Hydrogenics electrolyzer, fuel cell for Welsh hydrogen center

Hydrogenics electrolyzer, fuel cell for Welsh hydrogen center

NEWS refueling stations for smaller road vehicles, with planned demonstration in Denmark as part of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) to be hel...

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NEWS refueling stations for smaller road vehicles, with planned demonstration in Denmark as part of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) to be held in Copenhagen in late 2009. The road project is called LINK2009, and will be part of the Hydrogen Link Denmark network and the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership. The EUPD program includes 0.67m ($1m) in support for the LINK2009 project, to secure development and demonstration of up to 50 fuel cell hybrid vehicles and establish hydrogen stations in five Danish cities in preparation for the COP15 Climate meeting next year. The total budget for LINK2009 is 10m ($15m), with 4m ($6.25m) in planned public support and the remaining 6m ($8.75m) to be provided by companies and end-users. Development activities for the LINK2009 vehicles and stations began in August, with fundraising of the remaining budget for the demonstration activities expected to be complete by the end of 2008. The LINK2009 vehicles are to be deployed in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Herning, Holstebro and Ringkoebing. A hydrogen station will open in Ringkoebing this fall as part of the West Denmark project, with the other stations following during 2009. All will be rated at 350 bar (5000 psi), with onsite production through electrolysis; the plan is to upgrade them to 700 bar (10 000 psi) after 2010. COP15 aims to secure an international climate agreement of similar global significance to the Kyoto Protocol. Showcasing fuel cell hybrid vehicles at this event will send a strong signal to global decision- and policy-makers that the technology can contribute to global solutions on the fossil fuel and climate challenges.

Hydrogenics is working with CTC as an integrator with Crown Equipment Corporation to put these products into service with the US Department of Defense. CTC, a technology solution provider to the DoD, will replace leadacid batteries currently used in Crown Class 1 lift trucks with the Hydrogenics hydrogenpowered Fuel Cell Power Packs. Hydrogenics anticipates that it will deliver the fuel cell systems by the end of December. Class 1 lift trucks are used extensively in manufacturing facilities, distribution centers and warehouses that currently rely on lead-acid battery powered materials handling equipment to meet zero-emission requirements. A two-year trial is expected to validate that users can realize significant productivity gains using hydrogenpowered equipment, particularly in high-use, three-shift 24/7 work environments. ‘Hydrogenics has focused on material handling equipment, including lift trucks, as an important commercial mobility market for fuel cells,’ comments president/CEO Daryl Wilson. ‘We have developed our HyPX™ Fuel Cell Power Pack as a leading-edge replacement product for lead-acid battery powered equipment, with particular focus on Class 1 forklifts.’ Designed to fit within a lift truck’s existing standard battery pack compartment, the firm’s HyPX Power Packs incorporate its proprietary HyPM® HD Fuel Cell Power Module for baseload requirements, and energy-storing ultracapacitors to handle load peaks and to capture energy through regenerative braking. Crown supplied forklifts used in demonstration trials at two Wal-Mart distribution centers in Ohio in 2006–2007, powered by Cellex Power fuel cell units [FCB, March 2007].

Contact: H2 Logic A/S, Herning, Denmark. Tel: +45 9627 5600, www.h2logic.com

Contact: Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com

For more on Hydrogen Link Denmark, go to: www.hydrogenlink.net

Or contact: Concurrent Technologies Corporation, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA. Tel: +1 814 269 2592, www.ctc.com

For more on the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership, go to: www.scandinavianhydrogen.org

small stationary

CTC to integrate Chloride supplies IdaTech Hydrogenics units into system to SFR in France Crown lift trucks for DoD FR, a leading French cell phone ser-

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anadian-based Hydrogenics has been awarded a contract by Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) in Pennsylvania to supply 20 Fuel Cell Power Packs for integration into Crown lift trucks to be deployed at the Defense Distribution Depot Warner Robins Georgia (DDWG). 4

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vice provider, has installed a fuel cell system using liquid methanol as an alternative backup power source for the first time on its network. The firm is trialing IdaTech’s fuel cell technology at one of its remote base stations in Pigna Corbino, Corsica. The site was not appropriate for installation of a diesel generator, and its remote location

meant that hydrogen was not an option. SFR’s commitment to the environment led it to search for a liquid-fueled, low-maintenance solution to reduce the environmental impact. Chloride was commissioned to provide an IdaTech 48 Vdc ElectraGen™5 XTR fuel cell system at this crucial site, which was prone to grid failure. Fuel cell technology provides an innovative solution, and its long-term autonomy is a great advantage for such a remote site with difficult access. Remote monitoring means that SFR is notified when the fuel cell system activates, to provide immediate backup power until the main supply is restored. The IdaTech ElectraGen5 XTR combines a PEM fuel cell stack, reformer, fuel storage and delivery, controls and power electronics. The system produces high-grade hydrogen internally for the fuel cell stack, enabling days of operation from a very compact liquid fuel source. It also provides an economical solution by producing hydrogen on-site as required, avoiding the traditional challenges associated with hydrogen delivery and storage. Contact: IdaTech LLC, Bend, Oregon, USA. Tel: +1 541 383 3390, www.idatech.com Or contact: Chloride Power Protection, Southampton, UK. Tel: +44 23 8064 9923, www.chloridepower.com

Hydrogenics electrolyzer, fuel cell for Welsh hydrogen center

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anadian-based Hydrogenics is providing a hydrogen electrolyzer and fuel cell for the new Renewable Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Centre at the Baglan Energy Park in Wales. The center, which is being developed by the University of Glamorgan, will explore the potential use of hydrogen as one of the key fuels of the future and show how hydrogen can be produced from local sources. The project will bring together academic and industrial expertise and research, providing a hub for hydrogen business development throughout Wales. Hydrogenics will provide its HySTAT-10™ electrolyzer, driven by wind turbines for the production of hydrogen, which will then be used to power a Hydrogenics HyPM® 12 kW fuel cell power module. The hydrogen will also be used to fuel FCVs, including a delivery van and a shuttle bus previously integrated with a Hydrogenics fuel cell power module. The Hydrogenics electrolyzer was selected through Air Liquide Advanced Technologies,

September 2008

NEWS which will integrate the complete hydrogen solution. Air Liquide was designated to provide a global and tailor-made solution to meet the specific needs of the University of Glamorgan for its new research center. This specific solution includes integrated hydrogen plant compression, storage and dispensing (CSD). Independent standby power specialist UPS Systems Plc designed and will install the fuel cell system for the Baglan Energy Park project. In addition to the Hydrogenics HyPM fuel cell module, the system includes two inverters and a specially designed controller that manages the system and allows it to interact with other renewable energy sources. ‘The Energy Park has now become a premier venue for businesses that are at the forefront of their field,’ says Professor Dennis Hawkes, who is leading the project. ‘Rather than an isolated one-off demonstration, this project is to provide the basis for a range of hydrogen energy and transport activities. Its intention is to put Wales at the forefront of European efforts to develop hydrogen communities. The new center will bring together technology and expertise, and will provide a platform for new business development, growth and employment in the region.’

estimated 30% on their annual utility bills, while generating near-zero emissions. The CHP system is anticipated to yield a combined efficiency in excess of 85%, more than double the fuel efficiency of the grid. The competitively awarded NYSERDA contract will allow Plug Power to focus on accelerated engineering and product refinement through the integration of a ‘peak’ burner into the system. The new design will enable rapid startup, allowing the system to meet the customer’s immediate heating demands while maximizing the fuel cell’s electrical utilization. By decoupling electrical and thermal functions, the single-box solution can distinguish and separate the home’s required heating needs from its electrical needs. This improved feature allows for lower integration costs into residential and small commercial applications. ‘NYSERDA has provided funding for the research and development of Plug Power’s hightemperature fuel cell system since 2004,’ says Robert G. Callender, its vice president for programs. ‘Commercialization of fuel cell technology will create enormous market opportunities for New York firms involved in the manufacturing, sale, installation and maintenance of systems.’

Contact: Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com

Contact: Plug Power Inc, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com

Or contact: Air Liquide Advanced Technologies, Sassenage, France. Tel: +33 4 7643 6211, www.dta.airliquide.com Or contact: UPS Systems Plc, Hungerford, UK. Tel: +44 1488 680500, www.upssystems.uk.com For more on the Renewable Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Centre, go to: www.h2wales.org.uk

NYSERDA funds Plug to push residential systems

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lug Power in upstate New York has received a $500 000 contract to support commercialization of its residential micro-combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell system. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority contract will fund the integration of heating technology, leading to a system that meets the full comfort needs of a home. The micro-CHP fuel cell, part of Plug Power’s GenSys® line of continuous power products, is designed to replace current technology used for heating in residential and small commercial applications. By producing high-quality heat, hot water and electricity for the home or facility, the high-temperature GenSys fuel cell system provides peak electrical and overall efficiencies, which are expected to save consumers an

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P21 completes fuel cell test in Kuwait

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t the end of March, German-based P21 GmbH successfully completed a six-month test of its PEM fuel cell system with one of the leading providers of mobile telephony in Kuwait. The successful test results mean that follow-up negotiations are under way on possible orders of additional systems. In collaboration with a local partner, a 6 kW Premion T fuel cell system was installed last October. The existing 3G base station is located near Fnaitees in Kuwait City. During the test phase, the fuel cell system took over the task of supplying emergency electrical power. Furthermore, the regular power supply was deliberately switched off several times. In this way the Premion T proved its reliability under actual conditions, including outdoor temperatures up to 55°C (130°F), relative humidity greater than 10%, and enormous dust clouds. The Near and Middle East rank among the world’s highest growth rates in sales of mobile telephony, as cell phones are replacing dilapidated and/or inadequate landlines. The demands placed on reliable network operation are increasing accordingly, especially where cell phones are

IN BRIEF Matsushita teams with Japanese gas firms in readiness for residential launch In Japan, Matsushita Electric Industrial (www. panasonic.net) has joined forces with three city gas companies to secure stable supplies of hydrogen and to set up sales channels for residential fuel cell systems, according to a Nikkei report. The electronics manufacturer is partnering with Tokyo Gas (www.tokyo-gas.co.jp), which has already been developing the fuel cells with Matsushita, as well as with Toho Gas (www.tohogas.co.jp) in Nagoya and Saibu Gas (www.saibugas.co.jp) in Fukuoka. These three firms together supply about 30% of Japanese households. Matsushita aims to launch the 1 kW PEM fuel cells, which can generate roughly 60% of household electricity needs, by next spring. The firm has already begun field trials, and aims to begin volume production at the start of 2009. Hokkaido Gas, Ebara to debut residential fuel cell system for cold regions Meanwhile, Hokkaido Gas (www.hokkaido-gas. co.jp) in Sapporo plans to release a residential fuel cell for colder regions – such as the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido – as early as fiscal 2010, by modifying a fuel cell made by Ebara Ballard. To enable the PEM fuel cell to work at low temperatures, Hokkaido Gas will add insulating material to prevent the byproduct water from freezing, allowing the unit to operate at –15°C ambient temperature. The company plans to sell the 1 kW product first in Hokkaido and then later in major cities with climates similar to Sapporo, such as Beijing and New York, according to a Nikkei report. Nissan FCV’s fastest lap at Nürburgring Sometimes engineers like to ‘push the envelope’ in unexpected ways, perhaps just to see what happens, but when Nissan recently took its latest X-Trail fuel cell vehicle to the notorious Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany, at least it did become the first automaker to record an FCV lap on the famous race track. Frank Eickholt, a member of the Nissan 24 Hours Nürburgring race team and an expert on the Nordschleife, skillfully steered the 1.3 million prototype around the tough course on standard street tires. And although the 20.8 km (12.9 mile) course was consistently wet – making it difficult to drive aggressively – Eickholt was thoroughly impressed with the X-Trail FCV, which clocked in at 11:58 minutes – not at all bad for a sport utility vehicle. ‘Although some of the uphill sections were challenging, the speed was still very impressive,’ he said. ‘If the course hadn’t been so wet, I could have gotten more momentum out of the curves. Thirty to forty seconds could have been shaved off for sure.’ Roll on next summer...

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