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Welcome to FuelCellWorks Inside the Industry Newsletters, the most up to date newsletters in the Fuel Cell Industry.
March 23, 2008
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The following news items made headlines this week.
Mercedes-Benz announced that a B-Class model with fuel-cell drive has passed its winter testing in northern Sweden with flying colors. At double-digit, below-zero temperatures, the zero-emission drive showed what it could do in the comprehensive test programmes. For example, cold start behaviour was subjected to thorough scrutiny. Although Daimler Research had already found a technical solution to the fuel cell’s start capability at -25 degrees Celsius, the engineers’ focus here was on the interaction between the different components under real-life winter conditions. A further focus of the winter tests was on roadholding. This meant adapting the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to the special requirements of a fuel-cell vehicle. A special feature in this context is that an electric motor exhibits different speed governing behavior to that of standard combustion engines.
Oorja Protonics (Oorja), the San Francisco Bay Area based developer and manufacturer of ultra-powerful fuel cells, announced its public launch and patented direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) technology. Funded by venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and DAG Ventures, and led by fuel cell pioneer Sanjiv Malhotra, Oorja has been operating in stealth mode since 2005 and has been engaged in commercial testing and deployments of its technology through pilot programs with leading Fortune 50 customers. Oorja’s direct methanol fuel cells are novel in that they eliminate the barriers associated with hydrogen fuel cell adoption, namely the high price of compressed hydrogen gas, lack of hydrogen supply infrastructure, and hydrogen’s inherent volatility as a fuel source. Methanol is a much better alternative to hydrogen fuel cells due to its low cost, ready availability, and greatly reduced volatility.
Ford Motor Company and U.S. Congressman John Dingell and the Wayne County Airport Authority announced the delivery of two hydrogen-fueled Ford E-450 shuttle buses to be used for transporting airline passengers between terminals at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW).
Air Products (NYSE: APD) announced it has signed an agreement with Transport for London to help bring hydrogen technology to the roads of London. This agreement includes the supply of hydrogen fuel and a dedicated fueling station for the 10 hydrogen powered buses, which form a central part of London's hydrogen transport program. The hydrogen powered buses will be operating on London's roads by 2010.Air Products will provide Transport for London and the bus operator with access to the latest technology in hydrogen production, transportation, storage, compression and vehicle dispensing technology.
The Hydrogen Education Foundation announced five finalist teams for the 2007-2008 Hydrogen Student Design Contest: McMaster University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, University of Waterloo, and two teams from Wayne State University. The grand-prize winning team will be announced and present their design at the National Hydrogen Association's Annual Hydrogen Conference 2008 in Sacramento, CA on March 31 during the opening keynote session. Runner-up teams will receive honorable mentions and present their designs to attendees in the Conference Expo Hall.
InnovaTek and Washington Technology Center announced that they have been awarded $64,275 in Research and Technology Development funding based on a proposal from InnovaTek in collaboration with Washington State University. InnovaTek, a Richland-based developer of patented technologies for sustainable power and environmental safety, is teamed with Washington State University to improve InnovaTek’s hydrogen fuel processor technology. WSU will receive $64,275 in Phase I Research and Technology Development funding from Washington Technology Center and an additional $12,812 from InnovaTek for the project titled “Development of Computer Models and Control Schemes for Biofuel-based Fuel Cell Systems.”
Eden Energy Ltd. (ASX:EDE), through its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary Hythane Company LLC, announced it has received a U.S. patent for its cryogenic storage vessels for liquid hydrogen. Among the applications, the new technology will advance the practicality of hydrogen cars by optimizing energy storage, reducing or eliminating the need for bulky lithium ion batteries.
Arrested Development star Jason Bateman received a new set of wheels. BMW announced that he is the latest person to receive the keys to a BMW Hydrogen 7 - the world's first hydrogen-powered luxury sedan. The BMW Hydrogen 7 melds the polished luxury of BMW's largest sedan with the virtually emission-free power of a hydrogen combustion engine.
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Manny Tsoupanarias
Editor
Fuel Cell Works
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