12/30/1998 Manhattan
Scientifics Completes Fuel Cell Powered Phone Call - PR Newswire
Hockaday's fuel cell team ran a cellular phone
continuously in standby for 24 hours and made periodic phone calls. Hockaday said,
"We have achieved the minimum of 100 milliwatts of power output necessary to keep the
phone in standby and simultaneously trickle charge a battery with our pre-prototype
system. This is a major step in our effort to commercialize a long-life Micro-Fuel Cell
(TM) power system for portable electronics." The pre-prototype breadboard system
consisted of 20 miniature fuel cells on five sheets of plastic connected in series to
deliver four volts to the cellular phone. The system was fueled with a 50% methanol water
mixture.
12/29/1998 Jeep(R)
Concept Commands Respect in All Environments - PR Newswire
``Typically, high fuel economy concepts are mid-sized or
smaller cars,'' said Bernard Robertson, Senior Vice President-Engineering Technologies and
General Manager-Truck Operations. ``But we asked, 'Why not put the fuel cell in a larger
vehicle that could really use a boost in fuel economy?' '' Jeep engineers believe the
Commander is the world's only four-wheel-drive vehicle that runs on electric power. The
Commander borrows two EPIC minivan electric motors, one for each axle, that provide
full-time, four-wheel-drive. For now, the Commander runs only on electric power as all
technical challenges to turn gasoline into electricity onboard a vehicle have yet to be
solved.
12/23/1998 Plug Power Makes Major Advance in Fuel Cell
Commercialization; Runs System on Natural Gas - PlugPower
In a move that could affect the manner in which millions
of homes receive electricity, Plug Power today announced that it has completed the
successful demonstration of a natural gas-based proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell
system. The residential-sized system -- which includes a fuel cell stack, power
conditioner and a Johnson Matthey fuel processor -- produced in excess of 4 kW of
electricity...
12/21/1998 Implementation of New "Green" Technology Technically Possible - Norsk Hydro
The plant planned for
the conversion of natural gas to hydrogen and CO2 will have an annual gas consumption of
about two billion cubic metres, while the volume of power produced annually by the
hydrogen-fuelled plant will be in the region of 10 TWh. The intention is still to pipe the
CO2, separated from the hydrogen production, for injection in the Grane oilfield, which
will thereby be able to increase its oil production. Studies confirm that it is possible
to achieve a reduction in CO2 emission levels of about 90 per cent when compared to
conventional gas power plants.
12/11/1998 Northwest Power Systems Demonstrates Fuel
Cell System - NPS
Northwest Power Systems and the Bonneville Power
Administration (BPA) today completed a two-week road show demonstration of a
fully-integrated 5 kilowatt fuel cell system. More than 200 personnel from some two dozen
electric utilities in eight cities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana saw the
demonstration of electricity generated from a mixture of methanol and water by a compact,
lightweight fuel cell. "This demonstration tells us that fuel cells for power
generation have arrived. We expect fuel cells will be widely available to Northwest
residents by 2001," said Alan Guggenheim, president of Northwest Power.
12/7/1998 Air
Products to Build Worldscale Synthesis Gas Purification/Separation Unit and Air Separation
Plant - PR Newswire
Air Products and Chemicals,Inc. will build, own and
operate a new synthesis gas (hydrogen/carbon monoxide mixture) separation and purification
unit adjacent to Exxon Corporation's gasification facility currently under construction in
Baytown, Texas... With the addition of these two facilities, Air Products will
substantially increase its installed capacity for carbon monoxide (CO)/synthesis gas and
atmospheric gases in the region. The overall project -- which will be brought on stream in
stages, commencing in late 1999 through early 2000 -- is in line with Air Products'
strategy of investing in areas designed to sustain and build the company's global
leadership position in key markets, products and geographies -- particularly at the
intersection of all three.
12/7/1998 Plug Power Receives Multi-Million Dollar
Award to Deliver Fuel Cell Systems to New York State - PlugPower
Plug Power today announced its receipt of a $3 million
award from the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for
implementation of a clean distributed generation project involving the company's
stationary fuel cell systems. Under the terms of the agreement, Plug Power will deliver a
total of 80 residential-sized fuel cell systems to New York State over the next 30 months.
These systems will be demonstrated at various locations throughout the state, including
remote areas and facilities near appropriate fuel sources.
12/3/1998 AeroVironment Announces
Fuel Cell Test Station - AeroVironment
The FC-100 simulates power requirements for
transportation or utility applications, allowing rapid and rigorous testing of prototype
fuel cell system components in the laboratory, prior to the investment required to
integrate full systems... AeroVironment predicts the new FC-100 will be used extensively
by fuel cell manufacturers, utility companies and automotive OEMs to develop and test
future applications like the fuel cell car and the so called "distributed
generation" concept, whereby power is generated on site via a fuel cell to support a
hospital, building or critical piece of equipment.
12/3/1998 Plug Power Delivers State-of-the-Art Fuel
Cell System to Sandia National Laboratories - PlugPower
Plug Power LLC announced the delivery of a
state-of-the-art proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system to Sandia National
Laboratories in Livermore, Calif. This is the first Plug Power system to be tested outside
the company. The Plug Power unit is now being operated at Sandia National Laboratories for
evaluation and demonstration purposes, as part of a US Department of Energy-sponsored
program to further develop and deploy fuel cell technology. The fuel cell contains a fully
integrated stack, power inverter, controller and batteries. It is the same design as the 7
kW unit demonstrated in Latham since June, which is the world's first PEM fuel cell system
to completely power a home.
12/1/1998 
Ballard
& EBARA Complete C$47.7M Transaction to Commercialize Ballard Stationary Power Plants
- Ballard Power Systems
Tokyo (Japan) - Ballard Power Systems announced today
that its subsidiary Ballard Generation Systems has completed its US $31 million (C$47.7
million) agreement with EBARA Corporation. The agreement includes an investment by EBARA
in Ballard Generation Systems and the creation of a jointly held company with exclusive
rights to sell, distribute, service and later manufacture, Ballard Fuel Cell stationary
power plants for the Japanese market.
11/30/1998 Hydrogen
fuel cells for remote arctic villages studied by Sandia and University of Alaska -
NPS
"This may be the first application of distributed small
fuel cells for electrical power production," adds Jay Keller, the technical program
manager who coordinates the project at Sandia's Combustion Research Facility. Industrial
partners include: Northwest Power Systems (NWP), LLC of Bend, Ore.; Energy Partners of
West Palm Beach, Fla.; Plug Power of Latham, N.Y.; Teledyne Brown Engineering - Energy
Systems (TBE) of Hunt Valley, Md.; Schatz Energy Research Center of Humboldt State
University in Arcata, Calif.; Hydrogen Burner Technology of Long Beach, Calif.
11/25/1998 MGE Starts Wind Farm -
MGE
Madison, Wis. - Madison Gas and Electric Co. (MGE) starts
construction of the largest wind farm in the eastern United States in Kewaunee County next
month. The Town of Lincoln Planning and Zoning Committee last night granted the final
local permit required for the project. The committee, along with a committee in the Town
of Red River, last week granted permits for the remainder of the project. The $14.5
million wind farm straddles the two townships.
11/19/1998 Energy Research Corporation's Partner Reports
Fuel Cell Contract - ERC
...MTU, a DaimlerChrysler AG affiliate, has
announced that it has received a contract from the municipal utility in Bielefeld, Germany
for a 250 kW Hot Module fuel cell using ERC's Direct Fuel Cell stack. ERC has been working
with MTU and a consortium of European utilities and equipment suppliers since 1989
developing its carbonate fuel cell technology, which combines extremely high fuel
efficiency with extremely low emissions.
11/18/1998 Proton Energy Systems Announces Sale
of Commercial Products - PES
Walter (Chip) Schroeder, PROTON's president stated that
"this important step with Idaho Power confirms the convergence between PEM technology
and the electric power marketplace. Idaho Power is a leader in its industry, with very low
cost hydroelectric power and a strong interest in renewable power systems. PROTON's
hardware offers the means to convert electricity into chemical energy (as hydrogen).
11/16/1998 BOC Gases to Construct
$10 Million Hydrogen Plant in Quebec - BOC Gases
The plant will produce 17 tons per day of hydrogen to be
used in a new process that produces magnesium metal from mining residues.
11/16/1998 Northwest Power Systems’ Converts
Kerosene to Hydrogen - NPS
“Our longer-term objective is to complete all field
testing of a series of fully-integrated fuel cell systems for residential applications in
rural Alaska in the year 2000,” said Guggenheim. “Our first models will
turn a mixture of two-thirds kerosene and one-third water into hydrogen pure enough for
most fuel cells,” he said. Northwest Power Systems already has developed
fuel processors operating with methanol, ethanol and propane.
11/13/1998 Proton
Energy Systems Awarded NASA Advanced PEM Fuel Cell Contract -
PES
Proton Energy Systems announced today that they have won
a NASA program leading to the development of a Proton Exchange Membrane Unitized
Regenerative Fuel Cell (PEM URFC) Energy Storage System. This Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) effort leads to a unique PEM fuel cell that provides the advantages of a
primary fuel cell but can recharge itself from an electrical power supply.
11/9/1998 United States: The Air Liquide
Group Inaugurates its Largest Hydrogen Plant Ever - Air Liquide
The Air Liquide Group inaugurated its largest hydrogen
plant ever in Corpus Christi, Texas, on November 4th. The 56,000 cubic meter per hour
plant is located in the heart of one of Texas' largest industrial regions... Air Liquide
bases its strategy on expanding its traditional offering (oxygen, nitrogen etc…) to
include such products as steam, electricity and hydrogen and associated services. It was
hydrogen that enabled Air Liquide to get a foothold in this region. By serving a group of
customers in the same area, Air Liquide can pass on big economies of scale to each one and
provide better service. This success has led to the connection of all Corpus Christi
refineries to the 2,500 km oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen network that Air Liquide operates
along the Gulf of Mexico (Texas)... Hydrogen is found in many industrial sectors. In the
refining industry it is used to convert heavy oil compounds into fuel. It is also used to
remove sulfur from oil products to reduce the polluting emissions of engines and heating
facilities (district heating systems, etc...). The use of heavier and heavier crude oil
with higher and higher sulfur contents, and increasingly strict environmental protection
laws in North America and Europe will increase the demand for hydrogen in the coming
years. This means excellent growth opportunities for Air Liquide. Backed up by long-term
supply contracts, the Group's hydrogen production capacity will increase five-fold between
1995 and the year 2000.
11/6/1998 Ballard Delivers Portable Fuel Cell Demonstrator to California Air
Resources Board - Ballard Power Systems
Los Angeles, California - Firoz Rasul, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Ballard Power Systems presented a 100 watt portable Ballard
Fuel Cell demonstrator power generator to the California Environmental Protection Agency's
Air Resources Board and its Chairman, John Dunlap III at the Board's meeting to consider
new Low-Emission Vehicle standards.
11/5/1998 Plug Power Continues Fuel Cell Advances with
Methanol System - PlugPower
According to Gary Mittleman, Plug Power's President &
CEO, the on-going operation of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered home since June proves the
integrity of the company's 7 kW residential system. "This is a yet another important
milestone in our push toward commercialization," said Mittleman. "The conversion
of methanol to electricity evidences our fuel cell's ability to use more widely available
hydrocarbon fuels. While methanol may play a very important role for fueling our machines
in South America and India, we will shortly have units running on propane and natural gas
serving the North American and European markets."
11/5/1998 Northwest Power Systems’ Fuel Cell
Powers Oregon Residence - NPS
“The BPA unit supplied all of the base-load electric
power required by the residence. The fuel was methanol and water. The
operating cost was 14-cents per kilowatt-hour. That compares to six-cents per
kilowatt-hour that the homeowner is paying to Pacific Power & Light,” Guggenheim
said. “Our objective is to reduce our costs and introduce a commercial product
in the Year 2000,” he said.
11/2/1998 DCH
Ships Qual Units for Power Plant - DCHT
Last February, DCH was awarded a contract by Westinghouse
to provide hydrogen sensors for the [Leningrad] nuclear power plant. Qualification
activities include testing and evaluation of the sensors and monitoring equipment.
Production shipments are expected to begin immediately upon the customer's completion of
the qualification activities.
11/1/1998 NECAR 3 Hydrogen
Generation Out On the Road - DaimlerChrysler
In a world first, Daimler-Benz has
developed a fuel cell vehicle with an onboard facility for generating hydrogen. The
revolutionary new vehicle, which is based on the Mercedes-Benz A-class, represents a
decisive breakthrough in the quest to develop an automobile drive system with extremely
low emissions.
10/28/1998 Oregon Company Delivers First-ever Fuel
Cell System to Bonneville Power Administration - NPS
The experimental prototype system still must undergo shakedown
testing, including a demonstration this November as the primary power source of the Bend,
Oregon, residence of the inventor and cofounder David Edlund, Guggenheim said.
Northwest Power will publicly unveil the BPA fuel cell system and related performance data
at the 1998 Fuel Cell Seminar in Palm Springs on November 16. The power source is a low-temperature, proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell
(PEMFC), manufactured by De Nora, S.p.A., Milan, Italy, that produces about five kilowatts
of electricity.
10/27/1998 Renault acquires
valuable expertise for the future development of fuel cell vehicles - Renault
The fuel cell thus appears to be an extremely interesting
long-term solution for the reduction of fuel consumption and polluting emissions, while
retaining the performance and range of today’s vehicles. It will also allow full use
to be made of the advantages of electric propulsion, while overcoming the handicap of
insufficient range. FEVER is no more than a first step, but the areas in which progress is
needed have been clearly identified, for example the bulk of the fuel cell itself which
can be reduced by a factor of four. Other technologies for the storage of hydrogen or for
its production on board are also being evaluated.
10/27/1998 Ballard Power Systems and Johnson
Matthey Sign Collaboration and Supply Agreement - Ballard Power Systems
Vancouver, Canada - Ballard Power Systems announced today
that it has signed a multi year agreement with Johnson Matthey for the joint development
and supply of catalysts and catalyst containing products for Ballard Fuel Cells. The
agreement follows a highly successful collaboration begun in 1992 for the development of
the platinum catalysts and catalyzed electrodes used in Ballard Fuel Cells.
10/26/1998 DCH Technology's Sensor Developments Rated
Highly by Department of Energy Technical Review - DCHT
The panel deemed the DCH approach to the project to be
systematic, focused, and practical. Their consensus was that DCH has a strong awareness of
the technical challenges that exist and has presented a clear strategy for resolving them.
10/23/1998 BC Leads Country in Getting the
First Zero-Emission Buses - BC Transit
The first full-passenger-service test
program in Canada for zero-emission Ballard fuel cell powered buses will give BC Transit
riders a glimpse of the future -- starting Monday -- Joy MacPhail, minister responsible
for BC Transit, announced today.... “The province has strongly supported Ballard Power Systems
from early on and now we are seeing the impressive results -- high-tech jobs and
investment here in B.C. and leading-edge environmental technology to export around the
world,” MacPhail said. “Ballard, Daimler-Benz and Ford are creating the future
for transit vehicles, right here in B.C., proof positive that international businesses are
coming to the province.”
10/21/1998 BOC Gases to Install Hydrogen Plant at
BP Chemicals in Lima, Ohio - BOC
Gases
The hydrogen plant will supply up to 12.7 million
standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of hydrogen and is scheduled for startup in mid-2000.
10/16/98
FEVER - An Electric Car Powered
by Hydrogen - Volvo
The hybrid car is powered by three fuel cells, which burn
the hydrogen with air in a complex chemical reaction to generate electrical energy for the
drive motors. The output is 30 kW (3x10 kW). The super-insulated (cryogenic), twin-walled
hydrogen storage tank contains 8 kg of the fuel in liquid form under high pressure. The
fuel cells operate at a temperature of 70°C, and are supplied with hydrogen and air at a
pressure of 3 bar. The 8 kg of liquefied hydrogen provides sufficient energy to give the
2,200-kg vehicle a range of 400 km. The top speed is an impressive 120 km/h.
10/12/1998 Krupp Uhde to
Work on an Alliance Project to Build the World's Largest Hydrogen Plant in Canada -
Krupp
The facility, which is believed to be the largest
hydrogen plant in the world, will have a capacity to produce 273,000 cubic metres an hour
(558 metric tonnes a day) hydrogen which will be used to treat and condition bitumen from
Shell Canada's Athabasca oil sands in a process to obtain light hydrocarbons. The hydrogen
plant will use the proven, highly reliable Krupp Uhde steam reformer technology. The
alliance team comprising Krupp Uhde, Parsons, Tri Ocean and Simons is responsible for
providing the basic and detail engineering, procurement and construction management and
supervision during commissioning. The project will be handled for Shell on a cost
reimbursable basis. Several weeks ago Krupp
Uhde also received an order from Sincor C.A. for a large-scale hydrogen plant in Caracas,
Venezuela
10/8/1998 ERC Reports Receipt of Grant to Extend Fuel Cell
Component Life - ERC
Energy Research Corporation reports the receipt of a
$750,000 Phase II grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under its Small Business
Innovation Research program for the purpose of developing an advanced process to
substantially extend the life of critical components of ERC's carbonate fuel cells. In
addition, ERC and its subcontractor will provide cost sharing funds of approximately
$300,000 for this project. ERC's CEO, Jerry D. Leitman said "We believe that this
project will help us double the expected life of our fuel cell stacks..."
10/8/1998
Bechtel On Team
Selected to Manage DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado - Bechtel
Bechtel is a member of the team that has been
selected by the Department of Energy to manage and operate the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL). The NREL contract, which is valued at $800 million to $1 billion, runs
for five years and includes an option for an additional five-year extension.
10/8/1998 ECD Awarded $3.5M in New DOE Cost-Shared
Contracts - ECD
The system calls for using amorphous silicon PV modules
developed by ECD and its joint venture partner, United Solar Systems Corp. (United Solar),
to produce electricity to power an alkaline water electrolyzer developed by Stuart Energy Systems (SES). The electrolyzer would
convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen would then be safely stored in ECD's
metal hydride storage system (MHSS) based on metal hydride alloys similar to those used in
the company's proprietary Ovonic metal hydride battery electrodes.
10/8/1998 H Power Wins $6.4 Million Contract From
National Institute of Standards and Technology - H
Power
The deployment of telecommunication systems in the field
demand that the power supplies be small, light, cost-competitive, ultra-reliable and
robust. H Power has proposed making fuel cells about the size of a large box of breakfast
cereal and weighing only 14 pounds to replace rechargeable batteries and other power
sources in telecommunications applications that require 300 watts of power.
10/5/1998 DCHT & TJ/H2b
Analytical Services: Agreement to Manufacture Power Utility Monitoring Equipment -
DCHT
These systems will use the Robust Hydrogen Sensor, a
proprietary product produced exclusively by DCH. The units will monitor, on-line and in
situ, the conditions of large, high-voltage transformers used in power generating stations
and transmission and distribution substations.
9/15/1998 Energy Research Corporation Announces
$3.0 Million Fuel Cell Contract - ERC
Energy Research Corporation announced today that it had
signed a contract from the Naval Surface Warfare Center - Carderock, for an additional
$3.0 million to continue development of the Company's Direct Fuel Cell for naval
applications. This is an expansion of the $1.6 million contract ERC announced on September
30, 1997.
9/15/1998 Ballard Breaks Ground on Pilot
Manufacturing Centre for Stationary Power Plants - Ballard Power Systems
Vancouver (Canada) - Ballard Power Systems announced today that
its subsidiary, Ballard Generation Systems broke ground on a new development and pilot
manufacturing centre. Ballard Generation Systems will occupy the new facility and will
expand its development and manufacturing activities when it is completed, planned for the
end of 1999.
9/10/1998 GE Power Systems, Plug Power Forming 'GE
Fuel Cell Systems' to Market Fuel Cells Worldwide - Detroit Edison
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- GE Power Systems and Plug Power have
signed 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. Today's announcement follows Plug Power's recent demonstration of a prototype
residential fuel cell system that produces more than enough power to meet the energy
requirements of an average-sized home. Under the terms of this understanding, GE Fuel Cell
Systems will distribute Plug Power fuel cells for residential and small commercial power
applications. GE will be Plug Power's exclusive distributor for fuel cell systems
worldwide, except for Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. As part of its fuel cell
commercialization approach, GE plans to partner with a select number of gas distribution
companies, electric utilities, electric service companies and power marketers. All fuel
cell products sold by GE will carry both the GE and Plug Power brands.
9/1/1998 Electric Hybrid Buses on Test
- Volvo
American subsidiary Nova BUS is participating in another
alternative-driveline project whereby fuel cells are used as energy converters on board
buses. One bus was delivered in spring 1998 and is currently in operation in New Jersey.
It runs on methanol that is first converted to hydrogen gas and then converted to
electrical energy in the fuel cell. The exhaust gases consist primarily of steam.
8/27/1998 ARCADIS and BP Sign General Agreement -
ARCADIS
Engineering
consultancy ARCADIS and British Petroleum (BP) recently signed a general agreement for the
provision of environmental services for the majority of BP and Mobil petrol stations in
the United Kingdom, the Benelux countries, France, Spain (including Balearics and
Canaries) and Portugal.
8/17/1998 Shell and DBB Sign
Agreement which could Advance the Introduction of 'Hydrogen Cars' - Shell
DBB, whose
other main shareholders are Ballard Power Systems Inc. in Canada and Ford Motor Company in the USA, is a leading company
in the development of power systems for motor vehicles based upon fuel cell technology - a
revolutionary new 'engine' which converts hydrogen gas to electric power.
8/14/1998 Ballard Secures $1M Contract from
General Motors for FC Test Equipment, Services - Ballard Power Systems
Vancouver, Canada - Ballard Power Systems announced today that it
had secured a $1.0 million contract (US$0.7 million) from General Motors Corporation, to
supply fuel cell test equipment and related services. General Motors will use the test
equipment as part of their ongoing research and development program for fuel cell powered
electric vehicles.
7/30/1998 ZEVCO Launches Clean Transport for the
People - ZEVCO
Hot on the heels of the Government's Integrated Public
Transport White Paper, ZEVCO (The Zero Emission Vehicle Company) is unveiling the world's
first zero emission taxi on Thursday 30 July. This revolutionary 'green' black cab is
the beginning of a new era in transport technology, which, with government support, will
lead the way to a healthier environment for the whole community.
7/22/1998 Energy Research Announces Cross-Licensing,
Cross-Selling Agreement With Daimler Benz Affiliate - ERC
Energy Research Corporation entered into an agreement
today to expand its long term partnership with MTU Friedrichshafen Gmbh, of Daimler-Benz
AG... The agreement will allow both ERC and MTU to manufacture and sell each other's
stationary power fuel cell products in their respective regions, and as a result ERC will
manufacture and sell direct carbonate fuel cell (DFC) power plants based on MTU's 300 kW
base module in North America. Also, under the agreement MTU will be allowed to manufacture
and sell ERC's larger fuel cell power plant based on ERC's 1.25 MW base module in the
European market.
7/6/1998 DOE Presents Bechtel with
Mentor Protégé Program of the Year Award for Helping Small Businesses - Bechtel
The U.S. Department of Energy has presented its Mentor
Protégé Program of the Year Award to Bechtel National, Inc. (BNI) for 1997 in
recognition of the company's "outstanding achievement in providing substantial
contracting opportunities to small businesses."
7/6/1998 PROTON Energy Systems Delivers First
HOGEN™ 10 To NASA Lewis Research Center - PES
The PROTON HOGEN 10 hydrogen/oxygen generator uses Proton
Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology to deliver high purity, pressurized gas that will be
used to power fuels cells undergoing testing for various terrestrial and space
applications. The unique technology delivers hydrogen at 200 PSI and oxygen at 150 PSI
without the use of a compressor. PROTON's President, Mr. Walter Schroeder, stated
"This is a very significant step in our company's program to commercialize this
enabling PEM technology. Our delivery to NASA demonstrates our mastery of all phases of
the design, production, and integration of PEM electrolysis."
7/1/1998 Contract Awarded to Northwest Power for
Fuel Cell Project in Remote Regions - NPS
A contract for $279,450 has been awarded to Northwest Power
Systems, LLC, the prime contractor in a project with Sandia National Labs/California, to
develop and deploy a fuel cell system for remote applications in Alaska.
6/30/1998 PROTON Energy Systems Signs DOE
Cooperative Agreement - PES
Proton Energy Systems of Rocky Hill, Connecticut
has signed a co-operative agreement with the United States Department of Energy to develop
an Integrated Renewable /Hydrogen Utility System. This $730,000 contract is for cost
shared development and mid term validation of projects to integrate hydrogen production,
storage, and utilization with existing or planned renewable generation systems. The DOE
cooperative agreement has a term of up to five years.
6/18/1998 Praxair
Signs Conoco To $200M Contract, Expands Gulf Coast Hydrogen Pipeline Capacity
- Praxair
Praxair,
Inc. today announced a $200 million long-term contract to supply gaseous hydrogen to a
Conoco, Inc., refinery in Lake Charles, La., and an expansion of its Gulf Coast hydrogen
pipeline capacity, increasing its supply capability in the region by 20 percent. Conoco
will use about 75 percent of the new hydrogen capacity in its refinery for more
cost-effective manufacture of clean burning fuels required by the U.S. Clean Air Act.
6/17/2000 Plug Power Unveils World's First Fuel Cell-Powered Home
- Detroit Edison
In a dramatic step toward the development of a whole new
way of generating electricity, Plug Power demonstrated today the first residential fuel
cell to successfully power a home. Plug Power unveiled its proprietary Plug Power 7000, a
prototype residential power generation system, before a gathering of federal and state
energy officials and representatives of the utility industry. The demonstration marked the
first time a fuel cell has been used to provide a home's complete electricity. Among the
items in the home powered by the fuel cell are a refrigerator, air conditioner,
dishwasher, oven, television, VCR, microwave, other small appliances and lighting. ``The
introduction of residential fuel cells will forever change the way we think about buying
and generating power,'' said Gary Mittleman, president and chief executive officer of Plug
Power. The company, whose work on automotive fuel cells has received national attention,
is a joint venture between DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE - news), Michigan's largest
electric utility, and Mechanical Technology, Inc. (MTI) (OTC Bulletin Board: MKTY - news), a pioneer developer of
fuel cells. Plug Power expects to introduce a commercial system for home power generation
by the year 2000. While the prototype unit unveiled today was hydrogen-based, commercial
units will run on natural gas, propane or methanol.
6/17/1998 Fuel Cell-Powered Variable Message
Signs to Operate on New Jersey Highways -
H Power
H Power Corp. and the New Jersey Department of
Transportation launched the first commercial application of fuel cell- powered technology
with the installation of a Variable Message sign along a major New Jersey thoroughfare,
marking the first non-experimental, unsubsidized use of fuel cell technology. In March, H
Power signed a contract with NJDOT, valued at $749,000, to retrofit 65 of the machines
with fuel-cell powered backup systems.
6/3/1998 Plug Power and Benet Labs Enter Cooperative
R&D Agreement - PlugPower
...Benét will provide both labor and facilities to Plug
Power for research and testing related exclusively to fuel cell technology... "Benét
Laboratories is excited about working with Plug Power and the opportunity to provide
research and testing expertise toward the goal of commercializing fuel cell
technologies," said Russell Fiscella, Director of Benét. "The US Technology
Transfer Program encourages federal laboratories to assist US industry, state and local
activities. Benét Laboratories has a long history of helping both the Armed Services and
the Nation maintain a strong defense; we are pleased now to be able to also help local
business, as well as the State."
6/1/1998 Ballard Receives
C$11.6M Order: Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants from GEC ALSTHOM - Ballard
Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems announced today that its subsidiary
Ballard Generation Systems has received a C$11.6 million order from GEC ALSTHOM for four
250 kW class natural gas fuel cell power plants, including training and support. These
power plants will be part of a series of field trial units manufactured by Ballard
Generation Systems and delivered during 1999 and 2000.
5/21/1998 DCH Technology to Commercialize Modular PEM
FC Developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory - DCHT
This demonstrable fuel cell uses a
proton exchange membrane (PEM) to convert hydrogen gas into electricity. Fuel cells are
used to provide a versatile and reliable source of electricity. DCH's fuel cell system is
modular, scaleable and can deliver a peak power of 50 to 500 watts of renewable, clean
power by utilizing circular fuel cell stacks.
5/20/1998 Bicycle Powered by H Power Fuel Cell
Wins Engineering Award - H Power
The first electric vehicle using fuel cell-generated
electric power in the NESEA American Tour de Sol, the U.S. electric vehicle championship,
has won the Engineering Excellence Award of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
and was the overall team winner in the Tour's "one-person" category. The
vehicle, a three-wheeled recumbent bicycle manufactured by Comfort Cycle of Cleveland used
a hybrid system consisting of sealed lead acid batteries and a 200 watt fuel cell built
and installed by H Power Corporation of Belleville, NJ.
5/19/1998 DCH Selected By
CryoFuel Systems for Process Monitoring and Safety Equipment In Refueling Stations
- DCHT
CryoFuel Systems, a designer and
manufacturer of advanced gas processor systems, has developed refueling stations for both
natural gas and hydrogen vehicles. CFS' refueling stations are based on new generation,
proprietary technology which dramatically improves the cost effectiveness of operating the
refueling infrastructure for both natural gas and hydrogen transportation.
5/19/1998 Desert Research Institute Selects DCH
Technology as Exclusive Safety Engineer, System Provider - DCHT
The project will utilize DCH's gas sensor
technology and engineering expertise to design and operate a successful wind-hydrogen
utility system for installations in Reno, Nevada and Kotzebue, Alaska. Worldwide, many
remote communities such as Kotzebue offer a unique venue to begin deploying new, clean,
renewable power systems because of the growing use of abundant renewable energy in the
form of wind or sunshine.
5/12/1998 Energy Research Completes Successful
Fuel Cell Stack Demonstration - ERC
The demonstration, begun March 16, 1998 at Danbury, met
or exceeded ERC's performance goals. Electricity production was in excess of 250 kW, the
highest ever produced in a single carbonate fuel cell stack. "This is an important
milestone on our path to commercialize fuel cell technology for stationary power
applications" said Jerry D. Leitman, ERC's Chief Executive Officer. "Our
technology demonstration in Santa Clara, CA, completed in 1997, proved that our carbonate
fuel cell is an extraordinarily clean, quiet and efficient way of producing electric
power... The stack just tested represents some major advances over the design used in
Santa Clara and is close to the final commercial design."
5/6/1998 Plug Power Wins National Award for Research
and Development - PlugPower
Plug Power has announced the company was recently honored
with the National Energy Resources Organization's (NERO) 1998 Research and Development
Award. Plug Power President and CEO Gary Mittleman accepted the award at NERO's annual
banquet on May 5 at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC... "The concept of the
electric vehicle using batteries just doesn't cut it; not only are they expensive, but
there is no infrastructure in place to make recharging easy... When Plug Power proved that
fuel cells can run on gasoline, it created a new horizon for the electric
vehicle…we're now looking at a car that can fuel up at any gas station, doesn't
pollute the atmosphere, and gets double the current gas mileage..."
4/7/1998 Ford, DB, Ballard Complete Agreement
to Develop FC Technology - Ballard Power Systems
Basel (Switzerland) - The global alliance
whose goal is to be the world's leading commercial producer of fuel-cell powered
drive-trains and components for cars, trucks and buses was formalized today by Ballard
Power Systems Inc., Daimler-Benz AG, and Ford Motor Company.
3/17/1998 Ballard Secures $3.6 Million Contract
from General Motors for Fuel Cells - Ballard Power Systems
Vancouver, Canada - Ballard Power Systems
announced today that it had secured a $3.6 million contract (US$2.5 million) from General
Motors Corporation, to supply Ballard Fuel Cells and related equipment and support
services. General Motors will use the Ballard Fuel Cells in their research and development
program for development of fuel cell powered electric vehicles.
3/5/1998 Ford and Mobil Form
Strategic Alliance - Mobil Oil
The longer-term project focuses on the
technology needed to develop a commercially viable compact fuel processor for fuel cell
powered vehicles. The processor would extract hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuels, such as
gasoline and diesel. The hydrogen would be converted by the fuel cell to generate electric
power to drive the vehicle.
3/1/1998 H Power Pushes Platelet Power
- H Power
H Power's patented approach creates a fuel
cell by integrating several operations (reactant distribution, cooling, and even reactant
humidification) into one multifunctional cell plate. The revolutionary design accomplishes
this feat by creating microchannels in a series of extremely thin metal platelets, with
subsequent bonding and sealing into a unitized plate that is thermally and electrically
more efficient, yielding a contained system, like a tunneled Egyptian tomb, in a very
compact form less than one-tenth of an inch thick.
2/26/1998 Why Shell is Seizing
Renewables Opportunities in the 'Sunshine and Trees' Business - Shell
"Hydrogen
powered fuel cells - gas to hydrogen reformers - are now down to suitcase size and
commercial production of cars powered by fuel cells is set to begin in 2005.
2/17/1998 Ballard Secures US$l.625 Million
Order for FC Stationary Power Plant from Cinergy - Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems announced today that its subsidiary Ballard
Generation Systems has received a purchase order from Cinergy Technology Inc. for a 250 kW
class natural gas fuel cell power plant for US$1.625 million (C$2.275 million). This power
plant will be the first field trial unit manufactured by Ballard Generation Systems and it
is scheduled for delivery in mid-1999.
2/11/1998 Krupp Uhde Awarded Contract
Worth DM 170 Million from Venezuela - Krupp Uhde
The hydrogen plant is to be built at the
José site, 200 kilometres northeast of Caracas and will be integrated into the large
upgrader complex currently under development there. The plant will have a capacity of 422
tpd and the hydrogen produced will be used for the treatment of crude oil within the
complex. Two steam reformers form the heart of the plant. These reformers are based on
advanced Krupp Uhde technology which permits extremely high on-stream times.
2/5/1998
Ballard
Receives C$2.5 Million Order from Honda for Portable Fuel Cell Systems - Ballard Power Systems
Vancouver, Canada - Ballard Power Systems Inc. today
announced that it had received a C$2.5 million (US$1.7 million) order from Honda R&D
Co., Ltd. of Japan, a subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company, for the supply of one
kilowatt, low pressure, portable Ballard Fuel Cell systems. Honda will integrate the fuel
cell systems into portable power and specialty applications operating on hydrogen for
demonstration, testing and product development.
1/21/1998 Los Alamos
Physicist Creates New Energy Source for Cellular Phones, Other Portable Electronics -
MSI
In a ceremony today in Los Alamos attended by U.S. Sen.
Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Hockaday's company, Energy Related Devices Inc., received $500,000
of the $1 million in research development funding that Manhattan Scientifics, Inc. committed to complete
the miniature fuel cell technology that Hockaday began developing in his basement 10 years
ago.
BUILDING A WORLD THAT WORKS
TM
WWW. HYDROGENCOMMERCE .COM
