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The news letter of HyWeb and the German Hydrogen Association (DWV) · 2nd Quarter 2001 – 5th Year ã L-B-Systemtechnik GmbH
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"We have to overcome the one-sided dependence on crude oil in the transportation sector."
Kurt Bodewig, German Federal Minister of Transportation, Building and Housing, at a press conference in his ministry in Berlin on June 13th
H Power to deliver six residential fuel cell units to Gaz de France
HyWeb, 01-06-28 : H Power Corp. announced on May 31 the order by Gaz de France of six beta residential cogeneration PEM fuel cell units, powered by natural gas, and the start of the process for obtaining the CE codes and standards marking necessary for the use and sale of the systems within the European Union.
After the successful alpha test of the H Power's system last year in a model house at the Gaz de France research and development campus in La Plaine Saint-Denise, a suburb of Paris, Gaz de France will use the six beta units for the next test phase with the goal of eventual commercial development across France.
MA/EZ
General Motors takes stake in Quantum for on-board hydrogen storage
HyWeb, 01-06-28 : General Motors Corp.(GM) takes a substantial minority stake (for an undisclosed amount) in the Quantum Technologies division of Impco Technologies Inc. As the companies announced on June 12, they will jointly develop a compressed hydrogen storage system, including hydrogen handling and electronic control, for fuel cells driven vehicles with a goal range at least equal to that of conventional cars and trucks.
Quantum already developed a tank to store 11.3 % hydrogen by weight, i.e. nearly twice as much hydrogen as competing products, at about 350 bar and showed the feasibility of 700 bar tanks. GM is also collaborating with Toyota Motor Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp.on fuel cell research. It intends to offer for sale its first fuel cell vehicle by the end of the decade, and to become the first automaker to sell one million fuel cell vehicles. (on General Motors and hydrogen economy see also HyWeb, 00-05-29)
MA/EZ
Global Thermoelectric delivers prototype residential solid oxide fuel cell system to Enbridge
HyWeb, 01-06-28 : Global Thermoelectric Inc., Calgary, Canada, announced on May 31 the delivery of a prototype solid oxide fuel cell system to Enbridge Inc.,Toronto, Canada's largest natural gas distributor. In July 2000 Global and Enbridge entered a strategic alliance to commercialize residential fuel cell systems in Canada.
The prototype system runs on natural gas and generates 2.3 kWe electricity, thus covering the ~ 2 kWe base load requirement of an average North American home. Improvements over earlier units include an integrated microprocessor based control system and a simpler and more compact natural gas processor using fuel cell stack exhausts to assist in the production of a hydrogen rich gas. Testing at the Enbridge's facilities includes evaluation of heat recovery to meet residential hot water needs.
In addition to residential systems, Global is also developing prototype fuel cell systems for remote power and light commercial applications. Field testing is expected to start in 2002. Global also developed fuel cell testing stations in cooperation with Advanced Measurements Inc. Fourteen of these test stations are installed at the Global's facilities in Calgary, and may be marketed soon.
MA/EZ
Proton Energy Systems cooperates with Marconi on reverse fuel cells for telecommunication systems
HyWeb, 01-06-28 : Proton Energy Systems, Inc., announced on June 11 a joint development program with Marconi to incorporate Proton's reverse fuel cells (initially of 70 kWh) in Marconi's power systems for the telecommunications industry. The so called UNIGEN system is based on a PEM fuel cell.
MA/EZ
"If we don't develop the technology for fuel cells, we might not survive this century," [...] "It's as if a phone company had developed only ordinary phones before the era of cell phones - it would have gone bankrupt."
Masaki Ikematsu, Group Manager, Research and Development Department of Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Corp, Gulf News online, 01-06-12
First fiber optic hydrogen leak detection system successfully demonstrated
HyWeb, 01-06-12: Intelligent Optical Systems (IOS) and Boeing announced in May the successful demonstration of the world's first fiber optic system for real-time detection of hydrogen vapors leaking from cryogenic tanks and tubing during a static fire test on a Delta IV rocket at the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississipi on April 23,2001. In this system light is sent through fiber-optic cables to special optoelectronic sensors (so called 'optrodes') with temperature sensitive indicators. Color and intensity of the reflected light are parameters for the hydrogen concentration which can be displayed instantaneously for immediate corrective actions. The advantages of "optrodes" over the current sensors, based on mass spectrometers and connected to multiple monitoring units by copper wiring are:
- no need of power at the sensing point and thus no risk of spark due to faulty wiring;
- immunity to electromagnetic interference, which also would imply risk of explosions;
- resistance to high temperatures and many caustic chemicals;
- quick system response;
- capability to detect very low leaks and of measuring at once hundreds of locations;
- reduced weight and power consumption.
Further engineering of the system in a second phase of the program will be supported by the NASA Stennis Space Center, and commercialization of the technology is being funded by a CalTIP grant from the State of California. IOS is a privately held R&D company based in Torrance, California.
MA/EZ
RWE and Nuvera cooperate on residential PEM fuel cells
HyWeb, 01-06-12: RWE Plus, Germany, and Nuvera Fuel Cells Inc., Cambridge, USA, announced on May 22,2001 a joint venture on development, production and commercialization of residential PEM fuel cells in Europe. The systems will be operated with natural gas or liquid petroleum gas and have up to 50 kWe electric power. The companies plan to start field tests in Germany in the mid 2002 and commercialization in 2004 and to investigate further applications, such as in telecommunication systems.
MA/EZ
EU and USA cooperate on energy research
HyWeb, 01-06-12: On May 14, 2001 the EU Research Commissioner Busquin and the US Energy Secretary Abraham signed an 'Implementing Arrangement' on non-nuclear energy cooperation, and a 'Cooperation Agreement' on nuclear fusion. The non-nuclear collaboration will be focused on clean fossil energies, hydrogen and solar energy, and energy efficiency, and will involve developing joint standards, sharing unique R&D facilities, workshops, exchanging and networking experts, conducting joint technology foresight studies and coordinating research projects. A Steering Group, with two or three persons from each side and technical advisors if necessary, will supervise the execution of the Arrangement. The EU designates will come from the Directorates General of Research, Transport and Energy and from the Joint Research Centre. Each party finances their respective costs for participation in joint activities.
MA/EZ
Plug Power receives a $7M contract and CSA certification
HyWeb, 01-06-12: On May 24 Plug Power announced the conclusion of a 7 million dollar contract with a public utility for installation and maintenance of 75 fuel cell systems and relative technical support. The program, to start this summer, aims at gaining additional knowledge of the operation, control, grid interconnection, environmental factors of fuel cell units to support utility applications including future residential applications. Additionally, Plug Power announced the approval for its products to bear the CSA International certification seals for the United States. Plug Power's fuel cell systems for residential and small commercial stationary applications are expected to be sold globally through a joint venture with the General Electric Company.
MA/EZ
Texaco to develop reformer for fuel cells of Reliant Energy Power Systems
HyWeb, 01-06-12: Texaco Energy Systems Inc. (TESI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Texaco Inc., announced on May 24, 2001 an agreement with Reliant Energy Power Systems (REPS),a unit of Reliant Energy, Houston, on the joint development of PEM fuel cell systems for residential use. TESI will produce a cost-effective, highly efficient reformer of commonly available fuels, such as natural gas and liquefied petroleum gases, to be integrated in the REPS' 7.5 kW fuel cell system.
MA/EZ
"It should be the goal of policy-makers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one."
Ari Fleischer, Speaker of the White House, Bayern 5, 01-05-09
Fuel cell bus prototype from Scania
DWV, 01-05-31: On the London Mobility and Transport Exhibition (UITP) the Swedish manufacturer will present a new fuel cell bus for city transportation. It is fueled by hydrogen. The energy of the brakes is recovered. Scania says that the fuel cell has an efficiency of 52 ... 57%, much more than conventional Diesel engines. Energy consumption is 60% less.
The bus is very quiet: during operation it generates 70 dB, which is less than for a small car. And generally it offers the comfortable ride which is known from other fuel cell prototypes due to soft accelerations. The project has a financial volume of 4.3 million Euro. 50% are funded by the European Union in the framework of the JOULE program.
DWV
New reversible fuel cell
DWV, 01-05-31: GreenVolt Power Corp. from Orillia (Ontario, Canada) reports that they have developed a fuel cell which can also be operated in the reverse mode, acting like an electrolyser. The prototype is said to consume 20% less energy in a significantly smaller unit size compared to comparable water-alkali electrolyzer devices, and to require distilled water to produce 99.5% pure hydrogen and oxygen. When used to power hydrogen fuel cells, the water byproduct created by the fuel cell can actually be reused by the reverse fuel cell, potentially lowering operating costs. The cell might be useful to companies who have needs for supplies of high quality oxygen and hydrogen for other purposes. On-site gas generation can also eliminate the problems and expense of transporting hydrogen.
DWV
Molten Carbonate fuel cell for car tyre factory
DWV, 01-05-31: The tyre producer Michelin will use a molten carbonate fuel cell by MTU in its factory at Karlsruhe starting in the middle of 2002 to generate electricity and heat. The heat from the fuel cell can be used as steam under 16 bar and 200 °C for the vulcanization of truck tyres. The low noise emission of the fuel cell is good for the environment, a special bonus for the site of this factory. Other partners in the project are the Karlsruhe city utility and power producer EnBW.
DWV
Fuel cells are good for your image
DWV, 01-05-31: So far fuel cells may not be important for the business reports of the utilities, but they certainly are for their image campaigns. The latest example is the innovation report of the German utility EnBW. Main topic are the company's fuel cell activities. They are mainly four:
- A Ballard PEM cell at 250 kWel in the thermal spa of Mingolsheim (HyWeb, 01-04-06),
- the solid oxide power station at 1 MW in Marbach with Siemens-Westinghouse,
- test runs for small solid oxide fuel cells from Sulzer-Hexis, and
- the molten carbonate fuel cell power station for Michelin with MTU.
EnBW, ranking third among German utilities, gives the fuel cell a high importance and uses the projects to investigate the leading technologies in the field with respect for their usefulness for different market segments.
DWV
Center for Fuel Cell Technology at University Duisburg presented
HyWeb, 01-05-22: Education Minister Gabriele Behler and Economics Minister Ernst Schwanhold of Northrhine-Westfalia today presented a new institute at the University of Duisburg, Germany (HyWeb, 00-04-13). The "Center for Fuel Cell Technology" will be funded by the Land with 30 million DM (about 13.3 million US-$). Gerhard-Mercator-University will hold 51% of the new operating company of the institute; for the remaining 49% interested regional industry will be sought.
The institute will be headed by Dr. Angelika Heinzel who still is head of the energy technology department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany.
MA
First high temperature fuel cell in a hospital starts operation in Bad Neustadt
HyWeb, 01-05-22: A 'Hot Module' plant of Motoren- und Turbinen-Union (MTU), Friedrichshafen, Germany, was put into operation in the hospital Rhön-Klinikum in Bad Neustadt, Germany. It is the first high temperature fuel cell application in a hospital wordwide. Participants in the 3 million Euro project are, in addition to MTU and the corporation Rhön-Klinikum AG, the Bavarian State (1.5 million Euro) and the regional gas utility Ferngas Nordbayern.
The pilot plant is operated with natural gas and has an electric and thermal power of about 270 kWel and 160 kWth, respectively, and an electric efficiency of about 52%. It should cover about 25% of the annual electricity needs of the hospital, supplying at the same time high pressure steam at 200 °C to the existing steam network. The lifetime of the 300 cells stack is presently expected to be 20.000 hours.
The series production of the 'Hot Module' is foreseen for the year 2004.
MA/EZ
US Technology Innovation Award for advanced hydrogen storage tank
HyWeb, 01-05-22: As announced on May 24 by QUANTUM Technologies in Irvine, California, USA, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL), California, USA, have been awarded the Technology Innovation Award by the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel (HTAP) for achieving a breakthrough in lightweight tanks for compressed hydrogen on-board storage.
The 'TriShield' hydrogen tank consists in a one-piece permeation-resistant seamless liner, a high-performance carbon composite over-wrap for strength, and a proprietary, tough impact-resistant shell. The tank is designed to meet all applicable regulatory standards and OEM-specific validation tests. In August 2000 a prototype achieved the record of 11.3%wt hydrogen storage at 350 bar. Once commercialized, the tank would extend the range of fuel cell vehicles to the equivalent of gasoline vehicles, the developers calculate.
The tank development is a collaborative effort of LLNL with QUANTUM Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of IMPCO Technologies Inc. and ATK Thiokol Propulsion, an operating company of Alliant Techsystems.
MA/EZ
British ZeTek Power to open new fuel cell manufacturing plant in USA
HyWeb, 01-05-22: The British company ZeTek Power announced on May 8 in London the decision to open a new plant for manufacturing alkaline fuel cells in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, USA.
The site is in a so-called Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ), a job creation and community renewal zone with virtually no state or local taxes. The plant, expected to create up to 330 new jobs over the next five years, is supported with a $3.7 million financial package by the Pennsylvania Government.
In Cologne, Germany, ZeTek opened a manufacturing plant in March 2001 with an initial production capacity of 5 MW/a, to be increased to 30 MW/a within this year and to 500 MW/a until 2006.
The ZeTek fuel cells are stated to be able of operation with industrial hydrogen (99,95% purity) for a lifetime of 20 000 hours (with 5000 h warranty).
MA/EZ
Greek Hydrogen Society established
HyWeb, 01-05-17: The Greek Hydrogen Society has now an official status. Correspondance should be addressed to:
Prof. Dimitris Katakis
University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory
Panepistimiopolis 15771 Athens – Greece
Tel. +301-6006493, 7274435
Fax +301-6006459
e-mail: dkatakis@cc.uoa.grMA
GM/Opel's "HydroGen1" sets eleven international endurance records
HyWeb, 01-05-09: General Motors / Opel's fuel cell concept vehicle "HydroGen1" set a number of international records for vehicles powered by fuel cells in a 24-hour endurance run completed at the company's desert proving grounds on May 1st, exposing the vehicle to record heat in the process (HyWeb, 00-06-19). Using a modified direct hydrogen fuel cell Opel Zafira, a minivan GM sells in Europe and other international markets, test engineers of the Global Alternative Propulsion Center (GAPC) and journalists covered 1386.906 km (862 miles), averaging 57.79 km/h (36 miles per hour). Altogether, records were set on distance (10/100/500/1000 kilometers as well as 10/100/500 miles) and on time (1/6/12/24 hours).
Photo: Opel
United States Auto Club (USAC) officials were onsite observing the endurance tests in the frame of a four week test program on the company's proving grounds. Main focus of the GAPC engineers' tests were the electrical systems, the entire propulsion system and the power of "HydroGen1" stuffed with test equipment under heat conditions. Temperatures during the record runs were 35°C (95°F) in the shade, and the asphalt showed temperatures of up to 65 °C (149°F).
The test runs in Arizona were a first phase of a giant test program the fuel cell vehicle will undergo similar to conventional cars with internal combustion engine. GM engineers are conducting approximately 150 tests at thirteen sites on five continents in the development of the HydroGen1. Some tests are so extreme that each mile covered represents 75 miles of normal, everyday driving. Tests will be carried out on 13 test grounds on all continents.
The records are subject to Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) recognition.
MA
"The times of simply burning oil, one of our most important ressources, are coming to an end."
Dr. Kajo Schommer, Economics Minister of Saxony, Germany, Stuttgarter Zeitung, April 23, 2001
Martin Zerta wins Vaillant student fuel cell award
HyWeb, 01-05-08: Martin Zerta from Munich, Germany, wins Vaillant (Remscheid, Germany) student fuel cell award for the best final thesis on fuel cells in stationary applications (HyWeb, 00-12-19). The 27 year old researcher carried out his work "Residential combined heat and power supply by fuzel cell operated on LPG" at L-B-Systemtechnik GmbH (LBST), Ottobrunn, Germany. The work builds on a detailed LBST study for the Office for Technology Assessment at the German Parliament and for the Berlin utility Bewag (the study can be downloaded in German language from here; the document number is 14/5054). Martin Zerta studied energy supply services at Fachhochschule München (Munich college).
Photo: Zerta
Vaillant managing director Dr. Michel Brosset (left) presented the award during a ceremony at the company headquarters in Remscheid together with Professor Dr. Klaus Sommer (second from left), who was head of the jury, and fuel cell development manager Joachim Berg (right). Martin Zerta (center) wins a five month professional training at Vaillant's development partner Plug Power in Latham/New York, USA. All costs including flight, accommodation and pocket-money -- about 20,000 US-$ altogether -- are included in the award.
The second and third places were won by Alexander Seel, Fachhochschule Darmstadt „The significance of decentralized residential energy supply for local utilities with special emphasis on fuel cells" and by Olaf Reichling (second from right), Fachhochschule Köln „Energy supply of a new residential development area based on fuel cells". Both win a one week management training at Vaillant in Remscheid, Germany.
MA
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell focus of Hanover Fair
DWV/HyWeb, 01-05-08: The joint presentation on hydrogen and fuel cells on the Hannover Fair was an unparalleled success. 68 exhibitors shared the 900 m2 in the two stands in hall 18 (research) and hall 13 (products and services). Federal Chancellor Schroeder visited the presentation on his opening tour. Also seen were eight ministers from German states, a member of the Canadian government, many MPs and other VIPs.
Foto: FAIR-PR
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (Social Democrats, left) with his first fuel cell car, Arno Evers (FAIR-PR, right), Prof. Dr. Klaus E. Goehrmann (Deutsche Messe AG, second from right), Tobias Renz (FAIR-PR, second from left)
The product oriented presentation in hall 13 has seen an astonishing growth since last year. An item of particular economical and political interest is the fuel cell for the home, as the reaction of many politicians showed. Other exhibitors showed systems, teaching and demonstration models, materials, components, measuring devices, test racks, and more.
Registration for the next group exhibit hydrogen & fuel cells at Hanover Fair 2002 starts immediately under www.fair-pr.com/hm02.
DWV/MA
HyWeb, 01-05-08: At the end of february, FIAT presented the prototype of its first fuel cell car 'Seicento Elettra H2 Fuel Cell'. The car has been developed with the support of the Italian Ministry of the Environment on the basis of the electric car 'Seicento Elettra', that is produced since two years and running in Naples and Palermo.
In addition to the batteries, the 30 kW AC-engine is powered by a PEM fuel cell with a maximum of 7 kW at 48 V, operated with hydrogen at 1.5 bar and air at 1.3 bar. Hydrogen is stored at 200 bar in 6 bottles, 9 liters geometric volume each, placed behind the front seats.
Particular performances of the 'Elettra H2 Fuel Cell' two-seater are (without/with batteries use, respectively): maximum speed of 60/100 km/h, autonomy of 100/140 km, acceleration from 0 to 50 km/h in 8 s and a total efficiency of over 35% (to compare with 19-24% of a modern combustion engine).
Further development will include at first the placement of the metal hydride storage in the central tunnel, then the installation of a reformer for hydrocarbons fuels and an overall cost reduction.
See www.HyWeb.de/h2cars for a photo of the Fiat 'Seicento Elettra H2 Fuel Cell'.
MA/EZ
"I expect to have a uniform energy market in the European Union within the next years, and then we will probably also have a uniform tax on aircraft fuels."
Hans Eichel, German Federal Minister of Finance, Welt am Sonntag, April 15, 2001
Shell, Hydro-Québec and GfE to join activities on hydride-based hydrogen storage
HyWeb, 01-04-20: Following a Memorandum of Understanding signed last year, Shell Hydrogen, Hydro-Québec and Gesellschaft für Elektrometallurgie (GfE) announced on February 5, 2001 plans to establish a joint venture for developing, manufacturing and marketing hydride-based hydrogen storage materials and devices.
The special alloys- and coatings-company GfE (Nuremberg, Germany) is a subsidiary of Metallurg, Inc., (New York, USA) and manufactures hydrogen storage alloys and complete hydrogen storage systems.
EZ/MA
Innovative civil submarine powered by fuel cells
HyWeb, 01-04-20: A prototype of an unmanned, completely autonomous and fuel cell powered underwater vehicle with hydrogen storage is to be developed by a German consortium with 4 million EURO funding by the Federal Research Ministry.
Further innovate features of the 'DeepC' submarine are: 60 h continuous operation, 2000 kg payload, up to 4000 m diving depth, 400 km autonomy, 6 knots maximum speed and the use of carbon fiber composites as structural material. 'DeepC' is conceived for applications, starting in 2004, in the field of underwater techniques (inspections, trace explorations, exploitation of resources such as mineral oil and natural gas) and in oceanographic research.
The consortium is led by STN ATLAS Elektronik GmbH (Bremen, Germany) and includes 4 other companies and 3 research institutions.
EZ/MA
H Power and Air Products to explore alliance for fuel cell powered products
HyWeb, 01-04-20: On February 5, H Power Corp. (USA) and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (USA) announced the signature of letters of intent to jointly investigate a business alliance for production and marketing of systems with small (sub-kilowatt) portable and mobile hydrogen-based fuel cells. Included is also the analysis in the market of telecom back-up power applications.
EZ/MA
UN agency GEF supports fuel cell bus projects in five developing countries
HyWeb, 01-04-20: The United Nations agency Global Environmental Facility (GEF) approved last November a program to demonstrate the operational viability of 40 to 50 fuel cell city buses in major air polluted cities in Brazil (Sao Paulo), Mexico (Mexico City), Egypt (Cairo), India (possibly New Delhi) and China (Beijing and Shanghai) reports H&FCL in its February issue.
The about US-$133 million total cost for bus delivery and deployment between 2002 and 2003 are to be covered by GEF with nearly $60 million, by the five countries with nearly $60 million and by private industry for the rest (about 10% of the total).
The individual country projects will be screened one at a time. As first, Brazil may submit in a few months proposals for three buses, which then may be delivered a year later, sometime in 2002. The other four projects have been started, but proceed with some delay pending the resolution of technical and environmental questions posed by GEF.
This demonstration phase may be followed by a commercialization phase beginning in 2004 at the earliest. According to GEF assessments, fuel cell buses are expected to become commercially competitive between 2007 and 2010 at unit prices below $500,000, down from the current $2 million, if more than 1000 buses will have been produced.
GEF was established in 1991 in preparation for the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to support eligible countries in global environment protection. It operates through three agencies, the United Nations Development and Environment Programs (UNDP, UNEP) and the World Bank.
MA/EZ
Further accident of hydrogen transporter
DWV, 01-04-20: It seems that transporting hydrogen in the Cologne area (Germany) is not a good idea right now. On 7. March (HyWeb, 01-03-15) there had been a severe accident with a tube trailer on a highway. On 3. April around 02:30 in the morning a cylinder trailer left the A553 at Meschenich, also near Cologne, when a hare crossed the road. The driver tried to avoid the animal, but the vehicle came to be on the side strip and fell on its side. A connecting line of one of the five cylinder bundles got leak, but the gas did not ignite. The fire brigade blocked the site of the accident and measured the gas concentration. In the afternoon the vehicle could be removed. There was no danger for the area around the site. And there are no reports either about damage which happened to the hare.
DWV
Celanese production of fuel cell components to start in 2002
HyWeb, 01-04-06: On March 3, the chemicals company Celanese announced in Frankfurt, Germany, to start production of fuel cell components in a pilot plant early in 2002 and to decide upon a possible large-scale production in the same year.
In late 2000, Celanese concluded co-operation agreements with the Japanese automaker Honda to jointly develop membranes and membrane electrode assemblies for automotive fuel cells, and with the US fuel cell manufacturer Plug Power to commercialize the units also for stationary fuel cells (HyWeb, 01-01-22).
MA/EZ
First Italian hydrogen filling station to be built in Milan
HyWeb, 01-04-06: AEM SpA, the municipal energy company of Milan, Italy, and the German automaker BMW announced on 22 March the plan of building jointly the first Italian hydrogen filling station. The agreement was signed in Milan on the occasion of the 'CleanEnergy WorldTour 2001' event with the presentation of the hydrogen car BMW 750hL (HyWeb, 01-03-16).
The filling station is to be erected in the technology zone 'Bicocca' near Milan on the 1.3 MW PAFC demonstration plant site, already authorized for hydrogen production and handling. The plant, including a natural gas reformer, concluded a first phase of experimental operation from 1995 to 1998.
At that site AEM and the affiliate Zincar Srl will produce hydrogen through natural gas reforming for mobile applications in collaboration with ENEA (the national agency for energy and environment ) or another partner. The hydrogen will be used partly for demonstrations of public transport vehicles and the rest will be supplied to a stationary 500 kW MCFC plant. The project is also expected to provide more experience with the reformer and CO2 sequestration and storage.
MA/EZ
MTU sees good business for hydrogen and fuel cells
DWV, 01-04-06: The DaimlerChrysler subsidiary MTU makes good business, according to CEO Hanssen at a press conference on 26. March (HyWeb, 00-10-05). He sees a particular growth potential in the energy systems. Until 2004 MTU and partners will have brought molten carbonate fuel cells („Hot Modules") to serial production. Ten years later fuel cells and pressure electrolysers might easily make up 30 % of the total turnover. For this year he announced that expenses and investments for development will be doubled to 100 MEuro.
DWV
German spa resort to be equipped with a fuel cell
DWV, 01-04-06: ALSTOM Energietechnik and EnBW Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg (utility) plan a joint demonstration project in the field of medium sized stationary fuel cells. Next year the hot water spa of Mingolsheim (near Karlsruhe, SW Germany) will be equipped with a PEM fuel cell from Ballard which generates about 250 kW of electricity plus heat. The electrical power will be fed into the EnBW grid, while the heat is supplied to the spa heating system.
DWV
