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FuelCell Energy signs manufacturing deal with POSCO Energy
NEWS – and is believed to be the largest alkaline fuel cell system in the world [see the feature on AFC Energy in FCB, November 2011]. AFC Energy will supply fuel cell systems to ICL in stages during the funded project. The longer-term intent is for AFC Energy to provide electric power to ICL under an Energy Supply Company (ESCO) model, whereby ICL will provide its hydrogen and purchase power under long-term contracts, while AFC Energy will own, operate, and maintain the fuel cell systems. The project also includes work on automating electrode stack assembly and the recovery and reuse of catalysts. In the summer AFC inaugurated a pilot production plant that can produce up to 20 000 electrodes per annum [FCB, September 2012, p9]. In other news, Ervington Investments Ltd – which last month agreed to invest £8.67 million ($13.8 million) in AFC Energy [FCB, November 2012, p9] – has acquired a 10% stake in UK-based Waste2Tricity. This energy-from-waste (EfW) solutions provider is implementing a unique combination of AFC Energy’s new-generation alkaline fuel cells with plasma gasification technology developed by Canadian-based Alter NRG. Ervington has recently invested in all three companies. AFC Energy, Cranleigh, Surrey, UK. Tel: +44 1483 276726, www.afcenergy.com Industrial Chemicals Ltd: www.icgl.co.uk European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking: www.fch-ju.eu Waste2Tricity: www.waste2tricity.com Alter NRG: www.alternrg.com
FuelCell Energy signs manufacturing deal with POSCO Energy
U
S-based FuelCell Energy has executed a series of strategic initiatives with its South Korean partner, POSCO Energy, to expand the market for stationary fuel cell power plants in Asia. This includes a licence agreement for POSCO Energy to manufacture Direct FuelCell® power plants in Korea and sell throughout Asia. The cell technology transfer and licence agreement provides POSCO Energy with the rights to manufacture molten carbonate fuel cell components in Korea based on DFC® technology, and grants commercial rights to Asian markets. The agreement harmonises two prior licence agreements, so that POSCO Energy has rights to manufacture the entire carbonate DFC power plant. 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
‘With growing demand in South Korea and strong interest in Asian markets for ultra-clean distributed power generation, manufacturing in South Korea is necessary to meet customer expectations of lead times and costs,’ says Jung-Gon Kim, senior VP at POSCO Energy, Korea’s largest independent power producer. ‘Local manufacturing is a cornerstone of our growth plans in South Korea, and we will continue to work closely with FuelCell Energy to develop other Asian markets.’ A production facility will be built at the POSCO Energy campus in Pohang, to produce up to 140 MW of fuel cell components per annum, with equipment initially procured for an expected annual production volume of 70 MW. Construction will begin in early 2013, with fuel cell component production expected to start in late 2014 or early 2015. FuelCell Energy will collaborate with POSCO Energy under the licence agreement to provide design and procurement assistance for the facility. POSCO Energy has already invested in fuel cell module assembly capabilities and balance-ofplant manufacturing at the Pohang campus. ‘A second source of global supply and production capacity for our DFC fuel cell modules is important to project investors and customers,’ comments Michael Bishop, CFO of FuelCell Energy. ‘This licensing agreement is a key development milestone for accelerating global expansion of highly efficient and environmentally friendly fuel cell power plants.’ The licence agreement payments total $18 million, and the amendment to prior agreements totals $8 million, for a total of $26 million. The initial payment of $10 million was received on 1 November. POSCO Energy will also pay a 3.0% royalty to FuelCell Energy for each power plant it builds and sells over the next 15 years. This royalty is expected to develop into a consistent and growing revenue stream as the Asian fuel cell market expands. The licence agreement may be extended by mutual agreement for two additional terms of five years each. FuelCell Energy, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 825 6000, www.fuelcellenergy.com POSCO Energy: www.poscoenergy.com
PORTABLE & MICRO
SFC Energy completes delivery of major German military order
M
unich-based SFC Energy has completed delivery of the major
order placed at end of March by the German Bundeswehr federal defence force [FCB, April 2012, p6]. The net order volume amounts to just under E5 million (US$6.5 million). After introduction of the system in 2010 [FCB, July 2010, p8], earlier this year the German Bundeswehr ordered additional equipment for its soldiers, comprising SFC Energy’s portable Jenny direct methanol fuel cell in a new energy network. The system solution consists of the portable Jenny fuel cell, the SFC Power Manager, a hybrid battery specially tailored to the system, and a solar panel as an alternative power source, as well as extensive accessories. As a powerful and flexible power supply, the energy network allows operation of widely different power consumers – e.g. radios, navigational equipment, night-vision equipment, laser range-finders, portable computers, and PDAs – which can be used while stationary and on the march. In a 72 hour mission the SFC power solution reduces a soldier’s load by up to 80% compared to conventional battery solutions. Power supply and energy management are fully automatic, practically silent, emissionfree, and almost undetectable. ‘With the delivery of this third serial order of the German Bundeswehr, SFC Energy strengthens its position as a system supplier of autonomous power solutions for defence applications,’ says Dr Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy. ‘Major weight reductions combined with reliable energy supply result in significantly improved mission conditions, and increase the soldiers’ safety in operation.’ SFC has also supplied fuel cell units to the US Army, redesigned in a more rugged form for Army field use and testing, which were being fieldtrialled in the summer at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico [FCB, June 2012, p8]. SFC Energy AG, Brunnthal, Germany. Tel: +49 89 673 5920, www.sfc.com or www.sfc-defense.com
WATT Fuel Cell tech, production advances in small SOFC units
U
S-based WATT Fuel Cell Corporation has announced several advances in the production of its portable and small stationary solid oxide fuel cell system platforms for commercial and military applications. These include refinement of the company’s cell manufacturing process, reduction of costs in cell and stack production and balance-of-plant
December 2012
FuelCell Energy signs manufacturing deal with POSCO Energy
U
S-based FuelCell Energy has executed a series of strategic initiatives with its South Korean partner, POSCO Energy, to expand the market for stationary fuel cell power plants in Asia. This includes a licence agreement for POSCO Energy to manufacture Direct FuelCell® power plants in Korea and sell throughout Asia. The cell technology transfer and licence agreement provides POSCO Energy with the rights to manufacture molten carbonate fuel cell components in Korea based on DFC® technology, and grants commercial rights to Asian markets. The agreement harmonises two prior licence agreements, so that POSCO Energy has rights to manufacture the entire carbonate DFC power plant. 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
‘With growing demand in South Korea and strong interest in Asian markets for ultra-clean distributed power generation, manufacturing in South Korea is necessary to meet customer expectations of lead times and costs,’ says Jung-Gon Kim, senior VP at POSCO Energy, Korea’s largest independent power producer. ‘Local manufacturing is a cornerstone of our growth plans in South Korea, and we will continue to work closely with FuelCell Energy to develop other Asian markets.’ A production facility will be built at the POSCO Energy campus in Pohang, to produce up to 140 MW of fuel cell components per annum, with equipment initially procured for an expected annual production volume of 70 MW. Construction will begin in early 2013, with fuel cell component production expected to start in late 2014 or early 2015. FuelCell Energy will collaborate with POSCO Energy under the licence agreement to provide design and procurement assistance for the facility. POSCO Energy has already invested in fuel cell module assembly capabilities and balance-ofplant manufacturing at the Pohang campus. ‘A second source of global supply and production capacity for our DFC fuel cell modules is important to project investors and customers,’ comments Michael Bishop, CFO of FuelCell Energy. ‘This licensing agreement is a key development milestone for accelerating global expansion of highly efficient and environmentally friendly fuel cell power plants.’ The licence agreement payments total $18 million, and the amendment to prior agreements totals $8 million, for a total of $26 million. The initial payment of $10 million was received on 1 November. POSCO Energy will also pay a 3.0% royalty to FuelCell Energy for each power plant it builds and sells over the next 15 years. This royalty is expected to develop into a consistent and growing revenue stream as the Asian fuel cell market expands. The licence agreement may be extended by mutual agreement for two additional terms of five years each. FuelCell Energy, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 825 6000, www.fuelcellenergy.com POSCO Energy: www.poscoenergy.com
PORTABLE & MICRO
SFC Energy completes delivery of major German military order
M
unich-based SFC Energy has completed delivery of the major
order placed at end of March by the German Bundeswehr federal defence force [FCB, April 2012, p6]. The net order volume amounts to just under E5 million (US$6.5 million). After introduction of the system in 2010 [FCB, July 2010, p8], earlier this year the German Bundeswehr ordered additional equipment for its soldiers, comprising SFC Energy’s portable Jenny direct methanol fuel cell in a new energy network. The system solution consists of the portable Jenny fuel cell, the SFC Power Manager, a hybrid battery specially tailored to the system, and a solar panel as an alternative power source, as well as extensive accessories. As a powerful and flexible power supply, the energy network allows operation of widely different power consumers – e.g. radios, navigational equipment, night-vision equipment, laser range-finders, portable computers, and PDAs – which can be used while stationary and on the march. In a 72 hour mission the SFC power solution reduces a soldier’s load by up to 80% compared to conventional battery solutions. Power supply and energy management are fully automatic, practically silent, emissionfree, and almost undetectable. ‘With the delivery of this third serial order of the German Bundeswehr, SFC Energy strengthens its position as a system supplier of autonomous power solutions for defence applications,’ says Dr Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy. ‘Major weight reductions combined with reliable energy supply result in significantly improved mission conditions, and increase the soldiers’ safety in operation.’ SFC has also supplied fuel cell units to the US Army, redesigned in a more rugged form for Army field use and testing, which were being fieldtrialled in the summer at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico [FCB, June 2012, p8]. SFC Energy AG, Brunnthal, Germany. Tel: +49 89 673 5920, www.sfc.com or www.sfc-defense.com
WATT Fuel Cell tech, production advances in small SOFC units
U
S-based WATT Fuel Cell Corporation has announced several advances in the production of its portable and small stationary solid oxide fuel cell system platforms for commercial and military applications. These include refinement of the company’s cell manufacturing process, reduction of costs in cell and stack production and balance-of-plant
December 2012