- Email: [email protected]
Italian agent for IdaTech
NEWS Center and also on the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology Platform for China’s Sustainable Transportation, commented at HyForum that the country must not only reduce its demand for oil through greater efficiency, but also emphasize greater use of non-conventional resources, with hydrogen as the ultimate solution. Minggao stressed that hydrogen is one of the best candidates for future energy in China, with transportation the most promising area. Contact: Ballard Power Systems Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com Or contact: Dynetek Industries Ltd, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Tel: +1 403 720 0262, www.dynetek.com
Italian agent for IdaTech
U
S-based PEM fuel cell maker IdaTech has entered into an agency agreement with Italian energy engineering firm RENCO SpA, for the market development and distribution of IdaTech’s fuel cell systems and hydrogen generation products. Under the agreement, RENCO will distribute IdaTech’s fuel cell products into multiple Italian markets including backup power, hydrogen infrastructure development and cogeneration. ‘This represents another milestone for IdaTech in building critical commercial capabilities and development partnerships,’ says president/CEO, Claude Duss. He adds that the ‘unique characteristics’ of the Italian market make it very appealing for IdaTech’s solutions, and further supports the development of an international platform for distributed generation and specific products the company is currently developing. IdaTech’s fuel cell products incorporate its proprietary multi-fuel processing technology, and feature a flexible, modular design that supports development of systems up to 50 kWe. With IdaTech’s support, RENCO intends to develop several market segments in Italy, including light industrial, telecoms and oil & gas. Contact: IdaTech LLC, Bend, Oregon, USA. Tel: +1 541 383 3390, www.idatech.com Or contact: RENCO SpA, Pesaro, Italy. Tel: +39 0721 43331, www.renco.it
Honda delivers further FCX in California
A
merican Honda Motor Co has delivered the first of two Honda FCX fuel cell cars to the South Coast Air
August 2004
Quality Management District (AQMD) at its headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The delivery coincides with AQMD’s opening of a public hydrogen refueling station at its HQ this summer. The two hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars will be leased for 18 months at $500 per month. AQMD will use the vehicles on a daily basis within its fleet of alternative fuel vehicles, and help show southern Californians the great promise of FCVs for reducing emissions and improving air quality. In 2003, the city of Los Angeles celebrated its one-year anniversary as the first Honda fuel cell customer, with five FCVs now in everyday fleet use. Earlier this year, the city of San Francisco also took delivery of two FCX vehicles for its alternative fuel fleet [FCB, June]. With the addition of the two with AQMD and three in Honda’s own demonstration fleet, this makes it 12 Honda fuel cell cars on the road in the US. Contact: American Honda Motor Co Inc, Torrance, California, USA. Tel: +1 310 783 3170, www.honda.com Or contact: South Coast Air Quality Management District, Diamond Bar, California, USA. Tel: +1 909 396 2000, www.aqmd.gov
Nippon Steel takes stake in Acumentrics JV
I
n Japan, Nippon Steel Corporation has taken a 10% interest in the Acumentrics/Sumitomo Corporation joint venture that plans to start selling fuel cell cogeneration systems for commercial facilities in fiscal 2005. The US/ Japanese joint venture, Acumentrics Japan Co, was set up last fall [FCB, October 2003]. The joint venture has modified the US parent’s tubular SOFC fuel cells for use with Japanese natural (city) gas and kerosene, and plans to supply cogeneration systems based on this technology to gas, oil and other companies on an OEM basis, according to a Nihon Keizai Shimbun report. As the first step, it plans to test its systems at about five sites nationwide this fiscal year. If successful, the firm aims to begin selling 5 and 10 kWe models for convenience stores, condominiums and apartments in April 2005, and a 100 kWe model for hospitals and hotels in fiscal 2006. Acumentrics’ SOFC offers a power generation efficiency of 40% or more, and a lifespan of four years. Nippon Steel and Sumitomo also aim to raise the local content of Acumentrics Japan’s fuel cells within three years. They currently import 90%
In Brief Fuji Electric develops longer-running PAFC In Japan, Fuji Electric Advanced Technology, the R&D arm of Fuji Electric Holdings, has developed a phosphoric acid fuel cell for use in buildings that it claims lasts for 7.5 years, greatly reducing maintenance costs. According to the Nikkei Business Daily, the company has modified its 100 kWe PAFC product, first released in 1998 and now in operation in 15 hospitals, office buildings and hotels in Japan. The system has a working life of 15 years, but until now the stack and reformer needed to be replaced every five years. The modified components now last for 7.5 years, so they only need replacing once instead of twice during the 15-year product life. This means a major saving for users, since replacement costs more than ¥20 million (US$180 000) each time. The company plans to have a practical version ready in October 2005. Fuji Electric Advanced Technology is also developing a 1 kWe-class PEM fuel cell for residential power. Prototype testing will continue until fiscal 2005, when a decision will be made on moving to commercialization. TIAX in DOE hydrogen storage project Massachusetts-based TIAX has received a $1.5 million contract from the Department of Energy as part of its Hydrogen Storage Grand Challenge. TIAX will evaluate the various storage technologies being pursued by DOE’s Hydrogen Storage Centers of Excellence and other developers. TIAX will work with an industry team on regular evaluation of developments in the four categories of on-board hydrogen storage: compressed hydrogen, metal hydride, carbon-based materials, and chemical hydrogen storage. The team will compare the different approaches in terms of life-cycle costs, energy efficiency and environmental impact, to help identify the most promising technology options and approaches for potential commercialization. Survey of fuel cell contaminant literature The US Fuel Cell Council has published a ‘Literature Survey of Fuel Cell Contaminants,’ to serve as a ready-access data tool to the fuel cell industry and other interested groups. The survey was conducted by the Advanced Materials & Processes Technology Information Analysis Center (AMPTIAC) for the USFCC’s Materials & Components Working Group. The 90-page report focuses on the effects of contaminants on the performance and components of PEM fuel cells, including DMFCs. It summarizes sources of contamination for water, hardware and gas reactants. The literature survey costs $950, or $500 for university and non-profit organizations. For more information or to order the report, go to: www.usfcc.com/contaminantsreport.htm
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9
Italian agent for IdaTech
U
S-based PEM fuel cell maker IdaTech has entered into an agency agreement with Italian energy engineering firm RENCO SpA, for the market development and distribution of IdaTech’s fuel cell systems and hydrogen generation products. Under the agreement, RENCO will distribute IdaTech’s fuel cell products into multiple Italian markets including backup power, hydrogen infrastructure development and cogeneration. ‘This represents another milestone for IdaTech in building critical commercial capabilities and development partnerships,’ says president/CEO, Claude Duss. He adds that the ‘unique characteristics’ of the Italian market make it very appealing for IdaTech’s solutions, and further supports the development of an international platform for distributed generation and specific products the company is currently developing. IdaTech’s fuel cell products incorporate its proprietary multi-fuel processing technology, and feature a flexible, modular design that supports development of systems up to 50 kWe. With IdaTech’s support, RENCO intends to develop several market segments in Italy, including light industrial, telecoms and oil & gas. Contact: IdaTech LLC, Bend, Oregon, USA. Tel: +1 541 383 3390, www.idatech.com Or contact: RENCO SpA, Pesaro, Italy. Tel: +39 0721 43331, www.renco.it
Honda delivers further FCX in California
A
merican Honda Motor Co has delivered the first of two Honda FCX fuel cell cars to the South Coast Air
August 2004
Quality Management District (AQMD) at its headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. The delivery coincides with AQMD’s opening of a public hydrogen refueling station at its HQ this summer. The two hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars will be leased for 18 months at $500 per month. AQMD will use the vehicles on a daily basis within its fleet of alternative fuel vehicles, and help show southern Californians the great promise of FCVs for reducing emissions and improving air quality. In 2003, the city of Los Angeles celebrated its one-year anniversary as the first Honda fuel cell customer, with five FCVs now in everyday fleet use. Earlier this year, the city of San Francisco also took delivery of two FCX vehicles for its alternative fuel fleet [FCB, June]. With the addition of the two with AQMD and three in Honda’s own demonstration fleet, this makes it 12 Honda fuel cell cars on the road in the US. Contact: American Honda Motor Co Inc, Torrance, California, USA. Tel: +1 310 783 3170, www.honda.com Or contact: South Coast Air Quality Management District, Diamond Bar, California, USA. Tel: +1 909 396 2000, www.aqmd.gov
Nippon Steel takes stake in Acumentrics JV
I
n Japan, Nippon Steel Corporation has taken a 10% interest in the Acumentrics/Sumitomo Corporation joint venture that plans to start selling fuel cell cogeneration systems for commercial facilities in fiscal 2005. The US/ Japanese joint venture, Acumentrics Japan Co, was set up last fall [FCB, October 2003]. The joint venture has modified the US parent’s tubular SOFC fuel cells for use with Japanese natural (city) gas and kerosene, and plans to supply cogeneration systems based on this technology to gas, oil and other companies on an OEM basis, according to a Nihon Keizai Shimbun report. As the first step, it plans to test its systems at about five sites nationwide this fiscal year. If successful, the firm aims to begin selling 5 and 10 kWe models for convenience stores, condominiums and apartments in April 2005, and a 100 kWe model for hospitals and hotels in fiscal 2006. Acumentrics’ SOFC offers a power generation efficiency of 40% or more, and a lifespan of four years. Nippon Steel and Sumitomo also aim to raise the local content of Acumentrics Japan’s fuel cells within three years. They currently import 90%
In Brief Fuji Electric develops longer-running PAFC In Japan, Fuji Electric Advanced Technology, the R&D arm of Fuji Electric Holdings, has developed a phosphoric acid fuel cell for use in buildings that it claims lasts for 7.5 years, greatly reducing maintenance costs. According to the Nikkei Business Daily, the company has modified its 100 kWe PAFC product, first released in 1998 and now in operation in 15 hospitals, office buildings and hotels in Japan. The system has a working life of 15 years, but until now the stack and reformer needed to be replaced every five years. The modified components now last for 7.5 years, so they only need replacing once instead of twice during the 15-year product life. This means a major saving for users, since replacement costs more than ¥20 million (US$180 000) each time. The company plans to have a practical version ready in October 2005. Fuji Electric Advanced Technology is also developing a 1 kWe-class PEM fuel cell for residential power. Prototype testing will continue until fiscal 2005, when a decision will be made on moving to commercialization. TIAX in DOE hydrogen storage project Massachusetts-based TIAX has received a $1.5 million contract from the Department of Energy as part of its Hydrogen Storage Grand Challenge. TIAX will evaluate the various storage technologies being pursued by DOE’s Hydrogen Storage Centers of Excellence and other developers. TIAX will work with an industry team on regular evaluation of developments in the four categories of on-board hydrogen storage: compressed hydrogen, metal hydride, carbon-based materials, and chemical hydrogen storage. The team will compare the different approaches in terms of life-cycle costs, energy efficiency and environmental impact, to help identify the most promising technology options and approaches for potential commercialization. Survey of fuel cell contaminant literature The US Fuel Cell Council has published a ‘Literature Survey of Fuel Cell Contaminants,’ to serve as a ready-access data tool to the fuel cell industry and other interested groups. The survey was conducted by the Advanced Materials & Processes Technology Information Analysis Center (AMPTIAC) for the USFCC’s Materials & Components Working Group. The 90-page report focuses on the effects of contaminants on the performance and components of PEM fuel cells, including DMFCs. It summarizes sources of contamination for water, hardware and gas reactants. The literature survey costs $950, or $500 for university and non-profit organizations. For more information or to order the report, go to: www.usfcc.com/contaminantsreport.htm
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9