Fuel Cell

Plug Power Inc (PLUG) introduced three new product configurations designed specifically for the electric utility substation backup market. The hydrogen-fueled GenCore® 5-kilowatt fuel cell system, designed to provide extended run backup power, is now available with floating ground in 48Vdc, 108Vdc and 120Vdc outputs to meet the unique requirements of electric utility distribution and transmission substations. The Company is accepting orders for the floating ground systems and expects to begin shipments next month. These new configurations complement the 24Vdc positive ground and 48Vdc positive and negative ground GenCore® systems currently available.

Bloomberg.com has the following article on Ballard Power (BLDP) DaimlerChrysler AG and Ford Motor Co. agreed to invest $100 million in Ballard Power Systems Inc., the biggest maker of fuel cells for automobiles, and restructure their alliance with the money-losing company to speed up development of the alternative energy devices. In the article there is an interesting quote from Ballard's CEO. "We think we have a line of sight now to a commercial product in the early part of the next decade... There no question that fuel cells will replace piston engines."

Fuelcell Energy Inc (FCEL) and its partner in Japan, Marubeni Corp., announced today that they have finalized their agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KWHIY) to become a packager of Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plants in Japan. As part of this agreement, Kawasaki will purchase a DFC300A power plant from Marubeni, to be installed at the Kawasaki Akashi Works near Osaka, Japan, where it will undergo evaluation and testing for the development of a Kawasaki-branded carbonate fuel cell power plant.

Astris Energi Inc. (ASRNF) announced that it will be debuting Freedom II, its second generation AFC-powered Golf Car at the Vancouver Investment Conference on January 23 and 24. The new, faster Freedom II is powered by Astris' recently completed 1.8kW, Model E7 AFC Generator, with more than double the power of the original model, which was the world's first alkaline fuel cell powered golf car using hydrogen. The new, silent running, emission-free E7 Generator contains two 900W Astris' POWERSTACK(tm) MC250 alkaline fuel cell stacks which provide the unit with 1.8kW nominal power with the capability to deliver a...

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc (QTWW) announced that the U.S. Army TARDEC's NAC (Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center's National Automotive Center) will exhibit a high performance, fuel cell off-road vehicle at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas from November 2 5, 2004. The "Quantum AMV(TM)" (Alternative Mobility Vehicle), nicknamed the "Aggressor," is a fuel cell vehicle designed and manufactured by Quantum at its California operations for the U.S. Army under contract with the NAC.

Fuelcell Energy Inc (FCEL) announced today that it has finalized its award with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the three-year first phase of its Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) program. Phase one is a $24 million Cooperative Agreement cost-shared by the DOE and the FuelCell Energy team, which includes Versa Power Systems, Materials and Systems Research Inc., Gas Technology Institute, University of Utah, Electric Power Research Institute, Dana Corporation and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Finalizing the award resolves open budget, scope and schedule issues. The goal of the SECA program is to accelerate the development...

Astris Energi Inc. (ASRNF) announced that it has delivered and completed the customer training on the first Model E8 Portable Power Generator covered by its value added reseller (VAR) agreement signed in May 2004 with Alternate Energy Corporation (ARGY). The E8 Generator is the latest in a series of Astris power generators driven by Astris' AFC technology. Nominally rated at 2.4kW and providing 48 VDC power at 50 amperes of current, the E8 is targeted at stationary applications such as uninterrupted power supply, backup applications for commercial and military users, and emergency site power. Its electrical efficiency is...

Hydrogenics Corp (HYGS) unveiled the first of four Hydrogenics' projects to be part of Toronto's Hydrogen Village. The unveiling of the Company's HyLYZER(TM) hydrogen refueler took place at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) as part of the CNE's Green Day event. Hydrogenics also announced it has received a CDN $4.25 million strategic investment from the Government of Canada's Hydrogen Early Adopters (h2EA) program that will help in establishing the four unique projects in which Hydrogenics will lead a consortium of partners. The total value of the projects is over CDN $10 million.

Air Products and Chemicals Inc (APD) new fueling station technology, featuring faster-fill hydrogen fueling advancements for fleet buses, will provide hydrogen for three Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) buses in San Jose, California. The three-year program to test the viability of zero-emissions bus (ZEB) technology was officially commissioned today at a kick-off event, as the first VTA zero-emission fuel cell buses were welcomed into operation.

Ford Motor Co. will begin testing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in October in California, Florida, Michigan and British Columbia, Canada, the firm said yesterday.

Maxwell Technologies (MXWL) announced that General Hydrogen Corporation, a leading developer of hydrogen fuel cell-based power systems for electric forklifts, has placed a 200,000 unit, three-year, purchase order for BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitors to enhance performance and energy management in its Hydricity® Pack technology. The purchase order is part of a strategic supply agreement through which General Hydrogen will source ultracapacitors exclusively from Maxwell and receive strategic pricing if volume thresholds specified in the purchase order are reached.

Hydrogenics Corp (HYGS) has issued two press releases today. First they have received a series of purchase orders from General Motors Corporation for fuel cell test services anticipated to be delivered in 2006. HYGS gave GM common share purchase warrants as part of an agreement in 2001. The proceeds for the new testing contract were used to re-purchase these warrants back from GM. HYGS also announced that it has been awarded a US$8 million Fuel Cell contract for multiple units of its HyPM® 500 Series Fuel Cell Power Modules from a world leading military...

PolyFuel announced additional funding for their portable fuel cell technology. They are currently a privately held company backed by several venture capital firms. I'm keeping this company on my radar screen because these venture firms will eventually want to take this company public. Here is an excerpt from this most recent PR announcement. Click the link to read the full press release. PolyFuel, Inc., the world leader in membrane technology for portable fuel cells, today announced it has closed an $18.4 million, third round of funding, bringing total investment in the 5-year-old startup to approximately $40 million....

Toyota Motor Corp (TM) are developing a hybrid drivetrain system that can be used for gasoline, diesel, natural gas and fuel-cells.

By Jeff Siegel It was boasted as an energy breakthrough. Bloom Energy's Bloom Box paraded around the media  including a very generous piece aired by 60 Minutes as some kind of new, game-changing magical energy creation device that would change the world. Problem is, it's not really “new.” And it's certainly not going to change the world. But don't tell that to the folks who are looking to take the company public, perhaps as soon as this year. Now, I'm not saying a Bloom Energy IPO would fail. In fact, based on the hype surrounding the...

Fuelcell Energy Inc (FCEL) has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U. S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center/Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL) and will provide a 250-kilowatt Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plant to the Department of Defense (DoD) Fuel Cell Test and Evaluation Center (FCTec) for evaluation in a combined heat and power application. This distributed generation fuel cell system will supply electricity, and the byproduct heat will be coupled with an adsorption chiller.