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VW unveils high-temperature auto PEM technology
fUelCELLS An International Newsletter
BULLETIN
www.fuelcellsbulletin.com
ISSN 1464-2859 December 2006
Survey shows sales, R&D spending, employment up
T
he world’s leading fuel cell industry associations – the US Fuel Cell Council, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Canada, Fuel Cell Commercialization Conference of Japan, and Fuel Cell Europe – recently released the results of their fourth annual global survey of the fuel cell industry, carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The voluntary survey of the fuel cell industry revealed significant year-on-year increases in sales, research spending and employment. Reported global sales were up 7% to US$353m (275m) in 2005, compared with $331m (275m) in 2004. Reported R&D spending was up 11% to $796m (620m), from $716m (558m) in 2004, while the reported level of employment specific to the fuel cell industry was up 12%, rising from 6305 employees in 2004 to 7074 in 2005. The survey included members of all four associations, and was conducted during September and October 2006. More than 180 voluntary and anonymous responses were received and handled
by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which conducted the survey and compiled the results with strict confidentiality rules and independence. More than one-third of the respondents to the survey are privately held companies, with a similar proportion of public companies, divisions or subsidiaries of a public company; the remainder are educational, non-profit or government entities. Almost half (46%) of the respondents are focused on PEM fuel cell technology, with another 9% working on direct methanol fuel cells; the other significant area is solid oxide, with 14% of responders. ‘This is the only market report of its kind designed for and implemented by the fuel cell industry,’ explains Robert Rose, executive director of the US Fuel Cell Council. ‘It provides an important benchmark for companies, policy makers and the public.’ To download the survey, go to: www.usfcc.com/ resources/market_study_and_industry_survey.html
VW unveils high-temperature auto PEM technology
G
erman auto giant Volkswagen has developed an innovative high-temperature fuel cell (HTFC) that it claims will eliminate the disadvantages of the existing ‘conventional’ low-temperature fuel cell technology. VW believes that the high-temperature membrane and electrodes will enable significantly more compact, cheaper and more efficient fuel cell systems, which means affordable fuel cell vehicles suitable for everyday use could be available as early as 2020. Low-temperature fuel cell systems are operated at a membrane temperature of about 80°C; but if the temperature greatly exceeds this value, fuel cell performance breaks down and irreparable damage is done to the cell. Thus low-temperature FCV prototypes – should they be able to pass driving test cycles similar to a combustion engine – place tough requirements on the cooling system, and become very expensive. In addition, in a lowtemperature system the supply of hydrogen and
air must be continuously humidified, otherwise energy production will break down. This humidification also takes space, weight and money. VW’s high-temperature membrane can, in combination with newly designed electrodes, be ‘driven’ at up to 160°C at the same power output. An intermediate operating temperature of 120°C is intended for vehicle operation, without additional humidification. A much simpler cooling system and water management is sufficient, significantly reducing space, weight and cost. The electrode problem has mostly been solved. The high-temperature fuel cells are currently being developed and tested in the Volkswagen Technology Centre in Isenbüttel, a purpose-built facility for research into alternative drive systems. Two years ago Volkswagen demonstrated its Touran HyMotion prototype fuel cell van in the California Fuel Cell Partnership’s Road Rally [FCB, November 2004], and its HyMotion Bora fuel cell car was unveiled at CaFCP’s official opening in 2000 [FCB, December 2000].
Contents NEWS FTA funds commercially viable fuel cell buses 2 Japanese fuel cell rail vehicle in running tests 2 Tennessee research focuses on fuel cell applications for ‘e-ships’ 3 Saint-Gobain links with Jülich to develop SOFCs 3 Proton wins contracts from Shell, US MDA 3 Sulzer Metco, Plansee link up on ready-to-use SOFC components 4 Fuel cell companies invest in Ohio 4 FCT lays off staff, board resigns 4 SC grants promote Columbia’s fuel cell economy 4 Californian businesses use FCE’s technology 5 Euro–Canadian alliance to buy fuel cell buses, London’s hydrogen from waste 5 Veloform’s new ‘e-bike’ uses EFOY fuel cells 6 Medis, Israel Aircraft Industries to develop UAV fuel cells 6 South Africa’s IST buys further Plug systems 6 ETI Tech, P21 jointly developing UPS systems 6 DOE dishes another $100m for fuel cell R&D 7 Framework agreement between CIDETEC, regional government in Spain 7 Korean manufacturing deals for DMFCC 7 Los Alamos progress with less expensive composite catalyst 7 Ford, BP open Michigan hydrogen station 8 Micro-reactors produce hydrogen for portables 8 Plug Power links with Russian firms to work on fuel cell technology 8 Funding for HydroGen industrial fuel cell projects 8 Medis links with Russian companies to promote mobile charger 9 GE hits SECA milestone with SOFC prototype 9 Ballard receives General Hydrogen order, Ebara investment 9 US Air Force lab demos logistic fuel processor 10 ITM Power lowers cost of fuel cell, electrolyzer 10 Jadoo, NES offer fuel cells for law enforcement 10 Funding aids fuel cell development at Rochester Institute of Technology 10 US military continues to support Millennium Cell 11 REPORT 2006 Fuel Cell Seminar
11
FEATURE Organic silica/Nafion® composite membrane for direct methanol fuel cells 12–16 REGULARS In Brief Research Trends Patents Events Calendar
3, 5 17 18–19 20
ISSN 1464-2859/06 © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
BULLETIN
www.fuelcellsbulletin.com
ISSN 1464-2859 December 2006
Survey shows sales, R&D spending, employment up
T
he world’s leading fuel cell industry associations – the US Fuel Cell Council, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Canada, Fuel Cell Commercialization Conference of Japan, and Fuel Cell Europe – recently released the results of their fourth annual global survey of the fuel cell industry, carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The voluntary survey of the fuel cell industry revealed significant year-on-year increases in sales, research spending and employment. Reported global sales were up 7% to US$353m (275m) in 2005, compared with $331m (275m) in 2004. Reported R&D spending was up 11% to $796m (620m), from $716m (558m) in 2004, while the reported level of employment specific to the fuel cell industry was up 12%, rising from 6305 employees in 2004 to 7074 in 2005. The survey included members of all four associations, and was conducted during September and October 2006. More than 180 voluntary and anonymous responses were received and handled
by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which conducted the survey and compiled the results with strict confidentiality rules and independence. More than one-third of the respondents to the survey are privately held companies, with a similar proportion of public companies, divisions or subsidiaries of a public company; the remainder are educational, non-profit or government entities. Almost half (46%) of the respondents are focused on PEM fuel cell technology, with another 9% working on direct methanol fuel cells; the other significant area is solid oxide, with 14% of responders. ‘This is the only market report of its kind designed for and implemented by the fuel cell industry,’ explains Robert Rose, executive director of the US Fuel Cell Council. ‘It provides an important benchmark for companies, policy makers and the public.’ To download the survey, go to: www.usfcc.com/ resources/market_study_and_industry_survey.html
VW unveils high-temperature auto PEM technology
G
erman auto giant Volkswagen has developed an innovative high-temperature fuel cell (HTFC) that it claims will eliminate the disadvantages of the existing ‘conventional’ low-temperature fuel cell technology. VW believes that the high-temperature membrane and electrodes will enable significantly more compact, cheaper and more efficient fuel cell systems, which means affordable fuel cell vehicles suitable for everyday use could be available as early as 2020. Low-temperature fuel cell systems are operated at a membrane temperature of about 80°C; but if the temperature greatly exceeds this value, fuel cell performance breaks down and irreparable damage is done to the cell. Thus low-temperature FCV prototypes – should they be able to pass driving test cycles similar to a combustion engine – place tough requirements on the cooling system, and become very expensive. In addition, in a lowtemperature system the supply of hydrogen and
air must be continuously humidified, otherwise energy production will break down. This humidification also takes space, weight and money. VW’s high-temperature membrane can, in combination with newly designed electrodes, be ‘driven’ at up to 160°C at the same power output. An intermediate operating temperature of 120°C is intended for vehicle operation, without additional humidification. A much simpler cooling system and water management is sufficient, significantly reducing space, weight and cost. The electrode problem has mostly been solved. The high-temperature fuel cells are currently being developed and tested in the Volkswagen Technology Centre in Isenbüttel, a purpose-built facility for research into alternative drive systems. Two years ago Volkswagen demonstrated its Touran HyMotion prototype fuel cell van in the California Fuel Cell Partnership’s Road Rally [FCB, November 2004], and its HyMotion Bora fuel cell car was unveiled at CaFCP’s official opening in 2000 [FCB, December 2000].
Contents NEWS FTA funds commercially viable fuel cell buses 2 Japanese fuel cell rail vehicle in running tests 2 Tennessee research focuses on fuel cell applications for ‘e-ships’ 3 Saint-Gobain links with Jülich to develop SOFCs 3 Proton wins contracts from Shell, US MDA 3 Sulzer Metco, Plansee link up on ready-to-use SOFC components 4 Fuel cell companies invest in Ohio 4 FCT lays off staff, board resigns 4 SC grants promote Columbia’s fuel cell economy 4 Californian businesses use FCE’s technology 5 Euro–Canadian alliance to buy fuel cell buses, London’s hydrogen from waste 5 Veloform’s new ‘e-bike’ uses EFOY fuel cells 6 Medis, Israel Aircraft Industries to develop UAV fuel cells 6 South Africa’s IST buys further Plug systems 6 ETI Tech, P21 jointly developing UPS systems 6 DOE dishes another $100m for fuel cell R&D 7 Framework agreement between CIDETEC, regional government in Spain 7 Korean manufacturing deals for DMFCC 7 Los Alamos progress with less expensive composite catalyst 7 Ford, BP open Michigan hydrogen station 8 Micro-reactors produce hydrogen for portables 8 Plug Power links with Russian firms to work on fuel cell technology 8 Funding for HydroGen industrial fuel cell projects 8 Medis links with Russian companies to promote mobile charger 9 GE hits SECA milestone with SOFC prototype 9 Ballard receives General Hydrogen order, Ebara investment 9 US Air Force lab demos logistic fuel processor 10 ITM Power lowers cost of fuel cell, electrolyzer 10 Jadoo, NES offer fuel cells for law enforcement 10 Funding aids fuel cell development at Rochester Institute of Technology 10 US military continues to support Millennium Cell 11 REPORT 2006 Fuel Cell Seminar
11
FEATURE Organic silica/Nafion® composite membrane for direct methanol fuel cells 12–16 REGULARS In Brief Research Trends Patents Events Calendar
3, 5 17 18–19 20
ISSN 1464-2859/06 © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.