Ballard signs supply contract with Heliocentrics
Ballard Power Systems has signed a supply agreement with German systems integrator Heliocentris Fuel Cells AG, under which Ballard will supply Mark1020 ACS air-cooled fuel cell products for integration by Heliocentris into demonstration and teaching systems for sale to educational institutions as well as for specialized commercial and industrial use.
“Heliocentris’ capability and experience in systems integration combined with their significant exposure to the post-secondary education market will help ensure a high-profile and successful presence for Ballard among the next generation of highly capable scientists and engineers,” said William Foulds, Ballard’s vice president of sales.
Heliocentris will display its first prototype system incorporating the Mark1020 ACS fuel cell product at the 2008 Hannover Messe event. Fuel cell systems will be available from Heliocentris for purchase beginning fourth quarter of 2008. Heliocentris foresees the system being applicable for educational institutions as well as industrial niche applications. The three-year supply agreement is expected to generate a minimum of 350 Mark1020 ACS fuel cell units shipped to Heliocentris over the term of the agreement.
“Ballard’s technology has proven itself in terms of performance, reliability and ease of integration,” said Dr. Henrik Colell, CEO of Heliocentris. “The Mark1020 ACS is the best choice for our next generation system platforms that will feature flexible integration into various applications and a wide operating temperature range.”
Greenlight signs with Hydrogenics for test equipment
Greenlight Innovation Corp. entered into a technology licensing and asset purchase agreement with Hydrogenics Corp. By entering this agreement, Greenlight Innovation acquires the exclusive right to manufacture and sell the complete line of FCATS fuel cell test stations. The five-year licensing agreement with Hydrogenics includes the exclusive worldwide rights to the patent portfolio and technology pertaining to fuel cell test equipment and includes a non-exclusive license to utilize the technology in other applications. Separate agreements cover the purchase of assets from the Hydrogenics Test Systems (HTS) business unit and a sublease of the HTS facility.
Greenlight, which was established by former managers of HTS in 2008, will be retaining a number of the key employees from HTS with expertise in mechanical and electrical engineering, software, manufacturing and customer service. Greenlight will continue to serve the fuel cell test market with an experienced work force, an established product line and global service network.
“We are extremely pleased to continue offering the FCATS line of test equipment to our customers in the fuel cell industry. The feedback we have received regarding the quality and reliability of the equipment has been phenomenal. Many of our customers are also relieved to know that we will continue to provide world class service on the existing install base,” said Ross Bailey, Greenlight’s president. “We look forward to serving the HTS customer base around the world as an independent test equipment supplier.”
Greenlight will manufacture the FCATS series of testing stations as their flagship product line. The FCATS products are in their sixth generation of development.
Raymond, Ballard sign joint development agreement
The Raymond Corp., a North American manufacturer of materials handling solutions, has signed a joint development agreement with Ballard Power Systems, a producer of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells, to commence research on lift truck designs, with the goal of developing a prototype using the next-generation of Ballard’s Mark9 SSL fuel cell product technology to power Raymond lift trucks.
“Raymond is committed to demonstrating the advantages that hydrogen fuel cells can offer the materials handling industry,” said James Malvaso, president and CEO for The Raymond Corp. “This partnership will further enhance our research into fuel cell-powered lift trucks and help uncover additional value related to the merging of these technologies.”
Raymond began a three-year research program of hydrogen fuel cells in January 2007 by using Raymond’s Greene manufacturing facility as a living lab. The research includes using hydrogen fuel cell-powered Raymond lift trucks in real applications including an indoor, fast-fill hydrogen refueling system.
“We are pleased to partner with an important materials handling equipment manufacturer of Raymond’s caliber,” said John Sheridan, president and CEO of Ballard. “Raymond has a deep understanding of end-user needs, and we believe that a successful prototype could represent the first important step toward purpose-built fuel cell lift trucks.”
Connecticut approves financing for two hospital power plant projects
FuelCell Energy, Inc., a manufacturer of power plants using renewable and a variety of other fuels for commercial, industrial and utility customers, announced the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) has approved their financial commitment letters for 7.2 megawatts (MW) of projects incorporating its power plants to be located at Stamford Hospital and Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut.
Under Connecticut's Project 150, and in accordance with the DPUC's selection and approval process, project developers were required to submit financial commitments by April 29, 2008 showing they are able to execute Electricity Purchase Agreements (EPAs) with utility companies to buy the power.
Hospital Energy Development LLC and EMCOR Energy Services, co-developers of the Stamford Hospital and Waterbury Hospital projects, filed binding letters with the DPUC attesting to their projects' financing commitments. The Stamford Hospital project will employ two DFC3000 power plants in a combined heat and power application. The installation will generate 4.8 MW of ultra-clean electricity for the grid—enough for approximately 4,800 homes—and also generate low cost heat for the hospital. Similarly, Hospital Energy and EMCOR Energy Services will use a single DFC3000 power plant in a combined heat and power application to generate 2.4 MW of electricity for the grid while it supplies Waterbury Hospital with heat. The high-grade thermal energy from the DFC3000 combined heat and power is especially valuable to hospitals as it offsets fuel otherwise used in boilers for heating, air conditioning, laundries, hot water and sterilization.
“Providing ultra-clean energy to the grid and heat for hospitals are excellent applications for our Direct FuelCells fuel cells and helps Connecticut and its utilities meet their obligations under the state's Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS),” said R. Daniel Brdar, chairman and CEO of FuelCell Energy. “Utilities need cleaner sources of electricity and hospitals must have a reliable, 24/7 source of energy—exactly what our fuel cell power plants provide.”
Connecticut is one of 28 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have passed legislation mandating clean energy in their jurisdictions—laws known collectively as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). Under Connecticut's RPS, utilities must purchase 20 percent (approximately 800 MW) of the electricity they supply from clean energy sources by 2020. To get the process started toward this goal, Connecticut Project 150 was enacted by the legislature, requiring utilities to have the first 150 MW of clean energy generation by under contract by October 1, 2008.
By utilizing both the electricity and the heat, the power plants are expected to achieve over 60 percent system efficiency. This high efficiency means that less fuel is needed to create energy, meaning significantly lower energy costs and much less CO2, a major greenhouse gas, is produced.
Morgan Stanley closes $4 billion infrastructure fund
The New York investment bank, Morgan Stanley, said it closed a $4 billion equity fund targeted at infrastructure deals recently. Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners had targeted equity commitments of $2.5 billion. The fund seeks to invest in “assets that provide public goods or essential services in sectors such as transportation, energy and utilities, social infrastructure and communications,” Morgan Stanley said. The fund raised capital globally, via pension funds, insurers, individual investors, and Morgan Stanley and its staff, the firm said.
Crown awarded $1 million state grant
Crown Equipment Corp., a manufacturer of lift trucks, is committed to advancing hydrogen fuel cell technology. The company was recently awarded nearly $1 million in grant money from the state of Ohio to conduct fuel cell research.
“The project is important to the technological advancement of our products, which in turn is important for our customers and to the long-term future of Crown,” said Crown president Jim Dicke III. “We are pleased with the State of Ohio and its overall efforts in working with Crown to maintain a strong manufacturing base here. Crown also appreciates being recognized as a leader in the progression of fuel cell technology.”
The Crown project will focus on addressing the technical and commercial barriers to the application of available battery replacement fuel cell power packs in industrial lift trucks. The study will facilitate the creation and growth of material handling equipment used in warehouses and distribution centers to be powered by fuel cells.
The grant is provided by the Ohio Department of Development and Ohio's Third Frontier Commission.
Protonex receives $1.62 million contract
Protonex Technology Corp., a provider of advanced fuel cell power systems for portable, remote and mobile applications, today announces that it has received a $1.62 million contract with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for advanced development of high power fuel cell systems for small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This program expands upon Protonex' portfolio of UAV power system initiatives.
“Protonex' work to date has proven the capabilities of the technology and the team has consistently achieved milestones for performance in this area,” said Warren Schultz, associate superintendent, chemistry division, Naval Research Laboratory. “We have a real need for advanced power solutions to enable longer flight times and fuel cells show great potential to outperform batteries and other traditional power sources to meet this objective.”
Development work under the program will focus on increasing power output of the company's Pulse UAV fuel cell platform and improving overall efficiency of the system. The advanced system will be integrated into a small NRL plane designed specifically for extended flight testing. The resulting hydrogen fuel cell system will be compatible with a variety of fuels, offer a very low noise profile and deliver up to four times the endurance of today's advanced batteries.
UTC Power fuel cells achieve milestone, topping 100,000 hours in space
UTC Power fuel cells, which generate all of the Space Shuttle’s electrical power, surpassed 100,000 hours of flight operation during the recently completed STS-123 mission by the Orbiter Endeavour. UTC Power is a United Technologies Corp. company and produces and maintains the Space Shuttle fuel cells under contract to United Space Alliance, NASA’s prime Shuttle contractor.
Every U.S. manned space mission during the past four decades has used fuel cell power plants built by UTC Power. There are three fuel cells per Orbiter.
Each fuel cell is capable of producing up to 12kW and is more than 70 percent efficient. Cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen feed each of the self-contained units, which are installed under the payload bay, just behind the crew compartment.
“We are extremely proud of the durability and reliability of our fuel cells since the Shuttle era commenced in 1981,” said Jan van Dokkum, company president. “While our technology roots are with the U.S. space program, ultra clean UTC Power fuel cell technology also is being effectively and efficiently applied today on the ground for buildings, cars and transit buses.” |
Vaisala monitors intake humidity on gas and liquid fueled turbines