- Email: [email protected]
FCT sells SOFC to BP Shipping, CSA approval
NEWS advanced battery technology and an intelligent power manager. ‘The successful prototype demonstration was a key milestone in our development work with Protonex,’ comments William Walters, business development manager for Northrop Grumman Laser Systems. ‘We are eager to continue our work together to develop a production-ready portable power system for field deployment.’ Contact: Protonex Technology Corporation, Southborough, Massachusetts, USA. Tel: +1 508 490 9960, www.protonex.com Or contact: Northrop Grumman Laser Systems, Northrop Grumman Space Technology, Redondo Beach, California, USA. Tel: +1 310 812 4321, www.st.northropgrumman.com
Acta demos operation on gasoline, completes pilot plant, opens AIM trading
I
talian-based Acta SpA, which manufactures platinum-free catalysts for fuel cells, has demonstrated a fuel cell operating directly on gasoline. The company has also recently completed construction of its pilot plant manufacturing facility, and commenced trading on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). The company has developed a range of unique, platinum-free Hypermec™ fuel cell catalysts that are capable of operating on ethanol fuel [FCB, July], as well as hydrogen and methanol. Now, Acta reports that the range of readily available fuels that can be used with fuel cells utilizing its catalysts has been extended to both gasoline and ethylene glycol (used as a radiator coolant in cars). The company says this introduces new entry options into the fuel cell market for automotive companies. Commenting on the breakthrough, Acta’s chief executive Paolo Bert says that the ability to use gasoline as a fuel demonstrates the ‘extraordinary power and versatility’ of the company’s catalyst technology. He adds that, being free of costly platinum and platinum group metals, these new catalysts can be sold into high-volume applications at industrial prices. The company also recently raised £9m (US$16m) through an initial placement of 7.2m ordinary shares prior to its admission to trading on London’s AIM. The company had a market capitalization of £44.8m ($78m) when trading commenced on 4 October. Finally, Acta reports that it has completed its 1000 m2 manufacturing facility in Lavoria, near 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Pisa in Italy. The site contains custom-designed development laboratories and a pilot plant with sufficient capacity to manufacture up to 500 kg per annum of catalyst, sufficient to meet projected global development needs. Contact: Acta SpA, Milan, Italy. Tel: +39 02 7200 6969, www.acta-nanotech.com
Advanced Ceramics buys MP Technologies
I
n Arizona, Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing has acquired MP Technologies, a systems research and design company specializing in power systems such as PEM fuel cells, according to a report in the Arizona Daily Star. Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing president David Blanchard says the acquisition of MP Technologies will allow the company to offer its customers new power options, and give it a stronger strategic position in the highly competitive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market. The company is a joint venture of Tucsonbased Advanced Ceramics Research Inc and the San Xavier Development Authority on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Its plant makes ceramic components for high-temperature and high-wear applications. Contact: Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing LLC, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Tel: +1 520 547 0850, www.acmtucson.com
Voller launches stealth military battery charger, wins innovation award
U
K-based portable fuel cell developer Voller Energy Group has unveiled a portable military battery charger based on its patented PEM fuel cell technology. Unlike conventional generators currently used to recharge military batteries, Voller’s VE900M charger cannot be detected by the enemy and can therefore be used during military operations. The military is increasingly reliant on electronic equipment that requires portable power sources, and the VE900M, with its ‘stealth’ technology, will help ensure that military personnel in the field can remain operational for much longer periods of time, according to Stephen Voller, CEO of Voller Energy. The US Army alone has between 450 and 500 items
that are dependent on batteries, says Voller; during the first two weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the US military used approximately 3000 batteries every day. The VE900M charger, which was unveiled in September at the DSEi (Defence Systems & Equipment International) international tri-service defence exhibition in London, is intended for applications in the US military and Nato. It is designed to fit into the webbing of the Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) soldier project, which is the next stage of the UK’s soldier modernization program. Voller is working with a number of specialist military battery suppliers to address the logistics and power sources area of the FIST program. Contact: Voller Energy Group Plc, Basingstoke, UK. Tel: +44 1256 813900, www.voller.com
Pacific Fuel Cell completes production-ready nanoMEA prototype
C
alifornia-based Pacific Fuel Cell has completed the prototype of its proprietary nanostructured membraneelectrode assembly, and is currently looking for partners for production of the patented nanoMEA. The company’s chief scientific advisor, Professor Yushan Yan of the University of California at Riverside, says that the new carbon nanomaterial-based MEAs have shown excellent performance for both hydrogen and methanol fuel cells. For example, he comments that this technology uses 75% less platinum while exceeding the performance of current state-ofthe-art MEAs for direct methanol fuel cells. The carbon nanomaterials are used as the support for platinum or platinum alloy catalysts. Another major advantage claimed for these carbon nanomaterials is their higher corrosion resistance and thus longer lifetime than carbon black. Contact: Pacific Fuel Cell Corporation, Tustin, California, USA. Tel: +1 714 564 1693, www.pfce.net
FCT sells SOFC to BP Shipping, CSA approval
O
ntario-based Fuel Cell Technologies Ltd, a leading developer and producer of solid oxide fuel cell systems, has signed a contract with BP Shipping Ltd in the UK for a 5 kWe SOFC fuel cell system. FCT has also announced that its
November 2005
NEWS cogeneration (CHP) 5 kWe SOFC system has recently received approval from CSA International. BP Shipping will use the system on board one of its liquid natural gas (LNG) tankers, to demonstrate the use of SOFCs to power auxiliary shipboard applications. The SOFC system will be fueled by the LNG ‘boil-off ’ to generate electricity more efficiently than the traditional steam boilers currently employed on board the tanker. ‘The sale to BP Shipping is an example of how Siemens and FCT are working together to bring SOFC systems to the market, and illustrates the benefits of FCT’s sales distribution relationship with Siemens,’ says John Stannard, president/CEO of FCT. Siemens and FCT continue to cooperate in the technology development for the 5 kWe SOFC systems as part of a memorandum of understanding signed last November. Since June FCT has signed contracts totaling C$1.2m (US$1m) for systems to be delivered by the end of 2005. Meanwhile, FCT’s 5 kWe SOFC system has been certified by CSA International to the ANSI/CSA America FC1-2004 standard, which allows the system to be installed in residences in the US without the need for special permits. Contact: Fuel Cell Technologies Ltd, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 613 544 8222, www.fct.ca
Contract to develop fuel cell power for rail vehicle
V
ehicle Projects LLC in Colorado has announced the signing of a contract to develop a prototype 150 kWe fuel cell powerplant for an advanced rail vehicle under development by an offshore railway research organization. The PEM fuel cell power unit, to be delivered in January, will utilize the new Forza™ power modules from US/Italian-based Nuvera Fuel Cells. According to Vehicle Projects, PEM fuel cell powered locomotives combine the advantages of the two current types of locomotive power: catenary-electric and diesel-electric power. They will be more efficient and have lower infrastructure costs than catenary-electrics, and will be cleaner and quieter than diesel-electrics. ‘We continue to use Nuvera fuel cell stacks and power modules in our advanced vehicles, because of the ruggedness of their metal bipolar plates and the simplicity and compactness of their direct-water-injection system of cooling and membrane humidification,’ explains Dr Arnold Miller, president of Vehicle Projects.
November 2005
‘Steel-wheel-on-steel-rail applications are subject to extreme shock and vibration, and our experience with Nuvera stacks in the earlier mine locomotive has demonstrated that metal plates are up to the task.’ Vehicle Projects conceives, organizes, funds and manages multi-institutional, international projects to develop and demonstrate prototype industrial fuel cell vehicles. Its completed or ongoing projects – for the underground mining and railway industries – include development of a fuel cell powered underground mine locomotive [FCB, January 2003], a fuel cell/battery hybrid mine loader, and a 1.2 MW roadswitcher locomotive for commercial and military railway applications [FCB, October 2003]. Contact: Vehicle Projects LLC, Denver, Colorado, USA. Tel: +1 303 296 4218, www.vehicleprojects.com
already started shipping ElectraGen5 units to European customers. CE certification is awarded based on the successful completion of a series of tests designed to meet essential requirements on appliances operating on hydrogen, including electromagnetic compliance, low voltage and machine directives. As part of the certification process, IdaTech complied with the CE directives identified by various certification agencies as being applicable to fuel cell systems. UL and NEBS certifications are currently under way for the US market, the company reports. This certification of ElectraGen5 is expected to accelerate its market penetration. IdaTech believes the ElectraGen5 is well positioned to replace valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries in telecoms and other applications. Contact: IdaTech LLC, Bend, Oregon, USA. Tel: +1 541 383 3390, www.idatech.com
IdaTech debut at telecom show, gains European approval for ElectraGen5 Hydrogen transportation project in Connecticut
O
regon-based IdaTech demonstrated a suite of targeted backup power products to mark its first appearance at telecoms event INTELEC’05 in Berlin, Germany. Alongside its recently launched 5 kWe ElectraGen™5 PEMbased system for critical backup power applications [FCB, May 2005] and the portable 250 We iGen™, IdaTech exhibited a 5 kWe Extended Run Module, claimed to be an industry first. The Extended Run Module complements the company’s hydrogen-fueled ElectraGen5 and other ElectraGen power systems, converting liquid fuel into pure hydrogen. This allows the ElectraGen5 to operate for extended periods to provide backup power in the event of grid failure, and eliminates the need for onsite storage of multiple hydrogen cylinders where this is not feasible, says IdaTech. Like the ElectraGen5, the Extended Run Module is intended to deliver 10 years of reliable backup power operation. The highly compact iGen PEM fuel cell system incorporates an onboard fuel reformer to also allow operation on liquid fuel rather than bottled hydrogen. It can be used as a battery replacement or extender in remote or grid-connected telecoms applications. Shortly before the INTELEC event, IdaTech’s ElectraGen5 was awarded European Conformity (CE) certification. This allows sales and operation of the system, which is designed for critical backup power needs ranging from 3 to 15 kWe, and marks the opportunity for full market deployment in Europe. The company has
T
he Greater New Haven Transit District (GNHTD) in Connecticut has awarded its Advanced Transportation System Development Program to an integrated product development team led by the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) in Des Plaines, Illinois. The project is part of the National Hydrogen Initiative administered by the US Federal Transit Administration, which is providing funding for the hydrogenpowered public transportation project in New Haven. The $2.9 million award is for Phase I of the projected multi-year program, which aims to design and deliver two hydrogen-fueled hybridelectric transit vehicles, and two on-site hydrogen production, storage and dispensing systems, as well as support the design and implementation of innovative diagnostic, maintenance and training platforms for the vehicles and fueling systems. The most advanced technologies will be used in the production of the new type of transit vehicle, including electric drives, battery technologies, fuel cells, high-pressure tanks, composites and wireless communications. Ultimately the project will also encompass the design and construction of a new, state-of-the-art transit facility for GNHTD. The advanced transportation system is based on two hydrogen-fueled, battery dominant, hybrid-electric transit vehicles, the first of which will be powered by a fuel cell, the second
Fuel Cells Bulletin
7
Acta demos operation on gasoline, completes pilot plant, opens AIM trading
I
talian-based Acta SpA, which manufactures platinum-free catalysts for fuel cells, has demonstrated a fuel cell operating directly on gasoline. The company has also recently completed construction of its pilot plant manufacturing facility, and commenced trading on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). The company has developed a range of unique, platinum-free Hypermec™ fuel cell catalysts that are capable of operating on ethanol fuel [FCB, July], as well as hydrogen and methanol. Now, Acta reports that the range of readily available fuels that can be used with fuel cells utilizing its catalysts has been extended to both gasoline and ethylene glycol (used as a radiator coolant in cars). The company says this introduces new entry options into the fuel cell market for automotive companies. Commenting on the breakthrough, Acta’s chief executive Paolo Bert says that the ability to use gasoline as a fuel demonstrates the ‘extraordinary power and versatility’ of the company’s catalyst technology. He adds that, being free of costly platinum and platinum group metals, these new catalysts can be sold into high-volume applications at industrial prices. The company also recently raised £9m (US$16m) through an initial placement of 7.2m ordinary shares prior to its admission to trading on London’s AIM. The company had a market capitalization of £44.8m ($78m) when trading commenced on 4 October. Finally, Acta reports that it has completed its 1000 m2 manufacturing facility in Lavoria, near 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Pisa in Italy. The site contains custom-designed development laboratories and a pilot plant with sufficient capacity to manufacture up to 500 kg per annum of catalyst, sufficient to meet projected global development needs. Contact: Acta SpA, Milan, Italy. Tel: +39 02 7200 6969, www.acta-nanotech.com
Advanced Ceramics buys MP Technologies
I
n Arizona, Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing has acquired MP Technologies, a systems research and design company specializing in power systems such as PEM fuel cells, according to a report in the Arizona Daily Star. Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing president David Blanchard says the acquisition of MP Technologies will allow the company to offer its customers new power options, and give it a stronger strategic position in the highly competitive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market. The company is a joint venture of Tucsonbased Advanced Ceramics Research Inc and the San Xavier Development Authority on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Its plant makes ceramic components for high-temperature and high-wear applications. Contact: Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing LLC, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Tel: +1 520 547 0850, www.acmtucson.com
Voller launches stealth military battery charger, wins innovation award
U
K-based portable fuel cell developer Voller Energy Group has unveiled a portable military battery charger based on its patented PEM fuel cell technology. Unlike conventional generators currently used to recharge military batteries, Voller’s VE900M charger cannot be detected by the enemy and can therefore be used during military operations. The military is increasingly reliant on electronic equipment that requires portable power sources, and the VE900M, with its ‘stealth’ technology, will help ensure that military personnel in the field can remain operational for much longer periods of time, according to Stephen Voller, CEO of Voller Energy. The US Army alone has between 450 and 500 items
that are dependent on batteries, says Voller; during the first two weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the US military used approximately 3000 batteries every day. The VE900M charger, which was unveiled in September at the DSEi (Defence Systems & Equipment International) international tri-service defence exhibition in London, is intended for applications in the US military and Nato. It is designed to fit into the webbing of the Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) soldier project, which is the next stage of the UK’s soldier modernization program. Voller is working with a number of specialist military battery suppliers to address the logistics and power sources area of the FIST program. Contact: Voller Energy Group Plc, Basingstoke, UK. Tel: +44 1256 813900, www.voller.com
Pacific Fuel Cell completes production-ready nanoMEA prototype
C
alifornia-based Pacific Fuel Cell has completed the prototype of its proprietary nanostructured membraneelectrode assembly, and is currently looking for partners for production of the patented nanoMEA. The company’s chief scientific advisor, Professor Yushan Yan of the University of California at Riverside, says that the new carbon nanomaterial-based MEAs have shown excellent performance for both hydrogen and methanol fuel cells. For example, he comments that this technology uses 75% less platinum while exceeding the performance of current state-ofthe-art MEAs for direct methanol fuel cells. The carbon nanomaterials are used as the support for platinum or platinum alloy catalysts. Another major advantage claimed for these carbon nanomaterials is their higher corrosion resistance and thus longer lifetime than carbon black. Contact: Pacific Fuel Cell Corporation, Tustin, California, USA. Tel: +1 714 564 1693, www.pfce.net
FCT sells SOFC to BP Shipping, CSA approval
O
ntario-based Fuel Cell Technologies Ltd, a leading developer and producer of solid oxide fuel cell systems, has signed a contract with BP Shipping Ltd in the UK for a 5 kWe SOFC fuel cell system. FCT has also announced that its
November 2005
NEWS cogeneration (CHP) 5 kWe SOFC system has recently received approval from CSA International. BP Shipping will use the system on board one of its liquid natural gas (LNG) tankers, to demonstrate the use of SOFCs to power auxiliary shipboard applications. The SOFC system will be fueled by the LNG ‘boil-off ’ to generate electricity more efficiently than the traditional steam boilers currently employed on board the tanker. ‘The sale to BP Shipping is an example of how Siemens and FCT are working together to bring SOFC systems to the market, and illustrates the benefits of FCT’s sales distribution relationship with Siemens,’ says John Stannard, president/CEO of FCT. Siemens and FCT continue to cooperate in the technology development for the 5 kWe SOFC systems as part of a memorandum of understanding signed last November. Since June FCT has signed contracts totaling C$1.2m (US$1m) for systems to be delivered by the end of 2005. Meanwhile, FCT’s 5 kWe SOFC system has been certified by CSA International to the ANSI/CSA America FC1-2004 standard, which allows the system to be installed in residences in the US without the need for special permits. Contact: Fuel Cell Technologies Ltd, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 613 544 8222, www.fct.ca
Contract to develop fuel cell power for rail vehicle
V
ehicle Projects LLC in Colorado has announced the signing of a contract to develop a prototype 150 kWe fuel cell powerplant for an advanced rail vehicle under development by an offshore railway research organization. The PEM fuel cell power unit, to be delivered in January, will utilize the new Forza™ power modules from US/Italian-based Nuvera Fuel Cells. According to Vehicle Projects, PEM fuel cell powered locomotives combine the advantages of the two current types of locomotive power: catenary-electric and diesel-electric power. They will be more efficient and have lower infrastructure costs than catenary-electrics, and will be cleaner and quieter than diesel-electrics. ‘We continue to use Nuvera fuel cell stacks and power modules in our advanced vehicles, because of the ruggedness of their metal bipolar plates and the simplicity and compactness of their direct-water-injection system of cooling and membrane humidification,’ explains Dr Arnold Miller, president of Vehicle Projects.
November 2005
‘Steel-wheel-on-steel-rail applications are subject to extreme shock and vibration, and our experience with Nuvera stacks in the earlier mine locomotive has demonstrated that metal plates are up to the task.’ Vehicle Projects conceives, organizes, funds and manages multi-institutional, international projects to develop and demonstrate prototype industrial fuel cell vehicles. Its completed or ongoing projects – for the underground mining and railway industries – include development of a fuel cell powered underground mine locomotive [FCB, January 2003], a fuel cell/battery hybrid mine loader, and a 1.2 MW roadswitcher locomotive for commercial and military railway applications [FCB, October 2003]. Contact: Vehicle Projects LLC, Denver, Colorado, USA. Tel: +1 303 296 4218, www.vehicleprojects.com
already started shipping ElectraGen5 units to European customers. CE certification is awarded based on the successful completion of a series of tests designed to meet essential requirements on appliances operating on hydrogen, including electromagnetic compliance, low voltage and machine directives. As part of the certification process, IdaTech complied with the CE directives identified by various certification agencies as being applicable to fuel cell systems. UL and NEBS certifications are currently under way for the US market, the company reports. This certification of ElectraGen5 is expected to accelerate its market penetration. IdaTech believes the ElectraGen5 is well positioned to replace valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries in telecoms and other applications. Contact: IdaTech LLC, Bend, Oregon, USA. Tel: +1 541 383 3390, www.idatech.com
IdaTech debut at telecom show, gains European approval for ElectraGen5 Hydrogen transportation project in Connecticut
O
regon-based IdaTech demonstrated a suite of targeted backup power products to mark its first appearance at telecoms event INTELEC’05 in Berlin, Germany. Alongside its recently launched 5 kWe ElectraGen™5 PEMbased system for critical backup power applications [FCB, May 2005] and the portable 250 We iGen™, IdaTech exhibited a 5 kWe Extended Run Module, claimed to be an industry first. The Extended Run Module complements the company’s hydrogen-fueled ElectraGen5 and other ElectraGen power systems, converting liquid fuel into pure hydrogen. This allows the ElectraGen5 to operate for extended periods to provide backup power in the event of grid failure, and eliminates the need for onsite storage of multiple hydrogen cylinders where this is not feasible, says IdaTech. Like the ElectraGen5, the Extended Run Module is intended to deliver 10 years of reliable backup power operation. The highly compact iGen PEM fuel cell system incorporates an onboard fuel reformer to also allow operation on liquid fuel rather than bottled hydrogen. It can be used as a battery replacement or extender in remote or grid-connected telecoms applications. Shortly before the INTELEC event, IdaTech’s ElectraGen5 was awarded European Conformity (CE) certification. This allows sales and operation of the system, which is designed for critical backup power needs ranging from 3 to 15 kWe, and marks the opportunity for full market deployment in Europe. The company has
T
he Greater New Haven Transit District (GNHTD) in Connecticut has awarded its Advanced Transportation System Development Program to an integrated product development team led by the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) in Des Plaines, Illinois. The project is part of the National Hydrogen Initiative administered by the US Federal Transit Administration, which is providing funding for the hydrogenpowered public transportation project in New Haven. The $2.9 million award is for Phase I of the projected multi-year program, which aims to design and deliver two hydrogen-fueled hybridelectric transit vehicles, and two on-site hydrogen production, storage and dispensing systems, as well as support the design and implementation of innovative diagnostic, maintenance and training platforms for the vehicles and fueling systems. The most advanced technologies will be used in the production of the new type of transit vehicle, including electric drives, battery technologies, fuel cells, high-pressure tanks, composites and wireless communications. Ultimately the project will also encompass the design and construction of a new, state-of-the-art transit facility for GNHTD. The advanced transportation system is based on two hydrogen-fueled, battery dominant, hybrid-electric transit vehicles, the first of which will be powered by a fuel cell, the second
Fuel Cells Bulletin
7