Hydrogen - Gazette
The news letter of HyWeb and the German Hydrogen Association (DWV)
Ist Quarter 1999 – 3rd Year ã L-B-Systemtechnik GmbH
The topical quotation (99-03-17)
DaimlerChrysler presents Necar 4 (99-03-17)
Natural gas house at Machern now operating on fuel cell alone (99-03-17)
The topical quotation (99-03-08)
BMW to build first series production fuel cell car in the world (98-03-08)
Financial Times Management Reports "Hydrogen Power" and "Fuel Cells" (99-03-08)
New Venture Aims to Create World's First "Hydrogen Economy" in Iceland (99-02-18)
The topical quotation (99-02-17)
Shell Hydrogen BV coming up (99-02-17)
Canada supports development of electrolyzer hydrogen refueling station with CAN-$5.8 mio (99-02-17)
Graphite Nano Fiber Storage as commercial product within three years (99-02-17)
BASF and dbb develop fuel cell propulsion system on the basis of methanol (99-02-17)
General Electric to market Plug Power fuel cell technology (99-02-17)
The topical quotation (99-02-04)
Saxon call for ideas gives awards to three fuel cell concepts (99-02-04)
Osaka Gas Co. presents natural gas reformer for 1 kW fuel cell cogenerator (99-02-04)
Ford presents fuel cell powered P2000 Sedan and P2000 SUV concept (99-02-04)
Plug Power demonstrates automotive fuel cell system to Ford Motor Co. (99-02-04)
DaimlerChrysler presents fuel cell Jeep concept Commander (99-02-04)
PEM Fuel Cell bus in the United Kingdom (99-02-04)
Study on Fuel Cell Alliances in the Car Industry (99-01-20)
First European Hydrogen Filling Station opens in Hamburg (99-01-19)
Shell goes into hydrogen business (99-01-19)
Neoplan hydrogen bus presented (99-01-19)
Mercedes-Benz Mexico tests NEBUS (99-01-19)
Fuel Cells in Spanish language - pilas de combustible en lengua española (99-01-19)
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"We are investing in fuel cells, because we are committed to sustainable mobility and because we believe this investment will pay off. Fuel cells have the potential to be the most attractive alternative propulsion system for the long term."
Jürgen Schrempp, DaimlerChrysler chairman, DaimlerChrysler press release, 99-03-17
DaimlerChrysler presents Necar 4
HyWeb, 99-03-17: DaimlerChrysler today presented Necar 4, the new prototype fuel cell vehicle, in Washington D.C., USA. Necar 4 based on a Mercedes-Benz A-class compact car reaches top speeds of 90 miles per hour and can travel nearly 280 miles (450 km) before refueling. In addition, engineers have been able to mount the complete fuel cell system in the vehicle floor allowing room for up to five passengers with plenty of cargo space.
Compared to Necar 2, a van with compressed gaseous hydrogen storage, the necessary volume for the fuel cell system shrinks from 9 liters per kilowatt to 6 l/kW; the specific mass is reduced by 15%.
According to DaimlerChrysler, Necar 4 is well-suited for fleet operations, especially for vehicle fleet operating in a limited regional area. Such vehicle can return to the same hydrogen filling station on a regular basis.
DaimlerChrysler already works on the next generation of fuel cell vehicles that store methanol on-board and reform it to hydrogen just as in Necar 3. "DaimlerChrysler works on the two concepts methanol and hydrogen, which are future-oriented options for environmentally benign vehicles with fuel cell propulsion, that can be adapted to different consumer requirements," says Dr. Ferdinand Panik, head of DaimlerChrysler’s Fuel Cell Project.
In a cooperation with Shell, DaimlerChrysler is also doing research on examining the possibility of using gasoline for fuel cell power trains. However, Gasoline is more difficult to convert to electric energy, with lower efficiency and higher emissions than hydrogen or methanol fuel cell vehicles. For gasoline-based fuel cell systems to work, a more complicated reforming technology needs to be developed in order to change the liquid gasoline into a gas with a large proportion of hydrogen. In addition, a much cleaner gasoline, similar to the gasoline available in California, is needed for the fuel cell to work properly, according to the DaimlerChrysler press release.
MA
Natural gas house at Machern now operating on fuel cell alone
DWV, 99-03-17: On March 3rd the "Natural Gas House" of the gas utility Verbundnetz Gas AG (VNG) in the city of Machern (near Leipzig) was disconnected from the electrical grid. For the next six months family Ringel (couple with two children) will be supplied with electricity by a fuel cell in the basement only. Saxony's minster for economical affairs, Kajo Schommer, said on this occasion: "We face the begin of a new century. Our world is changing. Saxony needs investments and innovations to prevail in the competition. This is in my eyes an important step to promote this technology." Experience can not be gained but by projects like this. "The initiative of VNG leads the way to a broader introduction into the marketplace."
For the last three years VNG invested about 3 MDM (1,5 MEuro) per year in the decentral energy generation concept which is running on natural gas basis only. The Institute for Refrigeration Technology in Dresden participates. Commercialisation is expected in five years. On the basis of serial production the partners estimate that the electricity and heat (and also refrigeration) generator will cost around 5 kDM (2500 Euro).
The Ringel family expects that they will have slightly more visitors than usual during the half year of the project. The first came already the very next days in connection with the environmental technology fair "TerraTec" held in Leipzig. They are confident, however, that this can hardly be more straining than the phase of the installation of the fuel cell.
See also HyWeb, 99-12-04.
DWV
"Eventually the industry will be forced to switch to some sort of electric vehicle, powered either by a battery or by a fuel cell. We are now facing a global energy crisis. I know you've heard this before, but this time it's for real. It may hit in 30 years or it may hit sooner, but there's no way it can be avoided."
Hiroyuki Yoshino, President of Honda Motor Co., Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Letter, December 1998
BMW to build first series production fuel cell car in the world
HyWeb, 99-03-08: BMW will be the first car manufacturer to put a small series of cars on the road using a fuel cell to generate electricity in the vehicle, according to a BMW press release of February 25th. A number of hydrogen-driven 7-series saloons will already be equipped with them in time for next year's global EXPO 2000 "Clean Energy" project. After that, the 7-series with a fuel cell battery could be launched on the market for the public.
The task of the fuel cell unit is to provide current for the on-board electrical system. Even with hydrogen operation, BMW still sees the combustion engine as offering the greatest advantages for powering the vehicle itself. In the 7-series, the compact fuel cell simply occupies the space of a conventional lead-acid battery. The fuel cell APU (auxiliary power unit) can not only supply power to all the conventional electrical equipment, but also makes some new functions possible. The future 7-series will, for example, have an independent air conditioning system which supplies warm or cold air even when the engine is switched off, meaning zero emission.
BMW has selected as partner and fuel cell supplier International Fuel Cells (IFC) of the USA, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (UTC).
According to BMW, the IFC fuel cell has two distinct advantages over other systems:
- Firstly, it does not require any complicated high-pressure supply lines, which means that its total efficiency is greater than in other systems and, moreover, that its design is less complex and costly.
- Secondly, it has a closed and largely loss-free water circuit. This does away with the need for an additional water tank, which otherwise has to be provided to supply the necessary moisture.
MA
Financial Times Management Reports "Hydrogen Power" and "Fuel Cells"
HyWeb, 99-03-08: The Financial Times has published two reports on Hydrogen Power - The commercial future of the 'ultimate fuel' and on Fuel Cells - Clean power, clean transport, clean future in its Management Reports series. David Hart, author of the two reports, is an internationally acknowledged specialist in the field at Imperial College, London, UK. Ausilio Bauen, co-author of the fuel cell report, works at King's College, London, UK.
The two reports give a broad survey of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, their history, present state-of-the-art, economic potentials and ecological advantages. They are good literature for those who are not yet experts in the field, but who are interested to understand these potentially giant markets. Without confusing the reader with endless tables of numbers, qualitative assessments and descriptions allow for an understandingof the areas of hydrogen energy and the key technology fuel cells. The reports are meant for reading, for understanding the fundamental qualities of these concepts, their relationships with other technologies and markets as well as their political dimensions. In this sense, the lack of quantitative information, the lack of numbers, is an advantage. On the other hand, this is also the limitation of the two reports: they cannot be the basis for a company decision and don't give basic numbers for own estimates; they can only give new insight and be the basis for a decision to having a closer and more quantitative look at the subject.
The assessments and conclusions of the authors are reliable and will in essence be shared by most experts in the field. Differing evaluations will only occur on minor points, so that the two reports can be recommended as a high quality primer to the hydrogen energy concept and the key technology fuel cells. Nonetheless, even experts can learn the one or the other new thing.
MA
The two reports can be obtained from:
FT Energy
Maple House
149 Tottenham Court Road
London
W1P 9LL
Phone +44/171/8962241
Fax +44/171/8962275The Fuel Cells is available for £395/US-$632.
The Hydrogen Power is available for £195/US-$312.
New Venture Aims to Create World's First "Hydrogen Economy" in Iceland
HyWeb, 99-02-18: An Icelandic consortium, Vistorka hf. (EcoEnergy Ltd.), on February 17th signed a Co-operation Agreement with DaimlerChrysler, Norsk Hydro and the Royal Dutch/Shell Group for the joint venture "Icelandic Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Company Ltd." to investigate the potential for replacing fossil fuels in Iceland with hydrogen and creating the world's first "hydrogen economy".
The joint venture with an equity capital of $1 million of which DaimlerChrysler, Norsk Hydro and Shell hold 16.33% each, will test various applications using hydrogen or hydrogen carriers with fuel cells. One of the first results could be a hydrogen/fuel cell-powered bus service in Reykjavik, with additional projects being introduced between 2000 and 2002.
The joint venture ultimately aims to convert both the public and private transportation sectors, including fishing vessels. Work will also be carried out in to the effective production, storage and distribution of hydrogen and hydrogen carriers.
MA
"At the beginning of the century we were making oil for kerosene lamps. Where would we be if the automobile had not evolved? In the future we will be making mathanol, hydrogen and other alternative fuels."
Dr. Ramon Espino, Director of Corporate Research at Exxon, in FT Automotive Environment Analyst, Issue 48, January 1999
HyWeb, 99-02-17: Royal Dutch/Shell announced on February 8th, that it has appointed a Chief Executive Officer to set up and manage a new business called Shell Hydrogen B.V. Donald Huberts will take up the position on February 22nd and the company will initially be based in The Netherlands.
Shell Hydrogen is being established to take advantage of the exciting opportunities that are developing in the technology, infrastructure and applications surrounding the commercialisation of fuel cells. Key projects will be announced later this year.
Shell also announced to market "green" electricity in Hamburg, Germany, in collaboration with Hamburg based electric utility HEW.
MA
Canada supports development of electrolyzer hydrogen refueling station with CAN-$5.8 mio
HyWeb, 99-02-17: At the ninth Annual Meeting of the Canadian Hydrogen Association on February 8th, 1999, Natural Resources Canada Minister Ralph Goodale announced a CAN-$5.8 mio investment in a CAN-$17.7 mio project on the further development of electrolyzer hydrogen refueling stations for fuel cell buses. At the meeting, such a refueling station was officially inaugurated, that is in operation since October 1998 supplying three Ballard fuel cell buses (see HyWeb, 98-12-14). The investment will support Stuart Energy Systems of Toronto, Canada, and is fully repayable.
MA
Graphite Nano Fiber Storage as commercial product within three years
HyWeb, 99/02/17: At the ninth Annual Meeting of the Canadian Hydrogen Association on February 9th, 1999, Nelly Rodriguez said that she expects that GNF storage will be a commercial product within the next three years (see HyWeb, 98-12-18).
The summer schools organised by her gives interested experts the chance to learn about GNF and make own experiments.
MA
BASF and dbb develop fuel cell propulsion system on the basis of methanol
HyWeb, 99-02-17: BASF AG of Ludwigshafen, Germany, and dbb fuel cell engines GmbH of Stuttgart, Germany, have agreed upon intensifying their collaboration in the development and market introduction of a fuel cell propulsion system for passenger cars on the basis of methanol. As announced by BASF on February 3rd, a corresponding development and co-operation agreement was signed between the two partners. According to this contract, the partners will develop a new, catalytic system for the steam reforming of methanol, which is capable of producing the necessary hydrogen for the fuel cell from methanol. The new collaboration is based on intensive contacts in this area since several years. BASF and dbb are positive that the first series passenger cars employing this system will be commercialized in 2004.
MA
General Electric to market Plug Power fuel cell technology
HyWeb, 99-02-17: GE Power Systems said on February 11th that it has agreed to market the fuel cell expertise of Plug Power of Latham, New York (see HyWeb, 98-06-22). The General Electric Co. subsidiary said the venture it formed with Plug Power expects to offer residential-sized systems in 2001 for $7,500 to $10,000 and projects the price will drop about $3,500 in mass production, which would allow the production of electricity for seven to ten cents per kWh.
GE Power Systems said it has agreed to create GE Fuel Cell Systems with Plug Power to distribute fuel cells world-wide.
MA
"Imagine every household having a fuel cell in the basement the size of a refrigerator, producing electricity and heat."
Werner Müller, German Federal Economic Minister, Detmold, Germany, Januar 15th, 1999; translation by LBST
Saxon call for ideas gives awards to three fuel cell concepts
HyWeb, 99-02-04: Today, the Saxon Ministry for Environment and Agriculture awarded three fuel cell concepts in the call for ideas "Innovative heating for Zwick's Estate in the ecological modell town of Taucha".
Two concepts by HEW Contract (a joint proposal with Consulectra, both of Hamburg, Germany, and RCI of Dresden, Saxony, Germany) and by Jochen Döhler, engineers of Leipzig, Saxony, Germany, based on Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells using natural gas were awarded the first price. A special award was given to Planungsgruppe M+M AG (of Böblingen and Dresden, Germany) proposing a concept based on the innovative Solid Oxide Fuel Cell by Sulzer Hexis of Switzerland.
Zwick's Estate, built in the 1930ies, is heated by about 1,500 small furnaces burning lignite, which shall be replaced by an innovative and ecologically sound system.
The winning concepts are presented in a brochure (in German language), which can be ordered from:
Sachsenwerbung Formulardruck GmbH
Dornblöthstraße 14
D-01277 Dresden
Phone +49/351/31840-10
Fax +49/351/31840-11MA
Osaka Gas Co. presents natural gas reformer for 1 kW fuel cell cogenerator
HyWeb, 99-02-04: In January, Osaka Gas Co. of Japan presented a natural gas reformer producing a hydrogen rich gas for use in a 1 kW fuel cell cogenerator. The reformer is said to be only half as large as similar devices. Test operation of a home fuel cell cogeneration system will start in February 1999; field tests will start later this year. Osaka Gas hopes to commercialize the reformer a fuel cell cogeneration system by 2005 for a target price of US-$4,400 (500,000 yen).
MA
Ford presents fuel cell powered P2000 Sedan and P2000 SUV concept
HyWeb, 99-02-04: Ford presented the P2000 program including a sedan and a sport utility vehicle concept, both powered by a fuel cell, on the Detroit International Motor Show in early January.
"A direct hydrogen fuel cell offers real promise as a zero-emission vehicle with competitive performance and driving range," said Bill Powers, vice president research. "Fuel cell have several advantages over batteries ,which currently have range and durability limits. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is a renewable resource."
Researchers determined that the safety risks of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel compare favorably with other vehicle fuels such as gasoline, propane and natural gas. Studies also show that hydrogen can be cost-competitive with gasoline on a cost-per-mile-driven basis if generated by small, factory-built natural gas reformers or electrolyzers, according to a Ford press release on the P2000 sedan.
In another press release on the P2000 SUV, Ford states that "the extremely efficient fuel cell powertrain allows the convenient use of methanol fuel, which is processed on board into hydrogen.
MA
Plug Power demonstrates automotive fuel cell system to Ford Motor Co.
HyWeb, 99-02-04: On January 28th, Plug Power of Latham, New York, USA, demonstrated to Ford Motor Co. its automotive PEM fuel cell system, which is part of a US-$2.8 million joint program between Plug Power and Ford. Major funding for this program was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy.
MA
DaimlerChrysler presents fuel cell Jeep concept Commander
HyWeb, 99-02-04: In late December, DaimlerChrysler debuted the Jeep Commander concept vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Commander runs on electric power, but the fuel cell powertrain is not yet functional. So far, a battery provides electric power. DaimlerChrysler plans to have a working methanol, hybrid fuel cell system in the Commander by the end of 1999.
MA
PEM Fuel Cell bus in the United Kingdom
HyWeb, 99-02-04: According to a report in the February 1999 edition of New Review UK Minister for Energy and Industry John Battle announced in December that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is to support the design, construction and evaluation of a methanol fueled PEM fuel cell bus. The total cost of the project led by Robert Wright and Sons Ltd. is estimated at £ 3.85 million, 50% will be contributed by the DTI.
The bus is expected to be a 12 m bus with an overall power rating of about 175 kWe and a PEM fuel cell of about 50 kWe. Johnson Matthey will develop and supply an advanced methanol fuel processor , based on its HotSpot™ reformer and Demonox™ carbon monoxide clean-up technologies. Alstom Transport SA will design the electric drivetrain using its compact Onix™ low.floor motorized axle. The fuel cell stacks will be purchased by competitive tender. Trials of the bus are planned for 2001.
MA
Volvo affiliate Nova Bus Inc. announces first commercially available, liquid fueled fuel cell bus
HyWeb, 99-02-04: Georgetown University and Nova Bus Inc., USA, announce the first commercially available, forty-foot fuel cell powered, liquid fueled, transit bus on the Novabus Internet home page.
The bus has a 100 kW phosphoric acid fuel cell and nickel-cadmium batteries. Fuel is methanol providing a driving range of 350 miles between refueling. The second bus in the Georgetown Fuel Cell Bus Project will integrate a PEM fuel cell. The fuel cell powered transit bus program is supported from a grant from the Federal Transit Administration and is administered by Georgetown University.
MA
Study on Fuel Cell Alliances in the Car Industry
HyWeb, 99-01-20: Kanehira Maruo, a researcher in Gothenburg, Sweden, recently published a report about the fuel cell alliances in the car industry. A summary of the study can be found on the Internet home page of the Swedish Hydrogen Association under http://www.h2forum.org/reports/alliancs.html. It will be sold in Sweden for about 20 Euro.
MA
First European Hydrogen Filling Station opens in Hamburg
DWV, 99-01-13: On January 12 the Prime Minister of the State of Hamburg, Ortwin Runde, opened the first private hydrogen filling station in Europe. It was given the name "Ludwig Boelkow Hydrogen Filling Station" to honor the man who pioneered hydrogen technology in Germany. Additionally the first of (so far) six vehicles to be supplied by it began its operation. Before Runde filled up the van on the ground of the Hamburg gas utility he stressed the importance of the new technology for the future of Hamburg under the condition of progressing globalization. He called the project an example for a balance between ecology and economy.
Michael Otto pronounced himself against short-sighted approaches of the wins and losses by ecologic measures. Otto is head of Otto Versand, a major German mail order house and mother company of the Hermes expedition which takes part in the project. Business men can only be successful in the long run if they take a look at the whole and are consious of their responsibility towards society and environment.
The filling station supplies (so far) six vans of well-known companies in Hamburg: Hermes expedition, Hamburgische Electricitäts-Werke (utility), Hamburger Gaswerke (gas utility), Hamburger Sparkasse (bank), Hamburger Hochbahn (public transportation) and Hoyer expedition. Other partners are AGA Gas, Fahrzeugwerkstätten Falkenried (vehicle conversion), Hamburgische Landesbank (bank), Mannesmann Demag (filling station), TÜV Nord (tecnical supervision) and Deutsche Shell. The coordination is done by Hamburg Hydrogen Agency, a daughter of Hamburg Hydrogen Society. Nu public funds were used by the partners.
For the time being the hydrogen is supplied by the chemical industry in and around Hamburg. In the next phase it will come from Iceland where it is produced by electrolysis from emission-free hydropower (HyWeb, 97-12-12).
DWV
Shell goes into hydrogen business
HyWeb, 99-01-19: The Royal Dutch/Shell group will invest in the development of hydrogen technologies in order to secure a leading position in the hydrogen business. In the course of this year, a new company will be founded that will work exclusively on hydrogen.
Also Deutsche Shell AG, the German branch of the group, will be active in this area. The first activity is the cooperation in the project WEIT - Hydrogen Energy Iceland Transfer (Wasserstoff-Energie Island Transfer). In this framework, Europe’s first public hydrogen filling station has been inaugurated just recently (HyWeb, 99-01-19).
The Shell group will be active in the areas of hydrogen production and application technologies as well as in the development of a hydrogen supply infrastructure in order to help hydrogen find its equal place among the conventional energies. One activity mentioned in a recent Shell press release is the development of graphite nanofiber and other hydrogen storage technologies.
Fritz Vahrenholt, member of the board of Deutsche Shell, proposed already in November to put a "solar Pfennig" on fossil energies in order to foster the introduction of renewable energies. According to a Shell scenario, 50% of world energy consumption will be from renewable sources around 2050, half of which will be stored in the form of hydrogen and transported to the end of user.
MA
Neoplan hydrogen bus presented
HyWeb, 99-01-19: In late November 1998, German bus manufacturer Neoplan presented its hydrogen bus which will be running at Munich International Airport in the framework of the Hydrogen Project at Munich Airport. The bus has an internal combustion engine for hydrogen operation. Neoplan also announced the erection of a hydrogen filling station. In the mid term, Neoplan plans to produce hydrogen from renewable sources, probably biomass. Neoplan also develops fuel cell buses.
MA
Mercedes-Benz Mexico tests NEBUS
HyWeb, 99-01-19: In late November 1998, Mercedes-Benz Mexico announced to begin testing NEBUS, DaimlerChrysler’s fuel cell bus, in Mexico City. The bus will further be tested in Brazil.
Mexico City’s Environment Minister Alejandro Encinas told reporters the capital city could start buying the new buses in 2010. This could help to improve Mexico City’s poor air quality (see http://www.imeca.com.mx/indice.html for a good overview of the air quality situation in Mexico City in English language [also available in Spanish]; see also the Internet page of Mexico City's Ministry of Environment under http://www.df.gob.mx/sma/index.html in Spanish language).
MA
Fuel Cells in Spanish language - pilas de combustible en lengua española
HyWeb, 99-01-19: Information on fuel cells in Spanish language is available from Fuel Cells 2000 under http://www.iie.org.mx/mproquim/fc2000sp.htm .
El sitio web de Fuel Cells 2000 da informaciones sobra las pilas de combustible en lengua española en la dirección http://www.iie.org.mx/mproquim/fc2000sp.htm .
MA
