H2FC-Fair Tobias Renz FAIR - Fuel Cell Markets Report - Group Exhibit Hydrogen and Fuel Cells 06

Fuel Cell Markets Report - Group Exhibit Hydrogen and Fuel Cells 2006

This year's Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells played host to a very special announcement. Arno Evers started the Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells in 1995 and has nurtured it to the form we all know today. But as with all things, there comes a point when it is time to pass on the reigns. Tobias Renz (General Manager Arno A. Evers FAIR-PR) has formed his own company Tobias Renz FAIR-PR and will as of next year be operator of the Group Exhibit. The Group Exhibit has recently been acquired by the Deutsche Messe AG which will bring additional global resource and facilitate bringing more companies, R&D institutions and organisations to the event. So what does this mean for the Group Exhibit? Arno will continue to play an active role, speaking and promoting on behalf of the Group Exhibit, and we are assured the same level of the Full-Service Package will remain for the coming years.

FCM Partners

There were many Fuel Cell Markets partners exhibiting their products and giving live demonstrations. These included:

Acta : demonstrated their catalyst technology with 3 small models powered by ethanol, ethylene and methanol.
Acumentrics were promoting their rugged UPS systems.
Astris Energy : exhibiting with Alphea, focussed on their test systems, particularly their new TL6 Battery and Fuel Cell Test load.
Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd continued to showcase their NetGen 1kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for micro generation.
european fuel cell GmbH were demonstrating 2 of their Home Energy Centre’s, one on the HyCity stand and the other as part of the Initiative Brentsofzelle (IBZ) pavilion.
H2 Truck demonstrated commercial use of hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicles. The truck has many alternative configurations for the rear; in this case half demonstrated a refrigerator unit and the other half a utilities unit with power points and tools.
H-tec were exhibiting in their usual strength, with many educational units on display including Exhibition Sets and their new Junior Lab Stack Experiment Set.
Hydrogenics showcased products from their Test Systems, Power Systems and OnSite Generation divisions, a wide array of products were on display. These included power modules (HYPM 12XR), the S-4000 Alkaline Electrolyser and a G40 Single Test Station.
IdaTech displayed 8 systems in multiple halls, including the Rittal stand as well as powering a TV screen on their own stand.
The Middle East Forum on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies (MEFH) participated in the forum discussions. Dr Homam Albaroudi discussed the difficulties in establishing the forum and orchestrating the MEHT conference in Dubai last December, and the substantial resource provided by Fuel Cell Markets to achieve these goals.
MTU , celebrating their recent installation in Hamburg, continued to showcase their HotModule with a large model allowing visitors to see inside the system.
Nedstack used the show as a platform to launch their new 100kW Bus Module, as well as demonstrating their 10kw stacks.
P 21 had their 3kW backup system on the ITENOS stand.
Plug Power exhibited their 5kW CHP concept.
Protonex exhibited in full strength, including their 30W Soldier Power System and 200W Portable Power System.

Hydrogen Ambassadors 2006 — an International Competition!

A first-ever exhibition at HANNOVER FAIR: the 31 winners of the Hydrogen Ambassadors International Competition. These Hydrogen Ambassadors, as fully sponsored exhibitors of Arno A. Evers FAIR-PR, presented their unique ideas at the Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells, April 24-28, at HANNOVER FAIR 2006. This novel addition to the Group Exhibit gave international innovators the chance to display their projects at their own, commercial booth.

As literal ambassadors of their countries—Argentina, Germany, India, Italy, Canada and the USA—the Hydrogen Ambassadors exhibited and explained their varied concepts such as the optimal manufacturing of clean hydrogen to the application of fuel cells in model cars and diving gear. While the majority of the participants developed their ideas within a university setting, two American high schools students and one independent inventor from Canada were also among the ingenious troupe.

Throughout the week of the fair, the Hydrogen Ambassadors received considerable attention: photographed by international press teams on Sunday and Monday, visited by the US Ambassador from Berlin on Tuesday, spotlighted in Wednesday’s Networking Evening in front of the 400+ exhibiting representatives of the Group Exhibit, and interviewed at Friday’s Forum program. To see pictures and discover more about these dynamic individuals and their concepts, check out www.hydrogenambassadors.com.

Forum Program Synopsis

The fully-packed Forum Program at the Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells at HANNOVER FAIR 2006, April 24-28, gave trade show visitors and exhibiting representatives the chance to hear in-depth discussions about new developments, projects and emerging companies. Starting at 10 am each morning and lasting until 5 pm (when the beer garden benches took the centre-stage), moderators held 20-minute interviews with CEO’s, CTO’s, executives and specialists from companies and institutions around the world.

Over the course of the 5-day fair, a wide variety of presentations – from the JuMOVe2 to a “build-your-own-fuel-cell” competition – informed and entertained the many international guests of the Group Exhibit’s Forum.

Delphi Corporation, well-known auto part supplier and a world leader in mobile electronics and transportation components and systems technology, spoke about their activities in the development of a SOFC either as an Auxilliary Power Unit for trucks and cars or as a Combined Heat and Power Unit for residential applications.
The Juelich Research Center in Germany has developed a completely new architecture for direct methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs), which belong to the low-temperature Fuel Cells. Such a DMFC powers a small red scooter, the “JuMOVe2”, which could be tested during the Ride & Drive Event outside Hall 13. In the future, this type of Fuel Cell will be built into a fork-lift truck.
Valliant Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG described the two parallel technology paths which will enhance its Fuel Cell activities. The company continues improvement of the 4.6 kW microCHP system together with the USA partner Plug Power. The forming of a new relationship with the automotive supplier Webasto targets a 1 kW SOFC Fuel Cell system for single family homes.
To help their customers with successful implementation of their FCs, Hydrogenics Corporation provides reliable, accurate, safe and easy-to-use test equipment. The HYWARE II control and automation software increases performance and improves functionality.
With a high electrical efficiency of almost 50% and a total efficiency of 90%, MTU CFC’s Hot Module has become especially popular with inner city applications Its nearly soundless operation and its clean exhaust gas were just a few of the deciding factors for a Hot Module installation in Hamburg’s Harbour City.
h-tec Education offered a fun, hands-on Fuel Cell building competition to the Forum participants. Six PEMFC kit were distributed throughout the Forum floor, and the audience was asked to assemble them. The participating group completing the built the fastest was awarded with a Fuel Cell Mini, h-tec's promotional product. h-tec recently launched their Industrial Division as a response to customers' demand. The Industrial division will focus on the development and production of Fuel Cell stacks and electrolysers for OEM markets.

The Forum Program has been a part of the Group Exhibit since its inception in 1995 (see photo). At that point merely ten German exhibitors composed the entire Hydrogen + Fuel Cells sector at HANNOVER FAIR. In 2006 122 exhibitors, Forum participants, and Hydrogen Ambassadors from 32 countries joined the Group Exhibit community.

During the last hour of the Forum on Friday, April 28th, Arno A. Evers passed the keys of success on to his employee of 10 years, Tobias Renz. Mr. Renz will be taking over the challenge of holding this high standard of quality and service provided through FAIR-PR at the Group Exhibit. Arno Evers will cover the international “front” as a speaker and promoter of the Group Exhibit at H2/FC conferences worldwide.

To find out more about exhibiting or about becoming a Forum Participant at the Group Exhibit 2007, April 16-20: http://www.fair-pr.com/hm07/index.html

New comers to the exhibition

The Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells has continued to grow over the past 11 years, not just in attendance but in exhibitor numbers and global diversity. In fact this year saw an increase in participating countries of over 50%. Many of these organisations have been drawn in by the Hydrogen Ambassador competition or have exhibited in partnership with local organisations. Below are some examples of these:

University of South Carolina Centre for Fuel Cell Research were exhibiting in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy (ISE), it was encouraging to see the event attracting a region with so much recent activity. Also accompanying were the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the newly formed South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance. South Carolina is positioning itself as a focal point for the hydrogen economy. The Horizon Centre provides offices and laboratories for start-up businesses on the USC campus and gives international companies the opportunity to start joint ventures in the United States and establish manufacturing facilities.
GasHub has attracting much attention in the media recently, with the launch of their commercial small hydrogen fuel cell stacks. This exiting company covers a broad range of products, form stacks and systems to balance of plant and materials. Their innovative stacks come either pre-assembled or in a “DIY” format.
Functional Coating Technologies presented their SOFC stack design for power and hydrogen/syngas production.
Electro Power Systems had a 7kW hydrogen powered backup system on their stand. They also have 50kW electric and 50kW thermal combined heat and power unit that will be moving into the production stage this year.
The Italian Group Exhibit included CNR ITAE, WHTC, ENEA, ICI Caldaie, ILT Technology srl PIEL Division, Saati and Arcotronics.
Formula Zero showcased their hydrogen fuel cell racing kart and attracted much attention.
Fuel Cell Control unveiled their new 2.5kW backup unit.
The HyCity Hamburg stand brought together many first time exhibitors including Hamburg Airport HAM, Germanischer Lloyd and hySOLUTIONS.
Medis Technologies gave a very interesting presentation on their new power pack. The system will be available in US for around $25 late this year.

As ever, Arno put on a fabulous show. Aside from obvious commercial benefits of attending such a dignified and world class event, the entertainment and networking opportunities in the evenings provided a fantastic social platform to meet and greet people from all over the industry. There was the usual array of fully laid on food and drink, everywhere you looked there were girls in orange shirts to attend to your every needs, – where else in the world is there staff to provide you with that all important glass of water, or something stronger, when you just cant leave the stand – bands played in the evening and all combined to create the unmistakable atmosphere of the Group Exhibit. The Hydrogen Ambassadors were a credit to the hard work and support Arno has provided them. The competition was a real testament to Arno’s commitment to moving the industry forward and really demonstrated the depth of talent and ideas “waiting in the wings” for the coming years, Fuel Cell Markets looks forward to seeing how the project progresses. The Forum facilitated many interesting discussions as well as giving an invaluable opportunity for the speakers to raise awareness of their activities to a wide audience.

All activities at the 2006 Group Exhibit can be followed up easily on the fair-pr.com website. Arno's international 39-person team of exhibitors/visitors assistants, moderators, text writers, photographers, VIP guides, IT specialists, and graphic designers produced more than 400 webpages featuring 1,000+ photos, under the leadership of webmaster Ulrich Felger.
This worldwide unique internet documentation begins here: http://www.fair-pr.com/hm06/index.php.
All activites of the exhibitors can be seen here: http://www.fair-pr.com/hm06/exhibitors/index.php.
The forum program, documented with texts and photos, starts here: http://www.fair-pr.com/hm06/forum/index.php.
Just see for yourself!