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Air Liquide hydrogen stations for Japan, French regional council
NEWS (7 oz) – utilises microtubular solid oxide fuel cell technology to generate power from widely available lighter fuel (butane) or camping gas (butane/propane). The company says that a single refill can provide sufficient energy to recharge an Apple iPhone 11 times. ‘We have experienced a huge rush since our technology was first launched,’ says Dr Sascha Kühn, president and founder of eZelleron. ‘We have met with Samsung to explore possible cooperation. Apple and other big companies in the technology and automotive sectors have also made inquiries.’ eZelleron GmbH aims to ship the kraftwerk device, which has already been produced in a range of successful functional prototypes, at the end of 2015. The company has received more than 6000 pre-orders (with pricing from $99) in the US, Europe, and Asia. After quickly reaching its first funding goal, eZelleron plans to use the extra funding to develop a particularly robust outdoor version, and a luxury version. Fuel cell developers have had mixed fortunes with crowd-funding so far. Last year Neah Power Systems launched a successful Indiegogo campaign for its BuzzBar Suite® of handheld device charging products [FCB, October 2014, p6], but in 2013 California-based Point Source Power was well short of its Kickstarter target to commercialise its HALO Fuel Cell power source for the outdoor enthusiast and emergency markets [FCB, July 2013, p7]. eZelleron GmbH, Dresden, Germany. Tel: +49 351 250 88780, www.ezelleron.eu eZelleron Inc, Wilmington, Delaware, USA. Tel: +1 860 341 5558, www.hellokraftwerk.com kraftwerk on Kickstarter: http://tinyurl.com/kick-kraftwerk
Neah Power completes PowerChip testing at DRDO in India
U
S-based Neah Power Systems has successfully completed testing of its PowerChip® units at an Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility. The company has also signed a definitive agreement to merge with Californiabased Shorai Inc, a leading provider of lithium ion-based power sports and starter battery solutions for the consumer and motorsport markets. The successful PowerChip testing at DRDO is a critical milestone in completing the licensing agreement with the Indian government agency, which is responsible for
February 2015
the development of technology for use by the military [FCB, December 2013, p8]. Neah Power has received payment of approximately $165 000 for these initial test units. ‘This further substantiates the value proposition of the PowerChip fuel cell in terms of differentiated performance from other fuel cells, including non-air operation and semiconductor-based manufacturing, as well as the ability to meet the needs of mission-critical applications,’ says Dr Chris D’Couto, CEO of Neah Power. He expects that completion of the licensing agreement will lead to a significant contract, and enable further adoption of the technology for a variety of applications in the industries that Neah is targeting. Neah Power says that the acquisition of Shorai is intended to deliver a comprehensive suite of customer-focused alternative energy power generation and storage solutions, through a diverse portfolio of proprietary technologies. Shorai is a well known producer of lightweight, efficient and high-performance lithium-ion starter batteries for motorcycles, allterrain and utility vehicles, lawnmowers etc. ‘Our customers, whether defence, commercial or consumer, want to see integrated power solutions that use best-ofbreed technologies in order to meet their mission-critical needs,’ says Chris D’Couto. ‘Completing this merger allows us to create product, operational, and marketing synergies to meet these customer needs.’ Neah Power’s core solutions have a small formfactor, recharge instantly, and can be operated in air and non-air (anaerobic) environments, providing a longer life with lower total cost of ownership. The company’s offerings also include the Formira® Hydrogen on Demand™ (HOD) formic acid reformer technology [FCB, November 2014, p6] and the BuzzBar Suite® of handheld device charging products [FCB, September 2014, p7]. Neah Power Systems, Bothell, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 425 424 3324, www.neahpower.com Shorai Inc: www.shoraipower.com
FUELING
cell electric vehicles in central Nagoya and in Toyota City. Air Liquide has also inaugurated a hydrogen station in the city of Saint-Lô in the Manche department in northwestern France. The new stations in Japan, which began construction last autumn [FCB, October 2014, p7], were developed by Nagoya-based Toyotsu Air Liquide Hydrogen Energy Corporation, the joint venture between Air Liquide Japan and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, [FCB, November 2013, p8]. Air Liquide Japan was in charge of the design and installation of these stations, which were designed using the expertise the Air Liquide group has acquired from installing more than 60 hydrogen stations around the world. Air Liquide has already built three hydrogen stations in Japan – in Tokyo, in neighbouring Kawasaki City, and in Saga on the southern island of Kyushu. Closer to home, Air Liquide has inaugurated a hydrogen refueling station in Saint-Lô, for the first regional authority in France to have a hydrogen station for its vehicles. The Conseil Général de la Manche (Manche regional council) is keen to develop the hydrogen energy industry, and play a pioneering role in this field. The station will initially refuel the community’s 10 Renault Kangoo Maxi ZE electric vehicles, which utilise a hydrogen fuel cell range-extender supplied by Symbio FCell [see page 2]. In a second stage, 30 more vehicles from partnering communities and buses will use the station. Air Liquide already operates publicly accessible hydrogen stations in Europe, including Rotterdam in the Netherlands [FCB, October 2014, p7] and Düsseldorf in Germany. Last summer the company announced the installation of four new hydrogen stations in Denmark [FCB, July 2014, p8], part of the first national hydrogen infrastructure network in Europe, and in the autumn it announced plans to develop and supply an integrated hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the northeastern US, in collaboration with Toyota Motor Sales USA [FCB, December 2014, p8]. Air Liquide, Hydrogen Filling Station: http://tinyurl.com/airliquide-h2filling Air Liquide Japan: www.jp.airliquide.com/en/welcome.html Toyota Tsusho Corporation: www.toyota-tsusho.com/english
Air Liquide hydrogen stations for Japan, Linde to build its first French regional council hydrogen fueling ndustrial gases giant Air Liquide station in Sweden
I
recently completed two hydrogen fueling stations in Aichi Prefecture in Japan. These two stations are the first public-use hydrogen stations for fuel
T
he Linde Group, via its Scandinavian business branch AGA, is building its first hydrogen refueling
Fuel Cells Bulletin
7
Neah Power completes PowerChip testing at DRDO in India
U
S-based Neah Power Systems has successfully completed testing of its PowerChip® units at an Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility. The company has also signed a definitive agreement to merge with Californiabased Shorai Inc, a leading provider of lithium ion-based power sports and starter battery solutions for the consumer and motorsport markets. The successful PowerChip testing at DRDO is a critical milestone in completing the licensing agreement with the Indian government agency, which is responsible for
February 2015
the development of technology for use by the military [FCB, December 2013, p8]. Neah Power has received payment of approximately $165 000 for these initial test units. ‘This further substantiates the value proposition of the PowerChip fuel cell in terms of differentiated performance from other fuel cells, including non-air operation and semiconductor-based manufacturing, as well as the ability to meet the needs of mission-critical applications,’ says Dr Chris D’Couto, CEO of Neah Power. He expects that completion of the licensing agreement will lead to a significant contract, and enable further adoption of the technology for a variety of applications in the industries that Neah is targeting. Neah Power says that the acquisition of Shorai is intended to deliver a comprehensive suite of customer-focused alternative energy power generation and storage solutions, through a diverse portfolio of proprietary technologies. Shorai is a well known producer of lightweight, efficient and high-performance lithium-ion starter batteries for motorcycles, allterrain and utility vehicles, lawnmowers etc. ‘Our customers, whether defence, commercial or consumer, want to see integrated power solutions that use best-ofbreed technologies in order to meet their mission-critical needs,’ says Chris D’Couto. ‘Completing this merger allows us to create product, operational, and marketing synergies to meet these customer needs.’ Neah Power’s core solutions have a small formfactor, recharge instantly, and can be operated in air and non-air (anaerobic) environments, providing a longer life with lower total cost of ownership. The company’s offerings also include the Formira® Hydrogen on Demand™ (HOD) formic acid reformer technology [FCB, November 2014, p6] and the BuzzBar Suite® of handheld device charging products [FCB, September 2014, p7]. Neah Power Systems, Bothell, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 425 424 3324, www.neahpower.com Shorai Inc: www.shoraipower.com
FUELING
cell electric vehicles in central Nagoya and in Toyota City. Air Liquide has also inaugurated a hydrogen station in the city of Saint-Lô in the Manche department in northwestern France. The new stations in Japan, which began construction last autumn [FCB, October 2014, p7], were developed by Nagoya-based Toyotsu Air Liquide Hydrogen Energy Corporation, the joint venture between Air Liquide Japan and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, [FCB, November 2013, p8]. Air Liquide Japan was in charge of the design and installation of these stations, which were designed using the expertise the Air Liquide group has acquired from installing more than 60 hydrogen stations around the world. Air Liquide has already built three hydrogen stations in Japan – in Tokyo, in neighbouring Kawasaki City, and in Saga on the southern island of Kyushu. Closer to home, Air Liquide has inaugurated a hydrogen refueling station in Saint-Lô, for the first regional authority in France to have a hydrogen station for its vehicles. The Conseil Général de la Manche (Manche regional council) is keen to develop the hydrogen energy industry, and play a pioneering role in this field. The station will initially refuel the community’s 10 Renault Kangoo Maxi ZE electric vehicles, which utilise a hydrogen fuel cell range-extender supplied by Symbio FCell [see page 2]. In a second stage, 30 more vehicles from partnering communities and buses will use the station. Air Liquide already operates publicly accessible hydrogen stations in Europe, including Rotterdam in the Netherlands [FCB, October 2014, p7] and Düsseldorf in Germany. Last summer the company announced the installation of four new hydrogen stations in Denmark [FCB, July 2014, p8], part of the first national hydrogen infrastructure network in Europe, and in the autumn it announced plans to develop and supply an integrated hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the northeastern US, in collaboration with Toyota Motor Sales USA [FCB, December 2014, p8]. Air Liquide, Hydrogen Filling Station: http://tinyurl.com/airliquide-h2filling Air Liquide Japan: www.jp.airliquide.com/en/welcome.html Toyota Tsusho Corporation: www.toyota-tsusho.com/english
Air Liquide hydrogen stations for Japan, Linde to build its first French regional council hydrogen fueling ndustrial gases giant Air Liquide station in Sweden
I
recently completed two hydrogen fueling stations in Aichi Prefecture in Japan. These two stations are the first public-use hydrogen stations for fuel
T
he Linde Group, via its Scandinavian business branch AGA, is building its first hydrogen refueling
Fuel Cells Bulletin
7