AdvertisingHyWeb - Gazette
The news letter of HyWeb and the German Hydrogen Association (DWV) · 3rd Quarter 2002 – 6th Year ã L-B-Systemtechnik GmbH
Tip: Add this page (www.HyWeb.de/gazette-e) to your bookmarks and surf directly onto the Hydrogen-Gazette!
Or: We send you an e-mail with every new edition of the Hydrogen-Gazette specifying the latest headlines. Just send me an e-mail (webmaster@HyWeb.de) indicating your name, company and e-mail address.
Fuel Cell Education
DWV, 02-09-27: A society for education in the field of fuel cells (Weiterbildungszentrum Brennstoffzelle Ulm, short WBzU) was founded on 11. July 2002 at the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wuerttemberg (ZSW). It will run courses for interestes parties from commerce, industry, and institutes of higher learning. Teachers and other "multiplicators" are the prime target group. The public as well as politicians and the press can get information about this new technology from a source which is not biased by the interest of a particular producer. Various experimental systems will be present, and others will be supplied from industry and research.The project is funded with 3.3 M€ from the ministry of economy of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and 1.5 M€ from the federation. This is meant for the first five years of operation and a new building. First courses will be held this year.
DWV
Storing hydrogen in polymers?
DWV, 02-09-27: Two common polymers are reported to be able to store hydrogen up to 8 % of their own weight. A group at the Korean Institute for Energy Research reported this during a meeting of the American Chemical Society. The team headed by Sung June Cho investigated Polyanilin and Polypyrrol. Both can store up to 6 % of their weight as hydrogen at ambient temperature. A treatment with HCl enhances this to even 8 %. This is explained by the electrical conductivity of the polymers which facilitates the adhesion of hydrogen molecules at the surface. The acid treatment increases the surface by pore creation, thus increasing the storage capacity. Prior to making tanks on this basis it must be checked whether the substances are not only able to store hydrogen, but also to release it in a controlled way. Cho's group is already busy with such experiments and hopes to be able soon to publish first results.DWV
Put sugar in the tank
DWV, 02-09-27: Sugar is well known to contain a lot of hydrogen. Recent reports describe a method to extract it with an acceptable efficiency. The basis is glucose, which can be gained easily from waste wood and other biomass. It is solved in water and passes a platinum catalyst. Under pressures of up to 54 bar and at temperatures around 200 °C the glucose molecules are split. About 84 % can be converted to hydrogen and CO2 together with water. Even the waste can be used energetically. The process is climate neutral because the CO2 is just what the plant previously took from the air. Other processes to this end need temperatures of 800 °C and much more energy. (R. D. Cortright et al., Nature 418 (2002) 964-7)DWV
Small cells with horns
DWV, 02-09-27: Within three years the Japanese electronics company NEC will start the mass production of fuel cells for portable electronics. They will provide ten times the operating time of the common Lithium ion batteries. One of the reasons for this will be that the electrodes will be made of "nanohorns", a special kind of carbon nanostructures. Their huge surface is favourable for the electrochemical reactions. Starting in 2004 about 1 t per year of the nanohorns will be produced.DWV
Fuel cell research center in Michigan
DWV, 02-09-27: The government of the US state of Michigan keenly observes the technical revolutions in the car business (Detroit is in Michigan). This fall the building work for a state fuel cell research center will start. Doug Rothwell, chairman of a development company, said about the reasons: "We want to make sure the transformation to hydrogen energy happens with us, not to us." The state has provided 50 M$ for the center which will be called "NextEnergy" will be located at Ann Arbor. It will host both research and information activities.DWV
New book: The H2 economy by Jeremy Rifkin
DWV, 02-09-27: Jeremy Rifkin has published numerous books about the developments in economy and science and their effect on mankind. His latest book is about energy. In September he made a PR trip through German speaking cities to promote the sales of the German version.Whether or not the reader will like the book depends mainly on the level of knowledge he has already. One striking feature is that the author deals with the topic on just 30 of 300 pages. The rest is a great trip from the stone age over ancient Rome, Mohammed, Gutenberg, and James Watt down to 11. September. The dangerous effect of oil is treated much more extensively than the benefits of hydrogen. The book is all right for somebody who wants to understand the great context in which renewable energies and hydrogen stand. If you want solid technical information you better look up the website of DWV or similar sources. And the book is rather US centered. Rifkin comments favourably on a motion introduced in the US senate in 2001 according to which the power utilities would be obliged by law to buy electricity from customers who generate it from renewable sources. This is a good idea indeed - so good that it is a law in Germany since 2000.
The main merit of Rifkin's book is to show quite clearly how important and urgent the fundamental change in the energy system is, and which effect it might have on the society. The change is certain to come. Whether it will just happen to us or whether it will be directed by us is up to us.
Jeremy Rifkin: Hydrogen Economy: The Creation of the Worldwide Energy Web and the Redistribution of Power On earth, J. P. Tarcher 2002; ISBN 1585421936, 335 p. hardcover, 24.95 $.
DWV
ZBT at Duisburg, Germany: Ground breaking
HyWeb, 02-09-13: On August 21, the official ground breaking for the new Center for Fuel Cell Technology (Zentrum für Brennstoffzellen Technik - ZBT) at Duisburg, Germany, took place. Northrhine-Westfalian Economics Minister Ernst Schwanhold, ZBT Managing Director Angelika Heinzel, Duisburg Mayor Bärbel Zielink, Duisburg University Director Ingo Wolff and DUEG Managing Director Peter Waldow (from right to left) carried out the first symbolic works, because of heavy rain in a nearby gym.
ZBT had been officially established in November of last year, headed by Prof. Dr. Angelika Heinzel.
The Land of Northrhine-Westfalia supports ZBT with 15.34 million Euro. 3.9 million for the erection of the building, 11.44 million Euro for investments and operation of the laboratories and offices. The 2,450 m² facility will house two laboratories and 40 offices.
MA
Stuart Energy and Hamilton Sundstrand Form Strategic Alliance to Develop PEM Hydrogen Generation Products
HyWeb, 02-09-13: Stuart Energy Systems Corporation, Ontario, Canada, and Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc., Connecticut, USA, a business unit of United Technologies Corp., recently announced that they have entered into a Strategic Alliance Agreement to jointly develop and market integrated hydrogen generation products for vehicles, power generation and industrial uses.The systems will be based on Hamilton Sundstrand’s Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolysis technology, which Stuart Energy will integrate into packaged hydrogen generation products.
MA
"Hydrogen marks a revolution in how energy can be produced and stored."
Philippe Busquin, EU Research Commissioner, European Commission press release, September 10, 2002
European Commission to launch High Level Group on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell technologies
HyWeb, 02-09-12: During a visit to Jülich Research Centre, Germany, on September 10, EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin announced the forthcoming establishment of a High Level Group on hydrogen.Hydrogen is potentially the clean energy source of the 21st Century: within the next 20 years it could power our cars and generating plants, replacing every electricity source, from mobile telephone batteries to bus engines, the Commission announces in its press release.
The Group aims at fostering the development and use of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. It will include senior representatives from leading European research centres, fuel cell system and component producers, energy companies and utilities, automotive companies, and public transport. The Group will look into the role these technologies could play in a "new energy era", to devise a consistent strategy for hydrogen technology at EU level which could lead to a true hydrogen industrial platform.
"Hydrogen marks a revolution in how energy can be produced and stored", said Commissioner Busquin. "Up until now in the 'fossil fuel civilisation', we have been trying to strike a balance between the need to foster economic growth and at the same time to ensure this has a minimum impact on the environment. With an extensive use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, this conflict will be resolved. But Member States and industry cannot bring about this revolution on their own: efforts are scattered, resources are dispersed, and costs are extremely high. We need a major effort at EU level to streamline and make different initiatives converge in a consistent way. The High Level Group will help us achieve this ambitious goal".
MA
Oil Production in Great Britain on the Decline
HyWeb, 02-09-06: Reality is slowly sinking in! Oil and Gas resources are not just theoretically finite, we are now beginning to feel the genuine effects of supply shortages. Experts in the field see the world-wide price increases and particularly the North-American energy crisis as the first indicators of this shortage. This situation is particularly tricky since the shortages are not predictable long in advance, rather they cause short-term price fluctuations and in the medium term significant price increases.Our economy may not have a suitable "early warning system" for energy shortages but there are signs to be seen that indicate whether a transition from "Enough oil available" to " Supply doesn’t meet demand" is underway. Careful observations of long-term trends in oil exploration and production give much better points of reference than short-term price fluctuations.
Great Britain and Norway both produce just under 50% of the total European oil production. All other countries together produce the remaining approximately 10%.
Contribution of individual oilfields towards total production in Great Britain. (Source: Department of Trade and Industry, 2000; Analysis and Prognosis: LBST); click to enlarge.
The majority of Great Britain’s oil discoveries took place in the 1970‘s. During this time the production was also steadily increasing. In the mid-eighties, production was scaled back after a major accident on the "Piper Alpha" platform. After several years it increased again, reaching the "pre-accident" level in 1994. In the years that followed, total production increased only slightly. Activation of new (but previously discovered) oil fields was able to balance the falling production from the older oil fields. A further increase in production was not possible.
A detailed analysis by LBST of all oil fields clearly shows the absolute peak production occurring in 1999. The production from new and increasingly smaller oil fields can no longer compensate for the decline production from the exhausted large fields. Now, for the second year in a row the production has fallen by 8% p.a.
An analysis of the situation in Norway tells a similar story. It is to be assumed that the production peak has been reached. This means that the oil production in Europe with steadily decline and the dependence on imported oil will increase. Germany and the USA already reached their production peaks in 1968 and 1971 respectively. Therefore the total oil production outside the OPEC will shortly reach its peak and then commence a steady decline.
The maximum of global oil production is to be expected sometime during this decade.
Further information on this topic can be found in the Internet under www.energycrisis.com or www.energiekrise.de (in German).
MA; translation by zebotec
"The Kyoto Protocol is, in my opinion, a band-aid approach to a massive hemorrhage. I believe no developed nation, which has seriously studied the environmental issues that confront us, can in good conscience sign this protocol. [...]
For society to continue its progress in medicine, social responsibility, science, education and qualitiy of life, we must assure that there is an ever increasing supply of energy per capita. [...] We must increase our supply of energy, not reduce it. [...]
Within the scope of today's technology, nuclear fission is the only viable, clean source of large quantities of energy."
Geoffrey Ballard, founder of Ballard Power Systems, Banquet Speech during the 14th World Hydrogen Energy Conference, Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Letter, July 2002
GM unveils new fuel cell facility, shows HydroGen 3
HyWeb, 02-08-07:On July 29, General Motors Corp. unveiled a unique, new research facility that will expand its ability to develop fuel cell technology, which will help GM determine how to offer fuel cells on a large-scale basis in preparation for market-ready products. GM's new Fuel Cell Development Center in Honeoye Falls, USA, will develop fuel cell technology for commercial use, creating up to 100 new research and engineering jobs.
At the event, GM emphasized the previously announced goals: the commercialization of back-up power systems in 2004, the mass production of fuel cell cars starting in 2010, and the goal to be the first car manufacturer to sell 1 million fuel cell cars.
During the event, Larry Burns, GM's Vice President of Research and Development, and Planning, test drove the new HydroGen 3 with 70 MPa (700 bar) compressed gaseous hydrogen storage tanks. The Quantum tanks were approved by Germany's Technical Inspection Association according to European and North American standards.
MA/VB
Nissan anounces to sell fuel cell vehicles by 2003
HyWeb, 07.08.02: Two years early than previously announced, Nissan will give fuel cell vehicles to customers.No information was reseales on price or numbers of vehicles. Anyway, they will be operated in the Tokyo and Yokohama areas in Japan as well as in California, USA. This strategy, also adopted by Toyota and Honda, builds on hydrogen refueling infrastructure to be built up there.
MA/VB
Ludwig Bölkow celebrates 90th birthday
HyWeb, 02-07-25: Dr. Ludwig Bölkow, aerospace pioneer and early promoter of a hydrogen economy has celebrated his 90th birthday in June.
After his first career as founder and CEO of Messerschmidt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH, largest German aerospace company, now EADS, Dr. Bölkow started his second "career" as visionary and promoter of a sustainable energy future. During the last 20 years, Bölkow has become an important voice in the energy debate.
Discussions on "Waldsterben" (dying forests) in the 1970ies and early discussions on climate change influenced Bölkow. At the same time, the energy price crises of the 1970ies demonstrated our dependency on finite fossil fuels.
The engineer Bölkow saw it as a big challenge to "the engineers" to solve these problems keeping in mind that the technologies developed by them have been an important cause for the problems.
His ideas are dominated by the long-term thinking in defense and transport technology. The energy economy as well is a challenge for several decades of work.
Being skeptical about nuclear energy especially because of own safety studies on the former German breeder technology, Bölkow looked for solutions without new risks. He found the work of Dahlberg and Justi on the import of solar energy from the sunny parts of the world to the industrialized countries.
In order to promote these ideas and support their implementation he established the Ludwig Bölkow Foundation in 1982 and the predecessor of L-B-Systemtechnik GmbH.
These institutions have worked intensively on the option of a solar energy supply for the world, especially including the vision of a solar hydrogen economy in addition to increased energy efficiency and decentralized supply structures.
Bölkow’s visions of 1982 were very progressive for the time, and his assessments are essentially still valid today.
The world has started to reorganize energy supply to rely on renewable energies and more energy efficiency. And multinational companies as well as innovative start-ups have started to develop and commercialize hydrogen, especially as vehicle fuel. L-B-Systemtechnik supports industry, politics and NGOs in this process with technology and strategy consulting furthering the ideas and the vision of Ludwig Bölkow.
To know more about L-B-Systemtechnik, click www.lbst.de.
MA
Celanese manufacturing plant for 200°C PEM-MEA
HyWeb, 02-07-25: Celanese AG's research unit Celanese Ventures, Germany, is the sole producer worldwide of high temperature membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) for PEM fuel cells. The Celanese MEA can operate at temperatures up to 200°C.The market development and outlook for the Celanese MEA has encouraged the company to construct a pilot plant to produce them. Located in the industrial park in Hoechst, the pilot plant will go into operation on September 2.
MA
Berlin will have fuel cell double-decker buses
HyWeb, 02-07-25: At the end of 2003, two fuel cell double-decker buses shall start commercial operation in Berlin. The vehicles will be built by Volvo, the fuel cell will come from Proton Motor, Starnberg, Germany. As the MAN fuel cell bus for Berlin is delayed by technical problems, the Berlin bus operator BVG now hopes for two typical double-decker buses with fuel cell propulsion. Magnetmotor, mother company of Proton Motor, supplies the weel-mounted electric motors.The buses, also with conventional drive trains, are 13.5 meters long - around 1.5 meters longer than today - and will have three axels. They will have a capacity of 120 to 130 passengers, most of them seated.
VB/MA
Shell builds hydrogen filling station in Tokyo
HyWeb, 02-07-25: Showa Shell, a 50% subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, will build the first of five hydrogen filling stations in Tokyo, Japan. Shell Hydrogen will deliver technological know-how. The filling station which will go into operation in 2003 will supply compressed gaseous as well as liquid hydrogen.On a technology forum in Tokyo, BMW has signaled its willingness to cooperate in the harmonization of refueling technologies.
The filling station is part of the Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project.
VB/MA
Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project
HyWeb, 02-07-025: The Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC) taking place for the next three years through March 2005 will be directed and funded by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). DaimlerChrysler, GM, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and energy companies will take part in the project, with a goal of better understanding fuel cell technology and how to create a hydrogen infrastructure.The project also will seek to educate the public about the use of fuel cells, and about hydrogen as a safe and clean fuel. Participants plan to use data generated in the project to support the establishment of standards and regulations pertaining to fuel cells and hydrogen.
MA
Honda fuel cell vehicle to receive certification in California
HyWeb, 02-07-25: The Honda FCX has received government certification in California, USA. Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) have certified the hydrogen-powered Honda FCX as meeting all applicable standards. The FCX has been certified by CARB as a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and by the EPA as a Tier-2 Bin 1, National Low Emission Vehicle (NLEV), the lowest national emission rating in the USA. The FCX will also meet applicable U.S. safety and occupant protection standards.Honda will start a lease program for a limited number of FCXs in the U.S and Japan by the end of this year. During the first two-to-three-year period, Honda will lease about 30 fuel cell vehicles in California and the Tokyo metropolitan area, two locations with access to a hydrogen fuel supply infrastructure.
MA
World Hydrogen Energy Conference big success
HyWeb, 02-07-25: More than 1000 experts from around the globe made the 14th World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Montreal, Canada, on June 9 – 13 an impressive success. They mainly came from Europe (200), Japan (150), USA (250) und Canada (350) and represented industry, research and financing institutions alike.In addition to the conference, the exhibition, and especially the display of BMW hydrogen cars on their CleanEnergy World Tour 2002 attracted attention.
MA
Fuel Cell Center at Ulm
DWV, 02-07-24: On 21. May ZSW („Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wuerttemberg“) opened a new fuel cell test center (BTU) at Ulm. It will make performance and endurance tests on fuel cells with an output from 0,1 to 100 kW. This will be done for customers of all kind, and the results will also be evaluated.A second step will be to establish an education center for fuel cell technology. The building work will start in autumn and last two years. On 11. July the society „Fuel Cell Education Center Ulm (WBzU)“ was founded. It will organize educational programs for interested commercial and scientific parties. The main target group are teachers, instructors and other „multiplikators“. The general public as well as politics, economy, and media can also inform themselves about the new technology and its applications. The project is supported with 3,3 M€ from the state and 1,5 M€ from the federal government.
DWV
More efficient hydrogen liquefaction
DWV, 02-07-24: Storing hydrogen as a cryogenic liquid has a number of advantages, and one big disadvantage: cooling and liquefaction cost energy. Scientifically you need about 14 MJ per kg (a bit less than 4 kWh), but for practical purposes the figure is rather 10 kWh (36 MJ). This can not be neglected in comparison to 33 kWh (120 MJ) which can be gained from 1 kg of hydrogen. Recent studied made at TU Dresden show how to reduce this. The most important single item is the use of a Helium-Neon mixture as cooling agent. This and other improvements can reduce the energy effort per kg to 7 kWh (25 MJ). Depending on the details of the plant other improvements are possible.DWV
Quantum record tank
DWV, 2002-07-24: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide announces a world record for the storage density of a hydrogen gas tank. The empty weight of a cylinder made from fibre-reinforced polymer was reduced to such an extent that a weight related load factor of 13 % could be achieved under a pressure of 350 bar. The DoE program „Freedom Car“ demands a factor of 6 %, but in combination with other requirements concerning costs and endurance.DWV
Wind-hydrogen filling station in California
DWV, 02-07-24: The South Coast Air Quality Management District (California) will install a hydrogen filling station with wind a primary energy. It will be used by the vehicles of the California Fuel Cell Partnership and the transport company Sunline Transit Agency. The latter company also provides the ground. Wintec Energy makes the wind turbines, Stuart the electrolyzer and Quantum the storate (gas at a maximum pressure of 420 bar).DWV
Groundbreaking at Barth
DWV, 02-07-24: On 10. July Wolfgang Methling, minister for environment of the state of Mecklenburg - Western Pomerania, performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the hydrogen bus project in the city of Barth on the ground of the local sewage plant. About ten years of planning and preparations were necessary, which he called „a period full of adventures“. The hydrogen is a by-product of the oxygen generation for the sewage plant. The city and a local bus company, with support from the University for Applied Technology at Stralsund, decided to use for a demonstration of environmentally friendly traffic. The electrolyser which produces both gases is running on solar energy. 50 % of the money comes from the federal government, 40 % from the state, and 10 % from the city of Barth. Minister Methling has already visions of trains running on hydrogen along the coast of the Baltic Sea.DWV
"We have a clear idea of how to get hydrogen today, from natural gas and coal, and in the future, from nuclear and renewable energy. [Transitioning to hydrogen] isn't a fast process, but we'll make a lot of progress over the next decade."
Bill Parks, associate deputy assistant secretary for the US-Department of Energy's Office of Power Technologies, Future Car Congress 2002, United Press International, June 4, 2002
Toyota to lease first FC cars this year
HyWeb, 02-07-04: On July 1, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced it plans to start limited marketing of a fuel cell hybrid passenger vehicle model in Japan and the United States from around the end of this year, earlier than originally planned. The moved-up launch reflects the successful outcome of a full year of Japan/U.S. public-road testing of the FCHV-4 — a fuel cell hybrid vehicle (FCHV) prototype — and TMC's response to society's expectations for cleaner mobility solutions.
The coming model will be a newly developed FCHV featuring conventional-vehicle-like performance based on improvements to the FCHV-4's reliability, cruising distance, functionality and other aspects. Lowering costs, improving performance at freezing-and-below temperatures and other issues remain, however, meaning that units of the vehicle, to be available by lease, will only be offered to such entities as government bodies, research institutions and energy-related companies. Although terms have yet to be determined, TMC plans to lease about 20 units over the course of a year in limited areas in which TMC has confirmed the availability of hydrogen supply and after-sales service.
TMC began testing the FCHV-4 on public roads in Japan in June 2001 and the U.S. in July of the same year. Seven units of the FCHV-4 have covered a cumulative 110,000 kilometers on and off the test track, providing valuable insight toward the commercialization of FCHVs. TMC plans to continue the tests.
TMC believes test marketing an FCHV will contribute much toward establishing standards and infrastructures for the popularization of fuel cell vehicles and toward greater social acceptance of hydrogen as a fuel. TMC expects full-scale commercialization of fuel cell vehicles to begin in 2010 at the earliest, once such standards and infrastructures — as well as a social foundation for deepening the public's understanding of hydrogen fuel — are in place.MA
Toyota to commercialize stationary fuel cells
HyWeb, 02-07-04: Starting in 2005 Toyota plans to commerzialize stationary fuel cell systems. Similar to General Motors, Toyota develops stationary fuel cell systems. In addition to synergies leading to further cost reductions in Stack production, Toyota views this as a promising future business opportunity. A partner company will distribute the systems via so-called Toyota "Home Shops".At present, different prototypes are being developed and tested by Toyota. Among other concepts, a hybrid system including solar energy is under development.
VB
Opel event on market introduction of FC vehicles in Berlin
HyWeb, 02-07-04: In its Berlin representations, Opel together with L-B-Systemtechnik, has presented the results of the comprehensive well-to-wheel analysis (HyWeb, 02-05-28, results under www.lbst.de/gm-wtw).
Best results are achieved by fuel cell cars using hydrogen fuel, in the ideal case, hydrogen is produced from renewable sources of energy like wind power, solar energy or biomass. In this case, no climate gas emissions are produced at all.
Opel expects fuel cell cars to be technically mature for series production by 2010. At present, more than 500 engineers and scientists develop fuel cell drives for Opel/General Motors world-wide. In addition, Opel/GM are engaged in several initiatives for the establishment of a hydrogen economy, as for example the "Transport Energy Strategy" (TES) in Germany, the "California Fuel Cell Partnership" (CaFCP) in the USA, the "Kyogikai Initiative" in Japan, the "European Integrated Hydrogen Project" (EIHP, www.eihp.org) and the announced "Clean Energy Partnership Berlin" (CEP; HyWeb, 04.06.02) in Germany.
Rick Wagoner, CEO and President of General Motors has formulated the ultimate goal of the world's largest carmaker as follows: "This concept provides a vision of the coming hydrogen economy — a world of truly sustainable mobility, in which vehicles are propelled by renewable energy sources, thus largely removing the automobile from the environmental equation."
MA
Dynetek tests 82.5 MPa hydrogen storage tank
HyWeb, 02-07-04: Dynetek, Canada, has successfully tested the world's first 82.5 MPa (825 bar) hydrogen storage tanks for use at 70 MPa
fast filling hydrogen stations. The tank burst at a pressure of 213.2 MPa (30,922 psi).
Cylinder after burst test (Photo: Dynetek)
MA
Yellowstone National Park Installs H Power Fuel Cell
HyWeb, 02-07-04-: H Power Corp. has installed a 4.5-kilowatt cogeneration fuel cell system in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The installation was made through Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative of Ashton, Idaho, a member-owner of Energy Co-Opportunity, Inc. (ECO), H Power's marketing partner. This demonstration project is part of the park's "Greening of Yellowstone" initiative, designed to reduce pollution and the impact of energy use to safeguard one of the nation's oldest and most revered national parks.The H Power system has been installed at Yellowstone's busiest entrance, the West Entrance in West Yellowstone, Montana, through which approximately one million visitors pass each year. The 4.5 kilowatt proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system is fueled by propane, and provides electricity to ticket kiosks and an office, where it powers lights, communication equipment and computers. The system's byproduct heat will be used for space heating.
MA
