- Email: [email protected]
QuestAir completes IPO
NEWS [FCB, August 2004]. The Singapore center is its first in Asia, and is also unique in being its first ‘one-stop’ technology center. Contact: Gary Atkins, Rolls-Royce Plc, Derby, UK. Tel: +44 1332 248389, Email: [email protected], www.rolls-royce.com/energy/tech/fuelcells.jsp
QuestAir completes IPO
C
anadian-based gas purification specialist QuestAir Technologies has completed its IPO, consisting of a new issue of 8.6 million common shares for gross proceeds of C$15m (£6.4m, US$12m). The company’s shares began trading in late December on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Jonathan Wilkinson, QuestAir’s president/ CEO, says the dual listing gives access to a deep capital pool, ‘including knowledgeable investors who understand our markets, our technology and our opportunities.’ The proceeds will be used to fund the company’s growth, including the launch of second-generation products to serve existing and emerging markets. he adds. The company’s products are based on proprietary innovations in pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology, which is applied extensively in producing and purifying hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen for industrial uses. QuestAir has 25 granted patents and 111 further applications. QuestAir has supplied its first-generation products to the industrial hydrogen and biogas processing markets, and for use in hydrogen fueling infrastructure demonstration projects [FCB, October]. To date, the company has sold 49 systems to approximately 25 customers in North America, Asia and Europe. The company has a joint development agreement with Shell Hydrogen, intended to accelerate the development of QuestAir’s compact hydrogen PSA systems for use in producing hydrogen from natural gas feedstock for the anticipated hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Shell Hydrogen invested US$11m in QuestAir as part of the transaction. Contact: QuestAir Technologies Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 1134, www.questairinc.com
Plug to provide H2 for Detroit Edison plant
N
Y-based Plug Power has received a contract from the Detroit Edison Company to provide on-site hydrogen 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
generation for its Saint Clair power plant in East China, Michigan. The hydrogen will be used to provide cooling to six generator units currently in operation at the facility. Under the terms of the contract, Plug Power will install a GenSite™ hydrogen generator at the Saint Clair power plant. The GenSite system has already been shipped to the facility, and is expected to be fully operational early in 2005. The plant is located south of the city of Saint Clair, and produces approximately 1400 MWe of power for Detroit Edison, which serves 2.1m customers in southeast Michigan. The GenSite unit will augment Saint Clair’s existing liquid hydrogen infrastructure, and provide a significant portion of the hydrogen needed for the power plant’s daily operations. Plug Power will also provide training to address specific installation and maintenance requirements for Detroit Edison’s designated personnel. ‘This is a great opportunity for Detroit Edison to test and prove on-site hydrogen generation technology in a demanding, industrial application,’ says Guy Harris, director of fossil generation performance at Detroit Edison. GenSite hydrogen generation systems provide reliable and economical on-site generation of pure, compressed hydrogen gas for industrial gas applications. Contact: Plug Power Inc, Latham, NY, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Or contact: DTE Energy Technologies, Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA. Tel : +1 248 427 2200, www.dtetech.com
Helion develops first French 20 kWe stack
T
he French fuel cell company Helion launched its latest fuel cell stack in December, the first with an output of >20 kWe to be designed and manufactured on French soil. Compared to its previous 5 kWe fuel cell, introduced a year earlier, Helion’s new PEM fuel cell features a new design in terms of materials, refrigeration and sealing, and power-tovolume and power-to-weight ratios of more than 50%. Costs have also been cut to a quarter of those of previous fuel cell cores, says the company, which is based in Aix-en-Provence. The 20 kWe PEM fuel cell has a volume of 110 liters and weighs 160 kg. Its mass power density, including clamps, is >0.15 kWe/kg and the volumetric power density is >0.23 kWe/liter. The plates are made from a graphite polymer
composite, and the unit is water-cooled. Helion says the stack offers very high reliability and availability, and is also able to meet the requirements of anaerobic power applications, especially for underwater propulsion systems or backup electric generators. Helion designs, manufactures and markets electric and heat generators using fuel cell technology for embedded and remote aerobic and anaerobic applications that combine safety, reliability and environmental friendliness. The company is a subsidiary of Technicatome, itself a subsidiary of the Areva group. Contact: Helion, Aix-en-Provence, France. Tel: +33 4 4290 8150, www.helion-fuelcells.com
NRC institute demos renewable H2 generation
R
esearchers at Canada’s National Research Council Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation (NRC-IFCI) in Vancouver have unveiled a solar-powered hydrogen generation system. The project is an all-Canadian collaboration involving Ballard Power Systems, Hydrogenics and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). The system uses electricity from photovoltaic panels to power a Hydrogenics Hylyzer™ electrolyzer module. The hydrogen thus generated will soon be used to fuel a Ballard Nexa® RM Series fuel cell module to provide clean backup power to the NRC-IFCI facility. The photovoltaic panels were designed and installed by BCIT researchers. They can provide up to 7 kW of energy on bright sunny days. Storing the energy as hydrogen allows users to manage power supply despite intermittent weather patterns. Demonstrating clean technologies is vital to the growth of the hydrogen and fuel cell industry, according to Maja Veljkovic, director general of the NRC-IFCI. It allows researchers to collect data to improve the next generation of products, and customers and investors to experience new technologies. ‘As a node along Canada’s Hydrogen Highway, NRC-IFCI plans to be a major site for displaying Canadian leadership in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies,’ adds Veljkovic. Funding for the solar hydrogen project comes from the Federal House in Order initiative, the Canadian government’s plan to address greenhouse gas emissions within its own operations. Joint leads in this initiative are Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada and Public Works & Government Services Canada.
February 2005
QuestAir completes IPO
C
anadian-based gas purification specialist QuestAir Technologies has completed its IPO, consisting of a new issue of 8.6 million common shares for gross proceeds of C$15m (£6.4m, US$12m). The company’s shares began trading in late December on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Jonathan Wilkinson, QuestAir’s president/ CEO, says the dual listing gives access to a deep capital pool, ‘including knowledgeable investors who understand our markets, our technology and our opportunities.’ The proceeds will be used to fund the company’s growth, including the launch of second-generation products to serve existing and emerging markets. he adds. The company’s products are based on proprietary innovations in pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology, which is applied extensively in producing and purifying hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen for industrial uses. QuestAir has 25 granted patents and 111 further applications. QuestAir has supplied its first-generation products to the industrial hydrogen and biogas processing markets, and for use in hydrogen fueling infrastructure demonstration projects [FCB, October]. To date, the company has sold 49 systems to approximately 25 customers in North America, Asia and Europe. The company has a joint development agreement with Shell Hydrogen, intended to accelerate the development of QuestAir’s compact hydrogen PSA systems for use in producing hydrogen from natural gas feedstock for the anticipated hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Shell Hydrogen invested US$11m in QuestAir as part of the transaction. Contact: QuestAir Technologies Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 1134, www.questairinc.com
Plug to provide H2 for Detroit Edison plant
N
Y-based Plug Power has received a contract from the Detroit Edison Company to provide on-site hydrogen 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
generation for its Saint Clair power plant in East China, Michigan. The hydrogen will be used to provide cooling to six generator units currently in operation at the facility. Under the terms of the contract, Plug Power will install a GenSite™ hydrogen generator at the Saint Clair power plant. The GenSite system has already been shipped to the facility, and is expected to be fully operational early in 2005. The plant is located south of the city of Saint Clair, and produces approximately 1400 MWe of power for Detroit Edison, which serves 2.1m customers in southeast Michigan. The GenSite unit will augment Saint Clair’s existing liquid hydrogen infrastructure, and provide a significant portion of the hydrogen needed for the power plant’s daily operations. Plug Power will also provide training to address specific installation and maintenance requirements for Detroit Edison’s designated personnel. ‘This is a great opportunity for Detroit Edison to test and prove on-site hydrogen generation technology in a demanding, industrial application,’ says Guy Harris, director of fossil generation performance at Detroit Edison. GenSite hydrogen generation systems provide reliable and economical on-site generation of pure, compressed hydrogen gas for industrial gas applications. Contact: Plug Power Inc, Latham, NY, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Or contact: DTE Energy Technologies, Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA. Tel : +1 248 427 2200, www.dtetech.com
Helion develops first French 20 kWe stack
T
he French fuel cell company Helion launched its latest fuel cell stack in December, the first with an output of >20 kWe to be designed and manufactured on French soil. Compared to its previous 5 kWe fuel cell, introduced a year earlier, Helion’s new PEM fuel cell features a new design in terms of materials, refrigeration and sealing, and power-tovolume and power-to-weight ratios of more than 50%. Costs have also been cut to a quarter of those of previous fuel cell cores, says the company, which is based in Aix-en-Provence. The 20 kWe PEM fuel cell has a volume of 110 liters and weighs 160 kg. Its mass power density, including clamps, is >0.15 kWe/kg and the volumetric power density is >0.23 kWe/liter. The plates are made from a graphite polymer
composite, and the unit is water-cooled. Helion says the stack offers very high reliability and availability, and is also able to meet the requirements of anaerobic power applications, especially for underwater propulsion systems or backup electric generators. Helion designs, manufactures and markets electric and heat generators using fuel cell technology for embedded and remote aerobic and anaerobic applications that combine safety, reliability and environmental friendliness. The company is a subsidiary of Technicatome, itself a subsidiary of the Areva group. Contact: Helion, Aix-en-Provence, France. Tel: +33 4 4290 8150, www.helion-fuelcells.com
NRC institute demos renewable H2 generation
R
esearchers at Canada’s National Research Council Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation (NRC-IFCI) in Vancouver have unveiled a solar-powered hydrogen generation system. The project is an all-Canadian collaboration involving Ballard Power Systems, Hydrogenics and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). The system uses electricity from photovoltaic panels to power a Hydrogenics Hylyzer™ electrolyzer module. The hydrogen thus generated will soon be used to fuel a Ballard Nexa® RM Series fuel cell module to provide clean backup power to the NRC-IFCI facility. The photovoltaic panels were designed and installed by BCIT researchers. They can provide up to 7 kW of energy on bright sunny days. Storing the energy as hydrogen allows users to manage power supply despite intermittent weather patterns. Demonstrating clean technologies is vital to the growth of the hydrogen and fuel cell industry, according to Maja Veljkovic, director general of the NRC-IFCI. It allows researchers to collect data to improve the next generation of products, and customers and investors to experience new technologies. ‘As a node along Canada’s Hydrogen Highway, NRC-IFCI plans to be a major site for displaying Canadian leadership in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies,’ adds Veljkovic. Funding for the solar hydrogen project comes from the Federal House in Order initiative, the Canadian government’s plan to address greenhouse gas emissions within its own operations. Joint leads in this initiative are Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada and Public Works & Government Services Canada.
February 2005