Tom's H2 cruiser

BMW concept receives international awards

The Necar goes cross-country

Hydrogen at the motorway filling station

Cryoplane project to be continued

Six fuel cell projects receive funding in British Columbia

Proton supplies Swedish environmental center with solar H2 system

RWE Piller closes licensing agreement for FC systems

This time with Dr. Klaus Bonhoff, Account Manager Europe, Ballard Power Systems GmbH

Youth conference at Hydrogen Expo

"Trade show light" with H2 Expo easy package

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Tom's H2 cruiser

The car of the future takes Tom Cruise around the streets of Chicago in "Minority Report", a Hollywood movie to be released soon. In the role of a police detective the actor's mission is to fight crime even before it happens. "Precrime" is the name of the game which aims at achieving a zero murder rate. Zero emissions is what the futuristicly designed vehicle produces. Some of its features seem a little unlikely, such as the car's body colour changing to suit the driver's mood. Quite realistic, however, are the solar panel roof, the fuel cell drive and the hydrogen fuel. The movie is set in 2054. One may have doubts if pre-emptive action against crime has reached such heights by then. But market penetration by hydrogen vehicles should have become a reality.

BMW concept receives international awards

In the presence, Dr. Burkhard Goeschel, head of the BMW R&D program, has been awarded for his commitment to the introduction of H2 as a fuel with the "Robert M. Zweig Memorial Award" by the National Hydrogen Assocation (USA). NHA awarded the prize for the first time at the hydrogen congress in Montreal. Goeschel was honored for this initiative and achievements, which include the CleanEnergy World Tour. With this tour the Bavarian car manufacturer goes canvassing for the clean fuel around the globe. The award is named after the Californian physician and H2 pioneer Robert M. Zweig, who up to his death in February 2002 devoted himself to improving the air quality in the Los Angeles area. BMW follows the same goal beyond Californian borders with its fleet of by now 15 vehicles of the 750hL type. The cars of this small series run on a hydrogen internal combustion engine and produce no emissions but pure vapour. In Montreal, BMW also received the "Rudolph E. Erren Award" from the International Association for Hydrogen Energy for its execeptional contribution to the development and commercialization of H2 vehicles. Erren was a German engineer who equipped some 1000 cars, trucks, busses and locomotives in Germany and England with hydrogen ICEs in the 1930s. "While it is me accepting these awards, they go to our whole team and our whole company", says Goeschel. "We are very proud that our efforts are so highly recognized in North America. With the CleanEnergy World Tour, we have sought a completely new approach, because our aim is to offer a viable long-term solution to the issue of 'mobility'." In the past, BMW was awarded with the "2001 Energy Innovation Prize" and the "Energy Globe". Two of the CleanEnergy vehicles will be demonstrated this October at Hydrogen Expo in Hamburg, Germany.

The Necar goes cross-country

Also doing their part for the hydrogen case is DaimlerChrylser AG. Their Necar 5 is a subcompact Mercedes-Benz A-Class running on methanol. According to a company press release the vehicle just completed a test drive through the U.S. successfully. The journey began on May 20 at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, spanning 5245km over a 16-day period, and came to an end at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Travelling time is said to have been 85 hours at an average of about 60km/h, with the car reaching maximum speeds of more than 145km/h. The car had to be refuelled every 450km with the fuel provided by Methanex and was guided by a GPS system and accompanied by three other vehicles carrying replacement parts and tools. DaimlerChrysler said the route was a record for any fuel cell vehicle driving on public roads, which proved the potential for this propulsion system. "I will not tell anybody how much doubt we had when we started 16 days ago," said Prof. Ferdinand Panik, head of Daimler Chrysler's FC group. "It runs much, much better than we believed. It's a big, big step for a new idea, trying to look beyond the capability of fossil fuels." It seems that his worries were unnecessary as the car is said to have broken down only once, when the team approached the Nevada border on the first day. Water got into a connector, which had to be replaced. The team also replaced two belts, four fuel filters and a plastic bottle that contained cooling water. Team leader Wolfgang Weiss commented the repairs could have been needed on a similar trip with any other car, and added that the Necar 5 performed better than expected, as the fuel cell remained in great shape

Hydrogen at the motorway filling station

As for the preconditions for the distribution of the fuel for vehicles with H2 ICE (internal combustion engine) or FC powertrain, Jaco Reijerkerk and Bernhard Valentin gave this important issue some thought. In their master theses the two young engineers scrutinized different technologies and economical aspects for the introduction of hydrogen to the transport sector. First, Reijerkerk evaluated four concepts for the integration of H2 into the product line of motor filling stations. He based this on the performance and energy density of conventional fuels, the existing infrastructure, and the current consumer demand. For the production and distribution of hydrogen his work looks at centralized and decentralized on-site reforming and electrolysis as well as pipeline distribution. To this, Valentin added his observations about the economically most promising alternative for the substitution of gasoline or diesel by hydrogen. The industrial supervisor for both undertakings was Dr. Joachim Wolf who recently followed a call to the Linde AG headquarters in Wiesbaden. "The goal of our work was to come up with appropriate methods to provide hydrogen at filling stations", explains Valentin the motivation behind the enterprise. "Based on this we had to measure the infrastructure components for the various concepts in order to establish the costs for fuel equivalents at different points of commercialization." The observations rely on the assumption that the demand at the gas pump is equally divided into 50% liquid and 50% compress gas hydrogen. Substitution ratios from 0.1 to 50% were taken into consideration. It followed that already from a substitution ratio of 2% hydrogen could be sold at a price below the current price for gasoline, provided that the fuel merely incurred value-added-tax. By reducing the hydrogen supply to centralized production and delivery of liquid H2 it was also possible to achieve a flexibility in reacting to changing demands similar to the current gasoline/diesel scenario. If produced on-site, the amount of hydrogen was always limited to the maximum capacity of the production plant. However, if delivered from a central production site, an increased demand could easily be met by more frequent deliveries. Also the cost for the installation of LH2 and GH2 gas pumps were the lowest in this scenario. In early, low substitution rate phases this provided a clear advantage over other concepts. Another result of the analysis was that because of the high cost for electrical power in Germany electrolysis was less viable than steam reforming in the short term. However, in the long run it offered a both ecologically and ecnomically sensible alternative. The use of a pipeline system came out to be a viable option only when substitution ratios had exceeded 50%. Dr. Joachim Wolf, Jaco Reijerkerk and Bernhard Valentin will present their results at the Hydrogen Expo seminar program on October 10.

Cryoplane project to be continued

Hydrogen is nothing new to aerospace. The emission-free fuel is now meant to be employed in passenger aircrafts. This is the goal of the Cryoplane project under the leadershop of Airbus, which according to a decision by the European Commission is to be continued. First results of the 26-month Commission-funded project which brings together 35 partners from 11 European countries were recently presented. The results are said to show that the use of liquid hydrogen in as aircraft fuel is technically feasible and would greatly reduce the environmental impact of aviation without affecting safety. (Also refer to the interview with Dr. Heinz G. Klug in H2 Report 0101 at www.H2report.com). The project addressed aircraft configuration and performance, systems and components, safety, environmental compatibility, fuel production and distribution infrastructure, and airport operation, among other things. According to a statement by the Commission, hydrogen technology offers a promising way to compensate the increase in air traffic and to minimize the resulting greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, air traffic contributes some 3% to CO2 emissions, going up. The statement also says that liquid hydrogen as employed in the Cryoplane project is the only known sustainable alternative to kerosene. The necessary further research and development of this technology expects continued funding from the 6th Framework Program.

Six fuel cell projects receive funding in British Columbia

Six fuel cell projects in British Columbia are getting nearly 5.2 million Canadian dollars (CAD) in joint funding from the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia under the Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA). Industry Minister Allan Rock and Competition, Science and Enterprise Minister Rick Thorpe announced the investment today. "The Government of Canada has supported the Canadian fuel cell industry since day one," said Secretary of State Stephen Owen. "The continued growth of this industry will lessen our dependence upon fossil fuels while creating a healthier environment and building new opportunities to diversify the Canadian economy." The six FC projects receiving funding include: a prototype of a fuel cell-powered industrial truck; a small scale hydrogen generator unit; a 'working' multi-fuel warehouse; a sustainable, integrated fuel-based system to generate electricity; an H2 fuelling station for fuel cell vehicles; and a 1.2-kilowatt utility standby FC system. It was agreed to invest a total of 13 million CAD in the fuel cell industry under the WEPA, including a 980,000-dollar-contribution to establish Fuel Cells Canada, a non-profit organization in Vancouver that was given the task of identifying, co-ordinating and presenting FC demonstration projects for consideration. WEPA is a joint, multi-million-dollar cooperation between the federal and the local government to encourage economic development in British Columbia.

Proton supplies Swedish environmental center with solar H2 system

Proton Energy Systems, Inc., a US manufacturer of H2 generators and regenerative fuel cell systems, announced that it delivered its "Hogen" hydrogen generator to Birka Energi to fuel an environmental information center. The hydrogen will be generated directly from a photovoltaic solar array and also has the flexibility to connect to the electrical grid. The release states that Birka specifically opted for Proton's sustainable technology. Says Proton's President and CEO Walter Schroeder: "Our generators offer the breakthrough capability to transform renewable power into ultra-high purity hydrogen fuel at high pressure. When fed into a fuel cell, this hydrogen produces electricity without pollution and without depletions. As part of Birka Energi's facility, we are providing a practical demonstration of sustainable energy." Proton Energy Systems will demonstrate a similar system together with its Swiss partner Diamond Lite at this year's Hydrogen Expo.

RWE Piller closes licensing agreement for FC systems

According to a press release issued by Calgary-based Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. the company has agreed to license its advanced power electronics technologies to RWE Piller from Germany for their fuel cell applications. The license is exclusive for applications using the Nuvera FC system. In exchange, RWE Piller is said to pay a license fee of USD 790.000 upon completion of factory acceptance testing, as well as ongoing royalties based on the kW rating of power electronics products incorporating the Canadian technolgy. The RWE Solutions AG subsidiary has also been funding the partner's non-recurring engineering costs. "Our relationship with RWE Piller, which is one of the world's leading power supply manufacturers, is an important validation of the potential of our technology", says Michael Carten, President and CEO of Sustainable Energy. "Also, the value of RWE Piller's 'in kind' technical and engineering support in accelerating the product development process is incalculable." His corporation intended to deliver several prototypes to RWE Piller at the end of June and to manufacture a further 25 inverters for delivery later this year. The Canadian company is specialized in power electronics products for distributed generation and renewable energy applications. According to Sustainable Energy, its patented power inverter achieves the highest average conversion efficiencies in the industry with over 93% through full load.

This time with Dr. Klaus Bonhoff, Account Manager Europe, Ballard Power Systems GmbH

H2 Report: How is Ballard positioned after the restructuring process?

Dr. Bonhoff: There are four core areas: Ballard Power Systems is the acknowledged leader in PEM fuel cell technology. We focus on the development and commercialization of FC products for mobile, stationary and portable applications. We further provide important sub-systems and components to enhance and support our fuel cell products. The Ballard Transportation Division develops, manufactures and sells FC components, modules and powertrains for mobile applications. Our Power Generation Division develops and markets FC generators for portable and stationary scenarios. The Electric Drives & Power Conversion Division works on electrical propulsion and energy conversion systems for fuel cells, micro turbines and similar products for distributed generation. Ballard's Material Products Division is a major supplier of carbon materials for gas diffusion electrodes in the FC industry as well as for clutch lining for the automotive industry.

H2 Report: It is a common conception that there are no products. However, Ballard is already offering a fuel cell product on the market. What is it exactly?

Dr. Bonhoff: Ballard closely cooperates with existing and potential customers to develop PEM products for the relevant markets. For these developments we manufacture components and systems which are currently being tested in the field and in demonstration projects. Ballard's first commercial product is the "Nexa" power module. This is the first mass produced PEM fuel cell module worldwide, and it can be integrated into a wide range of stationary and mobile power generation products. Using Ballard's PEM technology the power module converts hydrogen and oxygen in a combustion-free electrochemical reaction to electrial energy and thereby generates up to 1200W (net) DC current. The necessary periphery to operate the PEM stack and the module control are already integrated, the same goes for the monitoring and safety features. This enables easy systems integration into the end product. Because the side products of the energy generation process are heat and water, it is possible to run the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) products in closed rooms and at other places where conventional ICEs cannot be put. The compact module operates at a very low noise level and is therefore ideally suited for uninterrupted power supply, backup power and mobile products, as well as consumer goods. Compared to batteries with their limited operation time, the "Nexa" can bridge power shortages as long as there is hyddrogen supply. The module is certified for North America and is also available in Europe for product development and field tests.

H2 Report: In which current projects is Ballard involved?

Dr. Bonhoff: As a supplier to OEMs Ballard participates in the field tests and demonstration projects which are going on in mobile and stationary applications worldwide. The experiences from testing, maintenance and support combined with the market knowledge of our partners provide the grounds for the development of future Ballard products. In the stationary field, systems for home energy energy supply and distributed power generation plants are being tested. For example in a 1kW FC co-generation system to cover the demand for electricity, heat and hot water of a typical Japanese home. The system was developed by the Ebara Ballard joint-venture and runs on natural gas in conjunction with the existing grid. This enables consumers to use power from the grid whenever their energy demand exceeds 1kW. Tests with 250kW block heating stations with stationray Ballard PEM generators are currently underway in Switzerland, Germany, Japan and Belgium. A two-year-test phase in the U.S. was already finished. These systems are designed to provide energy permanently, efficiently and reliably from a clean, quiet, grid-independent unit. They convert natural gas to hydrogen which reacts with oxygen from air and produces high quality energy at low emission levels. In the mobile field, Ballard works with OEMs and non-profit organisations. With the car manufacturers DaimlerChrysler AG and Ford Motor Company we are associated through the Fuel Cell Alliance. The most popular projects are the California Fuel Cell Partnership and the European bus project. So far, altogether 25 vehicles and 12 busses have been developed with Ballard fuel cells. Hydrogen FC propulsion systems developed and manufactured by our company were tested in daily use in Chicago and Vancouver. The succeeding system generation was successfully employed in a demonstration project in California. The next system generation "phase 5" will be integrated into Evobus' Citaro busses for the CUTE project (Clean Urban Transportation for Europe). In addition to the insights we get from this on FC systems and fuel distribution, the program enables transit corporations, bus drivers and passengers to make their first experiences with clean, quiet and convenient fuel cell energy.

H2 Report: In your opinion, where does Germany stand in international comparison with its H2 and FC activities?

Dr. Bonhoff: The situation in Germany offers good preconditions to fuel cell technology. Many companies from mid-sized to large enterprises have committed themselves to working on different applications. On the scientific and technical side, university programs and research facilities support this. Further, R&D and education are funded by energy research programs and the Future Investments Program (ZIP) of the German federal and state governments. This made it possible that Germany is now one of the leading nations in these technologies. In order to reach the CO2 reduction goals and to save fossil resources by introducing efficient and clean energy supply systems based on fuel cells, mass markets such as stationary energy supply and traffic have to be established. However, this will only happen if we keep on working in all areas from materials research to system testing. The predominant objectives have to be cost reduction and increased system reliability. This calls for long-term programs which have to be supported both politicially and financially. In addition, it is important that international collaboration is ensured.

H2 Report: How do you see the future of hydrogen technology?

Dr. Bonhoff: The term hydrogen technology can be defined in broad terms. H2 is a secondary energy carrier which can be produced in different ways from fossil and renewable sources. There are a number of requirements storage and infrastructure technology have to meet in relation to the specific application. Hydrogen will play a role in the energy mix of the future. It will be a pillar of an energy economy that will be much more diversified than it is today. Based on our power module our global partners are developing products running on hydrogen or methanol. With the storage technologies already available today, these products can be operated up to several hours before the tank has to be refilled, depending on the size of the storage medium. For the introduction of appropriate products commercial concepts have to be developed which allow for the user to refill the tank. The advantages of these portable or compact FC products in comparison to batteries lie in the increased operation time, respectively in the reduced emission and noise level when compared to a combustion engine. The commercialization of these products makes FC technology available to a wide public. So the public learns to deal with this technology and with the energy carrier hydrogen. Looking at this now, a number of issues have yet to be addressed, such as certification, but we are convinced that this technology will become part of our everyday life in the near future.

Youth conference at Hydrogen Expo

On October 12, 2002, Hydrogen Expo in Hamburg will host the "H2 Student Forum". Organizer H2 Expo GmbH and Stiftung Jugend forscht e.V. (a German initiative for junior level research) want to offer high school students a glimpse of the energy future with a seminar program tailor-made for the young audience. The seminars are followed by a tour of the exhibition with live demonstrations of the showcased hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Hamburg utilities company HEW AG sponsors the program. This gives students and their accompanying teachers free admission and also covers some of their travel expenses. For more information about the event go to: www.H2expo.com

"Trade show light" with H2 Expo easy package

The "H2 Expo light" package provides exhibitors at Hydrogen Expo with an easy and money-saving way to test the exhibition while enjoying all the benefits of the largest H2 and FC technologies trade show. Each participant has its own info booth located at a partner pavilion. There is room to display posters, and the pavilion includes a small lounge. The advantage for the "light" exhibitors: The organizer makes sure all show logistics are properly looked after. There is no time-consuming planning and preparation of the booth for the exhibitor. Including the cost for travel and accommodation of one employee, the whole presence at the show can be done for less than 2.000 Euros. In addition to this, the participants who will be listed in the official directory like any other exhibitor can contribute to the seminar program. For more information about H2 Expo light call tel. +49-211-687858-11 or send an email to info@H2expo.com