- Email: [email protected]
Proton Power wins first order from L-3
NEWS The company also reports it has shown that porous silicon structures can be modified to optimize the performance of its 16-cell stacks. Rather than joining other companies, which are attempting to create a better direct methanol fuel cell based on PEM technology, the firm believes that an entirely new design approach is necessary to achieve the energy, power densities and reliability required by portable electronic devices in both military and consumer applications. According to Neah, the durability of air cathodes in competing PEM and DMFCs can be compromised by airborne pollutants and/or internal cell complications such as methanol crossover. Its cathode design uses a liquid oxidant which is not compromised by these phenomena. Furthermore, the absence of a PEM in its design eliminates multiple well-documented failure mechanisms associated with degradation of this membrane, such as conductivity loss, methanol crossover and humidity control. Tuning the fluidic characteristics of the porous silicon enables optimal electrode and stack performance. Coupled with the high-performance porous silicon electrode, Neah says that these differences – compared with conventional PEMbased technology – lead to a more robust design with over twice the power output per unit area. Contact: Neah Power Systems Inc, Bothell, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 425 424 3324, www.neahpower.com
EPS Electro7 receives CE certification
T
he Electro7, a 7 kW fuel cell system developed for the business continuity market by Italian company Electro Power Systems, has received CE certification. The CE Mark enables the product to be sold under internationally recognized safety and quality standards. The company says it has taken just 12 months to develop the systems from an initial prototype to the commercial product. The Electro7, which runs on pure hydrogen, successfully completed a series of more than 50 tests designed to meet essential requirements on appliances and demonstrate a high-quality manufacturing process. ‘We are now in a position to fully enter the production and commercial phase,’ says Adriano Marconetto, co-founder and CEO of EPS. ‘Of course we will continue to carry out research and development projects – we are already working on a version of Electro7 running on natural gas, a prototype of which will be released during 2007.’ The Electro7, which is available with three different voltage outputs, can provide back-up power for a range of different systems including ‘server farms’, data centers, telecoms antennas and 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
substations, water supply systems and elevators. It can be installed indoors or outdoors, and can run in stand-alone mode or be grid-connected. It starts up in 7 ms, can be controlled via the Internet or GSM, and runs on a single hydrogen cylinder for up to 2 h. Contact: Electro Power Systems SpA, Alpignano, Torino, Italy. Tel: +39 011 978 4511, www.electrops.it
Medis signs distribution agreement, receives UL certification
I
n the US, Medis Technologies, a developer of direct liquid fuel cell technology, has signed a worldwide distribution agreement with power products supplier Northwest Charging Systems Inc (NCS). Medis Technologies’ 24/7 Power Pack is now also certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). NCS provides engineering, design, components and production assistance to the portable power market. It offers smart battery management units for complex battery systems containing up to 12 cells connected in series. Under the distribution deal NCS will market and sell the Medis 24/7 Fuel Cell Power Pack. Medis has received an initial purchase order from Northwest for 250 000 units. ‘We immediately recognized that the Medis 24/7 Power Pack would be a product that would satisfy our customers’ requirements, since we were not able to find other mobile charging systems on the market capable of providing the extended run-time the 24/7 Power Pack allows,’ says Lance Chandler, CTO of NCS. In other news, Medis has announced that its 24/7 Power Pack has completed UL certification. The firm’s wholly owned subsidiary More Energy Ltd has been advised by UL that it has satisfied the final step for UL certification – the initial production inspection for its production line in Israel. This gives it the right to apply the UL mark on Power Packs produced on that line. Contact: Medis Technologies Ltd, New York, NY, USA. Tel: +1 212 935 8484, www.medistechnologies.com
InnovaTek, Chevron to develop bio-diesel processing technology
I
n the US, InnovaTek has signed a joint development agreement with Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV) for the development of fuel processing technology
for generating hydrogen from bio-diesel and other liquid fuels. The technology is intended for use in refueling stations for fuel cell and hydrogen vehicles. Under the agreement, CTV will contribute to the development of a low-cost approach for scaling up InnovaTek’s InnovaGen microchannel fuel processing technology for commercial hydrogen production and purification. InnovaTek will work with companies that specialize in materials technology and manufacturing to achieve the cost, operational and efficiency goals for the system. ‘The process we develop under this joint agreement with Chevron will use multiple feedstock fuels, including renewable oils such as bio-diesel, to cost-effectively produce hydrogen for vehicles,’ says Patricia Irving, founder and CEO of InnovaTek. Bio-diesel is a clean burning fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. It can be burnt directly in combustion engines, but to produce cleaner, more efficient electrical power, it can be reformed to produce hydrogen for a fuel cell. Contact: InnovaTek Inc, Richland, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 509 375 1093, www.tekkie.com Or contact: Chevron Technology Ventures LLC, Houston, Texas, USA. Tel: +1 713 954 6257, www.chevron.com/ technologyventures
Proton Power wins first order from L-3
F
uel cell hybrid systems company Proton Power Systems (PPS) has been commissioned by US-based L-3 Communications to supply a fuel cell system, as the first contract under a 2.5 million purchase and procurement agreement entered into by the companies last March. The system, worth US$99 000, is scheduled for delivery during the first quarter of 2007, according to a report on the London Stock Exchange’s Regulatory News Service. Under the terms of the agreement, PPS’s German subsidiary Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH is developing a fuel cell system, which is to be commissioned in a series of orders over a three-year period. This first system is expected to be used in L-3 Communications’ technology test center. In addition, L-3 Communications has placed a service and engineering order worth $45 000 with Proton Motor, covering additional documentation, hardware and training. In other news, Proton Motor says that its customer Tecnobus SpA is no longer able to continue work on its project in Italy involving the use of fuel cell systems on battery-powered buses, for reasons internal to the company. However, the Italian firm has confirmed that it wishes to retain its
February 2007
NEWS existing strategic collaboration with the German fuel cell systems company. Proton Motor has agreed to repurchase the unused fuel cell systems purchased by TecnoBus. Contact: Proton Power Systems, Starnberg, Germany. Tel: +49 8151 268640, www.proton-motor.de
Hoku trims fuel cell unit, as it refocuses on solar
H
awaii-based fuel cell membrane and MEA developer Hoku Scientific has scaled back expenditure and investment in its fuel cell business, and intends to focus increasingly on its polysilicon and solar businesses. The company is apparently close to signing a contract with a German solar product retailer worth $120–140m over several years. In December, CEO Dustin Shindo told Pacific Business News that he has had to lay off ‘less than five’ employees in the company’s fuel cell division recently, because of higher-than-expected losses during the last quarter of 2006. The company recorded an aggregate write-down of capital equipment and inventory used in its fuel cell business in its subsequent third-quarter results. The company is continuing its demonstration of 10 stationary fuel cell systems at Pearl Harbor, which began last summer [FCB, July 2006]. These fuel cell systems were manufactured by IdaTech, as part of a $4.5m contract, and incorporate Hoku MEAs. The systems are being field-tested by the company for the US Navy over a 12-month period, with the contract scheduled for completion by August. The systems continue to simulate real-world back-up power applications, and there has not been any unrecoverable failure of a Hoku MEA during this demonstration. Contact: Hoku Scientific Inc, Kapolei, Hawaii, USA. Tel: +1 808 682 7800, www.hokuscientific.com
CFCL links with French firms, plans German site
A
ustralian SOFC developer Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd is collaborating with two French companies to develop a residential commercial heat and power system. The manufacturer of SOFCs for micro-combined heat and power (m-CHP) units is also planning to establish a production facility in Germany. CFCL has signed a product development agreement with Gaz de France, a distributor of natural gas, and boiler manufacturer De Dietrich
February 2007
Thermique, to develop a fully integrated m-CHP unit for the French residential market. CFCL is already supplying its NetGen m-CHP system to German utility EWE [FCB, August 2006]. Under the agreement, the companies will define the specifications and requirements for a CHP appliance for this market, and De Dietrich Thermique will undertake integration of the fuel cell into its condensing boiler platforms. Gaz de France will then conduct a test program of the prototype to demonstrate the unit’s efficiency, reliability and incorporation into the electricity grid. De Dietrich Thermique is the largest provider of gas heating systems in the French market, and has a range of renewable and low-carbon heating systems. Domestic CHP is a new strategic market for the firm, which has been assessing fuel cell and other generator technologies for several years. In other news, CFCL has announced that it is to develop a large-scale manufacturing facility at the Oberbruch industrial park in Heinsberg, Germany, which is owned and managed by Nuon, a Dutch energy company. The NordrheinWestfalen government is supporting the project with funding worth 3.2 million. Work on the plant will run in two phases. The first is scheduled for completion in 2009, and will involve the installation of a semi-automated production line in an existing building in the Nuon industrial park. The production line is designed to produce up to 50 000, 1 kW fuel cell stacks per year. The second phase will involve the installation of three additional fully automated production lines designed to produce up to 150 000 units per year, in a new purpose-built factory adjacent to the existing building. Contact: Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd, Noble Park, Victoria, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9554 2300, www.cfcl.com.au Or contact: Ceramic Fuel Cells (Europe) Ltd, Chester, UK. Tel: +44 1244 893781, Email: [email protected]
Fuel cells back up New York communications
T
he New York Power Authority (NYPA) and New York State Police are collaborating on a $434 000 program to deploy GenCore fuel cells, produced by Plug Power, to provide back-up power at 22 public safety communications facilities in the city. Among the sites to be served by the ‘Fuel Cells for Emergency Communications’ (FC4EC) program is a New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) communications tower in Albion. This facility, which handles communications in Western New York, was disabled during an emergency in October during bad weather. The fuel cell back-up power is designed to allow
IN BRIEF MTI Micro purchase order for Mobion30M US-based MTI MicroFuel Cells has received its first purchase order for a Mobion®30M micro fuel cell unit, as well as seven fuel refill cartridges, from a qualified customer. Current delivery lead time for unit shipments is approximately 16 weeks; delivery of this first unit is expected around Easter. ‘This first order is an important step in our goal to launch multiple test sites in 2007 that will provide MTI Micro with the opportunity to showcase its technology and establish strategic relationships in the military markets,’ says the firm’s CEO, Peng Lim. ‘Since the beginning of our marketing campaign, only a few weeks ago, we have made a number of prototype demonstrations to potential key customers, with very encouraging feedback.’ At the end of last year MTI Micro announced its readiness to accept orders for the unit [FCB, January 2007]. The company is currently moving Mobion30M units through its robustness qualification testing process, with expected completion during the first quarter of 2007. The company then plans to ship robust units as scheduled to qualified customers. Idemitsu develops long-life catalyst for kerosene-based fuel cells Japanese oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co has unveiled a longer-lasting catalyst for fuel cells that use hydrogen derived from kerosene. According to a Nikkei Business Daily report, the company claims its new catalyst can operate for 40 000 continuous hours – five times as long as existing catalysts, and equal in duration to the lifetime of the fuel cell itself. In these fuel cell/reformer systems, the catalyst drives the reforming process, in which hydrogen is generated from a kerosene/water mix in a heated reaction chamber. Existing catalysts have short life spans, which hinder the practical application of kerosene fuel cells. Idemitsu says its new catalyst solves this, and promises to reduce hydrogen production costs because less catalyst is required. In addition, it will allow the design of smaller fuel cells. The new catalyst comprises tiny spheres, 3 µm in diameter, which consist of alumina with a surface coating of ruthenium and a proprietary additive that speeds up water dissociation. Hydrocarbon molecules generated from dissociation of the kerosene react with the water to release hydrogen. In this way faster dissociation of water accelerates this process, and prevents the hydrocarbon molecules from clumping together and attaching to the catalyst. It is this phenomenon that reduces the functionality of the catalyst and shortens its service life. Idemitsu plans to continue improving the catalyst, and aims to conduct verification experiments later this year.
Fuel Cells Bulletin
5
EPS Electro7 receives CE certification
T
he Electro7, a 7 kW fuel cell system developed for the business continuity market by Italian company Electro Power Systems, has received CE certification. The CE Mark enables the product to be sold under internationally recognized safety and quality standards. The company says it has taken just 12 months to develop the systems from an initial prototype to the commercial product. The Electro7, which runs on pure hydrogen, successfully completed a series of more than 50 tests designed to meet essential requirements on appliances and demonstrate a high-quality manufacturing process. ‘We are now in a position to fully enter the production and commercial phase,’ says Adriano Marconetto, co-founder and CEO of EPS. ‘Of course we will continue to carry out research and development projects – we are already working on a version of Electro7 running on natural gas, a prototype of which will be released during 2007.’ The Electro7, which is available with three different voltage outputs, can provide back-up power for a range of different systems including ‘server farms’, data centers, telecoms antennas and 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
substations, water supply systems and elevators. It can be installed indoors or outdoors, and can run in stand-alone mode or be grid-connected. It starts up in 7 ms, can be controlled via the Internet or GSM, and runs on a single hydrogen cylinder for up to 2 h. Contact: Electro Power Systems SpA, Alpignano, Torino, Italy. Tel: +39 011 978 4511, www.electrops.it
Medis signs distribution agreement, receives UL certification
I
n the US, Medis Technologies, a developer of direct liquid fuel cell technology, has signed a worldwide distribution agreement with power products supplier Northwest Charging Systems Inc (NCS). Medis Technologies’ 24/7 Power Pack is now also certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). NCS provides engineering, design, components and production assistance to the portable power market. It offers smart battery management units for complex battery systems containing up to 12 cells connected in series. Under the distribution deal NCS will market and sell the Medis 24/7 Fuel Cell Power Pack. Medis has received an initial purchase order from Northwest for 250 000 units. ‘We immediately recognized that the Medis 24/7 Power Pack would be a product that would satisfy our customers’ requirements, since we were not able to find other mobile charging systems on the market capable of providing the extended run-time the 24/7 Power Pack allows,’ says Lance Chandler, CTO of NCS. In other news, Medis has announced that its 24/7 Power Pack has completed UL certification. The firm’s wholly owned subsidiary More Energy Ltd has been advised by UL that it has satisfied the final step for UL certification – the initial production inspection for its production line in Israel. This gives it the right to apply the UL mark on Power Packs produced on that line. Contact: Medis Technologies Ltd, New York, NY, USA. Tel: +1 212 935 8484, www.medistechnologies.com
InnovaTek, Chevron to develop bio-diesel processing technology
I
n the US, InnovaTek has signed a joint development agreement with Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV) for the development of fuel processing technology
for generating hydrogen from bio-diesel and other liquid fuels. The technology is intended for use in refueling stations for fuel cell and hydrogen vehicles. Under the agreement, CTV will contribute to the development of a low-cost approach for scaling up InnovaTek’s InnovaGen microchannel fuel processing technology for commercial hydrogen production and purification. InnovaTek will work with companies that specialize in materials technology and manufacturing to achieve the cost, operational and efficiency goals for the system. ‘The process we develop under this joint agreement with Chevron will use multiple feedstock fuels, including renewable oils such as bio-diesel, to cost-effectively produce hydrogen for vehicles,’ says Patricia Irving, founder and CEO of InnovaTek. Bio-diesel is a clean burning fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. It can be burnt directly in combustion engines, but to produce cleaner, more efficient electrical power, it can be reformed to produce hydrogen for a fuel cell. Contact: InnovaTek Inc, Richland, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 509 375 1093, www.tekkie.com Or contact: Chevron Technology Ventures LLC, Houston, Texas, USA. Tel: +1 713 954 6257, www.chevron.com/ technologyventures
Proton Power wins first order from L-3
F
uel cell hybrid systems company Proton Power Systems (PPS) has been commissioned by US-based L-3 Communications to supply a fuel cell system, as the first contract under a 2.5 million purchase and procurement agreement entered into by the companies last March. The system, worth US$99 000, is scheduled for delivery during the first quarter of 2007, according to a report on the London Stock Exchange’s Regulatory News Service. Under the terms of the agreement, PPS’s German subsidiary Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH is developing a fuel cell system, which is to be commissioned in a series of orders over a three-year period. This first system is expected to be used in L-3 Communications’ technology test center. In addition, L-3 Communications has placed a service and engineering order worth $45 000 with Proton Motor, covering additional documentation, hardware and training. In other news, Proton Motor says that its customer Tecnobus SpA is no longer able to continue work on its project in Italy involving the use of fuel cell systems on battery-powered buses, for reasons internal to the company. However, the Italian firm has confirmed that it wishes to retain its
February 2007
NEWS existing strategic collaboration with the German fuel cell systems company. Proton Motor has agreed to repurchase the unused fuel cell systems purchased by TecnoBus. Contact: Proton Power Systems, Starnberg, Germany. Tel: +49 8151 268640, www.proton-motor.de
Hoku trims fuel cell unit, as it refocuses on solar
H
awaii-based fuel cell membrane and MEA developer Hoku Scientific has scaled back expenditure and investment in its fuel cell business, and intends to focus increasingly on its polysilicon and solar businesses. The company is apparently close to signing a contract with a German solar product retailer worth $120–140m over several years. In December, CEO Dustin Shindo told Pacific Business News that he has had to lay off ‘less than five’ employees in the company’s fuel cell division recently, because of higher-than-expected losses during the last quarter of 2006. The company recorded an aggregate write-down of capital equipment and inventory used in its fuel cell business in its subsequent third-quarter results. The company is continuing its demonstration of 10 stationary fuel cell systems at Pearl Harbor, which began last summer [FCB, July 2006]. These fuel cell systems were manufactured by IdaTech, as part of a $4.5m contract, and incorporate Hoku MEAs. The systems are being field-tested by the company for the US Navy over a 12-month period, with the contract scheduled for completion by August. The systems continue to simulate real-world back-up power applications, and there has not been any unrecoverable failure of a Hoku MEA during this demonstration. Contact: Hoku Scientific Inc, Kapolei, Hawaii, USA. Tel: +1 808 682 7800, www.hokuscientific.com
CFCL links with French firms, plans German site
A
ustralian SOFC developer Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd is collaborating with two French companies to develop a residential commercial heat and power system. The manufacturer of SOFCs for micro-combined heat and power (m-CHP) units is also planning to establish a production facility in Germany. CFCL has signed a product development agreement with Gaz de France, a distributor of natural gas, and boiler manufacturer De Dietrich
February 2007
Thermique, to develop a fully integrated m-CHP unit for the French residential market. CFCL is already supplying its NetGen m-CHP system to German utility EWE [FCB, August 2006]. Under the agreement, the companies will define the specifications and requirements for a CHP appliance for this market, and De Dietrich Thermique will undertake integration of the fuel cell into its condensing boiler platforms. Gaz de France will then conduct a test program of the prototype to demonstrate the unit’s efficiency, reliability and incorporation into the electricity grid. De Dietrich Thermique is the largest provider of gas heating systems in the French market, and has a range of renewable and low-carbon heating systems. Domestic CHP is a new strategic market for the firm, which has been assessing fuel cell and other generator technologies for several years. In other news, CFCL has announced that it is to develop a large-scale manufacturing facility at the Oberbruch industrial park in Heinsberg, Germany, which is owned and managed by Nuon, a Dutch energy company. The NordrheinWestfalen government is supporting the project with funding worth 3.2 million. Work on the plant will run in two phases. The first is scheduled for completion in 2009, and will involve the installation of a semi-automated production line in an existing building in the Nuon industrial park. The production line is designed to produce up to 50 000, 1 kW fuel cell stacks per year. The second phase will involve the installation of three additional fully automated production lines designed to produce up to 150 000 units per year, in a new purpose-built factory adjacent to the existing building. Contact: Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd, Noble Park, Victoria, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9554 2300, www.cfcl.com.au Or contact: Ceramic Fuel Cells (Europe) Ltd, Chester, UK. Tel: +44 1244 893781, Email: [email protected]
Fuel cells back up New York communications
T
he New York Power Authority (NYPA) and New York State Police are collaborating on a $434 000 program to deploy GenCore fuel cells, produced by Plug Power, to provide back-up power at 22 public safety communications facilities in the city. Among the sites to be served by the ‘Fuel Cells for Emergency Communications’ (FC4EC) program is a New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) communications tower in Albion. This facility, which handles communications in Western New York, was disabled during an emergency in October during bad weather. The fuel cell back-up power is designed to allow
IN BRIEF MTI Micro purchase order for Mobion30M US-based MTI MicroFuel Cells has received its first purchase order for a Mobion®30M micro fuel cell unit, as well as seven fuel refill cartridges, from a qualified customer. Current delivery lead time for unit shipments is approximately 16 weeks; delivery of this first unit is expected around Easter. ‘This first order is an important step in our goal to launch multiple test sites in 2007 that will provide MTI Micro with the opportunity to showcase its technology and establish strategic relationships in the military markets,’ says the firm’s CEO, Peng Lim. ‘Since the beginning of our marketing campaign, only a few weeks ago, we have made a number of prototype demonstrations to potential key customers, with very encouraging feedback.’ At the end of last year MTI Micro announced its readiness to accept orders for the unit [FCB, January 2007]. The company is currently moving Mobion30M units through its robustness qualification testing process, with expected completion during the first quarter of 2007. The company then plans to ship robust units as scheduled to qualified customers. Idemitsu develops long-life catalyst for kerosene-based fuel cells Japanese oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co has unveiled a longer-lasting catalyst for fuel cells that use hydrogen derived from kerosene. According to a Nikkei Business Daily report, the company claims its new catalyst can operate for 40 000 continuous hours – five times as long as existing catalysts, and equal in duration to the lifetime of the fuel cell itself. In these fuel cell/reformer systems, the catalyst drives the reforming process, in which hydrogen is generated from a kerosene/water mix in a heated reaction chamber. Existing catalysts have short life spans, which hinder the practical application of kerosene fuel cells. Idemitsu says its new catalyst solves this, and promises to reduce hydrogen production costs because less catalyst is required. In addition, it will allow the design of smaller fuel cells. The new catalyst comprises tiny spheres, 3 µm in diameter, which consist of alumina with a surface coating of ruthenium and a proprietary additive that speeds up water dissociation. Hydrocarbon molecules generated from dissociation of the kerosene react with the water to release hydrogen. In this way faster dissociation of water accelerates this process, and prevents the hydrocarbon molecules from clumping together and attaching to the catalyst. It is this phenomenon that reduces the functionality of the catalyst and shortens its service life. Idemitsu plans to continue improving the catalyst, and aims to conduct verification experiments later this year.
Fuel Cells Bulletin
5