NEWS

6Fuel Cells Bulletin November 2011

level of confidence in the ability of its technol-ogy to meet the efficiency requirements of near-ly all stationary and automotive applications, while delivering a substantially higher level of durability than conventional fuel cells.

‘We have shown that this new low-cost and durable fuel cell technology can be packaged and operated in a form suitable for nearly all station-ary power applications,’ says Dr SB Cha, the firm’s CEO. ‘To have broken new performance records at the same time is a very promising sign that we can also make this technology suitable for automotive applications.’

ACAL Energy’s proprietary technology replaces the platinum catalyst on the cathode in a PEM fuel cell with a low-cost, durable liquid chemical. This greatly reduces the total platinum content, since much of the platinum in con-ventional PEM fuel cells is used in the cathode [check out the feature on ACAL Energy in our April 2011 issue].

ACAL Energy Ltd, Runcorn, Cheshire, UK. Tel: +44 1928 511581, www.acalenergy.co.uk

Solvay Group: www.solvay.com

Technology Strategy Board: www.innovateuk.org

The Carbon Trust: www.carbontrust.co.uk

The Carbon Trust, Polymer Fuel Cells Challenge: http://ow.ly/7CXHh

Dantherm Power fuel cell system for Anglo American in S. Africa

Dantherm Power is to supply a 150 kW hydrogen fuel cell genera-

tor and associated engineering services to Anglo American Platinum – the world’s largest primary producer of platinum – for deployment at a mining operation in South Africa.

The Dantherm Power fuel cell generator, based on its DBX5000 fuel cell backup power system, utilizes PEM fuel cell stacks supplied by Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems. Dantherm Power – Ballard’s backup power sys-tems company – also recently received an initial order to install 30 backup power systems at telecom sites in India [see page 4].

The fuel cell generator will be delivered before the end of the year, for deployment at one of Anglo American Platinum’s mining operations in South Africa. The fuel cell system will be pow-ered by hydrogen generated in South Africa.

‘This deployment is an opportunity to dem-onstrate the readiness and benefits of fuel cell power systems in new vertical market applica-tions,’ says John Sheridan, president and CEO of Ballard. ‘Anglo American operations will gain first-hand experience regarding the ability for a fuel cell generator to provide clean and reliable power on a relatively large scale at a mining site.’

Ballard Power Systems acquired a control-ling interest in Dantherm Power nearly two years ago, in a partnership with Danish co-investors Danfoss A/S and Dantherm A/S [FCB, February 2010]. The joint investment and partnering support is expected to result in accelerated development of fuel cell backup power applications.

Dantherm Power A/S, Hobro, Denmark. Tel: +45 8843 5500, www.dantherm-power.com

Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com

Anglo American Platinum: www.angloamericanplatinum.com

PureCell systems for East Conn university, UTC Power HQ

Eastern Connecticut State University is working with nearby UTC

Power to install a 400 kW PureCell Model 400 combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell system on its campus in Willimantic. UTC Power has also recently commissioned a PureCell Model 400 at its own headquarters in South Windsor.

UTC Power will furnish and install the PureCell Class I combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell system at Eastern under a 10-year Energy Services Agreement (ESA). The PureCell Model 400 is a stationary phosphoric acid fuel cell power plant that is capable of generating 400 kW of continuous, reliable electric power while also producing usable ‘waste’ heat. (Meanwhile, Central Connecticut State University is installing a 1.4 MW Direct FuelCell® power plant supplied by FuelCell Energy [see below].)

The fuel cell CHP system, which is expected to be operational next April, will be installed on the west side of the university’s Science Building. The electrical output from the fuel cell will be routed to the main electric room in the building.

Eastern Connecticut State University will use 100% of the energy produced by the fuel cell system, to provide most of the power required for the Science Building, while maximizing the

use of the heat output available from the plant. Supplemental heat generated by the opera-tion of the fuel cell will be utilized by Eastern’s infrastructure. With effective utilization of the thermal output, overall system efficiencies of up to 90% are possible – more than double that of traditional power sources.

Eastern is home to the Institute for Sustainable Energy, which is recognized through-out New England as an invaluable resource for supporting sustainable energy conservation efforts in municipalities and public schools.

The PureCell Model 400 at UTC Power’s headquarters is prominently located at the main entrance, and delivers up to 50% of the build-ing’s electricity needs. The company installed the system in the summer, replacing an earlier-generation PureCell unit the company had used since the mid-1990s.

The new fuel cell is capable of load-fol-lowing, i.e. it automatically adjusts its power output based on the draw from the building. Byproduct thermal energy from the unit – about 500 kW – will be harnessed to provide employees with domestic hot water and heating for the building’s shop areas.

The fleet of PureCell Model 400 installations is steadily expanding, with units in operation or on order with a wide variety of end-users – from Cox Communications in San Diego [FCB, February 2011] to The Octagon luxury apartment community on Roosevelt Island in New York City [FCB, June 2011], and at sever-al supermarkets in California [FCB, September 2010], New York [FCB, February 2010], and Massachusetts [FCB, June 2009].

UTC Power, South Windsor, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 860 727 2200, www.utcpower.com

Eastern Connecticut State University, Institute for Sustainable Energy: www.easternct.edu/sustainenergy

FCE supplies 1.4 MW power plant to Central Conn State University

FuelCell Energy has sold a 1.4 MW Direct FuelCell® power plant to

Greenwood Energy, for location on the campus of Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. The ultra-clean electricity and steam generated by the molten carbonate system will be sold to the university under a long-term power purchase agreement.

The power plant will also be configured to utilize the high-quality heat created by the power generation process in a combined heat

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NEWS

November 2011 Fuel Cells Bulletin7

and power (CHP) mode, to generate steam for heating and cooling of campus buildings. The unit is expected to be operational by December; FuelCell Energy will then maintain the plant under a multi-year service agreement.

The project represents the first collabora-tion between FuelCell Energy and Greenwood Energy, the North American renewable energy division of the Wisconsin-based Libra Group. The Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority provided a grant for the project, in connection with the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program.

‘This project represents our ninth university installation,’ says Chip Bottone, president and CEO of FuelCell Energy. ‘Universities are an ideal market for our ultra-clean and efficient fuel cell power plants due to their power usage profile that requires baseload power, their desire for sustainable and environmentally friendly power generation, their need for energy secu-rity, and the energy reliability that onsite power generation provides.’

‘We continue to see opportunities to incorpo-rate fuel cells into our power and sustainability planning across our campuses,’ adds Keith Epstein, assistant vice chancellor for planning and technical services for the Connecticut State University System. (Eastern Connecticut State University is installing a 400 kW PureCell Model 400 CHP system supplied by UTC Power [see page 6], while the University of Connecticut is installing a similar UTC Power unit at its Depot campus [FCB, October 2011].)

FuelCell Energy Inc, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 825 6000, www.fuelcellenergy.com

Greenwood Energy: www.gwenergy.com

Central Connecticut State University: www.ccsu.edu

Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority: www.ctcleanenergy.com

SFC launches portable solution for command and operation postsGerman-based SFC Energy has

extended its successful portfolio of ruggedized autonomous power solu-tions for defense applications. The new EMILYCube 2500 is a portable charging station that will supply instant off-grid power whenever and wherever needed.

The EMILYCube 2500 weighs just 13.5 kg (30 lb) – or 21.9 kg (70 lb) including a 10 liter

fuel cartridge – so it can be easily transported by a single person. No installation is required – just place it on the ground, plug in the device to be charged, and switch it on. Once posi-tioned, the convenient power box will autono-mously and automatically power the device without any user intervention or maintenance.

The unit’s ruggedized box allows it to be oper-ated in any terrain, weather, or season. Its integrated antifreeze and cooling features ensure that power generation will continue from –20°C to +50°C.

The new unit combines a 100 W direct meth-anol fuel cell, a 6.8 Ah lithium-ion battery, and a 10 liter methanol fuel cartridge. It will produce up to 2500 Wh per day. The 10 liter fuel car-tridge has a capacity of 11.1 kWh, which allows a 100 W device, for example, to be operated for up to four days on a single cartridge.

The EMILYCube 2500 was designed to sup-port military capabilities and silently power communication terminals, remote sensors, por-table radars, surveillance and safety equipment where a weather-independent, reliable, and continuous off-grid power supply is imperative. During power generation, it produces no emis-sions, no noise and no thermal signature, and can also be used in indoor or vehicle settings.

‘The EMILYCube 2500 is another example of our clear customer orientation’, says Dr Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy. ‘Our defense cus-tomers asked for a portable turnkey power solu-tion that increases operating time while reducing weight, logistics effort, and detectability.’

SFC Energy is a market leader in fuel cell technologies for mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial, and defense markets. The company is based in Munich, and has a US sales and technical service office in Maryland.

SFC Energy AG, Brunnthal-Nord, Germany. Tel: +49 89 673 5920, www.sfc.com

First hydrogen station network in UK fuels London taxis, scooters

A new project in London will see an additional hydrogen fueling sta-

tion to support 15 fuel cell powered black cabs (taxis) and five fuel cell Suzuki Bergmann scooters carrying passengers around the city, in time for the London 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics next summer.

The HyTEC (Hydrogen Transport for European Cities) project, which is part-funded

by the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), will see the installation of an extra Air Products hydrogen fueling station.

This new station will join with the two exist-ing hydrogen stations that support London’s fuel cell bus fleet. This creates an initial infra-structure network across the capital to power hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The addition of fuel cell taxis and scooters [FCB, April 2011] to the existing fuel cell bus fleet [FCB, June 2010] will allow Londoners to experience the benefits of hydrogen as a transport fuel. Fuel cell vehicles offer the same range, speed, and fueling time as conventional fuels, with the added benefit of zero emissions at the point-of-use.

‘Creating a network of hydrogen fueling sta-tions will make it possible for fleets of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the capital, cutting carbon emissions and air pollution,’ says Diana Raine, Air Products’ European Business Manager for Hydrogen Energy Systems, and HyTEC Project Coordinator.

The industry-led HyTEC project utilizes the hydrogen transport experience and knowledge of 16 companies from across Europe, who are leading the development of hydrogen technology and infrastructure. In an effort to understand the best methods for rolling out hydrogen trans-portation in European cities, this international initiative will also install a network of hydrogen fueling stations in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Korean automaker Hyundai is showing par-ticular interest in trialing its fuel cell vehicles in Denmark [FCB, March and May 2011].

The 16 members of the HyTEC consortium represent five European countries. Half of them are in the UK: Air Products, Element Energy, LTI Vehicles, the Centre of Excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies (CENEX), the Greater London Authority, Intelligent Energy, airports operator BAA, and London Bus Services.

Denmark is represented by Copenhagen Hydrogen Network, the City of Copenhagen, and Hydrogen Link Denmark, while the German partners are hySOLUTIONS GmbH, the consultancy LBST, and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Also involved are HyRaMP (the European Regions and Municipalities Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells) in Belgium, and MATGAS 2000 AIE in Spain, a center of excellence for research and develop-ment of materials and gases.

Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking:

www.fch-ju.eu

Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: http://ow.ly/7y1Gm

Element Energy: www.element-energy.co.uk

CENEX: www.cenex.co.uk

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