понедельник, 30 декабря 2013 г.

Tucson Fuel Cell: The Next Generation Electric Vehicle | Hyundai Like Sunday

Tucson Fuel Cell: The Next Generation Electric Vehicle | Hyundai Like Sunday


Tucson Fuel Cell: The Next Generation Electric Vehicle

Every once in a while, it can feel like you’re at ground zero, at the launch of a new era. These past few weeks, after big hydrogen fuel cell announcements by Toyota, Honda and Hyundai in Tokyo and Los Angeles, we could definitely feel this was a critical inflection point for an industry that has relied on internal combustion power for more than a century. While battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology continues to improve and provides a viable alternative for some, its range and inherent slow-charge limitations means it will only meet the needs of a distinct subset of car buyers.
Hydrogen fuel cells promise something more. They are, in effect, the “Next Generation” of electric vehicles, with both the range and fast-fill characteristics of today’s internal combustion engine (ICE), and the zero-emission advantages of BEVs. At Hyundai, we believe ICE, BEV, and hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) propulsion technologies will continue to co-exist for some time, meeting different buyer needs. But if you believe our fleet must evolve to become less dependent on petroleum-based fuels, and if you believe consumers want vehicles that provide fast-fill and long range, then you have to believe, as we do, that FCEVs will become a significant and growing part of our automotive future.
So what about Hyundai’s big announcement at the L.A. Auto Show? Well, we announced the future begins this coming spring, with the launch of the first mass-produced, federally-certified hydrogen FCEV, the 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell electric vehicle. For just $499/month and $2,999 down, including valet maintenance and all the hydrogen you can use, consumers in most of Los Angeles and Orange County can put the future in their driveway, while enjoying HOV lane access and a $2,500 Clean Vehicle Rebate. Response to our LA show announcement has been great, with over 18,000 website hits and over 2,000 hand-raiser requests coming through https://www.hyundaiusa.com/tucsonfuelcell and our auto show exhibit. We’ll be sorting through these strong demand signals and announcing more details of our go-to-market strategy in the weeks ahead. One thing is for sure though – we want our first Tucson Fuel Cell customers to have great experiences, so we’ll ensure these early adopters live in zip codes with easy access to hydrogen infrastructure. While this will limit initial sales (e.g., we sell about 1,300 ICE Tucsons per year in these zip codes), we are less interested in high sales volume in the first few years of this technology than we are in absolutely delighting the first owners of the Next Generation of Electric Vehicles. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and while we want to lead the pack with a strong FCEV start, we’ll be pacing ourselves to the infrastructure that is being developed in parallel with our launch.

One of the big surprises for me personally has been the level of passion and advocacy in the debate between BEV and FCEV enthusiasts – be they blog commenters, journalists, and even automotive executives. With Hyundai having significant development efforts on both sides of the table (we’ll have a BEV in the near future, too), we are in a more neutral position here, with a focus on providing the best ZEV (zero-emission vehicle) solutions for the whole spectrum of customer needs. Our ZEV development expenses, both BEV and FCEV, total hundreds of millions of dollars over the past several years. These are R&D investments in the future of zero-emission personal mobility. They are not marketing expenditures. But like all new things, these investments, and the strategies and products that come from them, require conversation and debate to reach a better common understanding. Here, we aim to push that dialogue a few steps forward.
Recently, I had the opportunity to spend time with some of the deans of the green car journalist field. I asked what they saw as the key battlegrounds of this debate. They shared three canons of BEV advocacy:
  1. BEVs have a Well-to-Wheel (WTW) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) advantage over FCEVs
  2. Hydrogen infrastructure is a fundamental barrier to FCEV adoption
  3. Slow-charge times are balanced by the fact that BEV owners enjoy the convenience of recharging at home, something that FCEVs can’t do
Let me share Hyundai’s point-of-view on each of these:
1. BEVs have a Well-to-Wheel GHG advantage over FCEVs
While there likely will be healthy debate on this topic for years to come, the latest study comes from  the Advanced Power and Energy Program, at the University of California at Irvine. They find that BEVs and FCEVs have comparable GHG outputs. Taking into account GHG emissions at every stage (including feedstock, production, transmission and consumption), FCEV GHG emissions are comparable to BEV GHG emissions. BEV has a small advantage in California based on the cleaner grid here, while FCEV has a small advantage on a national basis. Importantly, both BEV and FCEV solutions deliver more efficient total GHG outputs than any other configuration, include high-mpg ICE vehicles, natural gas variants, HEVs and PHEVs.
Source: University of California, Irvine – Advanced Power and Energy Program
http://www.apep.uci.edu/3/Research/pdf/SustainableTransportation/WTW_vehicle_greenhouse_gases_Public.pdf
2. Hydrogen infrastructure is a fundamental barrier to FCEV adoption
Lack of sufficient hydrogen infrastructure has certainly been a barrier to FCEV adoption. What’s different now are the many approved programs and significant financial commitments from national and local governments around the globe. In Europe, Germany’s H2 Mobility has set up a specific action plan for the construction of 100 hydrogen stations in the next four years, and 400 stations by 2023. Here in California, in support of the state’s ZEV action plan, the legislature has allocated $20 million annually for the development of 100 public hydrogen stations (9 stations are currently open, another 17 stations are already under development). In addition, the H2USA partnership, bringing together private and public perspectives and kicked-off by the U.S. Department of Energy, is defining the best way to build a national refueling infrastructure. Yes, today’s hydrogen infrastructure solutions are regional – but over the next several years, more accessible hydrogen refueling will expand to over 35 million Californians and 80 million Germans. Keep in mind, today’s convenient ICE refueling infrastructure was practically non-existent back when internal combustion engines began to gain momentum in the BEV/ICE market more than a century ago. Again, this is a marathon not a sprint, but the foundation for a global hydrogen refueling infrastructure is being laid now, and it’s exciting for us at Hyundai to be playing a role that will help catalyze that development.
3. Slow-charge times are balanced by the fact that BEV owners enjoy the convenience of recharging at home, something that FCEVs can’t do
There’s an undeniable delight for some in the joy of plugging in their car when they get home at night, knowing it will be charged in the morning and able to deliver the requirements of a daily commute. But what about the many who don’t have a garage or access to overnight charging? And what about those situations that take the driver away from home? And how to build a national infrastructure of away-from-home charging in which charging vehicles must occupy a single physical space for long periods of time? For more folks, we think, there is a deep sense of security, taken for granted by most, that comes with the type of refueling infrastructure provided for ICE vehicles. Today, refueling times are quick, and locations abundant. For most, it’s a weekly task of five-to-ten minutes duration. For those in areas where a hydrogen infrastructure is established and growing, such as Southern California where we will launch Tucson Fuel Cell, FCEVs will deliver this type of security, and with a range of up to 300 miles and growing H2-fill locations, liberation from the sort of range anxiety many BEV owners experience. And for those BEV enthusiasts who highly value at-home charging and whose usage patterns don’t require ICE or FCEV range capability, the good news is that there certainly will be a growing selection of plug-in options, including those from Hyundai.
So that’s our take on a complex situation. Look, we realize there’s still plenty of room for conversation and debate here. But the new news is, while we’re having this debate, there’s a new alternative available – the $499/month Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell electric vehicle. If you’re open to new ideas and choice, that’s something to celebrate, no matter what your perspective might be. We’re hoping the consumer interest we’re seeing already will help spark additional action among private companies and state and local governments, to expedite infrastructure deployment. We also expect other auto companies to bring learning-curve cost efficiencies to market even faster, perhaps spurred on in some fashion by our Tucson Fuel Cell. That’s how all of this is supposed to work. And here’s the best part – the winner is all of us, because more competition and choice make things better for everyone. Thanks for listening to our point-of-view on ZEVs. It’s an exciting time, and I’m looking forward to sharing more of our strategy and our progress with you in the new year.
John Krafcik

Fuel Cell Technologies Office: Market Analysis Reports

Fuel Cell Technologies Office: Market Analysis Reports

Market Analysis Reports

Reports about fuel cell and hydrogen technology market analysis are provided in these publication categories:

Fuel Cell Technologies Office Market Reports

2012 Fuel Cell Technologies Market ReportPDF—This report describes data compiled in 2013 on trends in the fuel cell industry for 2012 with some comparison to previous years. (October 2013).
2011 Fuel Cell Technologies Market ReportPDF—This report describes data compiled in 2012 on trends in the fuel cell industry for 2011 with some comparison to previous years. (July 2012).
2010 Fuel Cell Technologies Market ReportPDF—This report describes data compiled in 2011 on trends in the fuel cell industry for 2010 with some comparison to previous years. (June 2011).
2009 Fuel Cell Technologies Market ReportPDF—This report describes data compiled in 2010 on trends in the fuel cell industry for 2009 with some comparison to previous years. (November 2010).
2008 Fuel Cell Technologies Market ReportPDF—This report describes data compiled in 2009 on trends in the fuel cell industry for 2008 with some comparison to previous years. (July 2010).
2007 Fuel Cell Technologies Market ReportPDF—This report describes data compiled in 2008 on trends in the fuel cell industry for 2007 with some comparison to two previous years. (July 2009).

Pathways to Commercial Success

2013 Pathways to Commercial Success: Technologies and Products Supported by the Fuel Cell Technologies OfficePDF—This FY 2013 report updates the results of an effort to identify and characterize commercial and near-commercial (emerging) technologies and products that benefited from the support of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office and its predecessor programs within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (September 2013).
2012 Pathways to Commercial Success: Technologies and Products Supported by the Fuel Cell Technologies OfficePDF—This FY 2012 report updates the results of an effort to identify and characterize commercial and near-commercial (emerging) technologies and products that benefited from the support of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office and its predecessor programs within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (September 2012).
2011 Pathways to Commercial Success: Technologies and Products Supported by the Fuel Cell Technologies OfficePDF—This FY 2011 report updates the results of an effort to identify and characterize commercial and near-commercial (emerging) technologies and products that benefited from the support of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office and its predecessor programs within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (September 2011).
2010 Pathways to Commercial Success: Technologies and Products Supported by the Fuel Cell Technologies OfficePDF—This FY 2010 report updates the results of an effort to identify and characterize commercial and near-commercial (emerging) technologies and products that benefited from the support of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office and its predecessor programs within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (August 2010).
2009 Pathways to Commercial Success: Technologies and Products Supported by the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies ProgramPDF—This report documents the results of an effort to identify and characterize commercial and near-commercial (emerging) technologies and products that benefited from the support of the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program and its predecessor programs within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. (August 2009).

Business Case for Fuel Cells

The Business Case for Fuel Cells 2012: America's Partner in PowerPDF—This report, compiled by Fuel Cells 2000 with support from the Fuel Cell Technologies Office, profiles a select group of nationally recognizable companies and corporations that are deploying or demonstrating fuel cells. These businesses are taking advantage of a fuel cell's unique benefits, especially for powering lift trucks and providing combined heat and power to their stores and administrative offices. (December 2012).
The Business Case for Fuel Cells 2011: Energizing America's Top CompaniesPDF—This report was developed by Fuel Cells 2000 with support from the Fuel Cell Technologies program. The report profiles nationally recognizable companies and corporations that are deploying or demonstrating fuel cells for powering forklifts and providing combined heat and power to their stores and headquarters. (November 2011).
The Business Case for Fuel Cells: Why Top Companies are Purchasing Fuel Cells TodayPDF—This report was developed by Fuel Cells 2000 with support from the Fuel Cell Technologies program. The report profiles companies and corporations that are deploying or demonstrating fuel cells for power in warehouses, stores, manufacturing facilities, hotels, and telecommunications sites. (September 2010).

State of the States

State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2013PDF—This report, written by Fuel Cells 2000 and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Fuel Cell Technologies Office, continues to build on the April 2010 State of the States report that provided a snapshot of fuel cell and hydrogen activity in the 50 states and District of Columbia. This update report provides more details on the progress and activities that happened since the third report, issued in August 2012. Details reported for each state include new policies and funding, recent and planned fuel cell and hydrogen installations, and recent activity by state industry and universities. (October 2013).
State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2012PDF—This report, written by Fuel Cells 2000 and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Fuel Cell Technologies Office, continues to build on the April 2010 State of the States report that provided a snapshot of fuel cell and hydrogen activity in the 50 states and District of Columbia. This update report provides more details on the progress and activities that happened since the second report, issued in June 2011. Details reported for each state include new policies and funding, recent and planned fuel cell and hydrogen installations, and recent activity by state industry and universities. (August 2012).
State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2011PDF—This report, written by Fuel Cells 2000 and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Fuel Cell Technologies Office, builds on the April 2010 State of the States report that provided a snapshot of fuel cell and hydrogen activity in the 50 states and District of Columbia. This update report provides more detail on the progress and activities that happened since the first report. Details reported for each state include new policies and funding, recent and planned fuel cell and hydrogen installations, and recent activity by state industry and universities. (June 2011).
State of the States: Fuel Cells in AmericaPDF—This report, written by Fuel Cells 2000 and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Fuel Cell Technologies Office, provides a snapshot of fuel cell and hydrogen activity in the 50 states and District of Columbia. It features the top five fuel cell states (in alphabetical order): California, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina. State activities reported include supportive fuel cell and hydrogen policies, installations and demonstrations, road maps, and level of activism. (2010).

General

Status and Outlook for the U.S. Non-Automotive Fuel Cell Industry: Impacts of Government Policies and Assessment of Future OpportunitiesPDF—This report prepared by Oak Ridge National Laboratory examines the progress that has been made in U.S. non-automotive fuel cell manufacturing in recent years, how fuel cell manufacturers are competing with established technologies in these markets, the role that policies have played in the early development of the U.S. fuel cell industry, and the potential for a sustainable U.S. fuel cell industry. (May 2011).
2010 Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Global Commercialization Development UpdatePDF—This report outlines the role hydrogen and fuel cells can play in a portfolio of technology options available to address the energy-related challenges faced by nations around the world. It offers examples of real-world hydrogen and fuel cell applications and the progress of the technologies, including government policies that increase technology development and commercialization. (November 2010).
Identification and Characterization of Near-Term Direct Hydrogen Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell MarketsPDF—This document provides information about the near-term markets for proton exchange membrane fuel cells with a focus on power supplies for forklifts and backup power for telecommunications and emergency response radio towers. Developed for the U.S. Department of Energy by Battelle Memorial Institute. (April 2007)
The Fuel Cell Vehicle Survey 2003—Provides a snapshot of the global fuel cell market as it existed at the end of 2003. It summarizes the efforts of governments and industries to develop and demonstrate fuel cell vehicles. This large document is divided into smaller PDFs to make downloading easier. (Breakthrough Technologies Institute, February 2004).

пятница, 29 ноября 2013 г.

Новый грузовик Daihatsu работает на необычных топливных элементах



Новый грузовик Daihatsu работает на необычных топливных элементах 

Новый грузовик Daihatsu работает на необычных топливных элементах

Автор: Михаил Карпов  29 ноября 2013
FC Deco Deck
Старейший производитель автомобилей в Японии Daihatsu уже не первый год интересуется возможностью применения топливных элементов. На выставке Tokyo Motor Show компания представила новый прототип такого грузовика.
Он называется FC Deco Deck и работает на новой разновидности водородных топливных элементов. Обычно в них в качестве катализатора используется платина, так как этот металл практически не подвергается коррозии в результате взаимодействия с мембраной на основе полимерного электролита. Но в элементе Daihatsu применяется намного менее едкая щелочная анионная мембрана. Таким образом, в платине нет нужды, что сильно удешевляет ТЭ, позволяя заменить её никелем или кобальтом.
В качестве топлива в элементе Daihatsu используется гидразингидрат, который обеспечивает ту же производительность, что и водород, но при этом находится в жидком состоянии. Это облегчает процесс заправки.

суббота, 26 октября 2013 г.

Промышленный комплекс по производству сжиженного водорода будет построен на Дальнем Востоке -

Промышленный комплекс по производству сжиженного водорода будет построен на Дальнем Востоке -
20 июня 2013 года документ подписали Председатель Правления ОАО «РусГидро» Евгений Дод, Генеральный директор ОАО «РАО Энергетические Системы Востока» Сергей Толстогузов и Президент «Кавасаки Хэви Индастриз» Лтд. Сигэру Мураяма. Согласно соглашению, стороны начинают сотрудничество в реализации проекта строительства промышленного комплекса по производству сжиженного водорода на территории Дальнего Востока Российской Федерации и его дальнейшей транспортировки в Японию.
«РусГидро» совместно с «РАО ЭС Востока» в рамках реализации данного проекта будут осуществлять поставку электроэнергии, необходимой для функционирования нового завода. В свою очередь «Кавасаки Хэви Индастриз» станет ключевым поставщиком технологий по производству, хранению и транспортировке сжиженного водорода, необходимых для сооружения промышленного комплекса.

пятница, 13 сентября 2013 г.

Graphic representing NREL's Hydrogen Secure Data Center and the variety of applications from which it gathers data, including fuel cell (FC) stacks, FC backup power, FC forklifts, FC cars, FC buses, and FC prime power, and hydrogen infrastructure.

Graphic representing NREL's Hydrogen Secure Data Center and the variety of applications from which it gathers data, including fuel cell (FC) stacks, FC backup power, FC forklifts, FC cars, FC buses, and FC prime power, and hydrogen infrastructure.

Printable Version

National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center

The National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center (NFCTEC) at NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) plays a crucial role in NREL's independent, third-party analysis of hydrogen fuel cell technologies in real-world operation. The NFCTEC is designed for secure management, storage, and processing of proprietary data from industry. Access to the off-network NFCTEC is limited to NREL's Technology Validation Team, which analyzes detailed data and reports on fuel cell technology status, progress, and technical challenges.
Graphic representing NREL's Hydrogen Secure Data Center and the variety of applications from which it gathers data, including fuel cell (FC) stacks, FC backup power, FC forklifts, FC cars, FC buses, and FC prime power, and hydrogen infrastructure.
NREL uses the National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center to process and analyze data for a variety of hydrogen and fuel cell applications.

Laboratory Specifications

NREL partners submit operational, maintenance, safety, and cost data to the NFCTEC on a regular basis, typically every three months. NREL's Technology Validation Team uses an internal network of servers, storage, computers, backup systems, and software to efficiently process raw data, complete quarterly analysis, and digest large amounts of time series data for data visualization.

Application Scenarios

While the raw data are secured by NREL to protect commercially sensitive and proprietary information, individualized data analysis results are provided as detailed data products (DDPs) to the partners who supplied the data.
Individual system, fleet, and site analysis results are aggregated into public results called composite data products (CDPs) that show the status and progress of the technology without identifying individual companies or revealing proprietary information.
These CDPs are available on the NREL website:

Partner with Us

Work with NREL experts and take advantage of state-of-the-art capabilities at the ESIF to make progress on your projects, which could range from fundamental research to applications engineering.
Some of our partners to date include the following companies and organizations:
Refer to the Fuel Cell Technology Status Analysis Project: Partnership OpportunitiesPDF fact sheet for information about opportunities for industry to participate in NREL's fuel cell technology performance, durability, and price analysis.

Contact Us

If you are interested in working with NREL's National Fuel Cell Technology Evaluation Center, please contact NREL's Technology Validation Team at techval@nrel.gov.

Learn More

Refer to the NFCTEC fact sheetPDF for more information.
Subscribe to the biannual Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology Validation newsletter, which highlights recent technology validation activities at NREL.

воскресенье, 18 августа 2013 г.

вторник, 6 августа 2013 г.

Real-World Vaporware: Charge Your Phone With a Hydrogen Reactor

Photo: Tim Moynihan/WIRED
Most portable chargers won’t last long if you’re away from a power outlet for more than a couple of days. The vast majority of them need to be plugged in so their internal batteries can get recharged. Once they’re out of juice, you’re out of luck if you’re away from a socket.
The Brunton Hydrogen Reactor removes recharging from the equation by using hydrogen fuel-cell technology to generate power. It doesn’t require a power outlet to build up a charge, so it will come in handy for long camping trips, earthquake kits, and emergency go-bags.
If the Reactor looks familiar, then you probably know about the $100 Horizon Fuel-Cell MiniPak. The Brunton version is a licensed, reworked, and improved version of Horizon’s portable fuel-cell charger, rebranded for campers and hikers. Other than aesthetics, the main difference between the two products is that the Brunton charger’s hydrogen cores have more capacity.
Photo: Tim Moynihan/WIRED
There are other portable fuel-cell chargers out there — some that use hydrogen as the main source of fuel and others that use different sources. There’s the hydrogen-based myFC PowerTrekk ($230), which can also be charged up using a power outlet. Toshiba’s Dynario charger (around $300) uses a squirtable liquid methanol solution to charge devices. The Lilliputian Nectar ($300) has a similar design as the Reactor, but it uses butane cartridges as its fuel source.
With a fuel-cell device, you’re basically developing electricity live and on-the-spot. The Walkman-sized Reactor uses removable and replenishable hydrogen cores, each of which are about the size of two C batteries stacked on top of one another. The rechargeable hydrogen cores are rated at 1,000 cycles apiece. When they’re spent, you can recycle them as you would a soup can.
When a hydrogen core is loaded into the device, the Reactor’s internal fuel cell uses a platinum catalyst to separate positively-charged hydrogen ions from negatively-charged electrons. The electrons are routed through a circuit, supplying the electricity that powers your gadget. The hydrogen ions are shot through an electrolyte membrane, where they combine with oxygen from the air to create water vapor. You hear little puffs of vapor come out of the device as your gadget charges — water and mild heat are the Reactor’s only environmental emissions.
Photo: Tim Moynihan/WIRED
Compressed hydrogen gas and liquid hydrogen are both extremely volatile and dangerous, but Brunton claims the hydrogen stored in its rechargeable cores is much safer because it’s stored as a more stable hydride. That said, the Reactor and its hydrogen cores have their own set of safety requirements: The Reactor is only approved for carry-on luggage in airplanes, no more than two hydrogen-core cells are allowed in your carry-on luggage, and you’ll need to keep the cells at temperatures below 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
The charger needs open air to operate correctly, so you can’t put it in an airtight bag while you’re charging your gadgets. And it won’t work on any camping trips to the Moon.
A USB-out port on the Reactor pumps out 5 volts at either 1 or 2 amps; you toggle between output levels by pressing the lone button on the side of the Reactor. The 1-amp setting is made for charging most pocketable devices, including phones, camera batteries, and GPS units, while the 2-amp setting is enough to charge an iPad. Brunton says each hydrogen-core cell boasts enough juice to charge your smartphone five or six times, but iPad-recharging caps out at about 1.5 times per fully-juiced cell.
The hydrogen-core cells recharge quickly (about an hour each), and their charging power doesn’t degrade quickly over time unlike a Lithium-ion battery. Once each cell runs out of juice, you’ll have to wait until you get home to recharge it; the separately sold hydrolyser refill device isn’t portable, and it requires a wall outlet to work. It also costs $250, but Brunton is working with retailers to offer free in-store recharging stations for the hydrogen cores.
Due in October, the $150 Brunton Hydrogen Reactor will come with two rechargeable hydrogen-core cells. Individual cartridges will go for $15 each, while four-packs will sell for $50. That’s not exactly a cost-effective scenario for everyday use, but it might be worth the investment for hardcore campers and hikers.

четверг, 25 июля 2013 г.

N2Telligence Data Centre

N2Telligence Data Centre

23 Jul 2013


N2Telligence Data CentreEquinix, a provider of interconnection and data centre services, has recently commissioned a "Quattro generation" fuel cell system at its International Business Exchange Location™ data centre FR4 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The four generation aspects referred to include, providing power, cooling, heating and fire prevention; N2telligence is the world’s sole provider of fuel cells to produce low oxygen content air specifically for fire suppression.
...

University of South Carolina � City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative

University of South Carolina � City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative


Fuel Cell Industry Top 200 Companies

The fuel cell industry is made up of many different stakeholders catering to a variety of end users and markets. The following list represents what Fuel Cells 2000 believes to be the most active players in the fuel cell industry, from developers to component manufacturers to hydrogen suppliers and system integrators. Whether it is a company, university, association, or others, each entry in this searchable directory contains relevant information, and will guide both the novice and industry professional towards greater knowledge and, perhaps, collaboration.
The complete Top 200 are listed alphabetically below. Use the filters to browse by location and company type, or use the search bar to narrow the list down by keyword (e.g. SOFC). The information in this directory is kept current with the help of individual companies. If you have an addition or correction to any of the entries here, please contact us at info@fuelcells.org.
NOTE: The Top 200 is still under construction. Please be patient with us as we continue to add companies and improve the search functionality.
Filters:
OR  or
Company Location Type
AC Transit Oakland, California, United States Non-Governmental Org.
Acumentrics SOFC Corporation Westwood, Massachusetts, United States Fuel Cell Developer
AFC Energy Surrey, United Kingdom Fuel Cell Developer
Altergy Systems Folsom, California, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Anaergia Inc Oakville, Canada Services Provider
Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation Corp. Burnaby, BC, Canada Fuel Cell Developer
Avālence, LLC Milford, Connecticut, United States Hydrogen Supplier
Ballard Material Products Lowell, Massachusetts, United States Components & Testing
Ballard Power Systems Burnaby, Canada Fuel Cell Developer
BASF Fuel Cell, Inc. Somerset, New Jersey, United States Components & Testing
BIC Consumer Products Shelton, Connecticut, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Bing Energy International Tallahassee, Florida, United States Components & Testing
Bloom Energy Sunnyvale, California, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Borit NV Geel, Belgium Components & Testing
California Fuel Cell Partnership West Sacramento, California, United States Non-Governmental Org.
Cascadiant , Singapore Services Provider
Catacel Corp. Garrettsville, Ohio, United States Components & Testing
Cella Energy Kennedy Space Center, Florida, United States Hydrogen Supplier
Cellkraft AB Stockholm, Sweden Fuel Cell Developer
Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd. Noble Park, Australia Fuel Cell Developer
Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority Rocky Hill, Connecticut, United States Non-Governmental Org.
ClearEdge Power Hillsboro, Oregon, United States Fuel Cell Developer
CommScope, Inc. Hickory, North Carolina, United States Services Provider
Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. East Hartford, Connecticut, United States Non-Governmental Org.
Connecticut Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Coalition East Hartford, Connecticut, United States Non-Governmental Org.
CSA Group Charlotte, North Carolina, United States Services Provider
Danish Power Systems Lyngby, Denmark Components & Testing
DDI Energy Inc. Airdrie, Canada Fuel Cell Developer
Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC Troy, Michigan, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Elcogen AS Tallinn, Estonia Fuel Cell Developer
ElectroChem, Inc. Woburn, Massachusetts, United States Components & Testing
Element 1 Corporation Bend, Oregon, United States Hydrogen Supplier
EnerFuel West Palm Beach, Florida, United States Fuel Cell Developer
ESL ElectroScience Laboratories King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, United States Components & Testing
First Element Energy Lenexa, Kansas, United States Fuel Cell Developer
FKK Corporation Kyoto, Japan Components & Testing
Freudenberg Fuel Cell Component Technologies Weinheim, Germany Components & Testing
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association Washington, District of Columbia, United States Non-Governmental Org.
Fuel Cell Today Royston, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom Services Provider
FuelCell Energy Danbury, Connecticut, United States Fuel Cell Developer
FuelCellsEtc College Station, Texas, United States Components & Testing
FuelCon AG Barleben, Germany Components & Testing
FutureE Fuel Cell Solutions GmbH Nuertingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Fuel Cell Developer
Greenlight Innovation Burnaby, BC, Canada Components & Testing
H2scan Corporation Valencia, California, United States Hydrogen Supplier
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies , Singapore Fuel Cell Developer
Hy9 Corporation Hopkinton, Massachusetts, United States Hydrogen Supplier
Hydrogenics Mississauga, Canada Fuel Cell Developer
Ilika Technologies Southampton, United Kingdom Components & Testing
Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc. Windsor, Connecticut, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Infintium Fuel Cell Systems Carrollton, Texas, United States Fuel Cell Developer
InnovaTek Richland, Washington, United States Components & Testing
Intelligent Energy Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom Fuel Cell Developer
IRD Fuel Cells, LLC Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States Components & Testing
ITM Power Sheffield, United Kingdom Hydrogen Supplier
Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells Swindon, United Kingdom Components & Testing
LiftOne Charlotte, North Carolina, United States Services Provider
Linde North America, Inc. Murray Hill, New Jersey, United States Hydrogen Supplier
M-FIELD Energy LTD. Taipei, Taiwan, Province of China Fuel Cell Developer
MES sa Stabio, Switzerland Fuel Cell Developer
Metro Mold & Design, LLC Rogers, Minnesota, United States Components & Testing
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, Colorado, United States Government
Nedstack PEM Fuel Cells 6802 ED Arnhem, Netherlands Fuel Cell Developer
Neodym Technologies Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Components & Testing
New York Power Authority White Plains, New York, United States Non-Governmental Org.
NexTech Materials, Ltd. Lewis Center, Ohio, United States Components & Testing
Nuvera Fuel Cells Billerica, Massachusetts, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Ohio Department of Development Columbus, Ohio, United States Government
Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition Elyria, Ohio, United States Non-Governmental Org.
OHR Energy � Otto H. Rosentreter Company Santa Fe Springs, California, United States Services Provider
Oorja Protonics Inc. Fremont, California, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Palcan Energy Corporation Vancouver, BC, Canada Fuel Cell Developer
PDC Machines, Inc. Warminster, Pennsylvania, United States Hydrogen Supplier
Plug Power Inc. Latham, New York, United States Fuel Cell Developer
PowerCell Sweden AB G�teborg, Sweden Fuel Cell Developer
Powertech Surrey, BC, Canada Hydrogen Supplier
Precision Combustion, Inc. North Haven, Connecticut, United States Components & Testing
PRECO, Inc Somerset, Wisconsin, United States Components & Testing
Proton OnSite Wallingford, Connecticut, United States Hydrogen Supplier
ReliOn Spokane, Washington, United States Fuel Cell Developer
Schatz Energy Research Center Arcata, California, United States Non-Governmental Org.
SCRA N. Charleston, South Carolina, United States Services Provider
Scribner Associates, Inc. Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States Components & Testing
Senior Flexonics Bartlett, Illinois, United States Components & Testing
SerEnergy A/S Hobro, Denmark Fuel Cell Developer
SFC Energy AG Brunnthal-Nord, Germany Fuel Cell Developer
Sirius Integrator, Inc Devens, Massachusetts, United States Services Provider
SOFCpower Spa Mezzolombardo - Trento, Italy Fuel Cell Developer
South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance Columbia, South Carolina, United States Non-Governmental Org.
S�d-Chemie Inc. Louisville, Kentucky, United States Hydrogen Supplier
Technical Staffing Professionals, LLC Warren, Ohio, United States Services Provider
Topsoe Fuel Cell A/S Lyngby, Denmark Fuel Cell Developer
Tropical S.A. Athens, Greece Fuel Cell Developer
University of South Carolina � City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative Columbia, South Carolina, United States Non-Governmental Org.
Vairex Air Systems Boulder, Colorado, United States Components & Testing
Versa Power Systems Littleton, Colorado, United States Fuel Cell Developer

вторник, 23 июля 2013 г.

New Hydrogen-Making Method Could Give a Boost to Fuel-Cell Vehicles | MIT Technology Review

New Hydrogen-Making Method Could Give a Boost to Fuel-Cell Vehicles | MIT Technology Review

The chemical company BASF has found a greener way to make hydrogen, reviving hopes for fuel-cell vehicles.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles have been pitched as a greener alternative to gas-powered vehicles, but one problem with this is that the hydrogen is typically produced from a fossil fuel—natural gas—in a process that releases a lot of carbon dioxide.
BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, may have a solution. It’s developing a process that could cut those emissions in half, making hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles significantly cleaner than electric vehicles in most locations (the environmental benefits of electric cars vary depending on how the electricity is generated). Beyond providing a cleaner source of hydrogen for fuel-cell vehicles, the process could also help clean up industrial processes, like oil refining, that use large amounts of hydrogen.
...


in FYI

Hyundai Motor Co. has delivered the first five of its ix35 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as a part of the London Hydrogen Network Expansion project.

The company says the ix35 is the world's first full-production hydrogen-powered vehicle. Based on the ix35 compact SUV, this fuel cell vehicle is equipped with a 100 kW fuel cell stack and two hydrogen storage tanks, with a total capacity of about 12.5 pounds. This amount of on-board storage yields a range of approximately 370 miles on a single refueling. The vehicle's maximum speed is about 100 mph.

Hyundai says it plans to manufacture 1,000 units of the hydrogen-powered ix35 by 2015 - most of which will be delivered to public-sector and private fleets. The company has already signed contracts to lease the ix35 fuel cell vehicle to municipal fleets in Denmark and Sweden.

The company adds that the vehicle can be refueled in two to three minutes.

воскресенье, 21 июля 2013 г.

SoftBank Forms a Fuel Cell Venture With a Silicon Valley Start-Up - NYTimes.com

SoftBank Forms a Fuel Cell Venture With a Silicon Valley Start-Up - NYTimes.com

SoftBank Forms a Fuel Cell Venture With a Silicon Valley Start-Up


Robert Galbraith/Reuters
Bloom Energy fuel cells at eBay headquarters in San Jose, Calif. 

TOKYO — When Masayoshi Son, SoftBank’s chief executive, first visited the Silicon Valley fuel cell start-up Bloom Energy late last year, one word came to his mind: crazy.
But the fuel cell technology — which promised efficient, cleaner and increasingly inexpensive “energy in a box” — intrigued him. After several more visits, Mr. Son was convinced that Bloom’s sleek fuel cells were a perfect fit for Japan, energy-poor and made even more so by an almost complete shutdown of its nuclear energy program after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Now, SoftBank, the $70 billion Japanese technology investment company that completed its $21.6 billion acquisition of Sprint Nextel this month, is setting up a joint venture with Bloom to bring what it calls “energy servers” to Japan, helping the start-up break into its first overseas market.
The deal adds yet another piece to SoftBank’s fast-growing Internet, mobile communications and technology empire, which increasingly straddles Japan and the United States. It also adds fuel cell technology to SoftBank’s alternative energy portfolio, which already includes solar and wind projects, bolstering its position as an emerging player in electricity generation in Japan.

четверг, 18 июля 2013 г.

Leaked video shows that BlackBerry IS working on a 5-inch touchscreen phone called the A10 | Mail Online

Leaked video shows that BlackBerry IS working on a 5-inch touchscreen phone called the A10 | Mail Online


Leaked video shows that BlackBerry IS working on a five-inch touchscreen phone called the A10

  • BlackBerry rumoured to be working on a 5-inch phone called A10
  • Leaked video and presentation slide thought to show full specifications
  • Handset expected to have an 8MP camera and run the latest BB software
By Victoria Woollaston
|

BlackBerry is rumoured to be working on a 5-inch touchscreen handset called the A10, or 'Aristo.'
Speculation has been mounting since last week when images of the device surfaced online and now a leaked video and presentation slide, believed to show the phone's full specifications, add weight to these rumours.
The YouTube video has since been removed but screengrabs taken by Crackberry - the BlackBerry fan forum - suggest that the A10 will have a 5-inch touchscreen, an 8MP camera, a dual-core processor with a quad-core GPU and will run the next version of the BlackBerry operating system, BB 10.2. 

Мочетелефон Мobile phone powered by URINE


A number of fuel cells are pictured. They use urine as a source of power to produce electricity. By harnessing this power, researchers have managed to charge a Samsung mobile phone


Scientists believe they have created the first mobile phone to run on urine. Dr Ioannis Ieropoulos is pictured at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory holding a phone powered by a microbial fuel cell stack

British scientists unveil the 'world's first' mobile phone powered by URINE

    Dr Ioannis Ieropoulos in his laboratory at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory holding a phone powered by a microbial fuel cell stack
  • Bristol Robotics Laboratory and UWE scientists claim to have created a mobile powered by microbial fuel cells that use urine to generate electricity
  • They claim it is the the first time scientists have been able to directly charge the battery of a device using urine
  • The researchers believe their technology could be used in bathrooms in the future to power electric shavers and even showers
By Sarah Griffiths
|
Mobile phone owners could soon be able to give their batteries a boost with their own urine.

среда, 17 июля 2013 г.

British scientists power cell phones with urine : TreeHugger

British scientists power cell phones with urine : TreeHugger

British scientists power cell phones with urine

CC BY 3.0 Marcin Wichary
Researchers are constantly working on ways to power our lives through alternative sources of energy. From power-generating insoles to thermoelectric flashlights, researchers know that plenty of energy could be harvested from the human body, through our movement, our heat, and now, our urine.
Scientists at Bristol University and Bristol Robotics Laboratory have created a fuel cell that uses bacteria to break down urine to generate electricity.
google maps on iphone photo
"No one has harnessed power from urine to do this so it's an exciting discovery," said engineer Ioannis Ieropoulos. "The beauty of this fuel source is that we are not relying on the erratic nature of the wind or the sun; we are actually reusing waste to create energy.
The team created the microbial fuel cell by growing bacteria on carbon fiber anodes and then placing them in ceramic cylinders. When urine is placed in the cell, the bacteria breaks down the chemicals in the urine, creating an electrical charge which is stored on a capacitor.
Currently the technology is the size of a car battery containing a stack of the microbial fuel cells and can power a cell phone enough to send texts, browse the web or for a short phone call, but the researchers want to make it even more compact and portable so that it can be carried around easily and used to charge any type of gadget.
The team ultimately hopes that the technology could lead to a smart toilet that can produce electricity from urine.

The production version will get the next-gen Golf bodyshell

The production version will get the next-gen Golf bodyshell

Volkswagen Golf Blue-e-Motion – VW’s riposte to the Leaf

26 July 2012



I’ve travelled a long way to meet Volkswagen’s prototype electric car, and at first blush it seems my journey has been in vain – because VW has brought along the wrong car. As the white Golf hatchback rolls across the carpark towards me I can’t help noticing the distinct rhythmic thrum of a V6 petrol engine.

VW Golf Blue-e-Motion - front viewBut the mistake is mine, of course. The car is plastered in Blue-e-Motion stickers and the noise is a fake – a postmodern pedestrian warning. The simulated sound even varies in pitch as the car speeds up, to complete the illusion, up until 22mph when it falls silent.

I can’t hear the virtual burble from inside without first dropping a window, so the electric Golf remains as silent, smooth, unruffled and refined as you might imagine a Volkswagen would be, rolling along without an engine.

First drive – Hyundai ix35 hydrogen fuel cell car - GreenMotor.co.uk

...

First drive – Hyundai ix35 hydrogen fuel cell car

17 July 2013

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell front
Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell side view
 

The hydrogen tanks mounted at the back of Hyundai’s ix35 Fuel Cell car can be pressurised to 700 bar. Which is an almost meaningless number, to me at least. In my world a bar is a unit of chocolate consumption.

So I’ve looked it up. A pressure of 700 bar equates to just under three quarters of a tonne per square centimetre – not the kind of thing you’d want to trap your toe under. Or put another way, 700 bar is roughly the squeeze a submarine must withstand once it’s ventured 4.4 miles under the ocean.


Quite a lot, in other words, and twice the pressure at which hydrogen is currently trucked around by commercial providers. But 700 bar has emerged as the target working pressure for hydrogen-powered cars, as a result of the need to carry a reasonable quantity of fuel in a feasible volume of space.

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell boot tankThe ix35 has two tanks, divided to help squeeze them into the available slots at the rear of the car. One, roughly the size of a pub’s beer keg, holds 104 litres and sits under a slightly raised boot floor. The colossal pressures inside are held in check by a thick wall of aluminium wrapped in inches of carbon-fibre. A slimmer equivalent holds another 40 litres, just ahead of the rear axle.


At maximum pressure the pair can embrace just 5.6kg of hydrogen, which Hyundai says provides a range of 369 miles – a distance that will vary according to driving style just as it does with petrol or diesel.

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell tank cutaway
On the move, the ix35’s hydrogen is piped through to a fuel-cell stack sitting under the bonnet. Inside, it does unfathomable things with catalysts and membranes to split the hydrogen molecules up into their component parts, before recombining them with oxygen from the air to produce water. Electricity and heat – the by-products of the reaction – are what the car can put to use.

From there, the ix35 Fuel Cell works like an electric car, with a 65kW (87bhp) motor driving the front wheels. That doesn’t sound like much power to lug around 1.9 tonnes of SUV, but the motor develops 300Nm of torque – enough to spin the tyres on dry tarmac if too much throttle is used from a standstill. Top speed is capped at 100mph and getting to 62mph takes 12.5 seconds but at urban speeds the ix35 Fuel Cell feels athletically quick. Throttle response is instant and the power delivery uncannily quiet.

A small battery is also included in the powertrain, doing the same duty as the battery in a Toyota Prius. It provides a short-term energy store for capturing braking energy and feeding it back to the motor during acceleration.



As with conventional cars, the efficiency of all the under-bonnet arrangements can vary. Evidently Hyundai is doing reasonably well, given its claimed range. I’m not sure miles per gallon is the right term, but in molecules per mile the ix35 beats the General Motors Hydrogen4 I drove in 2009 by almost a third. A similarly sized off-roader, the Hydrogen4 had a claimed range of 200 miles from 4.2kg of hydrogen (compared with Hyundai’s 369 miles and 5.6kg).

Unlike the Hydrogen4 and most other fuel-cell cars, Hyundai’s car is not a prototype, proof of concept or experimental science project. The company describes it as the first series-production fuel-cell passenger car. “Not hand built,” says Hyundai UK chief Tony Whitehorn, for emphasis.

He says so a bit cheekily, in my estimation, given that a limited run of 1,000 vehicles will be assembled at Hyundai’s factory in Ulsan, South Korea, over a two year period. At that pace, I can’t imagine there won’t be any hand-held spanners involved. However, from 2015, the goal is 10,000 units a year, which does start to sound like a real production-line task. At that point, Hyundai hopes, it might be feasible for the first private customers to order a fuel-cell car. It’s not saying how much they might cost yet, so I can’t say how hard you’ll need to save if you’re feeling keen.

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell instrument panel

There’s quite a trail to blaze first, assuming the first pioneers hope to fill up with hydrogen rather than use their ix35 FCs as lawn ornaments. About 1,000 filling stations would be needed to provide full coverage across the UK, but the current number is a very long way short of that total. The full count of public-access hydrogen filling stations within the M25 currently stands at one, for example. Sited at Heathrow, it was installed to feed five hydrogen taxis used to impress VIPs during last summer’s Olympic games.

And even that station needs to be upgraded. It pumps out hydrogen at only 350 bar meaning it can only offer the ix35 a half-full tank. Once redeveloped, it will have storage tanks pumped up to 900 bar, allowing it to dispense at 700 bar with ease. Another central London station is planned as part of government-backed efforts to kickstart some sort of hydrogen infrastructure.

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell filler and nozzle

According to product manager Robin Hayles, Hyundai’s car will use infra-red signalling to tell the filling station how much hydrogen it needs even before the driver has parked at the pump. Refuelling is designed to take no more than three minutes.

While the price of the car may be mystery, the hydrogen fuel itself can already be made cost-competitive with diesel, according to Dr Graham Cooley of ITM Power. His company builds hydrogen production apparatus designed to fit inside a shipping container, which he says can pump out hydrogen at £8 per kilogram, including capital outlay, when running at full capacity. The simplicity of the chemistry involved means the container needs only two readily available feeds – water and electricity. If the electricity is zero-carbon, from wind turbines or solar panels for example, so too is the hydrogen fuel.

This kind of setup might make a fleet of hydrogen vehicles feasible for companies, helping to make the case for broader adoption.

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell front interior

The fuel-cell ix35 itself feels good to go. Like battery-powered electric cars, fuel-cell cars require extra vigilance from the driver. The wary eye is not needed for anything untoward happening with the car itself, but to sweep ahead for inattentive pedestrians, who simply won’t hear the car coming.

I’ve seen it before in electric cars, and it happened again in Hyundai’s car. People stroll halfway across the road before abruptly clocking the big lump of metal heading silently their way, whereupon they jump out of their skins. Evidently, me hitting the brakes in good time doesn’t do much to lessen the shock.

So I’d recommend that Hyundai invest in some sort of audible alert – preferably the sound of a quietly warbling engine, just as VW plans to add to its upcoming electric Golf. Electronic warning noises might seem more appropriate but in my experience they don’t tend to work.

For the time being, urban ears remain attuned to internal combustion.

First drive – Hyundai ix35 hydrogen fuel cell car - GreenMotor.co.uk