Fuel Cell

IdaTech (IDA) unveiled a scalable 100W to 500W portable fuel cell system prototype to be introduced to the U.S. market at the 2004 Fuel Cell Seminar. The liquid fuel system with on-board reformer, is part of a portfolio of multi-fuel solutions that IdaTech will showcase during the event. The system being shown at the four-day event is a prototype of a system that will be delivered to the U.S. Army for use as a field battery charger in order to help solve the traditional logistical problem of getting power to troops in the field. The entire fuel cell...

Peugeot has unveiled a futuristic prototype open air, two-seater, four-wheel drive vehicle designed to showcase its fuel cell technology. The Quark comes with some interesting technologies most notably a removable interactive interface, which looks to be a PDA on steroids. The unit serves the same purpose as an ignition key and is used in conjunction with an instrument panel. Positioned in its housing, it provides information concerning the traction system and the fuel cell, vehicle speed, satellite navigation, etc... Protected by a small transparent and waterproof cover, it allows the vehicle to be started when in place and immobilises...

Hydrogenics Corp (HYGS) announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, Greenlight Power Technologies, received a test station contract from QuestAir Technologies to supply three specialized test rigs to support the development of QuestAir's advanced pressure swing adsorption (PSA) products for refinery, petrochemical and industrial applications. PSA technology is utilized by a wide range of industrial applications for purification of such gases as hydrogen, oxygen and helium. Greenlight's test equipment contract, valued at US$615,000, is scheduled for delivery to QuestAir by the end of the first quarter 2005. This contract was included in the backlog cited in Hydrogenics' recent third...

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.

Enova Systems Inc (ENVA) announces that it continues to gain momentum in the fuel cell vehicle markets with the addition of three new or ongoing projects in these sectors. The latest program teams Enova with Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), an independent, nonprofit, applied research and development professional services organization that provides management, integration, and technology-based solutions to a wide array of clients. Enova will supply its 120kW HybridPower(TM) drive system and its fuel cell power management suite to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Fuel Cell Test and Evaluation Center (FCTec), which is operated by CTC. These components will...

Millennium Cell Inc (MCEL) announced that it has been awarded a subcontract to develop hydrogen storage systems for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The prime contractor is Pennsylvania-based Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), which operates the DoD's Fuel Cell Test and Evaluation Center (FCTec) in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Millennium Cell's contract is part of first-year activities under the DoD contract to develop Common Core Power Production (C2P2) technology for the Air Force's Advanced Alternate Power Technology Transformation Office (A2PT2O). The C2P2 Program is based on utilizing fuel cell systems as interchangeable power sources for military equipment. Millennium Cell...

Mechanical Technology Inc (MKTY) announced today that it has received required safety certifications from Underwriter's Laboratories Inc. (UL) and CSA International (CSA) for its micro fuel cell MTI Micro's Mobion(TM) power packs for military and industrial markets. It is targeted for shipment by the end of 2004 for use in logistics and warehousing applications (such as RFID tag readers) where shorter run-time and re-charge maintenance of traditional batteries can reduce worker productivity.

The Bush administration's budget for fiscal 2006 would provide more dollars to advance the production of domestic energy from coal, hydrogen and nuclear sources. The president's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative would receive an additional $35 million in funding in fiscal 2006, bringing total funding to $260 million. In 2003, Bush proposed $1.2 billion over five years to further the development of technologies to produce hydrogen and store hydrogen energy. The budget would also provide $3.6 billion in tax incentives through 2010 to spur renewable energy, as well as hybrid and fuel-cell vehicle purchases.

Distributed Energy Systems Corp (DESC) announced a contract award valued at nearly $1.2 million with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Research Foundation, or UNLVRF. This is a follow-on to the Phase I contract under which Proton and the UNLVRF team are developing a hydrogen filling station capable of operating on solar power for installation in Las Vegas, Nevada.

ABI Research has just published "radically revised" forecasts for the growth in numbers of vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The main stumbling block is the lack of a viable network of hydrogen refueling stations. Without that, no practical deployment of fuel cell vehicles can proceed. This is one reason why I like Hydrogenics Corp (HYGS) and Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc (QTWW). These infrastructure companies are the ones that will be asked to build these stations and provide the hydrogen storage.

Alternative energy companies saw a market boost Tuesday after the U.S. energy secretary reiterated the president's support for alternative energy. "In the first year of that program, we've had tremendous success," Abraham said in an interview on CNBC. "We've bought international support to this effort and we're moving as fast as we believe the research can move." Companies that saw a bounce from Abraham's comments included Fuelcell Energy Inc (FCEL), Beacon Power Corp (BCON), Plug Power Inc (PLUG) and Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc (QTWW). Beacon Power saw the biggest percent jump of 29.4 percent,...

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.

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc (QTWW) fell as much as 10% after the company posted second-quarter results that fell below expectations. They posted a loss of 10 cents a share on sales of about $5 million vs. a loss of 9 cents a share on sales of $6.7 million a year ago. Analysts were expecting a loss of 6 cents a share on sales of $8.6 million. The company said the sales decline was due to lower product sales in its fuel cell systems segment. Shares are now trading off the lows and are currently only down 6%....

The device, manufactured by Fujitsu Laboratories, generates power by combining methanol and hydrogen. DoCoMo claims that development of the cell could be completed by the end of 2005. "The micro fuel cell is aimed at meeting user demands for more convenient handsets with greater power capacity, as well as reduced environmental impact," DoCoMo said in a statement.

Alternate Energy Corp (ARGY) announced the completion of the second phase of its backup power initiative with the final testing of its beta version demonstration HPU (Hydrogen Production Unit). Last week, the HPU successfully powered the Company's recently converted internal combustion engine (ICE) with its low-cost, on-demand hydrogen. Over the past several months, AEC has been focused on the building of ICE and fuel cell generator sets to demonstrate to investors and potential customers AEC's hydrogen fuel production capability. AEC's Chairman, Blaine Froats, stated, "AEC's demo unit will prove that an ICE generator can produce electricity using safe,...

Medis Technologies Ltd. (MDTL) announced that during the first week of functional demonstrations, the fuel cell Power Pack products it made available to General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (GD), to provide power to General Dynamics' rugged PDA have achieved new levels of performance, to its knowledge never achieved before in micro fuel cells. The Power Packs have provided five watts and five volts, operating for a period of many hours with each refueling, operating in every orientation, all without generating any discernable heat. The fuel cell cartridge system has operated effectively to refuel...