- Email: [email protected]
Plug Power, Ballard win further DOD funding
NEWS In other news, Morphic has reached an agreement to acquire 55% of Greek energy technology company Helbio SA for a cash consideration of 3.8 million. In conjunction with the acquisition Morphic is also injecting 0.5 million in new capital into the company, which manufactures systems for producing hydrogen from renewable fuels, such as ethanol and natural. ‘The fact that we now can also offer products for hydrogen production means that several types of complete energy systems can be introduced to the market place quickly,’ explains Jonas Eklind, president/CEO of Morphic Technologies. Morphic’s fuel cell operations span two subsidiaries – Morphic Business Development, and Cell Impact, which primarily produces flow plates, a key component in fuel cell systems. Contact: Morphic Technologies AB or Cell Impact AB, Karlskoga, Sweden. Tel: +46 586 67390, www.morphic.se or www.cellimpact.com
Plug Power, Ballard win further DOD funding
U
S-based Plug Power and Canada’s Ballard Power Systems have been awarded $3.5 million by the US Department of Defense (DOD) to collaborate on the next phase of fuel cell systems development to support the DOD’s Continuity of Operations (COOP) initiative. Initial government investment enabled first-phase technology evaluation of backup power systems. This further funding, for the second phase, will help the companies deliver systems to customers for validation of product requirements. Ballard and Plug Power have worked together since early 2006 on backup power applications that have been targeted at the DOD, Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies. The companies will continue to work collaboratively on a modular and scalable fuel cell system for use in telecoms and other missioncritical backup applications. Prototype system trials are expected to be deployed in 2008 with both government and commercial customers. ‘This award from the DOD accelerates joint development activities that move us towards a product which supports the critical infrastructure needs of public and private clients across a number of applications and industries,’ says Roger Saillant, president/CEO of Plug Power. The companies say that this funding acts as a catalyst which unites Plug Power’s ability to develop and commercialize backup power systems with Ballard’s latest technology – the Mark 1020 ACS fuel cell stack. 10
Fuel Cells Bulletin
The award will be administered through the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL), which focuses on the evaluation and installation of fuel cell power plants for stationary applications, including infrastructure, environmental, water resources and disaster operations. Contact: Plug Power Inc, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Or contact: Ballard Power Systems Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com Or contact: US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL), Champaign, Illinois, USA. Tel: +1 217 352 6511, www.cecer.army.mil
Voller demos APUs, appoints UK distributors
U
K-based Voller Energy, the developer and manufacturer of commercial portable PEM fuel cell systems, recently hosted a series of events for investors and analysts to view the way in which its Emerald fuel cell auxiliary power units (APUs) are being used. It has also appointed UK distributors for these APU products. The demonstrations, held in London during September and October, showed the APUs installed in a Beneteau 411 sailing yacht, an MCL motor home and a GenQuip constructionsite cabin. According to the company, these systems are unique because they run on propane, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or Calor Gas. The sailing cruiser is a 12.5 m (41 foot) boat that is taking part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) – a transatlantic journey starting in November from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and ending in Rodney Bay in St Lucia. The boat is equipped with a Voller Energy Emerald fuel cell system that automatically charges the yacht’s batteries, but creates very little noise, vibration or toxic emissions. The fuel cell is powered by Calor Gas (propane or LPG) that is used on board for cooking. In the MCL motor home, the fuel cell replaces an LPG generator, providing power for electronic systems used on board the recreational vehicle, with much lower emissions. The construction-site welfare cabin [FCB, July 2007] would normally use a diesel generator, but instead the fuel cell generates the power it requires, again with much lower emissions. In other news, Voller has appointed Unipart Leisure and Unipart Marine, parts of the Unipart Group, as the official UK distributors
for its Emerald fuel cell system. Unipart Leisure and Unipart Marine are major UK distributors of products to the outdoor leisure and marine markets, respectively, operating from their dedicated national distribution center at Canley, Coventry. Contact: Voller Energy Group Plc, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK. Tel: +44 1256 813900, www.voller.com Or contact: Unipart Leisure/Unipart Marine, Canley, Coventry, UK. Tel: +44 2476 466461, www.unipartleisure.com
Worldwide revenues hit record high, but losses still increase
A
ggregate revenues for publicly traded companies in the global fuel cell sector rose 59% in 2006 over 2005 to a record high of US$416 million, according to the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers annual fuel cell survey. Continuing a trend begun in 2003, the survey found sales revenues exceeded spending on R&D. The PricewaterhouseCoopers 2007 Fuel Cell Survey, released in conjunction with the Tenth Grove Fuel Cell Symposium in London, examines the 2006 year-on-year financial results of the world’s 26 publicly traded companies whose primary business involves one or more of fuel cell production, systems integration and/ or related fueling infrastructure. The survey, now in its fifth year of publication, included six new companies: Heliocentris Fuel Cells and SFC Smart Fuel Cell in Germany, Proton Power Systems and Oxford Catalysts Group in the UK, Protonex Technology in the US, and Zongshen PEM Power Systems in Canada. Almost all of the revenues reported in the survey were from North American-based companies. Quantum Fuel Cell Systems ($193m) retained top spot, followed by Ballard Power Systems ($50m) and Distributed Energy Systems ($45m). Outside of North America, Smart Fuel Cell reported the most revenues ($8m), followed by Heliocentris ($2.1m) and Proton Power Systems ($1.9m). However, no one reported profits; indeed, aggregate losses of the sector increased from $371m in 2005 to $644m in 2006. Total spending on R&D in 2006 was $213m, relatively unchanged from 2005. Companies in the survey reported that this expertise was primarily focused on next-generation products and refining technologies to lower costs, develop markets, and develop manufacturing capacity. The survey also found that full-time employment in the sector increased by 10%, to 3434 people.
November 2007
Plug Power, Ballard win further DOD funding
U
S-based Plug Power and Canada’s Ballard Power Systems have been awarded $3.5 million by the US Department of Defense (DOD) to collaborate on the next phase of fuel cell systems development to support the DOD’s Continuity of Operations (COOP) initiative. Initial government investment enabled first-phase technology evaluation of backup power systems. This further funding, for the second phase, will help the companies deliver systems to customers for validation of product requirements. Ballard and Plug Power have worked together since early 2006 on backup power applications that have been targeted at the DOD, Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies. The companies will continue to work collaboratively on a modular and scalable fuel cell system for use in telecoms and other missioncritical backup applications. Prototype system trials are expected to be deployed in 2008 with both government and commercial customers. ‘This award from the DOD accelerates joint development activities that move us towards a product which supports the critical infrastructure needs of public and private clients across a number of applications and industries,’ says Roger Saillant, president/CEO of Plug Power. The companies say that this funding acts as a catalyst which unites Plug Power’s ability to develop and commercialize backup power systems with Ballard’s latest technology – the Mark 1020 ACS fuel cell stack. 10
Fuel Cells Bulletin
The award will be administered through the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL), which focuses on the evaluation and installation of fuel cell power plants for stationary applications, including infrastructure, environmental, water resources and disaster operations. Contact: Plug Power Inc, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Or contact: Ballard Power Systems Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com Or contact: US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL), Champaign, Illinois, USA. Tel: +1 217 352 6511, www.cecer.army.mil
Voller demos APUs, appoints UK distributors
U
K-based Voller Energy, the developer and manufacturer of commercial portable PEM fuel cell systems, recently hosted a series of events for investors and analysts to view the way in which its Emerald fuel cell auxiliary power units (APUs) are being used. It has also appointed UK distributors for these APU products. The demonstrations, held in London during September and October, showed the APUs installed in a Beneteau 411 sailing yacht, an MCL motor home and a GenQuip constructionsite cabin. According to the company, these systems are unique because they run on propane, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or Calor Gas. The sailing cruiser is a 12.5 m (41 foot) boat that is taking part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) – a transatlantic journey starting in November from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and ending in Rodney Bay in St Lucia. The boat is equipped with a Voller Energy Emerald fuel cell system that automatically charges the yacht’s batteries, but creates very little noise, vibration or toxic emissions. The fuel cell is powered by Calor Gas (propane or LPG) that is used on board for cooking. In the MCL motor home, the fuel cell replaces an LPG generator, providing power for electronic systems used on board the recreational vehicle, with much lower emissions. The construction-site welfare cabin [FCB, July 2007] would normally use a diesel generator, but instead the fuel cell generates the power it requires, again with much lower emissions. In other news, Voller has appointed Unipart Leisure and Unipart Marine, parts of the Unipart Group, as the official UK distributors
for its Emerald fuel cell system. Unipart Leisure and Unipart Marine are major UK distributors of products to the outdoor leisure and marine markets, respectively, operating from their dedicated national distribution center at Canley, Coventry. Contact: Voller Energy Group Plc, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK. Tel: +44 1256 813900, www.voller.com Or contact: Unipart Leisure/Unipart Marine, Canley, Coventry, UK. Tel: +44 2476 466461, www.unipartleisure.com
Worldwide revenues hit record high, but losses still increase
A
ggregate revenues for publicly traded companies in the global fuel cell sector rose 59% in 2006 over 2005 to a record high of US$416 million, according to the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers annual fuel cell survey. Continuing a trend begun in 2003, the survey found sales revenues exceeded spending on R&D. The PricewaterhouseCoopers 2007 Fuel Cell Survey, released in conjunction with the Tenth Grove Fuel Cell Symposium in London, examines the 2006 year-on-year financial results of the world’s 26 publicly traded companies whose primary business involves one or more of fuel cell production, systems integration and/ or related fueling infrastructure. The survey, now in its fifth year of publication, included six new companies: Heliocentris Fuel Cells and SFC Smart Fuel Cell in Germany, Proton Power Systems and Oxford Catalysts Group in the UK, Protonex Technology in the US, and Zongshen PEM Power Systems in Canada. Almost all of the revenues reported in the survey were from North American-based companies. Quantum Fuel Cell Systems ($193m) retained top spot, followed by Ballard Power Systems ($50m) and Distributed Energy Systems ($45m). Outside of North America, Smart Fuel Cell reported the most revenues ($8m), followed by Heliocentris ($2.1m) and Proton Power Systems ($1.9m). However, no one reported profits; indeed, aggregate losses of the sector increased from $371m in 2005 to $644m in 2006. Total spending on R&D in 2006 was $213m, relatively unchanged from 2005. Companies in the survey reported that this expertise was primarily focused on next-generation products and refining technologies to lower costs, develop markets, and develop manufacturing capacity. The survey also found that full-time employment in the sector increased by 10%, to 3434 people.
November 2007