercialization Conference of Japan plans to develop a set of industrial standards by 2010 for hydrogen filling stations for fuel cell cars.

These standards will be crafted by 12 members of the private-sector consortium, including Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. as well as others with a connection to the business, like Nippon Oil Corp. and Tokyo Gas Co.

This group will establish specifications for the pressure of the stored hydrogen and the method used to fill cars with the fuel at the station. Industrial standards will help lower the cost of equipment development and thereby promote the commercialization of filling stations.

Test operation of the stations will begin in 2010, and once safety has been verified the consortium will push for a loosening of the regulations. This is seen paving the way for member firms in the energy sector to start building hydrogen filling stations in 2015, a key step in promoting the popularization of fuel cell cars.

Idatech Signs Supply Agreement with Ballard

IdaTech plc of Bend, Oregon, has signed a second three-year supply agreement with Ballard Power Systems Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Ballard will supply fuel cell stacks for the next generation of IdaTech's commercial critical backup power supply product, the ElectraGen™ . It builds on IdaTech's existing agreement with Ballard to supply its fuel cell stack modules for incorporation into IdaTech's next generation iGen™ integrated sub-kilowatt fuel cell fuel system.

While the contract will commence immediately, full integration of the Ballard fuel cell stacks into the ElectraGen product is contingent on final testing and validation of the stack performance. IdaTech intends to source the stack in two power outputs, 3kW and 5kW.

IdaTech will continue its own internal stack research, development and production capability. The supply agreement allows the company to focus on its fuel reforming, controls and integration for the next generation of its ElectraGen and iGen products, areas where IdaTech has successfully differentiated itself.

Quantum Ships Carbon Composite Hydrogen Storage

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. of Irvine, California, has designed, developed and shipped a new generation of ultra-lightweight advanced composite hydrogen storage units for Suzuki Motor Corp.'s fuel cell vehicle program. The systems were developed, analyzed, and tested to meet the Japanese government requirements.

The higher fuel density capability of Quantum's hydrogen tank systems allows efficient on-board packaging without intrusion into passenger and cargo areas, while providing extended driving range. The new generation of Type IV (polymer lined, all composite) ultra-lightweight tank has been successfully tested and validated to operating conditions beyond current industry and government standards. These systems exhibit exceptional fast-fill performance and low permeation levels. Quantum also achieved further reductions in material cost and improvements in material utilization and manufacturing efficiency compared with previous tanks.

Shell and GM Open Hydrogen Station in L.A.

The first public hydrogen refueling station in California with integrated hydrogen and gasoline refueling is now open, providing drivers in Chevrolet's Project Driveway another location to refuel their Equinox fuel cell vehicles, currently on the roads throughout southern California.

Los Angeles City Council member Bill Rosendahl and Graeme Sweeney, executive vice president for Shell Future Fuels and CO2, were among those who participated in the dedication ceremony.

The station is the third Shell Hydrogen vehicle refueling station in the U.S. as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Hydrogen Vehicle and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project.

"The hydrogen infrastructure for automobiles is economically viable and do-able," said Larry Burns, Ph.D., General Motors vice president, research & development and strategic planning. "It requires a collective will by automakers, energy suppliers, and governments."

Hydrogenics to Supply Power Packs to CTC

Hydrogenics Corp. of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, has been awarded a contract by Concurrent Technologies Corp. to supply 20 fuel cell power packs for integration into Crown lift trucks to be deployed at Defense Distribution Depot Warner Robins Georgia (DDWG). CTC, a technology solution provider to the Department of Defense, will replace lead acid batteries currently used in Crown Class 1 lift trucks with the Hydrogenics hydrogen-powered fuel cell power packs. Hydrogenics anticipates that it will deliver the fuel cell power packs before December 31.

Class 1 lift trucks currently rely on lead acid battery-powered materials handling equipment to meet zero emission requirements. A two-year trial is expected to show that users can realize significant productivity gains with hydrogen-powered equipment.

Designed to fit within a lift truck's existing standard battery pack compartment, Hydrogenics' HyPX power packs incorporate the company's HyPM® HD fuel cell power module for base load requirements and energy-storing ultracapacitors to handle load.

Fuel Cell Boat Prepares for Voyage

Professional adventurer Mike Horn is preparing for a four-year eco-voyage on a high-tech boat called the Pangaea Expedition. Horn plans to tour the world's ecosystems and traverse about 100,000km, most of it by boat. Meanwhile, he'll be offering periodic educational opportunities on board for teenagers around the world.

This sailboat, though it will rely on its sails for most of its propulsion, uses a hydrogen fuel cell for power when it cuts through icy Arctic waters. Solar panels on the surface of the cockpit power the process of electrolysis, which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The split hydrogen is transferred into a storing device, which can then be used to run the fuel cell. Sponsored by Mercedes Benz, Horn's ship also is equipped with Mercedes' fuel-efficient BlueTec engines.

The voyage will begin in Punta Arenas in Chile. The first major destinations will be Cape Horn, followed by Antarctica, Australia, Asia, up to the Arctic, then back to the Americas, wrapping up in Punta Arenas.