Hydrogen - Gazette
The news letter of HyWeb and the German Hydrogen Association (DWV)
IIIrd Quarter 1998 – 2nd Year ã L-B-Systemtechnik GmbH
DaimlerChrysler distributes tasks: Daimler for the fuel cell, Chrysler for the batteries (98-09-24)
Siemens gives up planar SOFC concept (98-09-23)
Fuel Cell locomotives more economical than conventional electric railway? (98-09-22)
Berlin and Hamburg plan to convert fleet to fuel cell buses (98-09-18)
NEBUS in Mexico City in November (98-09-18)
New joint venture to market small fuel cell co-generation systems world-wide (98-09-14)
Family home to be equipped with fuel cell in Saxony (98-09-14)
Micro fuel cell demonstration project in Munich (98-09-09)
Fuel Cell Cogeneration Unit using sewage gas in Cologne (Germany) (98-08-31)
European Integrated Hydrogen Project (EIHP) (98-08-31)
Fifth joint presentation Hydrogen Technologies and Fuel Cell Applications 1999 (98-08-28)
Research co-operation between Shell and DBB (98-08-20)
Strategic partnership between Norsk Hydro Electrolysers and GHW (98-08-20)
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell vehicle developments (98-08-20)
Berlin fuel cell project (98-08-07)
Shell workshop on hydrogen as energy carrier (98-08-07)
Munich Airport Hydrogen Project (H2MUC) Internet home page (98-08-07)
Energetic biomass saves 18,000 jobs in Bavaria (98-08-07)
"Future of Hydrogen Technologies" dealt with in a question in the German Parliament (98-07-13)
WE-NET home page started (98-07-13)
CARB changes ZEV-rules in favour of fuel cell vehicles (1998-07-10)
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DaimlerChrysler distributes tasks: Daimler for the fuel cell, Chrysler for the batteries
DWV, 98-09-24: After the shareholders of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler have approved the fusion, the tasks in the new company are being distributed. Newspapers reported that on the occasion of the presentation of the plans for a new technology center at Sindelfingen (near Stuttgart) on 22. September Juergen Hubbert, Daimler's board member responsible for cars, announced that Daimler-Benz would care for the development of fuel cell cars while Chrysler would continue the work on battery cars. The technology center is to be built until the year 2000. Both he and board director Juergen Schrempp repeated that a serial fuel cell car would be presented in six years. No details were provided, for example whether the results which were available from Chrysler would influence Daimler's technical concept. Comments from Daimler were not available.
DWV
Siemens gives up planar SOFC concept
HyWeb, 98-09-23: After the takeover of Westinghouse Power Generation by Siemens, which came into force on August 20th, Siemens Power Generation (KWU) will give up the development of its planar SOFC concept (solid oxide fuel cell) (HyWeb, 98-01-27). Adolf Hüttle, member of the Siemens executive board and chairman of the executive board of KWU, is cited in September 15th edition of Energie&Management as saying: "The fuel cell development according to the planar concept will be given up in Erlangen, we will concentrate on the more advanced tubular concept of Westinghouse." This is the first concrete announcement of restructuring measures after the takeover.
MA
Fuel Cell locomotives more economical than conventional electric railway?
DWV, 98-09-22: The government of the North German Land Schleswig-Holstein intends to introduce electric supply for the railway line from Kiel to Luebeck (80 km, travel time now 74 min). The fraction of "Bündnis 90/Grüne" (environmentalists; e-mail B90-Gruene-Landtag-SH@t-online.de) in the parliament proposed to change the locomotives instead. An expert of the railway passenger association Pro Bahn (e-mail PRO_BAHN.SH_HH@INFOBOX.RHEIN-RUHR.DE) found that fuel cell locomotives running on hydrogen would be much more economic than conventional electric operation. Three wind power plants of 1,5 MWel each at a place somewhere in the middle would be necessary to provide the electricity for hydrogen production. Locomotives of this type do not yet exist, but the planning will not be realized for the next years anyway. The fraction demands that the government (which is supported by the party) check whether other projects which combine hydrogen with wind power could be realized.
DWV
Berlin and Hamburg plan to convert fleet to fuel cell buses
HyWeb, 98-09-18: BVG, Berlin's city bus operator, plans to convert its entire fleet to fuel cell buses by the year 2020. The environmental administration of the city, relying on arguments by the German Federal Environmental Agency saying that fuel cell buses are too expensive, is in favor of deploying natural gas buses and regards the BVG plans as an "foiling strategy". According to BVG, environmental as well as economic arguments are in favor of fuel cell buses, reports taz in its August 1st edition.
Hamburger Hochbahn, the operator of the city buses in Hamburg, also plans to deploy fuel cell buses starting in 2005, arguing that they have economic advantages compared to natural gas buses. Both the Hamburg Senator of Environment and Greenpeace strongly favor natural gas buses report Hamburger Abendblatt on August 12th and taz on August 25th. Greenpeace argues that natural gas buses are presently the best option concerning environmental and economic parameters.
MA
NEBUS in Mexico City in November
HyWeb, 98-09-18: Daimler-Benz will send its NEBUS fuel cell city bus to Mexico City for a two-week demonstration as reported by Stuttgarter Nachrichten on September 14th. This was announced by Klaus-Dieter Vöhringer, member of the executive board of Daimler-Benz, in Mexico City.
MA
New joint venture to market small fuel cell co-generation systems world-wide
HyWeb, 98-09-14: Fuel cell manufacturer Plug Power and GE Power Systems, a General Electric subsidiary, sigend a memorandum of understanding to form "GE Fuel Cell Systems", a joint venture that will sell, install and service Plug Power-designed and manufactured fuel cell systems. The announcement on September 10th follows Plug Power's recent demonstration of a prototype residential fuel cell system of 7 kW electric output (HyWeb, 98-06-22).
MA
Family home to be equipped with fuel cell in Saxony
HyWeb, 98-09-14: The entire energy needs of a family home in Machern near Leipzig, Saxony, Germany, will be supplied by a fuel cell cogeneration unit operated with natural gas starting this fall. According to an article in the "Sächsische Zeitung" in august, the fuel cell has been delivered by American Power Corp. of Boston, USA, and has been integrated as a co-generation unit by Hamburg Gas Consult GmbH of Hamburg, Germany. The regular type family home has before been supplied by an internal combustion engine co-generation unit in a project called "natural gas house". Operater of the system is Verbundnetz Gas AG (VNG), an eastern German gas utility.
MA
Micro fuel cell demonstration project in Munich
HyWeb, 98-09-09: On the 50th meeting of the Energy Commission of the City of Munich, a large majority decided to launch a micro fuel cell demonstration project in Munich that has been prepared and planned for some time. Micro fuel cells co-generation units will be demonstrated as home energy supply systems. The details will be elaborated by the Munich Energy Agency (MEA) in collaboration with L-B-Systemtechnik during the next months. The LBST presentation at the commission meeting "Technological Development Status and Foreseeable Advancement of Hydrogen Production Systems and Fuel Cells and their Application Perspectives" is available in HyWeb.
MA
Fuel Cell Cogeneration Unit using sewage gas in Cologne (Germany)
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-31: GEW, the local utility of Cologne (Germany), together with City of Cologne, will install a fuel cell cogeneration unit in a sewage plant running on fermentation gas produced in the sewage treatment. The operation of such a system using a 250 kW ONSI phosphoric acid fuel cell is a European first, according to the press release of August 27th. The start-up is scheduled for mid-1999. The cost of the whole installation is estimated at 2.3 mio DM (1.3 mio US-$). This includes the sewage gas treatment unit, which is the innovative part of the system.
MA
European Integrated Hydrogen Project (EIHP)
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-31: The European Integrated Hydrogen Project is a joint project of the partners Air Liquide (France), BMW (Germany), European Commission's Joint Research Centre (Italy), Hamburgische Electricitäts-Werke (Germany), Hydrogen Systems (Belgium), Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (Spain), Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik (Germany), Messer-Griesheim (Germany), Renault (France) and Volvo (Sweden). The goals of the project started in 1998 are:
- to create a Pan-European database of existing regulations and codes of practice,
- to contact other pertinent authorities outside Europe,
- to identify weak spots in today’s technology,
- to define the areas requiring regulation,
- to integrate ECE guidelines and create a basis of ECE regulation of hydrogen vehicles and the necessary infrastructure (replacing national legislation/ regulations).
A detailed description of the project, which will be finished in January 2000, can be found here.
MA
Fifth joint presentation Hydrogen Technologies and Fuel Cell Applications 1999
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-28: Next year it will already be the fifth joint presentation of Hydrogen Technologies and Fuel Cell Applications on the Hannover Trade Fair. Here, you can find a short Review of 1998 (see also HyWeb, 98-04-09).
National and internation companies and research institutes have the chance to book a booth until the 15th of October, 1998. Information can be retrieved from the project team Arno A. Evers, Föhringer Allee 11, D-85774 Unterföhring, Tel. ++49/89/9581724, Fax ++49/89/9581923, e-mail arno@fair-pr.m.eunet.de .
MA
Research co-operation between Shell and DBB
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-20: Shell International Oil Products BV and DBB Fuel Cell Engines GmbH, a subsidiary of Daimler Benz (and Ballard and Ford), have concluded an agreement involving research co-operation aiming at the development of fuel cell vehicles with gasoline reformer, according to a joint press release dated August 17th.
Shell believes it can make a major contribution through the use of its proprietary Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPO) technology which has already been shown to be able to convert liquid fuels into a hydrogen rich gas. The agreement concluded between Shell and DBB involves co-operation to find ways to harness the two technologies. The result could be a car which has the environmental advantages of fuel cell power plus the convenience of filling up at an existing petrol station according to the project partners.
This consept, though, has the disadvantage that only fossil fuels would be used in transportation. The storage of hydrogen or methanol on board the car, on the other hand, would allow for the production of these fuels using renewable energies such as the sun, wind or biomass. At present, all three concepts are competing among the car manufacturers world-wide.
The press release can be found under http://195.12.29.164/shellpr/article.cfm?id=163 .
MA
Strategic partnership between Norsk Hydro Electrolysers and GHW
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-20: On July 31st, 1998, the Norwegian company Norsk Hydro Electrolysers AS (NHEL, HyWeb, 98-05-29) of Notodden has acquired a 40% share of GHW-Gesellschaft für Hochleistungselektrolyseure zur Wasserstofferzeugung mbH of Ottobrunn near Munich, Germany. GHW is a subsidiary of MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH and Hamburgischen Electricitäts-Werke AG (HEW).
This partnership is the combination of the world market leader for electrolyzers (NHEL) and the developer of a highly efficient pressurized electrolyzer technology (GHW) aiming at entering into the hydrogen energy market with a new product. The electrolyser is designed for electrolyzer refueling stations, electricity storage systems and industrial hydrogen and oxygen production units.
The advantage of electrolytic hydrogen production in these applications result from the dynamic capabilities of the GHW electrolyzer which is perfectly suited for electric grid control, according to the GHW press release. This simplifies the primary regulation of thermal power plants while producing hydrogen and oxygen at the same time.
The GHW high performance pressurized electrolyzer is a patented system that is especially suitable for the integration of CO2-free sources of energy into various end energy consumption sectors.
MA
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-20: Ballard secures $1 Million contract from General Motors for fuel cell test equipment and services (HyWeb, 98-03-20; see the Ballard press release under http://www.ballard.com/04co04pr/19980814.html ).
Plug Power wins National Energy Resources Organization's (NERO) 1998 Research and Development Award (HyWeb, 97-10-22; see the Plug Power press release under http://www.plugpower.com/press.html#r3 ).
United Technologies Corporation (UTC) makes commitment to fuel cells for transportation; International Fuel Cells (IFC) and ONSI Corporation become UTC subsidiaries; Toshiba Corporation equity investor in IFC (the press release dated August 4th is unfortunately not yet available on the UTC home page www.utc.com ).
UC Irvine and Southern California Edison to dedicate USA's first major fuel cell research center, according to a press release dated February 19th (see UC Irvine's press release under http://www.communications.uci.edu/~inform/98releases/022nw98.html ).
Bicycle powered by H Power fuel cell wins engineering award in Tour de Sol (see H Power press release of May 21st under http://www.hpower.com/NEWS-TourdeSol98.htm ).
MA
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-07: Together with national and international partners, Bewag, the Berlin electric utility, will install a stationary PEM fuel cell cogeneration plant in its Treptow plant, as Bewag announced on a press conference on June 24th. The successful operation shall support the rapid introduction of this innovative technologie.
The project partners are: Bewag (Berlin), EdF (Paris, France; the national French electric utility), PreussenElektra (Hannover; a northern German regional electric utility), VEAG (Berlin) and HEW (Hamburg; the Hamburg electric utility). The fuel cell of 250 kW electrical and 230 kW thermal power will be delivered by Alsthom Energietechnik of Frankfurt, Germany; the heart of the system, the fuel cell itself, comes from Ballard (HyWeb, 98-06-22).
MA
Shell workshop on hydrogen as energy carrier
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-07: At a side event to the XIIth World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Buenos Aires Shell International organized a high level workshop with only seven international external experts on hydrogen as future fuel on 24/25 June 1998. Participants of that workshop were high level representatives of the most important Shell divisions. The meeting was aimed at figuring out the options of hydrogen as clean fuel, its possible impact on the energy economy and how Shell could take part in this newly establishing market. A Shell hand-out ‘Future Transportation’ distributed at the work shop pointed out expected changes of key driving forces within the next 25 years with respect to the past:
- While Oil industry has been seen as the prime industry in the past 25 years, car industry is expected to be prime industry in the next 25 years.
- Driving forces may change from ‘increasing oil demand, oil supply contraints and dominance of OPEC-oil’ to ‘increasing mobility demand, environmental constraints and dominance of internal combustion engine (ICE) car’.
- Industrial responses and enabling technologies which had been ‘non-OPEC-oil, deep sea drilling’ in the past may switch to ‘non-ICE car, explicitly fuel cell electric vehicles’ within the next 25 years.
The Hand-out ‘Future Transportation’ is based on an internal Shell study.
CCG
Munich Airport Hydrogen Project (H2MUC) Internet home page
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-08-07: The hydrogen project at Munich international airport H2MUC has an Internet home page: www.HyWeb.de/h2muc .
MA
Energetic biomass saves 18,000 jobs in Bavaria
Hydrogen-Gazette, 1998-08-07: At the 10th European Biomass Conference in Wuerzburg, Germany, from June 8th to 11th, 1998 the Bavarian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Reinhold Bocklet, among other topics, pointed out that about 18,000 jobs in Bavaria depend on the energetic use of biomass. Today, biomass accounts for about 3.4 percent of Bavarias primary energy consumption (Short information about the Conference and Bavarian biomass projects available at http://www.carmen-ev.de/english/home-engl.html).
CCG
ZEVCO launches a fuel cell driven vehicle for Taxi use
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-07-30: The British Fuel Cell producer ZEVCO today presented the first Fuel Cell driven Taxi for use in London traffic. This zero emission vehicle is driven by a 5 kW Fuel Cell and a battery buffer. Shell Oil UK confirmed at the ZEVCO press conference it's activities in the field of Hydrogen. Chris Fay, chief executiv of Shell Oil UK is very interessted to see Shell in the Hydrogen supply and distribution business. Shell also sees the possebility of an increasing number of Fuel Cell vehicles in the year 2005. This will be the point when the status of Hydrogen will change from industrial gas to transport fuel with competitive costs.
More Information about the Taxi at ZEVCO
The complete press release of Shell Oil UKVB
A brief Summary of the state of the Art of Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Production Systems
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-07-30: On the Occasion of the 50th meeting of the Energy Commission of the City of Munich U.Buenger and J.Schindler from the Ludwig Bölkow Systemtechnik GmbH gave an oral Statement to inform the members of the City Council about the latest developments in Hydrogen Technologies.
Here it is!VB
"Future of Hydrogen Technologies" dealt with in a question in the German Parliament
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-07-13: The German federal Minister for Research and Technology, Dr. Jürgen Rüttgers, has answered a "Kleine Anfrage" (Parlamentary question dealt with in writing) of several social-democrat members of the German Parliament concerning the "Future of Hydrogen Technologies". The complete answer can be found in the politics section of HyWeb (in German language only).
The ministry repeats its conviction already expressed in 1996 that all major technical developments have been accomplished in Germany: "Nevertheless, most of the findings to be expected e.g. from the so-called "WE-NET"-program have already been developed in Germany, ...".The earlier statement in the ministry's 1996 strategy paper (see HyWeb politics section) that it cannot be anticipated whether hydrogen as energy carrier will play a significant role on a national or worldwide level within 30, 50 or 100 years, is explicitly being reinforced.
Hydrogen technologies funding has been about 6 million DM (US$ 3.3 million) in 1995, about 4.4 million DM (US$ 2.4 million) in 1996 and about 2.6 million DM (US$ 1.4 million) in 1997. In the mid-term, an annual budget of 2.5 million DM (US$ 1.4 million) for hydrogen funding is foreseen.Since 1995, fuel cell development has been funded by 49.5 million DM (US$ 27.5 million), while in the mid-term annual funding shall be in the order of 17 million DM (US$ 9.4 million). In addition, 20 million DM (US$ 11 million) annually will be given to national research laboratories for research and development in the area.
The ministry sees a support of its policy to reduce hydrogen funding in the industry: "During the last years, the majority of the German companies has withdrawn from hydrogen related activities, often because of poor market perspectives."
The ministry also questions the environmental benefits of hydrogen technologies in aviation. According to the paper, hydrogen jet engines produce more NOx emissions than conventional, kerosene powered engines.
MA
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-07-10: The Japanese WE-NET program for the development of a world-wide hydrogen energy economy (see HyWeb, 97-03-25) has started an extensive Internet home page at www.enaa.or.jp/WE-NET (case sensitive!).
MA
CARB changes ZEV-rules in favour of fuel cell vehicles
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-07-10: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) staff responsible for the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) program has proposed significant changes to the state´s ZEV program. Though the proposed rules open loopholes allowing manufacturers to meet most of the sales requirement with non-zero emission vehicles through a complex system of credits, multipliers and allowances, these changes widen the opportunities for fuel cell vehicles with on-bord reformer. Further information can be found at http://www.calstart.org/news/newsnotes on 7 July. The proposed rules can be viewed at http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/levprog/levii/levii.htm .
WZ/CCG
Mussel cutters with fuel cell propulsion systems
Hydrogen-Gazette, 98-07-03: The producer association of German mussel cultivators declared its goal to power the cutter fleet as clean as possible. This is the statement given in the preface of the recently published proceedings ‘’Solarer Wasserstoff - Technologie der Zukunft’’ (Solar hydrogen - technology of the future). The substitution of fossil fueled combustion engines by fuel cells is seen as a promising chance. The association initiated in 1996 a concept study on that issue. Early in 1997 a conference on the same topic was held in Niebüll, Germany. The contributions to that conference are now available in german from the Signet-Verlag GmbH, Flensburg, Germany. The contributions cover renewable energy technologies, solar powered engines for ships, and hydrogen production and consumption technologies relevant within that context.
WZ
