Fuel Cell

Hydrogenics Corp (HYGS) announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2004. "While 2004 proved to be a challenging year, we begin 2005 poised for significantly improved financial performance," stated Pierre Rivard, President and CEO of Hydrogenics. "To improve the performance of our test system business, we implemented changes in management and staffing levels, product design and business processes. We believe the acquisition of Stuart Energy reduces our risk profile, significantly expands our product offering, strengthens our global presence, and accelerates our pathway to profitability."

Millennium Cell Inc (MCEL) announced that it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research Program contract by the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command. The Company will assess the feasibility of operating its hydrogen battery technology in conjunction with a 5kW PEM-based fuel cell using water containing a variety of impurities. Preliminary tests conducted by Millennium Cell suggest salt water and other non-potable water may be adequate for use with the Company's Hydrogen on Demand® technology.

Overview In light of oil prices reaching 60 to 70 dollars a barrel, attention is being paid to alternative energy technology, in the hope that it might answer our problems. The major role player right now, especially in terms of replacing combustion engines in cars and trucks, is the fuel cell industry. There are many types of commercially available fuel cells, ranging from ethanol to hydrogen. However, our readers and the public sometimes find it hard to keep up with all the technological terms and the latest inventions and research. This is a simplified summary of the science...

Magnetek Inc. (MAG) announced a reorganization of the Company's operating structure to accelerate growth in alternative energy markets. "Alternative energy products currently account for less than 5% of our quarter-billion-dollar annual revenue," said Magnetek chief executive Andrew Galef. "But that revenue has the potential to increase exponentially over the next few years, based on double-digit growth rates in alternative energy markets and proprietary power conversion products that we are now introducing for solar and wind power markets."

Pacific Fuel Cell Corp (PFCE) announce that it has acquired rights to a new Methanol Resistant Cathodic Catalyst for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells and has filed a provisional patent in the name of the co-inventors, Professor Yushan Yan and Dr. Xin Wang. This new catalyst should eliminate the mixed potential problem at the cathode, and thus significantly increase the fuel cell efficiency.

Ballard Power (BLDP) Chairman and Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, John Sheridan, was in Beijing, China today, along with representatives from Ballard's Alliance partner, DaimlerChrysler, and Chinese industry and government officials, to attend the launch of three Mercedes-Benz Citaro fuel cell buses. The buses, powered with Ballard® heavy-duty fuel cell engines, will enter revenue service in the city as part of a two-year demonstration project being led by the Chinese Ministry of Science & Technology, with support from both the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Program. This is the latest in a series...

Ballard Power (BLDP) announced a $3.6 million contract with a major global automaker covering expanded technology benchmarking and evaluation activities. As part of this agreement, the automaker will evaluate the performance and capabilities of Ballard's current and advanced fuel cell technologies. This contract builds on the experience gained by the automaker from its initial purchase of Ballard® fuel cell products in 2003. Ballard has existing deals with DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Honda, Mitsubishi and Nissan. There is no indicatication which vendor they won the contract with.

Astris Energi Inc. (ASRNF) announced they had received a purchase order from Alternate Energy Corporation (ARGY) for the first Model E8 Portable Power Generator covered by the value-added reseller (VAR) agreement they signed in May 2004. As well as the initial unit to be delivered in a few weeks, the purchase order included five additional Model E8s to be delivered in stages later in 2005. 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...

UTC Fuel Cells, a business of United Technologies Corporation (UTX), today announced changes to its long-standing relationship with Toshiba. Under the terms of the agreement, UTC Fuel Cells will purchase Toshiba's 10 percent ownership interest in UTC Fuel Cells, and Toshiba will purchase UTC Fuel Cells' 49 percent interest in Toshiba International Fuel Cells (TIFC). UTC Fuel Cells manufactures the PureCell 200(TM), a phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) stationary power unit, and develops proton exchange membrane technology (PEM) fuel cells to power cars and buses. UTC Fuel Cells also is developing PEM for stationary power plants. Toshiba is...

Ballard Power (BLDP) states that a commercially viable fuel cell stack technology for hydrogen-powered vehicles can be demonstrated by 2010, according to a Technology "Road Map" released today. The "Road Map", announced to coincide with the start of the National Hydrogen Association's Annual Hydrogen Conference in Washington, D.C., comprises four technology trendlines and targets for fuel cell stack durability, cost, freeze start and volumetric power density. It is widely agreed that demonstrating the ability to meet the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) targets for these four performance attributes is key to the successful commercialization of automotive fuel cell technology....