FC submarine technology for maritime applications from HFCS

Messer to deliver hydrogen to German FC center

Plug Power fuel cells run on LPG too

US Energy Secretary tours DaimlerChrysler's FC research facilities

Italy and India to join international H2 initiative

EC gives approval for RWE-MTU joint venture

Bulk Molding acquires majority interest in tetra-DUR

Hydrogen Expo USA: international collaboration and commercialization

Know H2ow Satey Training: registration form online now

H2 brokerage event: deadline for application is September 19!

H2Expo: free admission, no queues

Last orders: theme park micro fuel cells and North American pavilion

HDW – Fuel Cell Systems GmbH (HFCS), a member of the HDW group based in Kiel, Germany, wants to make its fuel cell technology available for maritime applications. The submarine with ambient air-independent FC propulsion was developed over the past two years and is now ready to market (ref. to H2 Report 04/02 and 05/03). In September 2002, HFCS was founded to develop FC systems for ships. The company intends to employ a demonstration unit in various projects in the near future. The idea is not to sell the unit but to lease it for a limited period of time. "Because of the financial volume it is often difficult to see fuel cell projects through", says HFCS CEO Gunter Sattler. "Therefore we decided to lease the system to the partner. After all, our goal is not to secure a quick order but to learn from the experience in different projects." The demo unit is integrated into a standard 20ft-container and has a rated power of 160kw. This is not yet sufficient to make an alternative propulsion work but is meant to provide electricity on board simultaneously to the existing system or as a stand-alone unit. The PEM fuel cell will be delivered by Siemens, the Germanischer Lloyd will take care of safety and commissioning issues. As a next step HFCS plans to develop a diesel reformer, which will garantuee the offshore fuel supply. According to Sattler such a reformer is not yet available. Powering the electrical system on the ship by an H2 fuel cell creates no NOx and SOx emissions, unlike the diesel engine, and is almost noiseless. This is a particular benefit when the ship sits in the harbour. Another advantage the decentralized FC power generation offers is the potential to change the layout of the ship. On passanger ships, space that was previously occupied the central energy supply unit becomes available for other purposes. For the navy, decentralized power provides yet another safety benefit. In case of an accident or attack there is no longer the danger of losing the complete power supply, but single units can be shut off while the whole system is still functioning. HDW Fuel Cell Systems will exhibit for the first time at H2Expo on October 9 to 11 in Hamburg.

Messer Griesheim has been appointed the exclusive supplier of high purity and specialty gases by the Center for Fuel Cell Technology (ZBT) in Duisburg, Germany. This was released by the Krefeld-based industrial gas company. In addition to hydrogen, Messer will be delivering additional gases and gas mixtures as well as the necessary hardware such as bundle stations, valves and pipes. The gas supplier also looks after the installations for the new ZBT laboratories. This includes 1.5km of gas pipelines. A unique feature of the lab are the 27 mobile work stations, which are equipped with a special extractor system with integrated gas supply. The ZBT was founded in 2001 and is one of the model projects of the Future Energies Initiative in North-Rhine Westfalia. Among other things, the research team is currently working on high efficiency reformers for H2 production. High purity gases are needed for this in order to create defined process chains. A garantueed gas mixture is important for the catalyst tests, which are performed at the ZBT, too, to provide for reproducible results. Also for the FC test stations reliable gas flow is crucial. Says ZBT employee Joachim Jungbluth about the "new old" partner: "Messer already supplied us with high purity, tracer and calibration gases safely and quickly in our old lab. We will build on the good partnership with the supply for our new high-tech building." The Messer Group sees itself among the leading industrial gas companies worldwide. According to the company, revenues in 2002 were 1.5bn EUR.

According to a corporate press release, Latham, N.Y.-based Plug Power Inc. will be shipping its first liquid propane gas (LPG) fueled product. The "GenSys(TM)5P" is a 5kw grid-parallel fuel cell system, which will be marketed to an audience that includes rural electric cooperatives, customers that have no utility-provided electrical supply and federal and state government customers who require the remote fuel capability that LPG provides. The new product was made possible through Plug Power's fleet experience of over 750,000 operating hours of its natural gas fed "GenSys(TM)5CS", says the release. LPG is a viable alternative for remote areas. Compared with oil, liquid gas heating systems for example have a better eco-balance with lower emissions. "The need for fuel cells utilizing LPG as a fuel is clear", states a Plug Power customer. "There are many rural applications both in the United States and abroad that do not have access to natural gas service. The availability of LPG FC systems opens significant opportunities to end users in the evolving commercialization of fuel cell products." The reliability of the Plug Power produces was demonstrated during the recent black out in the US. The Albany Business Review reports that the lights stayed on in eight households powered by Plug Power's fuel cell systems in the capital region while millions of residents sat through a very black night. One FC unit kept the power going at the FC company's headquarters, too. Plug Power will have a booth at H2Expo from October 9 to 11, 2003 in Hamburg.

On August 12, US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham visited DaimlerChrysler's fuel cell research facility in Kirchheim/Teck-Nabern near Stuttgart in Germany. Abraham used his visit both for discussions with company officials and to test drive several FC vehicles. "I am pleased to visit Nabern, which is in the forefront with its cutting edge hydrogen fuel cell research technologies", Abraham said. "I believe our work on hydrogen in the United States, Germany and elsewhere is perhaps the most significant endeavor the energy sector will see in our lifetimes."

Following a meeting with Italy's Minister of Productive Technologies Antonio Marzano, US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced Italy's intention to join the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE). "International cooperation is key to achieving hydrogen and fuel cell program goals such as those President Bush stated in this recent State of the Union address." commented Abraham. The government of Italy has been supporting such an R&D program for some time, which focuses on transportation and electric utility sectors. There is also a bilateral cooperative agreement in place between Italy and the US for H2 and FC technology research. India announced it will join the IPHE, too. By establishing the Indian Hydrogen Corpus Fund, the government took first steps to overcome to severe environmental problems, which are particularly evident in the country's metropoles, while at the same time satisfying the demand of its growing population for mobility and electricity. The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will be organising the fund and will be preparing a 2-year roadmap to initiate production, storage and distribution of hydrogen. Also, the IOC has been appointed to organize field tests over the next 5 years with several car manufacturers.

MTU CFC Solutions GmbH, a joint venture between RWE Fuel Cells GmbH and MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, both located in Germany, received approval by the European Commission. Thus, there are no anti-trust objections to the partnership, which is meant to speed up the commercialization of molten carbonate fuel cells. Series production for the company's high temperature FCs is said to start in 2006. RWE Fuel Cells is wholly-owned subsidiary of RWE AG, MTU Friedrichshafen belongs to the DaimlerChrysler group of companies.

Chicago, IL-based Bulk Molding Compounds Inc. (BMCI) announced that is has acquired a 60% interest in tetra-DUR, based in Seevetal near Hamburg in Germany, effective immediately. The agreement also includes an option for BMCI to purchase the remaining 40% of tetra-DUR over a 5-year period. BMCI is a producer of thermoset bulk molding compounds and, among others, serves the fuel cell industry. tetra-DUR is targetting similar markets in Europe.

"Hydrogen: A Clean Energy Choice" is the motto of the National Hydrogen Association's (NHA) 15th annual conference. Again, Hydrogen Expo USA will be held in partnership with the conference in 2004 and will focus on international collaboration for the development and commercialization of H2/FC technologies. The event takes off with the NHA reception on April 26, 2004. The exhibition is open until the 29th, the conference goes on for another day until April 30th. Los Angeles, CA is the venue. "At the last Hydrogen Expo USA we quickly sold out", says Ines Freesen from trade fair organizer Freesen & Partner GmbH in Duesseldorf, Germany. "In 2004 we have larger facilities. Therefore we expect to be able to double the number of exhibitors." For exhibitors who apply for space now and submit a paper chances are good to be included into the conference program. On www.hydrogenconference.org conference topics can now be viewed. More information on the exhibition is available on www.hydrogenexpo.com or at tel. +49-211-687858-11. The U.S. Department of Energy will again support the second Hydrogen Expo USA.

Online registration is now open for the "Know H2ow" safety training conducted by Air Products on October 10, 2003 at H2Expo in Hamburg. The maximum number of participants is 25, the course will be held in English. Air Products offers a reduced rate at H2Expo of 450 Euros per person. "Know H2ow" is designed for everyone dealing with hydrogen. Participants learn about the specific properties and potential risks of hydrogen. Appropriate behaviour in case of leakage or ignition are on the agenda, too, so are codes and standards and commissioning issues. To download the registration form and brochure visit: www.freesen.de/h2report/knowh2ow.pdf or send an an email to: info@h2report.com

H2 brokerage event: deadline for application is September 19!

Applications for the H2 brokerage event at this year's H2Expo in Hamburg have to be returned by September 19. The event will be held on October 10 on the exhibition and is organised by the Innovation Relay Center, the VDI/VDE-IT and Hamburg Messe. Companies and research facilities from the field of hydrogen and fuel cells have the opportunity to find partners for joint activities at the event. A profile will be created for each participant as the basis for the matching procedure. This garantuees that parties with similar interests meet. IRC staff will be there to assist the participants and to help out when translation is needed. The brokerage event is also designed to help facilitate orders. The fee is 90 Euros, H2Expo exhibitors can participate free of charge. To receive your registration form send an email to: info@h2report.com or download the form on: www.h2report.com

Visitors can now register for H2Expo from October 9 to 11 in Hamburg, Germany on www.h2expo.com and thereby save money and time. After entering the data, the visitor will receive a registration code by email. Onsite, this will grant him/her free access to the show through the "Express Line". There, a member of the H2Expo team will be issuing personalized badges for entry to the exhibition and the seminars to registration code holders.

Now is the last chance for companies and research facilities to join the micro fuel cells theme park or the North American pavilion at H2Expo from October 9 to 11, 2003 in Hamburg. "There are only two units left on each pavilion", says Ines Freesen from the H2Expo sales partner Freesen & Partner. "After last year's great success we expanded the seminar program, so an exhibit can even be combined with a speaking opportunity. But people really need to hurry now." The theme park is a forum for manufacturers and suppliers of fuel cell technology for applications up to around 5kw, i.e. portable applications, APUs or small-scale co-generation. The North American pavilion provides a showcase for exhibitors from the US and Canada. In addition to this, there will be a North American session in the seminar forum on October 9, which is hosted by the National Hydrogen Association. To apply for space call: tel. +49-211-687858-11 or send an email to: sales@h2expo.com