fuel cell bulletin_2015_issue 2

The Belgian bus-builder Van Hool is leading a European consortium across six EU member states, to deliver 21 hydrogen fuel cell buses by 2019. The 3Emotion project will deploy buses in London (UK), Rome (Italy), Rotterdam and the Province of Zuid-Holland (Netherlands), Cherbourg (France), and Flanders (Belgium), as well as two new hydrogen fueling stations in Rome and Cherbourg.

The five-year 3Emotion project (Environmentally Friendly, Efficient, Electric Motion) has a total budget of E41.8 million (US$47.4 million), with E15 million ($17 mil-lion) from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). Flanders-based Van Hool is responsible for overall project coordina-tion, including research, the development and manufacture of the buses, and the hydrogen station infrastructure. The project includes three articulated buses for Antwerp in Flanders, joining the five Van Hool fuel cell buses deliv-ered to transit operator De Lijn in December.

The other consortium partners are Dantherm Power in Denmark; Air Liquide Advanced Technologies, Communaut urbaine de Cherbourg [municipality], and the CEA Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission in France; bus operator Cotral SpA, Regione Lazio, and FIT Consulting SRL in Italy; the European Association for Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Electro-Mobility in European Regions (HyER), De Lijn, and the WaterstofNet cross-border hydrogen initiative in Belgium; the Province of Zuid-Holland and Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram NV in the Netherlands; and London Bus Service Ltd in the UK.

Van Hool is also finalising a supply agreement with Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems for 21 next-generation FCvelocity-HD7 fuel cell modules, for delivery in 20152016.

Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking: www.fch-ju.eu

Van Hool, hybrid fuel cell buses: http://tinyurl.com/vanhool-h2

Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com

fUelCELLS BULLETIN

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ISSN 1464-2859 October 2010

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fUelCELLS BULLETIN

ISSN 1464-2859/15 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reservedThis journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use:PhotocopyingSingle photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit edu-cational classroom use.

ISSN 1464-2859 February 2015

NEWS

European 3Emotion fuel cell buses consortium 1Japan automakers boost hydrogen station rollout 1

ROAD VEHICLES

Hyundai joins HyTEC as project adds Norway 2Symbio FCell delivers first vans to French region 2New ToyotaHino fuel cell bus in Toyota City 3

MOBILE APPLICATIONS

Fraunhofer IKTS eneramic SOFC in traffic sign 3

SMALL STATIONARY

Scotland hits fuel poverty in first funded rollout 4Intelligent Energy on Indian telecom deployment 4Long-running Axane telecom unit proves reliable 4PowerCell modular unit, powers Africa telecoms 5

LARGE STATIONARY

Doosan FC restarts full stack production in spring 5FuelCell Energys Bridgeport fuel cell park year 6AFC Energy doubles stack size in German trial 6

PORTABLE & MICRO

eZelleron funds on Kickstarter for kraftwerk unit 6Neah Power PowerChip testing at Indian DRDO 7

FUELING

Air Liquide stations for Japan, French council 7Linde to build its first Sweden hydrogen station 7Cal State LA station first certified for public sale 8

ENERGY STORAGE

ITM readies enhanced product range for P2G 8Proton MW-scale electrolyser for energy storage 8Hydrogenics 1 MW PEM electrolyser for Europe 9

COMMERCIALISATION

Ballard stops Chinese licensing deals with Azure 9ITM expands manufacturing, testing, site power 9Italian firm Electro Power Systems now in France 10TFP, Johnson Matthey low-cost GDL electrode 10

RESEARCH

DOE for catalysts, hydrogen contamination R&D 11FuelCon, Fraunhofer ISE test PEMFC start-stop 11

FEATURE

Viessmann installs first fuel cell CHP system in UK home, ahead of 2016 market rollout 1214

REGULARS

Editorial 3News In Brief 5, 11Research Trends 15Patents 1619Events Calendar 20

Contents

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European 3Emotion fuel cell buses consortium

Japan automakers boost hydrogen station rollout

Toyota, Nissan, and Honda are collaborating to help accelerate the development of hydrogen station infrastructure for fuel cell electric vehicles. The automakers will give careful consideration to concrete initiatives, such as partly underwriting the expenses of operating hydrogen stations.

For hydrogen-fueled FCEVs to gain popularity, the development of a hydrogen station infrastructure is as vital as attractive products. At present, infrastructure companies face difficulties in installing and operating hydrogen stations while FCEVs are not common.

Following the formulation of its Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells last summer [FCB, July 2014, p9], the Japanese government has highlighted the importance of quickly developing hydrogen station

infrastructure. The government is subsidising the installation of hydrogen stations, and will also introduce additional policies to promote activities that generate new demand for FCEVs.

Last autumn Toyota launched its Mirai fuel cell saloon and Honda unveiled its FCV Concept [FCB, November 2014, p1], while Nissan is collaborating with Daimler and Ford to develop an affordable FCEV system [FCB, February 2013, p2]. And Tokyo recently announced major spending plans for FCEV subsidies and hydrogen refueling stations for the 2020 Summer Olympics [FCB, January 2015, p1].

Toyota, Fuel Cell Vehicle: http://tinyurl.com/toyota-fcevs

Honda, FCEV: http://world.honda.com/FuelCell

Nissan, FCEVs: http://tinyurl.com/nissan-fuelcell

METI, Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2014/0624_04.html

NEWS

2

Hyundai joins HyTEC consortium as project expands to Norway

The Hydrogen Transport in European Cities (HyTEC) consortium is creating a third hydrogen passenger vehicle deployment centre, in Oslo in Norway, to join London and Copenhagen. Hyundai Motor Europe is a new project partner, and will deliver eight Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell cars to the Norwegian capital during 2015.

The HyTEC consortium, led by Air Products, comprises companies with expertise in hydrogen transport infrastructure and operation. Hyundai Motor Europe will deliver eight of its flagship hydrogen ix35 Fuel Cell electric vehicles to Oslo this year, where they will utilise the citys hydrogen fueling network.

The vehicles will complement the consortiums existing activities in Copenhagen [FCB, June 2013, p2] and London [FCB, November 2011, p7 and May 2014, p6], where fueling stations and fleets of passenger cars and taxis have already been deployed to demonstrate the viability of hydrogen technology as a low-carbon transport solution. The HyTEC consortium will gather operational data from these fleets and stations, with the data disseminated to other European cities interested in implementing hydrogen transport for urban mobility.

Hyundai is the worlds first manufacturer to mass-produce hydrogen-powered vehicles, and is already selling cars globally, including 11 European markets, says Frank Meijer, head of FCEV & infrastructure development at Hyundai Motor Europe.

The HyTEC initiative is co-funded by transport and infrastructure companies, and by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). It brings together 16 partners from five EU member states (UK, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Spain) plus non-EU Norway.

London, Copenhagen, and Oslo are each adopting a different approach to hydrogen vehicle demonstration, through trialing different vehicle types and approaches to the rollout of refueling infrastructure. In Copenhagen, 15 hydrogen cars are being used by different city services and companies alongside refueling facilities that dispense sustainably produced hydrogen, while Oslo will deploy hydrogen passenger cars, making use of its existing refueling infrastructure [FCB, November 2011, p1].

HyTEC project: www.hy-tec.eu


Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.co.uk/h2energy

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell: http://tinyurl.com/hyundai-ix35FC

Symbio FCell delivers first fuel cell utility vans to French region

Symbio FCell has delivered the first five Renault Kangoo ZE-H2 light commercial vehicles (LCVs, i.e. small vans) powered by its 5 kW hydrogen fuel cell range-extender, as part of a fleet of 40 vehicles in a project led by the Conseil Gnral de la Manche (Manche regional council) in northwestern France.

The Manche council aims to put into service a total of 40 hydrogen-powered Renault Kangoo utility vehicles equiped with the Symbio FCell range-extender. This technology recharges the battery when it drops below a certain level, and permits the vehicle to be refueled with 1.8 kg of hydrogen. The range-extender offers almost double the daily range of battery-powered vehicles, a significant improvement that makes hydrogen-powered electric vehicles more competitive.

This project will demonstrate the reliability of Symbio FCells fuel cell range-extender system. The company provides mobility solutions utilising its hydrogen PEM fuel cell systems, which can be supplied with power outputs from 5 kW to 300 kW. These solutions can be integrated in a large range of applications, and are well adapted to road vehicles, river boats, and other platforms with intensive usage in urban areas.

The range-extender increases both driving range and availability of electric vehicles for commercial usage, while reducing the investment in battery recharging infrastructure for a large fleet, says Fabio Ferrari, CEO of Symbio FCell. Closer to a traditional ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicle, this ensures seamless operations for professional intensive urban usages, as demonstrated in previous experimentations such as La Poste.

La Poste (the French postal service) has been testing these vehicles in the Franche-Comt region in eastern France for more than a year [FCB, December 2013, p1]. And shortly the HyWay project in France will roll out a fleet of 50 Kangoo ZE-H2 utility vehicles, and

Fuel Cells Bulletin February 2015

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ROAD VEHICLES

NEWS / EDITORIAL

February 2015 Fuel Cells Bulletin3

E D I T O R I A L

Electrolysers are getting bigger and bigger, and MW-scale systems will play a key role in the wider use of hydrogen-based energy storage, producing hydrogen for fuel cells and for Power-to-Gas (P2G) applications, as well as for other industrial processes that utilise hydrogen.

As we report in this issue, at least three companies are targeting this large-scale market. UK-based ITM Power is launching an enhanced product range at the Hannover Messe in Germany in April, based on a higher current density that produces 50% more hydrogen for the same stack volume [see page 8]. The company has developed a new 350 kW PEM single stack, and will exhibit a three-stack 1 MW system in Hannover. The larger cell area and more cells per stack result in plant simplification while facilitating multi-MW installations for both energy storage and hydrogen refueling applications to occupy smaller sites.

In addition, US-based Proton OnSite has announced the commercial launch of its 1 MW and 2 MW M Series hydrogen generation systems, featuring the companys PEM water electrolyser technology [see pages 89]. The new systems are targeted at the industrial-scale storage of energy for use in chemical processes, fuel cell electric vehicles, biogas production, and natural gas pipeline injection.

And Canadian-based Hydrogenics is supplying a 1 MW electrolyser to a consortium of European companies working on the MefCO2 project in Germany [see page 9]. This novel application will take excess electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources, generate green hydrogen, and then create methanol using a low-carbon-footprint production plant and CO2 emissions from an existing coal-fired power plant.

We have reported previously on other large electrolysers, such as the 500 kW alkaline system supplied by French-based McPhy Energy for the H2BER project in Germany, which produces hydrogen for the Total vehicle fueling station at the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Germany [FCB, May 2014, p1].

The feature article in this issue [see pages 1214] reports on the first mass-produced fuel cell combined heat and power (CHP) system installed by German-based heating systems company Viessmann in a UK home. The Vitovalor 300-P domestic fuel cell system, which features a 0.75 kW PEM fuel cell unit manufactured by Panasonic in Japan, has been installed in a family home in Wolverhampton. The system is expected to provide a significant financial benefit for the homeowner who by complete coincidence is the technical director of Viessmann UK. The company launched the product in Germany last April, and is starting to roll it out to selected European markets.

Steve Barrett

construct two hydrogen fueling stations in Lyon and Grenoble [FCB, November 2014, p4].

La Manche is the first department in France to own a hydrogen fueling station, located in the city of Saint-L, to serve these five plug-in hybrid battery fuel cell light vehicles [see page 7]. The station, installed by Air Liquide, will also refuel 30 more of these vehicles from partnering communities, and buses.

Symbio FCell, Grenoble, France. Tel: +33 1 5679 1506, www.symbiofcell.com

New ToyotaHino fuel cell bus enters service in Toyota City

In Japan, Toyota Motor Corporation and Hino Motors Ltd have jointly developed a new bus equipped with the Toyota Fuel Cell System, which went into service with Meitetsu Bus Company on the Toyota Oiden bus route in Toyota City in early January.

The fuel cell bus, based on a Hino hybrid non-step route bus, is equipped with the Toyota Fuel Cell System developed for the Mirai fuel cell car [FCB, November 2014, p1], which integrates fuel cell and hybrid vehicle technologies. The new fuel cell bus is equipped with two 114 kW Toyota FC Stacks and two motors to provide increased output, as well as eight 700 bar hydrogen tanks. The bus also features a system for supplying electric power to buildings and other facilities during emergencies, which was enhanced through rigorous verification testing beginning in November 2013 [FCB, September 2012, p2].

Toyota and Hino will verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the fuel cell bus through testing that involves commercial operation on regular routes on public roads. Hydrogen refueling will be carried out at Toyota Ecoful Town, under a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) project.

The verification testing is being conducted in cooperation with Toyota City, as part of public fuel cell bus road trials and emergency external power supply testing that began in 2010 under the Toyota City Low-Carbon Verification Project. This has been selected as one of the Next-Generation Energy and Social System Demonstration Projects being promoted by the ministry of economy, trade and industry (METI).

Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle: www.toyota.com/fuelcell

Hino, Fuel Cell Bus: www.hino.com.au/news/hino-helps-develop-fuel-cell-bus

Toyota Ecoful Town: http://toyota-ecofultown.com/english

Fraunhofer IKTS trials eneramic SOFC unit in roadside traffic sign

A yellow LED traffic display in the Groen Garten (Great Garden) in Dresden, Germany is being powered by an eneramic solid oxide fuel cell system, in a six-month continuous field test to demonstrate its market readiness under real environmental conditions.

The eneramic mobile power generator is being trialed in a modern traffic control system by the traffic engineering company BAS Verkehrstechnik AG and the citys highways & civil engineering office (Straen- und Tiefbauamt Dresden). The eneramic system, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS in Dresden [FCB, March 2012, p7], runs on LPG and has an electrical power output of 100 W.

Jens Baade is leading the Fraunhofer IKTS team that aims to validate the technical maturity of the system in real-world conditions. Under the eneramic brand, we have in the last few years created a complete SOFC-based technology platform for robust off-grid power generation, explains Baade, that is designed from the start as a battery hybrid for industrial and recreational applications, as an efficient, durable alternative to conventional technologies.

A major advantage of the technology is improved road safety for workers, says Werner Grossmann, BAS branch manager in Dresden. The operation of LED panels in off-grid locations, for example on motorways, is greatly simplified by eneramic, he explains. Currently, the batteries need to be changed twice a week. The fuel cell system supplied with standard propane gas provides power for up to three weeks. The reduced exchange effort represents a significant reduction in the risk exposure when working directly on the highway.

The eneramic product will be commercially available in 2015. Fraunhofer IKTS is presenting the system at the FC EXPO in Tokyo, Japan at the end of this month, and at the Hannover Messe in Hannover, Germany in mid-April [see the Events Calendar on p20].

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Jens Baade, System Integration and Technology Transfer Department, Fraunhofer IKTS, Dresden, Germany. Tel: +49 351 2553 7338, Email: [email protected],

Web: http://tinyurl.com/ikts-validation

MOBILE APPLICATIONS

NEWS

4Fuel Cells Bulletin February 2015

Scotland targets fuel poverty in UKs first funded fuel cell rollout

The low-carbon developer and social enterprise iPower has launched the UKs first funded fuel cell programme to help combat fuel poverty in Scotland, with a 1 million (US$1.5 million) investment from the Social Growth Fund. The investment will enable iPower to roll out BlueGen micro combined heat and power (mCHP) solid oxide fuel cell systems, manufactured by Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd, to a number of properties across Scotland. CFCL has also reported significantly lower degradation rates in ongoing stack testing.

The deal to support iPower is the first investment to be made from the 16 million ($24.4 million) Social Growth Fund, which opened for applications in May 2014. Managed by Social Investment Scotland, a leading lender to charities and social enterprises (the third sector), the fund brings together 8 million from the Scottish government and 8 million from Big Society Capital, the independent financial institution set up to develop and share a sustainable social investment market in the UK.

iPower will target a range of sites including schools, universities, social housing, council buildings, and private care homes with a view to installing the technology for free. Site owners will only pay for the fuel they use and an annual service payment, without being liable for the upfront expenditure for purchasing and installing the equipment [FCB, December 2014, p6]. The free BlueGEN model has already been piloted with Edinburgh Napier University, where visitors can see it in action at its Merchiston Campus.

The first installation under this contract was expected in January, with a target of 55 units installed by 30 June, and the remainder by 30 September. Around 70 sites will be supported in the first phase, and iPower plans to add a further 350 sites in the coming year.

The development stage of the project for a total 100 kW of installed capacity has previously received funding support from the Scottish EDGE, a funding competition delivered by Scottish Enterprise in partnership with other public and private sector organisations. iPower also works closely with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)s Resource Efficient Business Models

(REBus) scheme, which is working with sites to help them develop their business models to achieve energy efficiency.

Meanwhile, CFCL reports that its stack testing has completed a further six months of operation, with significantly lower degradation rates. A linear extrapolation of the degradation rates indicates that the anticipated stack life is approximately 60 000 h (nearly seven years), which is 35% longer than anticipated last June [FCB, July 2014, p6]. The ultimate target is a 10-year stack life.

iPower Ltd, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, Scotland, UK. Tel: +44 7123 456789, www.ipoweruk.com/micro-chp

Social Investment Scotland: www.socialinvestmentscotland.com

Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd, Noble Park, Victoria, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9554 2300, www.cfcl.com.au, www.ceramicfuelcells.co.uk, or www.bluegen.info

Intelligent Energy hits target for deployment at Indian telecom sites

UK-based Intelligent Energy reports that the latest generation of its hydrogen PEM fuel cell power unit has been successfully operated at a mobile telecom tower site in India. This milestone represents the first phase of a commercial rollout of fuel cell units which will eventually power a portfolio of telecom towers where IEs subsidiary, Essential Energy India, is providing power management services.

The fuel cell unit was installed at a telecom tower owned and operated by Ascend Telecom in Uttar Pradesh West, with a remote location and regular grid outages [FCB, February 2014, p5]. Ascend already uses Essential Energys energy management services at a number of sites powered by diesel generators and batteries when the grid is down. Following this phase, Essential Energy expects most of the telecom tower sites within its estate to be capable of the transition from traditional power to hydrogen fuel cell based solutions.

Despite the recent halving of wholesale oil prices, hydrogen fuel cell installations across a majority of telecom tower sites still offer a more economical power supply than diesel generators, representing a significant potential cost saving for customers. Essential Energy currently has more than 10 000 towers under contract since it began acquiring customers in 2014, representing a 100 MW installed power estate.

Data taken from telecom sites by Intelligent Energy and ratified by Ascend Telecom,

reveal that over six months to December 2014, Essential Energy improved site power availability significantly while reducing fuel usage by 18%. Consistent power supply is crucial in a country with more than 935 million mobile phone users, and where the number of telecom towers is expected to increase significantly from the current 400 000.

Intelligent Energy is also collaborating in India with Welsh company Hydro Industries, to support commercialisation of Hydros electro-based water purification technology across India [FCB, March 2014, p1]. The partnership could result in Hydros technology being powered by IE fuel cells, and deployed at thousands of sites over the next five years [see the Intelligent Energy feature in FCB, August 2009].

Intelligent Energy, Loughborough, UK. Tel: +44 1509 271271, www.intelligent-energy.com

Essential Energy, Bangalore, India. Tel: +91 80 6715 5500, www.e2-india.com

Ascend Telecom: www.ascendtele.com

Long-running Axane telecom fuel cell unit proves reliable power

French fuel cell company Axane reports that its Energy 21 container has set a new operating record, running for a cumulative total of 14 100 hours while being stopped and started 590 times. The record is especially meaningful since a few years ago, this type of equipment would normally expect to run for 15002000 hours.

The Energy 21 container utilises a hydrogen PEM fuel cell to provide electricity for equipment located far away from the power grid or awaiting connection. This particular container has supplied a total energy output of 11.7 MWh at three different telecom sites over a two-year period. The highly reliable unit is still in operation, and was only stopped because the site has been connected to the EDF electricity network.

This stationary longevity record was achieved in particular thanks to the research completed through the framework of the French Horizon Hydrogen Energy (H2E) Program on fuel cell internal components. The expertise of the Axane team, which helped to optimise the operating parameters of the Energy 21 container in accordance with the clients needs, was also a key input.

Axane, the Air Liquide subsidiary dedicated to developing fuel cells, has deployed more than 200 of its fuel cell units worldwide so far [e.g.

SMALL STATIONARY

NEWS / IN BRIEF


I N B R I E F

International workshop on renewable energy in Norway and hydrogen exportThe International Workshop on Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Export being held in Trondheim, Norway on 24 March 2015 (http://tinyurl.com/re-h2-export-workshop) will focus on global perspectives and Norwegian opportunities for stakeholders to engage in the transition from a fossil-based to a more sustainable energy economy.

The energy system of the future will have to rely on renewable energy sources, and Norway has a vast potential of these. Over the coming decades, these may replace the substantial fossil energy exports that have been pivotal to Norways strong economy and high living standard.

This workshop provides an opportunity for key players and early movers to discuss these new opportunities in a geopolitical context. The political framework and market potential will be discussed, and how obstacles may be overcome.

The draft programme includes presentations by clean energy consultancy LBST and Siemens in Germany, research manager Technova and Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan, and Norwegian organisations such as the clean energy agency Enova, research organisation SINTEF, hydroelectric association Smkraftforeninga, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), electrolyser manufacturer NEL Hydrogen, and classification society DNV GL.

Call for abstracts for European Fuel Cell Technology & Applications Piero LunghiThe European Fuel Cell Technology & Applications Piero Lunghi Conference (EFC15, www.europeanfuelcell.it) will celebrate its 6th anniversary on 1618 December in Naples.

This international conference offers three full days with prominent academics, researchers, students, politicians and entrepreneurs working in the fuel cell field. The EFC15 programme has been enriched by new thematic areas and further collateral events in collaboration with major international institutions involved in fuel cell research. Selected papers will be published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

The conference will focus on the following topics: Materials, Modeling, Lab tests, System design, Fuels and decarbonising society, Fuel cell applications, Fuel cells operated in reversed mode, Marketing and policy pathways to full commercialisation of fuel cells, Cross-cutting issues, and New ideas and bad ideas in fuel cells.

A series of special sessions in parallel with the core event will cover Safety, Regulations, codes & standards in fuel cells; Microbial fuel cells; and Dissemination of European projects on fuel cells and hydrogen. The event also offers opportunities for promoting products and activities, with sponsorship information on the website.

The abstract deadline is Friday 27 March.

FCB, December 2012, p11 and April 2013, p1]. Axane is also in the HyPulsion joint venture with US-based Plug Power, to develop, manufacture and market a range of fuel cells for forklift trucks in Europe [FCB, November 2011, p3].

Axane Fuel Cell Systems, Air Liquide Advanced Business, Sassenage, France. Tel: +33 4 7643 6821, http://tinyurl.com/airliquide-axane

Horizon Hydrogen Energy (H2E) Program: www.horizonhydrogeneenergie.com/index-gb.cfm

PowerCell to develop modular static unit, power Africa telecoms

Nordic fuel cell developer PowerCell Sweden has been awarded SEK5 million (US$595 000) by the Swedish Energy Agency to develop a modular system for stationary applications. PowerCell has also signed a Letter of Intent with Mitochondria Energy Company in South Africa, to collaborate on developing diesel-fueled power solutions for African telecom towers.

PowerCell has interest from several potential customers for stationary systems in different sizes based on its PEM fuel cell technology. Supported by the new grant, the company will develop and demonstrate a modular fuel cell for stationary systems based on 20 kW modules with its S2 fuel cell stack [FCB, March 2014, p2].

The company has identified several applications that can be addressed using systems based on this reformate-capable module, such as storage of energy from fluctuating renewable sources like solar and wind. Other potential applications include larger standby generators, and electricity generation from excess hydrogen in the process industry.

Based on the range extender system that PowerCell has developed, the company plans to develop stationary fuel cell systems in the 20120 kW range for applications in several market segments [FCB, November 2014, p4]. PowerCell is also coordinating the European Biogas2PEMFC project, to develop technology to convert toxic waste from olive oil production into electricity [FCB, January 2015, p5].

In other news, PowerCell and Johannesburg-based Mitochondria Energy will develop diesel-fed fuel cell power solutions for the African market, based on PowerCells PowerPac power supply unit, currently under development. Power-as-a-service company Mitochondria will be involved in the pre-production development and testing processes to ensure the end product meets customer requirements.

The PowerPac fuel cell/reformer system uses widely available road diesel to generate cost-effective electricity for remote or bad-grid sites with an average power demand of 16 kW. PowerPac requires minimal onsite maintenance, and is operated and monitored remotely through the cellular data network. The next-generation PowerPac is now being assembled, and will be deployed for testing in South Africa and Sweden in 2015.

We see in PowerCells PowerPac the potential to address these needs for multiple customers and customer applications, says Anthea Bath, CEO at Mitochondria. We are pleased to be engaged with them at this stage of their development cycle, so we can shape the product requirements to meet the holistic solution specification.

PowerCell Sweden AB, Gothenburg, Sweden. Tel: +46 31 720 3620, www.powercell.se

Mitochondria Energy Company: www.mitochondria.co.za

Doosan FC America to restart full stack production this spring

Connecticut-based Doosan Fuel Cell America has expanded from 30 employees to 180 in the last six months, and its factory in South Windsor has already produced seven stacks, with expectations to reach full manufacturing capacity by the spring.

Doosan Fuel Cell America Inc (Doosan FC) came into existence last summer [FCB, August 2014, p1], as a new subsidiary of the Korean-based industrial conglomerate Doosan Corporation following its acquisition of ClearEdge Power in July [FCB, July 2014, p5]. The company is focusing primarily on the 400 kW stationary phosphoric acid fuel cell products (PureCell Model 400) that ClearEdge Power acquired from UTC Power in early 2013 [FCB, January 2013, p8].

Due to the commitment of employees and strategic partners, the factory has restarted, fuel cell stacks are being built, all the equipment is operational, and well be completely up and running in a few months, says manufacturing VP Jim Dayton. Doosan is not well known in the US though it owns other US companies such as [construction equipment supplier] Bobcat but theyre financially strong, innovative, and building for the future by leveraging its strengths today.

The 60 000 sq ft (5600 m2) manufacturing plant is producing fuel cell stacks using current inventory, as suppliers prepare for

LARGE STATIONARY

NEWS


restarted production. The next phase will focus on achieving full capacity by mid-year and expanding the manufacturing capabilities, with the goal of 300 employees by year-end.

Doosan Fuel Cell America is the US arm of the Doosan Fuel Cell Business Group, and focuses on 400 kW phosphoric acid fuel cells for supplying combined heat and power to building and utility systems. The group also includes FuelCellPower, a leading Korean manufacturer of PEM fuel cells for residential use and small- and mid-sized buildings [FCB, July 2014, p5].

Meanwhile, Doosan FC recently installed a PureCell Model 400 power plant at the former Hartford National Bank building on 777 Main Street in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. The tower is being converted into a green mixed-use apartment community by sustainable development and architectural firm Becker + Becker, which has previously installed two PureCell power plants [FCB, June 2011, p5].

Doosan Fuel Cell America, South Windsor, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 860 727 2200, www.doosanfuelcell.com

Becker + Becker: beckerandbecker.com

FuelCell Energys fuel cell park in Bridgeport on year of clean power

In Connecticut, the 14.9 MW fuel cell park in Bridgeport has reached its first anniversary of going into service, with an operational availability above 95%. The fuel cell park, owned by utility Dominion, consists of five Direct FuelCell molten carbonate power plants from Danbury-based FuelCell Energy.

The DFC power plants in Bridgeport supply Class I renewable power to the electric grid under a 15-year energy purchase agreement [FCB, January 2014, p6]. In addition, the heat is recovered and converted into additional electricity, increasing overall efficiency. FuelCell Energy operates and maintains the plants under a long-term service agreement.

In addition to consistently meeting power output requirements since its operation date, the installation continues to achieve availability that is comparable to the best performing units in our power generation fleet, including our Millstone nuclear power station in Waterford, Connecticut, says John Smatlak, VP of power generation technical services for Dominion.

The project is located on a remediated brownfield site in an industrial area of Bridgeport, occupying only 1.5 acres (0.6 ha) of land. The city benefits through clean

distributed power generation and enhanced grid resiliency, and is receiving tax revenue from what was previously a vacant lot.

This fuel cell park is generating worldwide interest from utilities and policy decision makers, hosting visitors from other US states and countries including Japan, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Korea as well as senior officials from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, says Chip Bottone, president and CEO of FuelCell Energy.

The worlds largest fuel cell park, utilising fuel cells manufactured by FuelCell Energy, is located in Hwasung City, South Korea and has been fully operational since January 2014 [FCB, March 2014, p6]. The facility comprises 21 DFC3000 power plants, rated at 2.8 MW each, requiring only about 5.1 acres (2 ha) of land. The fuel cell park provides continuous baseload electricity to the Korean electric grid and high-quality heat for a district heating system. FCEs Asian partner POSCO Energy commenced construction on this project in November 2012 and finished in only 14 months, illustrating the ability to rapidly construct multi-MW fuel cell installations that enhance grid resiliency.

FuelCell Energy, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 825 6000, www.fuelcellenergy.com

Dominion, Bridgeport Fuel Cell Park: http://tinyurl.com/dom-bridgeport

POSCO Energy: http://eng.poscoenergy.com

AFC Energy doubles alkaline stack size in German industrial trial

UK-based AFC Energy successfully trialed its first 51-cell stack cartridge during January at an industrial gas facility in Germany. The test achieved the operational baseline performance of the larger stack in the Beta cartridge, and also reached its operating temperature in just 4 h, well within the 12 h target.

The successful 51-cell stack trial marks the third milestone in the Power-Up programme for 2015 [FCB, January 2015, p6]. AFC is therefore confident of meeting the fast-track execution timetable for delivery of the 240 kW KORE alkaline fuel cell system scheduled for the second half of 2015.

The trial, which operated continuously for approximately two weeks, focused on the major challenge of scaling-up the stack (from 25 to 51 cells), and in particular managing the additional heat generated, to avoid thermal over-run of the cell.

Traditionally, as in other solid membrane electrolyte fuel cell types, scaling-up of the cartridge needs extra heat management strategies, such as incorporating additional coolant circuits within the stack. This 51-cell trial has confirmed the ability of the liquid electrolyte in AFCs alkaline fuel cell to act in a dual function ionic transport and heat management carrier which simplifies the overall design and lowers cost without adding complexity. Utilising AFCs self-heating strategy, the heat-up time for the fuel cell from ambient temperature has been further shortened in this trial, to approximately 4 h. It is expected that further increases in power will shorten this even more.

Achievement of the 51-fuel-cell stack, which is now only half of the commercial-scale 101-fuel-cell cartridge designed for the KORE, is a massive step forward in the commercialisation of AFCs leading fuel cell technology, says CEO Adam Bond. We are continuing to assess the results of this trial, and incorporate the learnings into the next phase of the 101-cell stack scheduled for FebruaryMarch.

The Power-Up project funded through the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) will demonstrate AFCs 500 kW alkaline fuel cell power plant in Stade, northern Germany, where Air Products operates an industrial gas processing plant that sources hydrogen from an adjoining major chemicals complex operated by Dow Chemical [FCB, November 2013, p6 and September 2014, p6, and see the AFC Energy feature in FCB, November 2011].

AFC Energy, Cranleigh, Surrey, UK. Tel: +44 1483 276726, www.afcenergy.com

Power-Up project: www.project-power-up.eu


eZelleron builds funds on Kickstarter to prep kraftwerk charger unit

The German fuel cell developer eZelleron GmbH through its US subsidiary eZelleron Inc is collecting crowd-funding via Kickstarter.com to prepare for its first series production of the companys kraftwerk portable charger. By mid-February the company had reached US$1.2 million in pledges (from 9200 backers), more than double its goal of $500 000 well before the 5 March deadline.

The kraftwerk portable charger the size of a pack of cigarettes, and weighing just 200 g

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February 2015 Fuel Cells Bulletin

(7 oz) utilises microtubular solid oxide fuel cell technology to generate power from widely available lighter fuel (butane) or camping gas (butane/propane). The company says that a single refill can provide sufficient energy to recharge an Apple iPhone 11 times.

We have experienced a huge rush since our technology was first launched, says Dr Sascha Khn, president and founder of eZelleron. We have met with Samsung to explore possible cooperation. Apple and other big companies in the technology and automotive sectors have also made inquiries.

eZelleron GmbH aims to ship the kraftwerk device, which has already been produced in a range of successful functional prototypes, at the end of 2015. The company has received more than 6000 pre-orders (with pricing from $99) in the US, Europe, and Asia. After quickly reaching its first funding goal, eZelleron plans to use the extra funding to develop a particularly robust outdoor version, and a luxury version.

Fuel cell developers have had mixed fortunes with crowd-funding so far. Last year Neah Power Systems launched a successful Indiegogo campaign for its BuzzBar Suite of handheld device charging products [FCB, October 2014, p6], but in 2013 California-based Point Source Power was well short of its Kickstarter target to commercialise its HALO Fuel Cell power source for the outdoor enthusiast and emergency markets [FCB, July 2013, p7].

eZelleron GmbH, Dresden, Germany. Tel: +49 351 250 88780, www.ezelleron.eu

eZelleron Inc, Wilmington, Delaware, USA. Tel: +1 860 341 5558, www.hellokraftwerk.com

kraftwerk on Kickstarter: http://tinyurl.com/kick-kraftwerk

Neah Power completes PowerChip testing at DRDO in India

US-based Neah Power Systems has successfully completed testing of its PowerChip units at an Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility. The company has also signed a definitive agreement to merge with California-based Shorai Inc, a leading provider of lithium ion-based power sports and starter battery solutions for the consumer and motorsport markets.

The successful PowerChip testing at DRDO is a critical milestone in completing the licensing agreement with the Indian government agency, which is responsible for

the development of technology for use by the military [FCB, December 2013, p8]. Neah Power has received payment of approximately $165 000 for these initial test units.

This further substantiates the value proposition of the PowerChip fuel cell in terms of differentiated performance from other fuel cells, including non-air operation and semiconductor-based manufacturing, as well as the ability to meet the needs of mission-critical applications, says Dr Chris DCouto, CEO of Neah Power. He expects that completion of the licensing agreement will lead to a significant contract, and enable further adoption of the technology for a variety of applications in the industries that Neah is targeting.

Neah Power says that the acquisition of Shorai is intended to deliver a comprehensive suite of customer-focused alternative energy power generation and storage solutions, through a diverse portfolio of proprietary technologies. Shorai is a well known producer of lightweight, efficient and high-performance lithium-ion starter batteries for motorcycles, all-terrain and utility vehicles, lawnmowers etc.

Our customers, whether defence, commercial or consumer, want to see integrated power solutions that use best-of-breed technologies in order to meet their mission-critical needs, says Chris DCouto. Completing this merger allows us to create product, operational, and marketing synergies to meet these customer needs.

Neah Powers core solutions have a small form-factor, recharge instantly, and can be operated in air and non-air (anaerobic) environments, providing a longer life with lower total cost of ownership. The companys offerings also include the Formira Hydrogen on Demand (HOD) formic acid reformer technology [FCB, November 2014, p6] and the BuzzBar Suite of handheld device charging products [FCB, September 2014, p7].

Neah Power Systems, Bothell, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 425 424 3324, www.neahpower.com

Shorai Inc: www.shoraipower.com

Air Liquide hydrogen stations for Japan, French regional council

Industrial gases giant Air Liquide recently completed two hydrogen fueling stations in Aichi Prefecture in Japan. These two stations are the first public-use hydrogen stations for fuel

cell electric vehicles in central Nagoya and in Toyota City. Air Liquide has also inaugurated a hydrogen station in the city of Saint-L in the Manche department in northwestern France.

The new stations in Japan, which began construction last autumn [FCB, October 2014, p7], were developed by Nagoya-based Toyotsu Air Liquide Hydrogen Energy Corporation, the joint venture between Air Liquide Japan and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, [FCB, November 2013, p8].

Air Liquide Japan was in charge of the design and installation of these stations, which were designed using the expertise the Air Liquide group has acquired from installing more than 60 hydrogen stations around the world. Air Liquide has already built three hydrogen stations in Japan in Tokyo, in neighbouring Kawasaki City, and in Saga on the southern island of Kyushu.

Closer to home, Air Liquide has inaugurated a hydrogen refueling station in Saint-L, for the first regional authority in France to have a hydrogen station for its vehicles. The Conseil Gnral de la Manche (Manche regional council) is keen to develop the hydrogen energy industry, and play a pioneering role in this field.

The station will initially refuel the communitys 10 Renault Kangoo Maxi ZE electric vehicles, which utilise a hydrogen fuel cell range-extender supplied by Symbio FCell [see page 2]. In a second stage, 30 more vehicles from partnering communities and buses will use the station.

Air Liquide already operates publicly accessible hydrogen stations in Europe, including Rotterdam in the Netherlands [FCB, October 2014, p7] and Dsseldorf in Germany. Last summer the company announced the installation of four new hydrogen stations in Denmark [FCB, July 2014, p8], part of the first national hydrogen infrastructure network in Europe, and in the autumn it announced plans to develop and supply an integrated hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the northeastern US, in collaboration with Toyota Motor Sales USA [FCB, December 2014, p8].

Air Liquide, Hydrogen Filling Station: http://tinyurl.com/airliquide-h2filling

Air Liquide Japan: www.jp.airliquide.com/en/welcome.html

Toyota Tsusho Corporation: www.toyota-tsusho.com/english

Linde to build its first hydrogen fueling station in Sweden

The Linde Group, via its Scandinavian business branch AGA, is building its first hydrogen refueling

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station in Sweden, at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The new station will be the countrys largest so far, and accompanies the introduction of series-production fuel cell electric vehicles by several car manufacturers.

The green hydrogen will be produced by electrolysers running on renewable electricity from hydroelectric power in AGAs new production plant in Sandviken, about 180 km (110 miles) north of Stockholm. The stations core components, based on Lindes proprietary ionic compressor technology, are designed and assembled in Lindes small-series manufacturing facility in Vienna, Austria [FCB, July 2014, p1].

The new station will be operated by AGA, and is envisaged to become part of a larger network with links to similar infrastructure initiatives in Norway, Denmark, and Germany. Built with EU funding support, the Arlanda facility located next to a recently acquired biogas station is planned to go in operation in September. The station will be a full size unit, with a maximum capacity of 180 fillings per day. Normal refueling at a pressure of 700 bar (10 000 psi) will take only about three minutes.

Linde is one of the worlds largest manufacturers of hydrogen plants, and a pioneer in the hydrogen mobility sector, covering the technology spectrum from hydrogen generation to refueling [see the Linde feature in FCB, September 2014]. The company has equipped more than 90 fueling stations in 15 countries with innovative hydrogen refueling technology, supporting fuel cell cars, buses, and forklift trucks.

Lindes US operation recently completed its first retail hydrogen station in the US, at a multi-fuel facility in West Sacramento, California [FCB, November 2014, p9], and signed a Cooperative Research & Development Agreement with Sandia National Laboratories that will focus on performance-based design approaches to commercial hydrogen fueling stations [FCB, January 2015, p7].

The Linde Group, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/linde-hydrogen-energy

AGA Gas AB, Liding, Sweden. Tel: +46 8 706 9500, www.aga.com

Cal State LA station first in state certified to sell hydrogen to public

The Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility at California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) has become the first hydrogen station in California to be certified to sell the clean fuel to

the public. The facility recently passed a rigorous state performance evaluation, and can now begin selling hydrogen by the kilogramme to drivers of fuel cell electric vehicles.

Opened last May, the fueling station at Cal State LA is the largest such facility on a university campus in the US [FCB, June 2014, p7]. The station produces hydrogen onsite, and is capable of using renewable sources such as solar and wind power for hydrogen production. The facility uses a HySTAT-30 alkaline water electrolyser, supplied by Canadian-based Hydrogenics, which provides 65 kg/day of hydrogen.

Last year Hydrogenics secured contracts for nine hydrogen fueling stations, including two 700 bar (10 000 psi) facilities. The company is now involved in the building and servicing of more than 10 hydrogen refueling stations in California, and more than 50 stations worldwide [FCB, January 2015, p7].

The hydrogen facility provides key research data on fueling performance and station operations to the Department of Energy and national laboratories, as well as to state agencies such as the California Energy Commission and California Air Resources Board. Honda, Hyundai, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz (Daimler), Audi and Volkswagen [FCB, December 2014, p2] have all fueled prototype hydrogen vehicles at the Cal State LA station.

California Governor Jerry Browns office informed the university that the fueling facility had received the certification, known as California Type Approval. The state is leading the effort to develop such facilities, and has allocated $200 million over the next decade to further the construction of a hydrogen fueling network across California [FCB, October 2013, p6].

Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com

Cal State LA, Hydrogen Station: www.calstatela.edu/ecst/h2station

ITM readies enhanced product range for Power-to-Gas market

UK-based ITM Power will launch an enhanced product range, based on a higher current density that produces 50% more hydrogen for the same stack volume, at the Hannover Messe, Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells in Germany in April [see the Events Calendar on p20]. The company will

also be launching its new 350 kW single stack, with a three-stack 1 MW system on show and for sale.

ITM recognises the market pull for ever larger electrolyser systems for Power-to-Gas (P2G) energy storage, and has brought to fruition two key technical initiatives in order to better meet the requirements of widespread uptake [see also page 9]. The first is an ability to generate up to 50% more hydrogen from the existing self-pressurising HGas stack platform. This is achieved by utilising a higher current density, the key parameter in PEM stack cost reduction, helping to reduce electrolyser capacity cost significantly.

The second initiative is a larger stack module capable of absorbing up to 350 kW of power. The larger cell area, coupled with 25% more cells per stack, represents beneficial plant simplification while permitting multi-MW installations to occupy smaller sites. The dramatically reduced footprint helps alleviate siting challenges, where space is highly valued, for both energy storage and hydrogen refueling applications.

ITM Power also reports two new reference plant sales to technical universities in Germany, both of which are based on the HPac platform for use in Power-to-Gas applications. Reference plants are particularly important for ITM Power in the German market, and with those organisations which advise the German energy ministry. The new orders mean that the company will have four reference plant installations in Germany.

This is an important step in developing our German business, given the close tripartite collaboration that exists in Germany between academia, the federal and state governments, and industry, explains Phil Doran, managing director of German subsidiary ITM Power GmbH. These sales and the Hannover launch will further highlight ITM Powers technology as being more than capable of meeting the needs of the Energiewende [energy transition], and of ITM Powers growing presence in Germany.

ITM now has 8.7 million ($13.4 million) of projects under contract, and a further 2.5 million ($3.9 million) of new projects subject to final contract negotiation.

ITM Power, Sheffield, UK. Tel: +44 114 244 5111, www.itm-power.com

Proton launches PEM MW-scale electrolyser for energy storage

Connecticut-based Proton OnSite has announced the commercial launch of its 1 MW and 2 MW M Series

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NEWS


hydrogen generation systems, featuring the companys proton-exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyser technology. The new systems are particularly targeted at the growing global energy storage market.

The growth of renewable energy has created a need for large-scale energy storage [see the Proton OnSite feature in FCB, September 2013]. The new M Series addresses this by offering scalable, cost-effective conversion of excess, stranded or curtailed power to hydrogen, presenting a carbon-free solution for the industrial-scale storage of energy for use in chemical processes, fuel cell electric vehicles, biogas production, and natural gas pipeline injection.

At the 2 MW level, the new M Series provides a 13 increase in hydrogen production compared to other commercial PEM systems. In combination with greater production capacity, the M Series halves the capital cost per kW of producing hydrogen.

Its important to understand that a functioning PEM electrolyser is not overly complicated to build, but the real challenge comes in making systems rugged and reliable for real industry applications, says Robert Friedland, president and CEO of Proton OnSite. Proton is the only PEM electrolyser company that has the installed base, experience, and time in the market. This experience has been a key leverage point for us in introducing this system [FCB, December 2012, p9 and May 2013, p8].

The company says that the ability of PEM technology to respond rapidly to renewable energy inputs makes it the preferred electrolysis method, and annual maintenance costs are significantly less than traditional alkaline electrolysis technologies. The M Series also offers a highly cost-effective approach for Power-to-Gas (P2G) applications, and an economical alternative to delivered hydrogen in many industrial, food, and pharmaceutical markets. The modular design of the M Series enables solutions for an almost unlimited range of project sizes.

Proton OnSite, Wallingford, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 678 2000, www.ProtonOnSite.com

Hydrogenics 1 MW PEM electrolyser for European consortium

Canadian-based Hydrogenics is supplying a 1 MW electrolyser and providing engineering expertise to a consortium of European companies working on the MefCO2 project in

Germany. The application will take excess electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources, generate green hydrogen, and then create methanol using a low-carbon-footprint production plant and CO2 emissions from an existing coal-fired power plant.

This project will use our most advanced PEM technology, developed specifically for utility-scale Power-to-Gas [P2G] applications, and turn carbon dioxide into energy, says Daryl Wilson, CEO of Hydrogenics. Methanol production from green hydrogen represents a very promising way to decarbonise parts of the traditional fuel industry as well as the chemical sector.

The facility will capture CO2 from the emissions of a coal-fired power plant in Essen, Germany owned by STEAG GmbH, which operates a number of regional power plants and distributed energy facilities. Hydrogenics will provide a 1 MW electrolyser that, powered by intermittent renewable energy, will produce 200 m3/h of hydrogen. The hydrogen and captured CO2 will then be catalytically converted into methanol, a common chemical feedstock used in gasoline blending, biodiesel production, and the manufacture of chemical derivatives.

The MefCO2 consortium also includes Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Europe, the Laboratory of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering of the National Institute of Chemistry Slovenia, the Cardiff Catalysis Institute in Wales, Iceland-based Carbon Recycling International, the University of Genoa in Italy, the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany, and the Spanish technology broker i-deals.

The project has a budget of E11 million (US$12.5 million), partially funded by a grant from the EUs Horizon 2020 research programme, and managed by the SPIRE-2 public-private partnership (Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency). The project will last three to four years, and involves the design, building, and testing of systems to demonstrate the utilisation of surplus and intermittent renewable energy sources and waste CO2 for the production of methanol.

A year ago Hydrogenics announced an order for a 1 MW electrolyser unit for the Power-to-Gas Biological Catalysis (P2G-BioCat) project in Denmark, which will use hydrogen produced using excess wind power to convert biogas from sewage sludge into methane that can be injected into the local gas network [FCB, March 2014, p8].

Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com

SPIRE partnership: www.spire2030.eu

Ballard terminates two licensing agreements with Azure in China

Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems has given termination notice on two licensing agreements in the China market, as a result of material breaches of these agreements by Beijing-based Azure Hydrogen.

The first licence agreement, originally announced in September 2013, relates to the assembly of Ballards FCvelocity-HD7 fuel cell bus power modules in China for the Chinese market [FCB, October 2013, p2]. The second licence agreement, announced in June 2014, is related to the assembly of Ballards ElectraGen telecom backup power systems in China for the Chinese market [FCB, July 2014, p5].

Ballard says that it tried to reach a settlement, but as a result of Azures breaches under both contracts, it has provided notice of termination of both contracts and will consider its legal remedies. Azures breaches and the resultant contract terminations will negatively impact Ballards 2014 financial performance. Ballard had expected to collect approximately US$4.5 million in cash from Azure in Q4 of 2014, and recognise additional revenue of more than $3 million under the Azure contracts in that quarter.

Randy MacEwen, president and CEO of Ballard, remains upbeat. While we are clearly disappointed with this outcome with Azure and the negative impact on our 2014 financial results, we remain confident in the long-term attractiveness of the Chinese market for our fuel cell solutions, he says.

Ballard has better news in the bus market it is currently finalising an equipment supply agreement with Belgian bus-builder Van Hool, to supply power modules for 21 fuel cell buses over the next two years [see page 1].

Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com

ITM Power expands manufacturing, testing and site power supply

UK-based ITM Power has begun a significant expansion of the manufacturing facilities at its main Atlas Way site in Sheffield. The expansion includes two new test bays for

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acceptance testing of HGas Power-to-Gas (P2G) units, and the provision of a new 1 MW substation.

ITM Power is optimising its existing facility to meet the increasing production demands of items under contract and in negotiation [see page 8]. In the past six months, it has completed a series of improvements to the production process to meet anticipated growing demand. The manufacturing facility, plus the use of a number of accredited local subcontractors, can currently handle a product turnover of approximately 100 million (US$154 million) per annum. The additional facilities are to provide power for the acceptance testing of 1 MW units.

ITM has identified a potential bottleneck of factory acceptance testing (FAT) in its production planning, which is being resolved by the provision of two new FAT test bays. The enclosed external bays allow for three 20 ft (6 m) ISO containers to be simultaneously tested. FAT is an important part of the manufacturing process before products are shipped to site for commissioning. The testing includes periods of operation at full load, and it is therefore important that the capacity for this procedure grows in step with product build capacity and increasing orders.

In addition, Northern Powergrid will install a 1 MW transformer, with the option to increase the supply agreement when required. ITM has also identified a site where electrolysers of up to 5 MW can be tested, adding further expansion potential. Products above 5 MW in capacity would undergo final acceptance testing at the customers site.

Standardisation of ITMs products has enabled streamlined manufacturing. All products are designed in a modular way, allowing multiple units to be assembled simultaneously and providing maximum flexibility to the build schedule. As the companys manufacturing schedule fills up, it has been important to ensure that capacity can match demand. A series of sub-assemblies have been designed, and a series of accredited subcontractors have been identified and are increasingly being used as part of the manufacturing process. Delivery timescales have also been significantly reduced.

ITM Power, Sheffield, UK. Tel: +44 114 244 5111, www.itm-power.com

Italian firm Electro Power Systems switches HQ to France

Electro Power Systems (EPS), which is developing smart hydrogen-based systems for energy storage, has established its new headquarters

in the French capital, Paris. EPS was founded in Italy in 2005, as a spinout from the Politecnico di Torino (Polytechnic University of Turin).

France is leading the Energy Transition in Europe and globally, explains Carlalberto Guglielminotti, CEO of Electro Power Systems. Its environment for innovative energy companies is very dynamic, especially for a growing energy company specialised in hydrogen storage technologies, our core expertise.

Since 2007, EPS has developed hydrogen-based power systems to provide backup power solutions, mission-critical applications, and to compensate for primary power outages. In 2012, the group launched its updated self-recharging ElectroSelf backup power system, which vertically integrates the hydrogen fuel cell power system, energy management, and onsite generation of hydrogen and oxygen [FCB, March 2012, p3]. This innovative hydrogen-based system, entirely developed and manufactured by EPS, integrates a high-pressure electrolyser through smart electronics into a patented open architecture.

The ElectroSelf system, with its unique self-recharging, modular and closed-loop technology, allows end-users to go off-grid, and its open architecture means that it can also be easily coupled with other battery-based technologies to increase their storage capacity and reduce the overall plant cost and footprint the company calls this the HyESS Hybrid Energy Storage System. The group will pursue future development and growth with ElectroSelf and HyESS, including off-grid distributed generation and grid-scale energy storage systems and, in particular, integration with renewable sources and smart grids.

Electro Power Systems has facilities in Moncalieri (Turin) and Aosta in Italy, and in the US in partnership with BNC Corporation in Brighton, Michigan. Last spring EPS agreed an exclusive partnership with McPhy Energy, a French specialist in industrial hydrogen energy storage solutions, whereby McPhy will be the exclusive manufacturer of the new electrolysis stack developed by EPS for the ElectroSelf [FCB, April 2014, p10].

Electro Power Systems SA, Paris, France. Tel: +33 1 7118 2912, www.electropowersystems.com

TFP, Johnson Matthey unveil new electrode for low-cost GDLs

In a collaborative UK project, Technical Fibre Products Ltd (TFP) and Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells

(JMFC) have developed a novel and commercially ready electrode substrate for use in PEM and direct methanol fuel cells. The substrate addresses the market need for a lower-cost alternative to currently available gas diffusion layer (GDL) materials.

The innovation is the output from the project Fuel Cells Incorporating Nanomaterials in Electrode Substrates (FINESSE), co-funded by the Innovate UK innovation agency (formerly the Technology Strategy Board). The projects primary objective was to develop a novel membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) for stationary PEM and portable DMFC applications, which delivers similar performance to the current state-of-the-art but at reduced cost. The project incorporated a number of development strands, with TFP leading on GDL substrate design and manufacture, and JMFC leading on coating, MEA consolidation, and in-cell testing.

Technical Fibre Products part of luxury papermaker James Cropper Plc, and based in Englands Lake District is a leading manufacturer of advanced nonwovens. The company has extensive experience in developing novel materials to meet specific performance requirements in industries including aerospace, defence, energy, and construction. The companys technologists combine an in-depth understanding of the nonwoven forming process with the knowledge and experience to work with a range of fibres, particulates, and binders. The application of this expertise has enabled the development of a GDL electrode material which offers comparable properties and performance to the current state-of-the-art, but without the associated high-temperature heat treatment techniques which increase cost.

JMFC is a global business dedicated to the supply of high-quality fuel cell components. The Swindon-based company designs and manufactures MEAs and their sub-components for use in both automotive and stationary fuel cell applications, including catalysts for fuel cells and fuel processors (reformers).

As part of the FINESSE project, the partners have developed an optimal MEA design which both incorporates the new low-cost GDL substrate and simultaneously delivers additional cost savings. This development of a lower-cost electrode substrate and consolidated MEA supports the market need for cost reduction in fuel cell systems as a whole. Ultimately, this will help make fuel cells a more economically viable green energy source, and potentially help to accelerate their market penetration.

The two companies also recently collaborated in a pioneering project to develop a recycling process to recover high-value materials from waste fuel cells [FCB, January 2015, p1].

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Sales of Ene-Farm residential fuel cell systems in Japan pass 100 000 milestoneCumulative sales of Ene-Farm, which became the worlds first commercial residential fuel cell system when it was released in Japan in May 2009 [FCB, March 2009, p11], surpassed 100 000 units in September 2014, according to the Japan Gas Association (www.gas.or.jp/en).

The Ene-Farm line initially comprised PEM fuel cell based systems from several manufacturers, and was later expanded to include models using solid oxide fuel cells, which have higher generation efficiency than PEMFCs [FCB, April 2012, p4], as well as stand-alone units that continue operating during power outages, and models that can be installed in apartment building pipe shafts [FCB, November 2013, p4]. Ene-Farm is a frontrunner in Japans planned hydrogen energy society, because it generates power using city (natural) gas modified with hydrogen.

The Strategic Energy Plan adopted by the Japanese government sets Ene-Farm targets of 1.4 million units by 2020, and 5.3 million units (10% of all households) by 2030. Japans gas industry will work closely with Ene-Farm manufacturers, the housing sector, and the energy industry to further expand Ene-Farm installations.

FCHEA study on US state policy, fundingThe Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA, www.fchea.org) in the US has released a new report, 2014 State Policy Activity Wrap-Up Fuel Cells & Hydrogen. This annual report aggregates recent state-level policies and funding opportunities that support the development and deployment of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in a range of applications.

While federal funding has supported fuel cell and hydrogen R&D and demonstration for more than a decade, many states have also stepped up support for these technologies to reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency, and improve power reliability. The latest report highlights activities in 18 states, and shows a significant increase in the number of policies and incentives compared to 2013, while the number of states covered in the report has doubled.

Policies and incentives reported in the study include fuel cell electric vehicles, with eight states developing networks of hydrogen fueling stations to support growing numbers of FCEVs on their roads; power generation, with a number of states offering funding to help businesses and municipalities deploy stationary fuel cells for distributed (onsite) power generation; and economic stimulus, with several states developing fuel cell manufacturing and supply chains to help build state economies and create jobs.

Download the free report: http://tinyurl.com/fchea-states-2014

Technical Fibre Products Ltd, Kendal, Cumbria, UK. Tel: +44 1539 818220, www.tfpglobal.com

Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells Ltd, Swindon, UK. Tel: +44 1793 755600, www.jmfuelcells.com

Innovate UK: www.innovateuk.org

DOE funds fuel cell catalysts, hydrogen contamination R&D

The US Department of Energy has announced the 2015 Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I Release 1 Awards, including projects focusing on non-platinum catalysts for fuel cells and detection of contaminants in hydrogen.

DOEs key hydrogen objectives are to reduce the cost of producing and delivering hydrogen to less than $4 per gallon of gasoline equivalent (gge), to enable fuel cell electric vehicles to be competitive with gasoline vehicles. Key fuel cell objectives are to reduce system cost to $40/kW and improve durability to 5000 h (equivalent to 150 000 miles or 240 000 km of driving) for automotive fuel cell systems by 2020.

The projects on non-platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts for fuel cells that were selected for negotiation are:

U Proton OnSite (www.protononsite.com) of Wallingford, Connecticut will develop a non-precious metal catalyst based on doped cobalt oxides [see also page 8].

U pH Matter LLC (www.phmatter.com) of Columbus, Ohio will develop a non-pre-cious metal catalyst based on phosphorus-doped carbon-nitrogen materials.

Both of these projects will use the novel catalysts to prepare high-performance oxygen electrodes, enabling production of reversible alkaline membrane fuel cells with better performance and lower cost than current technology.

The two projects on detection of contaminants in hydrogen are:

U Southwest Sciences Inc (www.swsciences.com) of Santa Fe, New Mexico will develop a diode laser sensor for detection of typical impurities found in hydrogen fuel at the refueling station.

U Sustainable Innovations LLC (www.sustainableinnov.com) of East Hartford, Connecticut has teamed with the University of Connecticut to develop an

innovative multichannel hydrogen fuel quality monitor, to detect multiple hydro-gen impurities at the refueling station.

DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: www.energy.gov/eere/transportation/hydrogen-and-fuel-cells

FuelCon, Fraunhofer ISE testing PEMFC start-stop phenomena

In Germany, FuelCon AG and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE are developing a testing station for analysing start-stop cycles in PEM fuel cells. The work is part of the three-year Stress project funded by the federal ministry for economic affairs and energy (BMWi), which runs to the end of March.

PEM fuel cells are mostly stressed by electrical load changes and start-stop processes, with the latter mainly occurring in mobile applications. Irreversible corrosion processes at the electrodes result in greater degradation of the individual cells. Therefore the Stress project aims to develop an application-oriented test system, including the necessary testing environment for the evaluation of these processes, focusing on automotive and mobile applications. The implemented fuel cell testing environment should allow both practical adjustment and the simulation of operational conditions, and the testing method itself should be adapted for different applications.

As part of the project, Fraunhofer ISE organised a workshop on Start-Stop Phenomena and Strategies for PEM Fuel Cells in December, where FuelCons Mathias Bode gave a presentation on suitable test environments and methods. Bode explains that the test environment for analysing start-stop phenomena is a significant project milestone. Working with researchers at Fraunhofer ISE, FuelCon succeeded in developing a testing environment that is practicable for PEM single cells as well as stacks, and ensures high process reproducibility.

Fuel cell testing systems in FuelCons Evaluator series can be equipped with several extensions, one of which is the Start-Stop-Extension allowing the simulation of start-stop cycles for accelerated degradation of the cell. The start-stop extension includes the necessary process engineering as well as testing scripts and an enhanced safety concept.

FuelCon AG, Magdeburg-Barleben, Germany. Tel: +49 39203 514400, www.fuelcon.com

Fraunhofer ISE, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology: http://tinyurl.com/ise-h2fuelcell

RESEARCH

FEATURE

Fuel Cells Bulletin February 201512

Microgeneration on wayTo continue to reduce CO2 emissions and make ourselves, as a society, more energy-efficient, we need to develop solutions for gas, says Darren McMahon, marketing director for Viessmann UK. Beside this, microgeneration thats people generating their own electricity onsite is about twice as efficient as relying on centralised power stations.

Viessmann UK has installed its first Vitovalor 300-P in Wolverhampton, in the four-bedroom home of the companys technical director. This will ensure we can access the data and monitor its performance, to provide real-life running costs in a representative UK home, continues McMahon. In terms of installs, we will be looking to add further systems across the country, assessing the suitability of any sites as the opportunities arise.

Homeowner Christian Engelke is delighted to be the guinea pig. In addition to being able to do something for the environment, this system will allow me to generate as much electricity as I use, as well as guard against perpetually rising utility costs, he says. As a family, were really excited about monitoring our energy use and production.

The financial benefitsThe fuel cell system will supply the 1910-built home with the energy it requires and reduce CO2 by 50%, compared to the separate generation of heat and power, says Viessmann UK. The total annual spending on energy utility bills will be cut by 36%, representing approximately 400 (US$620), for the Wolverhampton home, because of the onsite generation of electricity. Any excess electric power that is generated can be exported back into the grid. Based on the UKs Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) of 15p (23) per kWh, this is expected to

provide the household with a return of more than 600 ($925) per annum.

The cost of installation at the home in Wolverhampton, including purchase of the Vitovalor 300-P, removal of the previous system, installation, and accessories was 22 000 ($34 000), says Darren McMahon. With the estimated income from the FiT, as well as the reduced consumption of electricity from the grid, we expect the average home to see a saving in the region of 1000 ($1540) a year.

We are currently working towards lobbying the government to implement a subsidy for fuel cell systems, as they have adopted in Germany, he continues. At the moment, we are targeting this product at the early adopters, and are aware that our biggest challenge is the high initial installation costs. Like all new technology, as production increases we will see the costs come down in the coming years, in much the same as we have seen with solar PV [photovoltaic]

fuel cell bulletin_2015_issue 2

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