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Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge 2010 winners announced
NEWS bar will target industrial users that currently use multi-stage mechanical compressors, while compression to 800 bar targets hydrogen vehicle refueling. FCE is also developing a high-efficiency Electrochemical Hydrogen Separation (EHS) system, with funding from the Department of Defense through the US Army’s Engineer Research & Development Center–Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDCCERL) [FCB, November 2009]. FuelCell Energy Inc, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 825 6000, www.fuelcellenergy.com
COMMERCIALIZATION
Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge 2010 winners announced
T
he University of South Carolina (USC)-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative has announced the winners of the Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge 2010, who will gain financial and other support to commercialize their fuel cell technologies. The winners were unveiled at the recent Fuel Cell Seminar & Exposition in San Antonio, Texas. The Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge, organized by the University of South Carolina, the City of Columbia, SCRA, and EngenuitySC, is an innovation-based business plan competition focused on commercializing novel hydrogen, fuel cell, and clean technologies. This year, the organizers reached out to a panel of industry experts from science, academia, industry, and the investment community. Applications were received from across the US and Europe. The two winners will receive access to startup capital, incubation resources, and business planning support to take their innovative technologies out of the lab and into the marketplace in the Greater Columbia area of South Carolina. ‘The Fuel Cell Challenge demonstrates on a global scale the Columbia region’s level of commitment to cutting-edge fuel cell and clean technologies,’ comments Bill Mahoney, CEO of SCRA. ‘The Challenge is more than a one-time prize; it’s an investment in ideas that will have a driving effect on the industry.’ Weylchem Sustainable Materials LLC was awarded 1st place for its proposal to produce low-cost chemical compounds as a source for hydrogen generation utilized in fuel cells and other commercial applications. Weylchem, based in Germany but with operations around
November 2010
the US, stood out because of its unique method to produce high-purity chemical compounds, its potential for multiple market opportunities, and a unique partnership with a Columbiabased startup, Boroscience International. A second prize was awarded to a proposed new venture called Bio-Blu, a synthetic fuel and fuel cell integration joint venture between Floridabased Neutzler & Associates and researchers at the University of South Carolina, with support from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Bio-Blu is focused on developing a novel fuel source in a unique approach to hydrogen storage and fuel cell power generation. The USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative was formed by the University of South Carolina, the City of Columbia, EngenuitySC, and SCRA to attract private sector partners, top fuel cell scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators to the Columbia region to help grow an innovation pipeline from discovery to development to deployment of fuel cell technology. [Check out the feature on South Carolina in the March issue.] USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative: www.fuelcellcollaborative.com EngenuitySC: www.EngenuitySC.com
SFC products available for US procurement through MaxaVision
G
erman-based SFC Energy has announced the availability of its direct methanol fuel cell systems to the US military and government law enforcement agencies through MaxaVision Technologies in Florida, under accreditation by the US General Services Administration on GSA Schedule GS-07F-0149T. MaxaVision Technologies is an authorized GSA distributor of high-performance, reliable, approved equipment for all branches of the US military and government law enforcement agencies for a variety of tactical, surveillance, and force protection applications. The availability of SFC products on GSA through MaxaVision Technologies will simplify the procurement of SFC fuel cell systems and solutions for all government organizations in the US. SFC’s fuel cell products offer reliable, off-grid energy supply for defense and security applications, and are already in use by leading defense and government organizations as a reliable, nondetectable, lightweight mobile source of power. SFC solutions have met rigorous military requirements and are in field use with Nato and
Partnership for Peace organizations in Europe and the US. The company has received numerous awards, including first and third places in the US Defense Department’s Wearable Power Competition in 2008 [FCB, December 2008]. SFC Energy is a market leader in fuel cell technologies for mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial, and defense markets. The company has shipped about 19 000 fully commercial products to industrial and private end-users in the last six years or so, and has created a convenient fuel cartridge supply infrastructure. MaxaVision Technologies supplies products to all branches of the US military, the Department of Homeland Security, and federal, state and local government agencies, as well as prime contractors to the Department of Defense. SFC Energy AG, Brunnthal, Germany. Tel: +49 89 673 5920, www.sfc.com MaxaVision Technologies, Tequesta, Florida, USA. Tel: +1 561 743 8180, www.maxavision.net
DOE, Ohio fund TMI to commercialize 1 kW SOFC for launch
O
hio-based fuel cell systems developer Technology Management Inc (TMI) has been awarded some $3 million in funding from the US Department of Energy and the State of Ohio to launch its 1 kW solid oxide fuel cells in the rural, residential, and military markets. TMI has finalized the terms of an award of $2.5 million from the State of Ohio under the OAQDA Advanced Energy Program to support commercialization of TMI’s compact SOFC system into kW-scale markets, to include military, farm, home-based and remote distributed power applications. In addition, TMI has been awarded and signed a $481 000 contract with DOE for a project on distributed electric power from bio-based and fossil fuels. TMI’s system is a primary power option for consumers who want or need energy independence from the utility grid. The company’s modular 1 kW system provides the advantages of being sited almost anywhere, including indoors, where surplus heat can be used for cogeneration (e.g. heating and/or cooling). TMI has focused on the design of a smallscale system, specifically based on a platform that could be easily manufactured by Ohio’s automotive and appliance manufacturers. Its SOFC technology can run on most available
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9
COMMERCIALIZATION
Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge 2010 winners announced
T
he University of South Carolina (USC)-Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative has announced the winners of the Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge 2010, who will gain financial and other support to commercialize their fuel cell technologies. The winners were unveiled at the recent Fuel Cell Seminar & Exposition in San Antonio, Texas. The Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge, organized by the University of South Carolina, the City of Columbia, SCRA, and EngenuitySC, is an innovation-based business plan competition focused on commercializing novel hydrogen, fuel cell, and clean technologies. This year, the organizers reached out to a panel of industry experts from science, academia, industry, and the investment community. Applications were received from across the US and Europe. The two winners will receive access to startup capital, incubation resources, and business planning support to take their innovative technologies out of the lab and into the marketplace in the Greater Columbia area of South Carolina. ‘The Fuel Cell Challenge demonstrates on a global scale the Columbia region’s level of commitment to cutting-edge fuel cell and clean technologies,’ comments Bill Mahoney, CEO of SCRA. ‘The Challenge is more than a one-time prize; it’s an investment in ideas that will have a driving effect on the industry.’ Weylchem Sustainable Materials LLC was awarded 1st place for its proposal to produce low-cost chemical compounds as a source for hydrogen generation utilized in fuel cells and other commercial applications. Weylchem, based in Germany but with operations around
November 2010
the US, stood out because of its unique method to produce high-purity chemical compounds, its potential for multiple market opportunities, and a unique partnership with a Columbiabased startup, Boroscience International. A second prize was awarded to a proposed new venture called Bio-Blu, a synthetic fuel and fuel cell integration joint venture between Floridabased Neutzler & Associates and researchers at the University of South Carolina, with support from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Bio-Blu is focused on developing a novel fuel source in a unique approach to hydrogen storage and fuel cell power generation. The USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative was formed by the University of South Carolina, the City of Columbia, EngenuitySC, and SCRA to attract private sector partners, top fuel cell scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators to the Columbia region to help grow an innovation pipeline from discovery to development to deployment of fuel cell technology. [Check out the feature on South Carolina in the March issue.] USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative: www.fuelcellcollaborative.com EngenuitySC: www.EngenuitySC.com
SFC products available for US procurement through MaxaVision
G
erman-based SFC Energy has announced the availability of its direct methanol fuel cell systems to the US military and government law enforcement agencies through MaxaVision Technologies in Florida, under accreditation by the US General Services Administration on GSA Schedule GS-07F-0149T. MaxaVision Technologies is an authorized GSA distributor of high-performance, reliable, approved equipment for all branches of the US military and government law enforcement agencies for a variety of tactical, surveillance, and force protection applications. The availability of SFC products on GSA through MaxaVision Technologies will simplify the procurement of SFC fuel cell systems and solutions for all government organizations in the US. SFC’s fuel cell products offer reliable, off-grid energy supply for defense and security applications, and are already in use by leading defense and government organizations as a reliable, nondetectable, lightweight mobile source of power. SFC solutions have met rigorous military requirements and are in field use with Nato and
Partnership for Peace organizations in Europe and the US. The company has received numerous awards, including first and third places in the US Defense Department’s Wearable Power Competition in 2008 [FCB, December 2008]. SFC Energy is a market leader in fuel cell technologies for mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial, and defense markets. The company has shipped about 19 000 fully commercial products to industrial and private end-users in the last six years or so, and has created a convenient fuel cartridge supply infrastructure. MaxaVision Technologies supplies products to all branches of the US military, the Department of Homeland Security, and federal, state and local government agencies, as well as prime contractors to the Department of Defense. SFC Energy AG, Brunnthal, Germany. Tel: +49 89 673 5920, www.sfc.com MaxaVision Technologies, Tequesta, Florida, USA. Tel: +1 561 743 8180, www.maxavision.net
DOE, Ohio fund TMI to commercialize 1 kW SOFC for launch
O
hio-based fuel cell systems developer Technology Management Inc (TMI) has been awarded some $3 million in funding from the US Department of Energy and the State of Ohio to launch its 1 kW solid oxide fuel cells in the rural, residential, and military markets. TMI has finalized the terms of an award of $2.5 million from the State of Ohio under the OAQDA Advanced Energy Program to support commercialization of TMI’s compact SOFC system into kW-scale markets, to include military, farm, home-based and remote distributed power applications. In addition, TMI has been awarded and signed a $481 000 contract with DOE for a project on distributed electric power from bio-based and fossil fuels. TMI’s system is a primary power option for consumers who want or need energy independence from the utility grid. The company’s modular 1 kW system provides the advantages of being sited almost anywhere, including indoors, where surplus heat can be used for cogeneration (e.g. heating and/or cooling). TMI has focused on the design of a smallscale system, specifically based on a platform that could be easily manufactured by Ohio’s automotive and appliance manufacturers. Its SOFC technology can run on most available
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9