Study: portable fuel cell commercialization

15 nations sign hydrogen agreement

H2 infrastructure symposium at NHA Conference & Hydrogen Expo USA

EU to invest 2.8 bn Euros in H2 research

Educational initiative for the trade

Bus procekt for the U.S.

Biofuel cell to reduce costs

Back up power will be the first application, where portable fuel cells become commercially viable. As early as 2006, the grid independent hydrogen or methanol fueled energy converters are said to compete with batteries and other technologies. This is one of the conclusions of the European Portable Fuel Cell Study (EPFCS), which includes interviews with experts from 10 countries. Typical applications for fuel cell back up power are computer servers, telecommunication stations, hospitals or banks, which depend on reliable energy supply. The study lists the specific requirements fuel cells have to meet with regards to technology and costs. Further, projects from organizations active in this field are introduced. EPFCS for the first time provides an overview of the research and development activities for portable FC systems in Europe. The report includes a critical evaluation of the technology as well as a detailed account of financing possibility in the European Community, and a list of suppliers. EPFCS can be ordered now at: tel. +49-211-687858-11 or service@freesen-partner.de

At the IPHE Ministerial Summit on November 18 to 21 in Washington, DC, ministers from 15 countries and the European Commission met to discuss a common hydrogen future. The International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE) is an initiative by U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, who has been traveling for the last couple of months to canvas for cooperation on behalf of the clean energy carrier. Now representatives from from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Commission, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russia and the United Kingdom joined the United States in signing the agreement at the event held in the US capital. Abraham formulated ambitious goals for IPHE: "The vision of the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy is that a participating country's consumers will have the practical option of purchasing a competitively priced hydrogen powered vehicle, and be able to refuel it near their homes and places of work, by 2020." He was joined by EU commissioner Loyola de Palacio, responsible for Energy and Transport, in calling for global cooperation: "Many of us are supporting substantial efforts to demonstrate the feasibility of hydrogen use as a transport fuel with fuel cell power trains", said Palacio. "These are very expensive activities which require years of work to set up. Sharing the results of the demonstration projects that are going on and working together in the preparation of future ones, will multiply their added value and increase their impact." Also at the summit, two committees were established which will identify the issues that will be the focus of IPHE's work over the next years.

The U.S. Department of Energy will take an active role in shaping the program for the 15th Annual Conference & 2nd Hydrogen Expo USA. The National Hydrogen Association is pleased to announce the 1st "Hydrogen Infrastructure Analysis Symposium" at the conference to be held in April 2004 in Los Angeles, California from April 26 to April 30 (expo dates: April 26-29). This symposium will provide a forum to present and discuss hydrogen pathway analysis with emphasis on economics, energy efficiency and emissions as well as analysis of the infrastructure transition to an H2 economy. It will include work supported by the Office of Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies in the U.S. Department of Energy, called H2A (Hydrogen Analysis). The H2A project is an effort to provide a consistent, comparable analysis of the better-known routes for hydrogen production and delivery. In order to accommodate this addition to the NHA's Annual U.S. Hydrogen Conference, the association is extending the abstract submission deadline to December 15th, 2003. This applies to all abstracts to be submitted for the conference. For more information go to: www.hydrogenconference.org and www.hydrogenexpo.com

An action plan calling for investment in networks and knowledge across the European Union was introdcued by the European Growth Initiative in cooperation with the European Investment Bank in early November. The plan forsees investments of 2 bn Euros between 2005 and 2015 and mainly consists of two focus areas: "Hycom" aims to fund large scale test facilities for hydrogen production and asks for 1.5 bn Euro in financial support. "Hypogem" aims at the establishment of so-called "hydrogen communities" throughout the Union, which use H2 as an energy carrier for producing heat and electricity and for powering vehicles. This part calls for 1.3 bn Euros. The decision about this project is expected for December.

The Elektroausbildungszentrum Aalen (EAZ) from Germany has been selected by the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg to develop a fuel cell curriculum. According to EAZ, approval for the project "H2 professional – educational concept for mobile and stationary fuel cell systems" was just granted. The program does not focus on purely theoretical content but is made up of practical modules providing guidance for the service, maintenance, installation and operation of FC units. It is modelled after the real-life conditions which workers from the different trades experience every day. Fritz Staudacher, Head of the EAZ, says home heating systems are more likely to be an early application than mobile units. Therefore, the curriculum will initially put an emphasis on this area. The program foresees 22 "dynamic" modules: technological updates and experience from manufacturers and users will be incorporated into the learning materials. The target group includes workers, engineers and owners of small and mid-sized enterprises of the automotive, heating and climate control trade, and plant operators. EAZ announced that the first pilot course has already started. At H2Expo 2004 from September 15 to 17 in Hamburg, interested individuals and small groups have the opportunity to participate in a compact training course. Organizer Hamburg Messe and EAZ will jointly offer the "H2 for the Trade" special program including lectures and practical demonstration. More information about the exhibition: www.h2expo.com

After the successful launch of the CUTE fuel cell bus project in Europe, there will now be a similar program in the United States. A broad-based industry coalition of key hydrogen and fuel cell bus users and suppliers is launching an initiative to create a targeted, multi-year program to develop, deploy and commercialize clean, H2/FC powered drive systems for transit. The initiative's goal is to reduce the costs and increase the durability of fuel cell systems and components through an industry-government partnership. WestStart-CALSTART, North America's leading advanced transportation technologies consortium, is coordinating the National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Initiative (NFCBTI), envisioned as a 6-year, $150-million dollar development effort. "For the transportation market, the best way to introduce new fuels is in transit," said John Boesel, president & CEO of WestStart-CALSTART. "With transit buses, you build one hydrogen station and then you've addressed the question of 'where do I refill.' That allows the critical early stage research and development dollars to be focused on the issues of cost, durability, and reliability." In addition to addressing commericalization challenges, the buses are meant to serve as "rolling classrooms" for H2/FC education. WestStart-CALSTART will have a booth and answer questions about NFCBTI at Hydrogen Expo USA from April 26 to 29, 2004 in Los Angeles, CA.

A team of scientists from the University of Oxford developed a biofuel cell, which produces energy via an enzyme catalyst at low costs. The most commonly used FC electrocatalyst is platinum. The precious metal is very efficient but expensive, and its availability is limited, making fuel cells a costly method of energy production. Further, platinum is poisoned by carbon monoxide impurities that are often found in industrially produced hydrogen. Removal of CO adds to the cost of the fuel cell system. For their research on the hydrogenase biofuel cell, the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory's researchers around Dr. Julie Vincent were awared the "Low Carbon Innovator of the Year Award 2003". The conventional platinum FC anode is replaced by a precious metal-free hydrogenase electrode. This is coupled to a cathode incorporating the fungal enzyme, laccase, which catalyses reduction of oxygen to water. The invention is the subject of a UK priority patent application, with licenses available to commercial partners.

To our readers:

The next H2 Report will be published as a double-issue 01/02-04 at the end of January 2004. Until then we would like to wish all our readers a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!