fuel cell bulletin_2015_issue 1

In the UK, a pioneering recycling process to recover high-value materials from waste fuel cells has been developed in a collaborative project between resource recovery specialist Axion Consulting, Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells, and Technical Fibre Products (TFP).

The Recover project, funded by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board), aims to establish the technical and economic feasibility of recovery and reuse of high-value materials from fuel cell membrane-electrode assemblies. The ultimate objective is to establish the potential for a new UK-based global recycling business.

After proving the initial process steps, further research is now under way to evaluate the viability for commercial operation, and develop a take-back system for end-of-life fuel cells. These might come from forklifts, cellphone base stations, fuel cell electric vehicles, or in small portable power packs for electronic devices.

The project involves Axion leading the development of the primary recycling routes, TFP leading the recovery and reuse of the carbon fibres, and JM Fuel Cells leading the reuse of materials in fuel cells, and the final recovery and recycling of the precious metals.

In 10 to 15 years time, significant quantities of fuel cells will reach the end of their lives, and having the technological capability to recover their valuable resources will be crucial, says Axion consulting director Roger Morton.

To make fuel cells more cost-effective, we need to reduce their whole-life cost and maximise the value of the resources they contain, such as platinum, high-value polymers, and carbon fibre, explains Morton. Recycling them would also improve resource efficiency and security of supply for these expensive and critical materials.

Key challenges involve the collection of widely distributed fuel cells, and the technical hurdles in materials recovery. For example, a high yield is essential for platinum, while carbon fibres need to be separated from other components.

Experimental trials are continuing at Axions labs in its Salford recycling facility, alongside ongoing market investigation. An innovative feature of the project involves design for recycling, so the products are easier to recycle in the first place.

Axion Consulting: www.axionconsulting.co.uk

Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells: www.jmfuelcells.com

Technical Fibre Products: www.tfpglobal.com

Innovate UK: www.innovateuk.org

fUelCELLS BULLETIN

ISSN 1464-2859/10 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reservedThis journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use:PhotocopyingSingle photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit edu-cational classroom use.

ISSN 1464-2859 October 2010

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fUelCELLS BULLETIN

ISSN 1464-2859/15 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reservedThis journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use:PhotocopyingSingle photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit edu-cational classroom use.

ISSN 1464-2859 January 2015

NEWSPioneering project recycles fuel cell materials 1Tokyo plans major Olympics hydrogen boost 1

ROAD VEHICLESBallard next-gen bus modules in Hamburg trial 2Taiwan fuel cell scooter, Malaysias first vehicle 2

MOBILE APPLICATIONSHyster-Yale Materials Handling acquires Nuvera 3Positive for Linde MH project at BMW in Leipzig 3SFC German order for DMFCs in military vehicles 4

SMALL STATIONARYPlug Power ReliOn deal with SouthernLINC 4PowerCell turns olive oil toxic waste into power 5

LARGE STATIONARYFuelCell Energy plant for gas pipeline application 5AFC Energy on Power-Up project, stack trial 6

FUELINGAir Products station for Hyundai Australia FCEV 6Hydrogenics stations for California, Scotland 7Swedish region Vstra Gtaland hydrogen station 7Linde, Sandia partner to expand hydrogen network 7Fujitsu hydrogen station data management service 8

ENERGY STORAGEITM P2G unit for German utility, UK gas deal 8DNV GL urges natural gas industry hydrogen ready 9

COMMERCIALISATIONToyota opens up patents for FCEV collaboration 9DOE funds supply chain, manufacturing studies 10German VariPrfBZ project on test variability 10

RESEARCHNorthwestern inks to make SOFCs by 3D printing 11Korean direct hydrocarbon SOFC for natural gas 11

NEWS FEATURESSandia: Underground hydrogen storage

can aid vehicle fueling 1213FuelCell Energy Solutions completes largest

fuel cell power plant so far in Germany 14

REGULARS

Editorial 3

News In Brief 5, 11

Research Trends 15

Patents 1619

Events Calendar 20

Contents

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Pioneering project recycles fuel cell materials

Tokyo plans major Olympics hydrogen boost

Tokyo plans to spend 45.2 billion (US$384 million) on fuel cell electric vehicle subsidies and hydrogen refueling stations for the 2020 Summer Olympics, according to a Bloomberg report. The initiative is part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abes plan to reduce Japanese reliance on nuclear power, following the catastrophic incident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011.

The city will build 35 hydrogen stations to serve the growing number of FCEVs on the road in Japan. Makoto Fujimoto, head of the planning team at the Tokyo Metropolitan Governments energy department, says that the city is in negotiations with Toyota [see also page 5] and Honda to put 6000 hydrogen cars on its roads by 2020.

The metropolitan government plans to have 100 000 FCEVs, 100 hydrogen buses, and 80 refueling stations by 2025 [FCB, December 2014, p5]. FCEV buyers in Tokyo will be offered 1 million ($8500) in subsidies, on top of the 2 million provided by the national government [FCB, August 2014, p11].

More than 80% of the costs of building hydrogen stations will be subsidised by the Tokyo government, capping the costs for operators at 100 million ($850 000), about the same as building a gasoline station. The government may cover the costs entirely for small-business owners, according to Fujimoto.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government: www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH

NEWS

2

Ballard prototype next-gen bus modules to begin Hamburg trial

The first two buses powered by the prototype FCvelocity-HD7 fuel cell power module from Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems, have been presented to Hamburger Hochbahn, the transit operator for the German city of Hamburg, as part of an operational trial.

The buses are based on a new articulated electric bus platform designed by Polish bus-builder Solaris Bus & Coach, incorporating Ballard hydrogen PEM fuel cell modules as range-extenders in combination with batteries. Ballard announced the deal to provide these next-generation modules to Solaris a year ago [FCB, February 2014, p2].

The two Solaris buses are part of a trial and evaluation of alternative drive technologies being undertaken by the City of Hamburg. Hamburger Hochbahn will deploy buses utilising alternative drive technologies along a single route, to compare the performance of each technology under the same operating conditions. Two different fuel cell hybrid bus designs including the Solaris bus as well as a Volvo plug-in hybrid bus platform, will be trialed beginning this month.

The buses participating in the trial were unveiled in mid-December at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg. The City of Hamburg has set a goal of eliminating the purchase of diesel buses by 2020; this trial is fully funded by the federal government, confirming the commitment to invest in clean transportation alternatives.

Ballards current-generation FCvelocity-HD6 fuel cell power module is delivering a high level of performance in European buses. Adding these two new articulated buses in Hamburg means that a total of 42 buses operating in Europe will be powered by Ballard fuel cell modules, representing about 80% of all European fuel cell buses.

The next-generation FCvelocity-HD7 module features a reduced parts count (including fewer moving parts), an integrated air compressor and coolant pump, along with reduced parasitic load. This product will be commercially available in Q1 of 2015. Last summer Ballard received a purchase order from New Flyer Industries in Canada for the first FCvelocity-HD7 module for a North American bus manufacturer, scheduled for delivery by year-end [FCB, August 2014, p2].

Solaris was one of five major European bus manufacturers that recently signed a joint Letter of Understanding committing to the commercialisation and market introduction of fuel cell electric buses in urban public transport [FCB, December 2014, p3].

Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com

Solaris Bus & Coach: www.solarisbus.com

Taiwan shows fuel cell scooter, Malaysia builds its first vehicle

The National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Taiwan recently unveiled its first hydrogen fuel cell/hybrid electric scooter, called Pegasus One, which completed an initial 80 km (50 mile) journey. And Malaysia has launched its first indigenous hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, a golf buggy designed and produced by the Fuel Cell Institute at the National University of Malaysia (UKM).

The Pegasus One scooter, developed by a research team led by Dr Wei-Hsiang Lai, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at NCKU in collaboration with local enterprises, completed a maiden round-trip drive of more than 80 km between the Alian District of Kaohsiung and the Hsinhua District of Tainan.

The Pegasus One has been upgraded from the original electric scooter to the current hybrid powertrain, which combines a fuel cell with a lithium battery. Lai says that the overall vehicle structure has been revised, especially its power and monitoring system. Its 3 kW Ballard PEM fuel cell enhances its range by charging the battery.

The scooters range is more than 160 km (100 miles), using hydrogen from two 6.8 litre high-pressure cylinders (up to 300 bar, 4350 psi) fabricated in carbon fibre reinforced plastic, which have received safety approval. Lai says that if the storage pressure can be raised to 700 bar, the scooters range could be extended to 300 km (185 miles).

Meanwhile, the first hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle built in Malaysia has been launched at the National University of Malaysia (UKM). The golf buggy is powered by a hybrid PEM fuel cellsupercapacitor powertrain designed and produced by a team in the Fuel Cell Process System Engineering Group, led by Professor Wan Ramli Wan Daud, founding director and principal research fellow in the Fuel Cell Institute.

Fuel Cells Bulletin January 2015

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ROAD VEHICLES

NEWS / EDITORIAL

January 2015 Fuel Cells Bulletin3

E D I T O R I A L

Olympic Games have been a mixed blessing for the hydrogen and fuel cell sector, so we hope that Tokyo benefits in the long term from its plans to significantly boost the rollout of fuel cell electric vehicles and hydrogen refueling for its hosting of the 2020 Summer Olympics [see page 1].

Tokyo plans to spend US$384 million on FCEV subsidies and hydrogen refueling stations in preparation for the 2020 Olympics. The city will build 35 hydrogen stations, with more than 80% of the construction costs subsidised by the Tokyo metropolitan government. It is also talking to Toyota and Honda about putting 6000 hydrogen cars on its roads by 2020. And looking even further ahead, Tokyo plans to have 100 000 FCEVs, 100 hydrogen buses, and 80 hydrogen stations by 2025.

During the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, London used five fuel cell hybrid London taxis to transport visiting dignitaries and VIP guests. Hydrogen fueling was a problem, as the taxis initially had to be transported to Swindon for refueling, before a more convenient hydrogen station was opened at Heathrow Airport [FCB, August 2012, p7]. Unfortunately, prior planning restrictions meant that Londons fleet of five fuel cell hybrid buses had to be taken out of service for the duration of the Games, and security restrictions closed the existing hydrogen station close to the Olympic Park.

The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada also provided an excellent opportunity to showcase its local fuel cell credentials. BC Transit operated 20 fuel cell buses, powered by modules supplied by Ballard Power Systems, along with a network of hydrogen stations [FCB, February 2010, p7]. However, four years later the bus demonstration project came to the end of its funding, and now the buses are parked at the Whistler Transit facility, awaiting their fate [FCB, June 2014, p2].

The 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China saw 20 fuel cell cars providing transportation services for VIPs, officials, and media staff. The cars were manufactured by the Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Company joint venture, and powered by fuel cell engines designed and developed in China.

We havent heard much yet about the fuel cell aspirations of Rio de Janeiro, ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics, but Brazil has an established fuel cell bus programme [FCB, February 2012, p3], so hopefully this will make more headlines nearer the time.

But not all hosts have used the opportunity to highlight their indigenous fuel cell or hydrogen energy activities there was no mention of these technologies at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, for example.

Steve Barrett

Professor Wan Ramli says that the buggys motor has a higher energy efficiency than conventional car engines, at 50% compared to 30%. It is small, easy to manufacture, and weighs only 25% of the weight of the replaced battery while using just 75% of the space.

UKM was mandated by the Malaysian Education Ministry to lead the project to develop a zero-emission vehicle using indigenous fuel cells, with an RM7 million (US$2 million) grant over three years. Wan Ramli expects that a fuel cell car prototype will be built by 2016, with the cooperation of other Malaysian universities and automotive companies.

Contact: Professor Wei-Hsiang Lai, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Tel: +886 6 275 7575 ext. 63694, Email: [email protected], Web: www.iaa.ncku.edu.tw/default.aspx?&culture=en-us

Or contact: Professor Dr Abu Bakar Muhamad, Director Fuel Cell Institute, National University of Malaysia UKM, Bangi Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: +60 3 8911 8030, Email: [email protected], Web: www.ukm.my/selfuel/en

Hyster-Yale Materials Handling acquires Nuvera Fuel Cells

In the US, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling through its operating subsidiary NACCO Materials Handling Group (NMHG) has acquired Nuvera Fuel Cells. Massachusetts-based Nuvera is a technology and product development company focused on PEM fuel cell stacks and related systems, and onsite hydrogen production and dispensing systems for clean energy solutions.

Nuvera offers unique capabilities to integrate fuel cells with lift trucks based on its PowerEdge hybrid fuel cell power packs [FCB, March 2011, p3], and its PowerTap equipment provides small- and large-scale hydrogen fuel supply for fuel cell-powered industrial vehicles [FCB, October 2014, p8].

For several years Hyster-Yale has been evaluating and investing in a broad range of alternative power sources for its lift trucks. Following this acquisition, the company intends to commercialise Nuveras research and technology through the rapid integration of this fuel cell technology across large parts of its lift truck product range. The company expects to be able to offer its Hyster and Yale customers an integrated, factory-fitted fuel cell solution as well as associated hydrogen generation and delivery

capability. It will also offer aftermarket solutions designed to fit almost any electric powered lift truck brand in the market today.

While Nuvera technologies have proven capabilities, the commercialisation of products that utilise these technologies remains in the development stage, and the business is expected to generate significant operating losses over the next two to three years. The acquisition was completed for a modest purchase price, with certain contingency payments to be paid to the selling shareholders based on future deployment of certain elements of the acquired technology. Hyster-Yale expects to expense up to $4050 million over the next two to three years for additional R&D to commercialise the technology and reach breakeven.

Hyster-Yale believes it is the first major lift truck company to commit to full deployment of fuel cell motive power and onsite hydrogen generation and supply solutions for the materials handling market. The Nuvera acquisition creates a unique capability to integrate fuel cells with lift trucks in a way which optimises the performance and energy efficiency of the combined system, in conjunction with the ability to provide full life-cycle maintenance, service and fueling requirements, to meet customers needs and offer a low overall cost of ownership.

Nuvera Fuel Cells, Billerica, Massachusetts, USA. Tel: +1 617 245 7500, www.nuvera.com

Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe, San Donato Milanese, Italy. Tel: +39 02 5161 6701.

Hyster-Yale Materials Handling: www.hyster-yale.com

Positive results so far for Linde MH project at BMW in Leipzig

In Germany, Linde Material Handling (Linde MH) has reported positive interim conclusions regarding its H2IntraDrive intralogistics project for the BMW manufacturing plant in Leipzig, which a year ago took delivery of four tugger trains and five forklift trucks powered by fuel cell hybrid drivetrains [FCB, January 2014, p3].

Based on experience gained in the last few months, effective technical adaptations have already been made which improved truck reliability. This trend is confirmed by ongoing evaluations by the Institute for Materials Handling, Material Flow, Logistics (FML) at the Technical University of Munich, which is providing scientific support. The project participants were awarded a E2.9 million

MOBILE APPLICATIONS

NEWS

4Fuel Cells Bulletin January 2015

(US$3.4 million) grant in 2013 under the German National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) [FCB, November 2013, p3].

The industrial trucks with fuel-cell hybrid drives used for parts supply in the body shop of the BMW plant in Leipzig assume the same transport tasks as their lead-acid battery counterparts in other parts of the plant, explains Hannes Schbel, product manager for innovative drives at Linde MH.

The Linde E25 HL and Linde E35 HL trucks used in Leipzig with load capacities of 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes, respectively feature a newly developed 80 V fuel cell system, says Mark Hanke, head of the companys industrial truck design department. Since the beginning of the project, we have made gradual truck optimisations with regard to the forklift trucks. This has included, for example, updates to the internal software of the fuel cell systems.

We continually analysed a variety of aspects, including individual event messages and service reports. In doing so and in conjunction with maintenance costs we were able to determine the technical availability of the truck, explains Robert Micheli at Institute FML. Together with the evaluation of the handling steps over time during hydrogen refueling, the operational availability of the industrial truck emerged.

Micheli continues: With the experience gained from the project, we at the Institute for Materials Handling, Material Flow, Logistics together with our project partners have also developed guidelines for use of the hydrogen-powered industrial trucks, to help future users when it comes to acquisition and operation, including the required infrastructure and licences.

The project which runs to April 2016 has also resonated well with other interested parties in Leipzig. Lots of customers have been asking us about these trucks, and many would like to see them in action at the BMW plant in Leipzig, says Hannes Schbel. We will soon be delivering three more fuel cell powered industrial trucks to customers in the automotive and logistics industries [see the feature on fuel cell powered forklifts in FCB, September 2010].

Linde MH also participated in the E-LOG-Biofleet project in Austria, in which 10 fuel cell hybrid pallet trucks operated with logistics company DB Schenker until May 2014, along with an indoor refueling facility using hydrogen reformed onsite from biogas [FCB, August 2013, p2].

Linde Material Handling: www.linde-mh.com

BMW Werk Leipzig: http://tinyurl.com/bmw-leipzig

TU Mnchen, Institute for Materials Handling, Material Flow, Logistics: www.fml.mw.tum.de/fml/index.php?Set_ID=323

Linde Industrial Gases, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/linde-h2-energy

SFC German order to investigate DMFC use in military vehicles

Munich-based SFC Energy has received a study order from the German Bundeswehr armed forces, to investigate the application of a 500 W direct methanol fuel cell for powering electrical and electronic devices onboard military vehicles. Under the order, worth E0.5 million (US$590 000), SFC will look to adapt its commercial 500 W unit.

High-performance modern defence systems have significantly increased power needs. Conventional energy solutions are limited: batteries onboard vehicles provide power for only a few hours, are heavy and take up valuable space, while diesel generators require maintenance and produce detectable signatures.

The German Bundeswehr has mandated SFC Energy to analyse the applications of a 0.5 kW fuel cell as a power source onboard armoured vehicles, building on the success of the Emily fuel cell. Emily which has a NATO supply number was approved by the Bundeswehr in 2012 [FCB, April 2012, p6]. The following year SFC launched the replacement Emily 3000 generator for vehicle-based military applications [FCB, June 2013, p4]. The new 0.5 kW fuel cell will offer more power than Emily, opening up new capacities and applications, e.g. in mobile command posts or as a stationary field charger.

The use of fuel cells onboard military vehicles offers decisive advantages. They are directly connected to the battery, eliminating the need for mounting and dismantling noisy, heavy diesel generators. In operation they produce no easily detected emissions and have a very low acoustic signature, and enable significant weight and fuel savings. The methanol fuel for a DMFC also carries a NATO supply number, and is approved by the German Bundeswehr and available at its depots.

SFC Energy has been a reliable German Bundeswehr supplier of portable and mobile power supplies for many years, says CEO Dr Peter Podesser. The study enables us to serve additional applications with our proven technology, and to further increase power performance.

SFC Energy is a leading provider of hybrid solutions to the stationary and portable power markets [see the SFC feature in FCB, January 2013]. Its products serve a range of applications

in the oil & gas [FCB, July 2014, p4], security and industry [FCB, May 2014, p3], military [FCB, April 2014, p7], and consumer markets such as motorhomes and sailboats [FCB, May 2013, p3].

SFC Energy Group, Brunnthal/Munich, Germany. Tel: +49 89 673 5920, www.sfc.com or www.sfc-defense.com

Plug Power multi-year ReliOn fuel cell deal with SouthernLINC

In the US, Plug Power has executed a multi-year contract with SouthernLINC Wireless, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company, for its ReliOn integrated fuel cell telecom backup power solution and GenFuel hydrogen services. The ReliOn product was successfully demonstrated with Southern Company prior to the contract award.

Under the $20 million programme, Plug Power will provide ReliOn integrated backup power fuel cell solutions to SouthernLINC Wireless for use in its network, which supports Southern Companys communication needs and provides a wireless communications network for 4.4 million customers in the southeastern US.

SouthernLINC Wireless anticipates deploying up to 500 new LTE (4G) sites utilising the Plug Power ReliOn integrated solution, comprising PEM fuel cell systems and bulk refillable hydrogen storage, DC plant rectifiers and distribution, battery technology and space for radio equipment, in an environmentally hardened outdoor cabinet.

Plug Powers hydrogen fuel cell-based backup power system, branded as ReliOn [FCB, December 2014, p6], supplements batteries and replaces generators used for backup power applications. The integrated system functions as a communications equipment shelter and a highly reliable, clean, cost-effective grid and backup power system for 24/7 operations. The system enables rapid deployment in a fraction of the footprint required by previous solutions, and at a lower total cost of ownership.

Plug Powers GenKey solution provides an all-inclusive package for customers [FCB, January 2014, p1], incorporating GenFuel hydrogen and fueling infrastructure, GenCare aftermarket service, and either GenDrive or ReliOn fuel cell systems. GenDrive replaces lead-acid batteries in electric lift trucks in high-throughput materials

SMALL STATIONARY

NEWS / IN BRIEF


I N B R I E F

Toyota to triple Mirai production capacity as orders reach 1500 in JapanToyota will invest about 20 billion (US$170 million) to triple domestic production capacity for its new Mirai fuel cell car [http://tinyurl.com/toyota-fcevs], which is attracting strong demand in both the corporate and public sectors.

Ahead of the cars launch in Japan on 15 December, Toyota announced plans to sell approximately 400 units in Japan by the end of 2015 [FCB, November 2014, p1]. But in the first month since the launch, approximately 1500 orders have been received for the fuel cell saloon. About 60% of the orders are from government offices and corporate fleets, and 40% from individual consumers. The orders are mostly from Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, and Fukuoka Prefecture, where there is a nascent hydrogen refueling infrastructure.

The large volume of orders received mean that Toyota is forecasting significantly longer delivery times than originally expected. The automaker will ramp up output of PEM fuel cell stacks and hydrogen storage tanks at its main factory in Aichi Prefecture, adding two lines by the end of 2015. Equipment will also be upgraded at another Aichi site that handles vehicle assembly.

Exports to Europe and the US are also expected to begin this summer. In Europe the plan is to be selling 50100 cars per annum by 2016, while it aims to sell a total of 3000 cars in the US by the end of 2017.

Fuel cell inventor Grove in plaque honourSir William Grove, who invented the fuel cell more than 170 years ago, has been honoured in his home city of Swansea in south Wales, with the unveiling of a blue plaque. William Robert Grove was born in Swansea in 1811. He demonstrated the first fuel cell in 1842, which produced electrical energy by combining hydrogen and oxygen. He died in 1896.

Professors John Tucker and David Lovering of Swansea University, and Professor David Hart of Imperial College London, gave speeches at the unveiling. The plaque is outside the divisional police headquarters on Grove Place, marking the spot where Grove lived in a house called The Laurels during his time in Swansea. A blue plaque commemorates a link between a location and a famous person or event.

Grove is also honoured through the Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, first held in 1989 in London to mark the 150th anniversary of his description of the gas voltaic battery.

handling applications, with more than 6000 units deployed [see the Plug Power feature in FCB, December 2011]. ReliOn is Plug Powers modular, scalable fuel cell for critical stationary power applications, with installations at more than 2000 customer locations [see the ReliOn feature in FCB, March 2014].

Plug Power, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com

ReliOn a Plug Power company, Spokane, Washington, USA. Tel: 1 877 474 1993 (tollfree in US) or +1 509 228 6500, Email: [email protected], Web: www.relion-inc.com

PowerCell turns toxic waste from olive oil production into power

Nordic fuel cell developer PowerCell Sweden is coordinating the EU-funded Biogas2PEMFC project, to develop technology to convert toxic waste from olive oil production into electricity. Working with partners from Spain, Greece, Sweden and the UK, a complete pilot plant has been built in Andalusia, Spain.

The waste from olive oil production is environmentally harmful and costly to dispose of. It contains pesticides and toxic organic compounds, and is acidic and has high salinity. Currently the waste is turned to landfill, but this is very costly, and is becoming a major environmental problem.

The two-year Biogas2PEMFC project, which concluded at the end of October, has developed a technology to convert waste from olive oil production into electricity. A three-part subsystem was developed: the primary step is an anaerobic digestion reaction to produce biogas from the waste, in the second step a steam reformer converts the biogas to a hydrogen-rich gas (reformate), and finally a PEM fuel cell system generates electric power from the reformate gas.

The complete final-stage plant has been built, and is being tested by the Cooperativa San Isidro de Loja. The solution converts the toxic waste into electricity and heat that can be used by the olive mill. The plant includes the reprocessing of waste from olive oil production, biogas production from waste, reforming of biogas, as well as a fuel cell power generation system from reformate gas.

This solution has a very high potential. It is estimated that up to 30 million cubic metres of wastewater is produced annually, during a three- to four-month period, on an olive oil plant, water that can be used in biogas production, says project coordinator Per

Ekdunge, VP and CTO of PowerCell Sweden. The technology developed in this project can also be used with other agricultural waste.

The Biogas2PEMFC project partners are PowerCell and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden; modeling and design specialist IDENER, LEITAT Technological Center, renewable energy company Ingenostrum, and the Andalusian Federation of Agrarian Cooperatives (FAECA) in Spain; fuel processor developer Helbio in Greece; and anaerobic digestion specialist Marches Biogas in the UK. The project has been supported within the European Unions SP4 Capacities programme.

In other news, PowerCell Sweden has raised SEK108 million (US$13.4 million) in new capital, from more than 2300 new shareholders, in a new share issue for the companys planned listing on First North at NASDAQ Stockholm.

PowerCell a spinout from the Volvo Group has designed a PEM fuel cell for automotive, transportation [see page 7] and stationary applications, initially adapted for telecom power. The company recently won funding to develop a PEM fuel cell range-extender for electric vehicles, and to develop its next-generation PowerPac auxiliary power unit [FCB, November 2014, p4]. It is also expanding its business operations and presence into Asia, setting up PowerCell Korea in Seoul [FCB, December 2014, p10].

PowerCell Sweden AB, Gothenburg, Sweden. Tel: +46 31 720 3620, www.powercell.se

Biogas2PEMFC project: www.idener.es/?portfolio=biogas2pem-fc

IDENER: www.idener.es

Helbio: www.helbio.com

Marches Biogas: www.marchesbiogas.com

FuelCell Energy sells power plant for gas pipeline application

US-based energy utility UIL Holdings Corporation and FuelCell Energy will install a power generation facility that takes advantage of unspent energy at a natural gas pressure-reduction facility in Glastonbury, Connecticut.

The new 3.4 MW Direct FuelCell-Energy Recovery Generator (DFC-ERG) plant will be manufactured and installed by FuelCell Energy at a gate station owned by UIL subsidiary Connecticut Natural Gas, where natural gas is converted from high to low pressure.

LARGE STATIONARY

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The facility will include a 2.8 MW DFC3000 molten carbonate fuel cell power plant, accompanied by a turbo expander that produces an additional 600 kW of clean, renewable power by harnessing energy that is otherwise unused during the stations natural gas pressure-reduction (letdown) process. The turbo expander uses this energy to spin a turbine and generate electricity. Heat from the fuel cell will support this process, improving the stations carbon footprint and enhancing the project economics. [See also the News Feature on page 14.]

UIL purchased the power plant through subsidiary UIL Distributed Resources. FCE will manufacture and install the plant and then remotely operate it, providing maintenance under a long-term service agreement. It expects to begin producing power by the end of 2015, with the electricity sold to Connecticut Light & Power under a 20-year contract.

This DFC-ERG configuration achieves its high electrical efficiencies by combining highly efficient fuel cells with the turbo expander that uses energy that would otherwise have been wasted and has no associated fuel cost, explains Tony Leo, VP of applications and advanced technology development at FuelCell Energy. Depending on the specific gas flows and application, the DFC-ERG configuration is capable of achieving electrical efficiencies up to 70%, which is almost double the fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of the US electric grid.

Natural gas is transmitted under high pressure, and the pressure must be reduced prior to distribution to homes and businesses. The DFC-ERG solution uses the energy released by the letdown stations pressure-reduction process to turn a turbine and generate electricity. Letdown stations are located near the points-of-use for natural gas, and a city will typically have several stations within the urban area and suburbs.

Canadian utility Enbridge inaugurated the first 2.2 MW Direct FuelCell-Energy Recovery Generation power plant back in 2008, developed in partnership with FuelCell Energy [FCB, December 2008, p5].

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

UIL Holdings Corporation: www.uil.com

Connecticut Light and Power: www.cl-p.com

AFC Energy updates on Power-Up project, 25-cell stack trial

UK-based AFC Energy has provided a status update on the Power-Up project, which will demonstrate the

worlds largest alkaline fuel cell system at the Air Products industrial gas plant in Stade, Germany. AFC has also reported on the latest trial of its 25-cell cartridge at its Dunsfold facility.

Power-Up, supported by the European Commissions Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), provides an opportunity for AFC to demonstrate the ability of its KORE system to achieve technical performance parameters reflective of an operational commercial facility. The project will be the worlds first large-scale demonstration of an alkaline system [FCB, November 2013, p6 and September 2014, p6].

Phase 1 anticipates first power generation from the KORE system at Stade in July, and commercial demonstration of the KORE at its full design specification (expected to be 240 kW) is being brought forward by 18 months, to the end of 2015. This will be achieved by concentrating on achieving maximum fuel cell output. In parallel, AFC will further refine its fuel cell technology such that once KORE design validation is achieved, the KORE will be operated with fuel cells designed to achieve high power and increased longevity [FCB, January 2014, p6]. Rapid deployment of the companys in-line volume fuel cell fabrication processes will enable it to produce more fuel cells in 2015 than originally anticipated.

AFC has also executed a contract with Artelia, a leading European engineering, consulting and project management firm, and their subcontractor PlantIng, a German process engineering consultancy, to undertake all onsite engineering and design works in Stade. This is under way, and due to conclude with a facility capable of accepting the KORE in May (subject to permitting).

Meanwhile, AFCs latest in-house 25-cell stack trial outperformed both of the earlier trials, with a total performance improvement of 10.8% in electrical output relative to the first trial. AFC has accelerated the initial warm-up process by applying external heat sources to establish and maintain optimum fuel cell operating temperature. The ability to quickly achieve the necessary heat solely through fuel cell reactions, as envisaged in the KORE system, will reduce system capital cost and improve overall system efficiency. For the first time, the latest trial was started with a self-heating strategy. The positive results will allow AFC to fix the electrode design and chemistry ahead of the KORE system commissioning planned for mid-2015.

In other news, Ian Williamson has resigned as CEO, and has been replaced by Adam Bond, a non-executive director since May 2012 [FCB, October 2011, p9]. Bond joins from Linc

Energy, where he led the commercialisation of its underground coal gasification technology [FCB, January 2010, p5]. In addition, Gene Lewis is leaving the AFC main board, although he remains as technical director and continues to lead the companys R&D work [see the AFC Energy feature in FCB, November 2011].

AFC Energy, Cranleigh, Surrey, UK. Tel: +44 1483 276726, www.afcenergy.com

Power-Up project: www.project-power-up.eu

Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking: www.fch-ju.eu

Air Products hydrogen station for Hyundai, to fuel first Australia FCEV

US-based Air Products has sold a hydrogen fueling station to Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA), initially to refuel a Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell car the first hydrogen-powered vehicle to be imported into Australia. The station, at HMCAs offices near Sydney, was commissioned in early December, just as the ix35 arrived to demonstrate the benefits of zero-emission hydrogen FCEV technology in Australia.

Hyundai has installed Australias first hydrogen refueling station at its Macquarie Park headquarters, using hydrogen provided by gas partner Coregas. The Air Products station has passed all planning permissions from Ryde Council, and is expected to be fully operational early in 2015 after testing was completed during December.

Air Products SmartFuel hydrogen fueling stations are proven, stand-alone compression, storage, and dispensing units that have been placed into operation in more than 21 countries as a standard product offering [see the feature on Air Products in Europe in FCB, February 2013]. The station will use compressed hydrogen supplied in bottled form by Coregas, with the hydrogen produced by natural gas reformation at Port Kembla.

The refueler for HMCA is a small 350 bar (5000 psi) compressor, offering a refill time of 37 min. Refueling at 350 bar rather than the de facto standard of 700 bar means the vehicle will have a reduced range of approximately 300 km (190 miles), still ample to demonstrate its capabilities.

HMCA plans to build an electrolyser in partnership with Australian company Sefca at its Macquarie Park site in 2015, and install a solar photovoltaic array to power both it and

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January 2015 Fuel Cells Bulletin

the refueler. This will make its station fully self-sustainable, with hydrogen made onsite. (Sefca is the Australian distributor for Actas telecom backup power systems [FCB, August 2014, p3], although that might be affected by the latters ongoing problems [FCB, December 2014, p5].)

The Hyundai ix35 FCEV is already available to industry and private customers in a number of countries, including Canada [FCB, December 2014, p2], the UK [FCB, November 2014, p2], France [FCB, January 2014, p2], the US [FCB, December 2013, p2], and Denmark [FCB, June 2013, p2]. The Australian delivery is the first element in Hyundais plan to operate a test fleet of ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles there, and marks a significant step in developing a national hydrogen fueling infrastructure.

We have seen in other countries that governments play a crucial role in developing hydrogen refueling infrastructure, says Charlie Kim, CEO of HMCA. One of our proposals was the Hume by Hydrogen, which could link Australias two largest cities via the nations capital. It would require refueling stations in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and in between, and could see hydrogen vehicles, including buses, running on the hydrogen highway.

HMCA has begun discussions with a number of interested local partners to advance its thinking and seek support for its proposals.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia: www.hyundai.com.au

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell: http://tinyurl.com/hyundai-ix35FC

Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.com/h2energy

Coregas: www.coregas.com.au

Sefca: www.sefca.com.au

Hydrogenics hydrogen fueling stations for California, Scotland

Canadian-based Hydrogenics has won contracts to supply two 700 bar (10 000 psi) hydrogen fueling stations one for Ontario in California, and another for Aberdeen in Scotland. These awards make a total of nine hydrogen station contracts secured by Hydrogenics during 2014, most of which will be shipped during 2015.

In California, Hydrogenics is partnering with station owner Ontario CNG, which has been awarded a contract by the California Energy Commission to supply hydrogen fueling capability at an existing 76 fuel and electric charging location [FCB, May 2014,

p7]. The station will produce hydrogen without any carbon footprint by using a Hydrogenics electrolyser and certified renewable electricity.

In the UK, Hydrogenics will supply a turnkey 350/700 bar hydrogen station for Aberdeen City Council in Scotland. The new station is part of the Aberdeen City Hydrogen Energy Storage (ACHES) project, and also includes a HyPM 10 kW PEM fuel cell. Up to 130 kg/day of hydrogen will be produced onsite using a Hydrogenics HySTAT electrolyser; the company will also maintain the equipment for the first four years of operation.

The ACHES project is partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the INTERREG North Sea Region Programme, with matched funding provided by Aberdeen City Council. The citys H2 Aberdeen initiative aims to encourage a hydrogen economy and stimulate innovative projects to position the region as a centre of excellence for hydrogen technology.

Aberdeen will soon be operating 10 fuel cell buses the largest such fleet in Europe that will use the new hydrogen station, as well as an existing hydrogen station at the Kittybrewster bus depot [FCB, April 2014, p2]. The bus project is part of the HyTrEc (Hydrogen Transport Economy) project, working with EU partners in the North Sea region. The city council is also considering the purchase of additional hydrogen vehicles, in the form of Renault vans with fuel cell range-extenders as well as Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell cars [FCB, September 2014, p8].

Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com

H2 Aberdeen: http://tinyurl.com/h2-aberdeen

HyTrEc project: www.hytrec.eu

Swedish region Vstra Gtaland gets its first hydrogen fuel station

A refueling station for hydrogen vehicles will be built this year in the Vstra Gtaland region of southern Sweden. Hydrogen Sweden is working with leading Nordic cleantech companies including fuel cell developer PowerCell Sweden and the Finnish gas company Oy Woikoski in a project co-funded by Region Vstra Gtaland and the European Union. The hydrogen station will be open to the public, and located next to PowerCells premises in Gothenburg.

The aim of the project is to invest in a basic infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles, that makes it possible to create development in hydrogen

vehicles and fuel cell technology in the Vstra Gtaland region, says regional development chair Birgitta Losman.

The filling station in Gothenburg makes it possible to link the route between Oslo, Norway and Malm, southern Sweden, where stations already exist, adds Bjrn Aronsson, executive director of Hydrogen Sweden.

The HIT-2-Corridors project was initiated and is being coordinated by engineering and environmental technology consultancy Sweco, with partners in Finland, Latvia, Poland, the Netherlands, and Belgium [see page 11]. Hydrogen Sweden manages the project in western Sweden, and is responsible for coordinating station construction. Oy Woikoski built and co-financed the station, supported by PowerCells operational expertise with fuel cells [see also page 5]. The station is financed by Region Vstra Gtaland, the Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) programme to create alternative fuel transportation corridors, and Oy Woikoski for fueling station equipment [FCB, January 2012, p6].

A central resource in the project will be PowerCells laboratory for fuel cells, which we use for demonstration of hydrogen cars and for testing of fuel cell technology in vehicles, says CEO Magnus Henell.

The station will support fuel cell electric vehicle testing in the Vstra Gtaland region, and motivate companies and public organisations near the station to start using such vehicles. The station can be used to evaluate the efficiency and development of vehicles as they now start to reach the market, and will also act as a hub for new hydrogen-based collaborations. The station is expected to be used for development and testing by Chalmers University of Technology, the SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, PowerCell Sweden, and vehicle manufacturers. Possible future local users of hydrogen vehicles are Gatubolaget, SDN Vstra Hisingen, as well as taxi companies and logistics companies.

HIT-2-Corridors project: www.hit-2-corridors.eu

Hydrogen Sweden: www.vatgas.se/in-english

PowerCell Sweden AB: www.powercell.se

Sweco: www.swecogroup.com

Region Vstra Gtaland: www.vgregion.se/en

Linde, Sandia partner to expand hydrogen fueling network

In the US, a new agreement between Sandia National Laboratories and 7

NEWS


industrial gases giant Linde LLC will focus on performance-based design approaches to commercial hydrogen fueling stations. Linde has also recently opened its first fully certified US hydrogen station in West Sacramento, California.

The Cooperative Research & Development Agreement (CRADA) between Sandia and Linde should boost the development of low-carbon energy and industrial technologies, beginning with hydrogen and fuel cells. It kicks off with two new projects to accelerate the expansion of hydrogen stations supporting the market growth of fuel cell electric vehicles.

A recent Sandia study determined that 18% of fueling station sites in high-priority areas of California can readily accept hydrogen fueling systems using existing building codes [FCB, August 2014, p7]. Focusing on scientific, risk-informed approaches to fire codes can reduce uncertainty and help avoid overly conservative restrictions to commercial hydrogen fueling installations. [See also the News Feature on pages 1213.]

To this end, the first SandiaLinde project will demonstrate a hydrogen station using a performance-based design approach allowable under the National Fire Protection Association hydrogen technologies code (NFPA 2). NFPA 2 provides fundamental safeguards for the generation, installation, storage, piping, use, and handling of hydrogen in compressed gas or cryogenic liquid form, and is referenced by many fire officials in the permitting process for hydrogen fueling stations.

The second project focuses on safety aspects of the NFPA code, and involves modeling of a liquid hydrogen release. Sandias Combustion Research Facility is a key element of the research team. Previous work only examined separation distances for gaseous hydrogen, so validation experiments will now be done on the liquid model. This focus on improving the understanding of liquid hydrogen storage systems will result in more meaningful, science-based codes that ensure the continued expansion of safe and available hydrogen fueling to meet FCEV demands.

Meanwhile, Linde has inaugurated its first US retail hydrogen fueling station, within the Ramos Oil multi-fuel station in West Sacramento, California [FCB, November 2014, p9]. The station features the first hydrogen dispensing system that measures hydrogen mass with connectivity to the retail interface and user-friendly payment features, developed by Quantum Technologies in partnership with Linde. The system has received conditional approval for commercial service in California by the states Division of Measurement Standards. At the heart of the hydrogen fueling system is the Linde IC 90 ionic compressor,

which enables higher throughput and enhanced back-to-back fueling [see the Linde feature in FCB, September 2014].

The California Energy Commission is providing funding for a significant number of additional retail stations throughout the state [FCB, May 2014, p7], with Linde receiving funding for six stations in addition to the one in West Sacramento. In the summer the company inaugurated the worlds first small-series production facility for hydrogen fueling stations in Vienna, Austria [FCB, July 2014, p1].

Sandia: Hydrogen Safety, Codes and Standards: http://energy.sandia.gov/?page_id=3725

Sandia, Combustion Research Facility: http://crf.sandia.gov

Linde US Industrial Gases, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/linde-us-h2energy

Linde, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/linde-hydrogen-energy

NFPA 2, Hydrogen Technologies Code: http://tinyurl.com/nfpa-2

Quantum Technologies: www.qtww.com

Fujitsu hydrogen station data management service to boost FCEVs

Tokyo-based IT giant Fujitsu has launched a hydrogen station data management service, the first in Japan, providing access to real-time information on the locations and opening hours of hydrogen stations for refueling fuel cell electric vehicles. The service kicked off with the newly launched Toyota Mirai fuel cell car, and is now available to other FCEV manufacturers.

This new service provides a system for the integrated management of hydrogen station information based on the platform of Fujitsus SPATIOWL cloud service, which employs location data gathered from vehicles and a variety of sensors. With the cooperation of registered hydrogen suppliers, FCEV users can be provided with useful information about the locations and hours of operation of both fixed and mobile hydrogen stations via their car navigation systems, smartphones, or other devices. This service will give FCEV drivers greater peace of mind and contribute to a greater level of convenience with these vehicles.

Fujitsu is initially offering this service in tandem with the launch of the Toyota Mirai fuel cell car [FCB, November 2014, p1]. Toyota is providing a special application, called

Hydrogen Station List, for the Mirai navigation system included in its T-Connect Data Communication Module package, as well as a Pocket Mirai smartphone application.

The new service uses the SPATIOWL platform to integrate information on the location of hydrogen stations and operating hours provided by registered hydrogen suppliers. Information on the hydrogen stations is then transmitted in real time by car companies, through their data centres, to the car navigation systems and smartphones of FCEV users. Fujitsu plans to continue developing the service in line with the plans of car makers and hydrogen suppliers, to make driving FCEVs and using hydrogen stations more convenient and widespread.

Fujitsu Ltd: www.fujitsu.com

Toyota, Fuel Cell Vehicle: http://tinyurl.com/toyota-fcevs

ITM sells second P2G unit to German utility, UK gas network deal

UK-based ITM Power has sold a Power-to-Gas (P2G) electrolyser system to RWE Deutschland, its second major P2G customer in Germany. The company has also secured a follow-up contract from AMEC Foster Wheeler and National Grid in the UK, to boost widespread deployment of P2G energy storage technology in the natural gas network.

The rapid-response electrolyser system for RWE is one of ITM Powers HGas platforms, which has been successfully demonstrated in a P2G installation with Thga AG in Frankfurt am Main [FCB, December 2014, p10]. The RWE deployment will use a higher current density than the Frankfurt system, permitting a higher hydrogen output per stack. The system efficiency is also increased, through simplification of the balance of plant. As part of ITMs drive to increase productivity, delivery timescales have also been significantly reduced.

The system incorporates proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser stacks operating under differential pressure. As with all ITM Power HGas units, the system has the ability to self-pressurise, operate via remote control, and modulate rapidly in response to demand. The system is packaged in a 20 ft (6 m) ISO container for use outdoors. ITM will supply

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the plant with a two-year warranty, and with three years of after-sales support.

In other news, ITM has secured a second commercial contract from AMEC Foster Wheeler and National Grid in the UK, to create the business case for widespread deployment of P2G energy storage technology to reduce energy losses in the gas network.

This follow-on project will build on the technical feasibility first phase, and identify specific sites on the gas network where Power-to-Gas can be most advantageously deployed [FCB, February 2014, p10]. This will reduce energy losses and increase system efficiency for the UK gas network. AMEC will lead the project and continue to provide a third-party assessment of the benefits.

We are all very encouraged by the project findings so far, and the objective now is to identify the sites best suited to installing Power-to-Gas equipment, says Dr Graham Cooley, CEO of ITM Power. We are solving a problem common with all gas networks, and there is very significant market potential in the UK and worldwide.

ITM Power, Sheffield, UK. Tel: +44 114 244 5111, www.itm-power.com

RWE Deutschland: www.rwe.com/web/cms/de/499916/rwe-deutschland-ag [in German]

AMEC Foster Wheeler: www.amecfw.com

National Grid UK: www.nationalgrid.com

DNV GL project urges natural gas industry to be ready for hydrogen

The international classification society DNV GL has initiated a global joint industry project (JIP) that will develop guidelines to prepare natural gas networks for the injection of hydrogen produced from renewable sources. The HYREADY initiative will encourage the industry to be ready for hydrogen by developing practical processes and procedures for the introduction of hydrogen to the grid.

Transmission and distribution system operators (TSOs and DSOs) in the natural gas sector are under increasing pressure to reduce CO2 emissions and increase access to the natural gas infrastructure for renewably sourced gases. To successfully introduce pure hydrogen (e.g. from Power-to-Gas, P2G) and hydrogen-containing mixtures (e.g. syngas) into natural gas grids, the impact and acceptability need to be assessed, to evaluate factors such as performance and safety of end-user appliances,

system integrity and integrity management, energy transport capacity, and compression efficiency.

We have seen an increasing number of projects needing access to natural gas infrastructure for renewable gases, says DNV GL project manager Onno Florisson. With multiple organisations having the same objective, our industry guidelines will address the how-to questions for gas system operators, so that they can be confident both in preparing their natural gas grids for the accommodation of hydrogen, and in the consequences related to hydrogen injection.

The project partners will work together to deliver a broadly accepted methodological description of the steps and aspects to be considered by TSOs and DSOs worldwide on the measures they could take to prepare natural gas grids for hydrogen injection with acceptable consequences. Stakeholders from the natural gas value chain, including natural gas TSOs and DSOs, have already signed up, as well as technology providers. The project remains open for other participants to join.

The two-year project is split into four work packages: transmission systems, distribution systems, end-user infrastructure and appliances (both domestic and industrial), and the design of a hydrogen injection facility. The impact of hydrogen on the natural gas system will be addressed at both component and system level. HYREADY will be based on existing knowledge; no experimental work is anticipated in the framework of this project. The project will take on board the outcomes of European projects like NaturalHY, Hydrogen in Pipeline Systems (HIPS), and many others.

Contact: Onno Florisson, JIP Project Manager, DNV GL Oil & Gas, Groningen, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 50 700 9723, Email: [email protected], Web: www.dnvgl.com/oilgas

Toyota opens up its patents to boost FCEV industry collaboration

Toyota is making nearly 5700 hydrogen fuel cell patents available royalty-free, to accelerate the global development and introduction of fuel cell technologies. The patents include critical technologies developed for the new Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle [FCB, November 2014, p1].

Toyota will invite royalty-free use of approximately 5680 fuel cell related patents it holds globally. The list includes 1970 patents related to fuel cell stacks, 290 associated with high-pressure hydrogen tanks, 3350 related to fuel cell system software control, and 70 related to hydrogen production and supply. Toyota announced the initiative at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The first-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, launched between 2015 and 2020, will be critical, requiring a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia, and energy providers, says Bob Carter, senior VP of automotive operations at Toyota Motor Sales USA. By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively, and economically.

Toyota has previously opened up its intellectual property through collaboration, facilitating the widespread adoption of hybrid vehicles by licensing related patents. But this announcement represents the first time that Toyota has made its patents available free of charge, and reflects its keen support for developing a hydrogen-based society. Honda previously had a partnership deal with General Motors to share FCEV patents, but that was only between the two automakers.

This Toyota initiative builds on previous commitments, including financial support to develop a hydrogen fueling infrastructure in California and the northeastern US. Last May, Toyota announced a $7.3 million loan to FirstElement Fuel to support the operation and maintenance of 19 hydrogen stations across California [FCB, June 2014, p6]. In November, Toyota announced a collaboration with Air Liquide to develop and supply a network of 12 state-of-the-art hydrogen stations for New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island [FCB, December 2014, p8].

The hydrogen fuel cell patents will be made available to automakers who will produce and sell FCEVs, as well as to fuel cell parts suppliers and energy companies who establish and operate fueling stations, through the initial market introduction period, anticipated to last until 2020. Companies working to develop and introduce fuel cell buses and industrial equipment, such as forklifts, are also covered. Requests from parts suppliers and companies looking to adapt fuel cell technology outside of the transportation sector will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

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The announcement covers only fuel cell-related patents wholly owned by Toyota; it excludes patents belonging to Toyota Group parts makers. Patents related to FCEVs will be available for royalty-free licenses until the end of 2020, while patents for hydrogen production and supply will remain open for an unlimited duration. As part of the licensing agreements, Toyota will request (but not require) that other companies share their fuel cell-related patents with Toyota for similar royalty-free use.

Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle: www.toyota.com/fuelcell

CES 2015: www.cesweb.org

DOE funds hydrogen, fuel cell supply chain, manufacturing studies

The US Department of Energy has selected three projects to receive up to $2 million in new funding for analysis of the hydrogen and fuel cells domestic supply chain and manufacturing competitiveness. Funded in part by the Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, this supports DOEs broader effort to boost manufacturing competitiveness.

The projects selected support activities that facilitate the development and expansion of the domestic supply chain of components and systems necessary for the manufacturing and scale-up of hydrogen and fuel cell systems in the US. The awardees will also conduct competitive analysis of global hydrogen and fuel cell manufacturing, to quantify trade patterns and identify key drivers of US competitiveness.

GLWN part of the Westside Industrial Retention & Expansion Network (WIRE-Net) in Cleveland, Ohio will receive $695 000 to complete detailed manufacturing analysis of fuel cell systems (automotive and stationary), high-pressure hydrogen storage systems, and key high-value subsystems and components. The analysis will span systems and components manufactured in the US, Europe, and Asia to determine the global cost leaders, best current manufacturing processes, key competitiveness factors, and potential for cost reduction. GLWN will work closely with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to ensure that its analysis is aligned with prior competitive analyses in other renewable energy sectors such as solar, photovoltaic, wind, and electric vehicle batteries.

Virginia Clean Cities at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia will receive $450 000 to develop a nationwide Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Opportunity Center, consisting of an innovative internet-based resource to grow the domestic fuel cell and hydrogen industry. The project will develop a communications database with a comprehensive national supplier list, and which identifies new suppliers and encourages them to engage with the hydrogen and fuel cell industry. The database will allow for the release and maintenance of a directory tool for public interaction with the data.

The Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition (OFCC) in Elyria, Ohio will receive $450 000 to develop a robust supply chain for fuel cell and hydrogen systems that will accelerate mass production, reduce cost, and improve performance and durability. OFCC plans to establish an integrated network of four Regional Technical Exchange Centers, to increase communication between OEMs and hydrogen and fuel cell component suppliers. It will also establish a nationwide, web-accessible database containing inputs from suppliers and OEMs, along with a supplier contact list. OFCC will also assemble a working group to tackle component and subsystem standardisation.

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells: http://energy.gov/eere/transportation/hydrogen-and-fuel-cells

DOE, Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative: http://energy.gov/eere/cemi/clean-energy-manufacturing-initiative

GLWN: www.glwn.org

Virginia Clean Cities: www.vacleancities.org

Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition: www.fuelcellcorridor.com

German VariPrfBZ project to compare fuel cell test variability

The VariPrfBZ project in Germany will assess the observed variability in the interpretation and implementation of fuel cell test standards, in particular comparing performance testing of fuel cell modules. The project is being coordinated by the Centre for Fuel Cell Technology ZBT GmbH, working with EWE Research NEXT ENERGY and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE.

To determine fuel cell module properties, manufacturers can currently examine their products according to DIN EN IEC 62282-2. But the question of comparability of test methods led to the launch of the VariPrfBZ project last September, to investigate the variability of test methods and boundary conditions for the comparability of results from fuel cell tests according to DIN EN IEC 62282-2. The two-year project is funded by the federal ministry of economics and technology (BMWi) under the funding measure R&D transfer through standardisation.

In the current DIN test method, the key safety requirements for fuel cell modules are first defined. However, the description of the verification is kept relatively open, so the results allow some room for interpretation. The VariPrfBZ project will therefore develop a test matrix within which commercially available fuel cell modules will be tested in the coming months.

We will repeat this analysis in a round robin test as far as possible on the test stands of all the project partners, so that we can then compare the results directly with each other, explains Dr Corinna Harms, VariPrfBZ project manager at NEXT ENERGY. This allows us to determine the reproducibility of the procedure. At the same time, we will obtain evidence of dependencies between parameters [see the NEXT ENERGY feature in FCB, April 2014].

The researchers will collect data on various influencing factors, such as measurement inaccuracies, laboratory conditions, transportation, air and hydrogen quality, and the measurement environment. Thus we not only achieve more transparency and comparability in the field of standardised testing of fuel cells, says project coordinator Joachim Jungsbluth, but also give an impetus to the development of a new draft standard, specifically aligned to performance testing of fuel cell modules.

An appropriate recommendation for extending the DIN EN IEC 62282 series to performance testing would be in accordance with DIN EN IEC 62282-3-200 for stationary fuel cell systems.

The results from the final phase of the project will be discussed in a series of ZBT workshops on AdmissionCertificationStandardisation in early 2016.

ZBT GmbH, Quality Assurance & Testing: http://tinyurl.com/zbt-qa-testing

NEXT ENERGY, Fuel Cells: www.next-energy.de/fuelcells.html

Fraunhofer ISE, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology: http://tinyurl.com/ise-h2fuelcell

NEWS / IN BRIEF


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DTU leads NonPrecious catalysts projectThe Department of Energy Conversion and Storage at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Energy, www.energy.dtu.dk/english) is leading a project to develop a platinum-free catalyst for PEM fuel cells. The NonPrecious project is a collaboration between universities and the fuel cell industry in Denmark, and also involves research groups in Canada and China.

The project is headed by Professor Jens Oluf Jensen, head of the Proton Conductors section at DTU Energy. The four-year project has a total budget of DKK21 million (US$3.2 million), with DKK16 million ($2.4 million) from Innovation Fund Denmark.

EU to boost long-distance FCEV travelThe European Unions TEN-T Programme is investing E3.4 million (US$3.8 million) in studies towards preparing a European network of hydrogen infrastructure for transportation, to enhance the use of fuel cell electric vehicles.

The HIT-2-Corridors project (www.hit-2-corridors.eu) is the second part of a larger initiative, Hydrogen Infrastructure for Transport (HIT, www.hit-tent.eu). It will develop national implementation plans for Belgium, Finland, Poland and a regional implementation plan for Riga in Latvia, as well as deploy and test three hydrogen stations with innovative elements in Finland and Sweden [see page 7].

The project, due for completion by December, will also analyse and disseminate the results in Europe, including a hydrogen road tour along the ScandinavianMediterranean and North SeaBaltic Core Network Corridors.

2014 State of the States report publishedThe US Department of Energys Fuel Cell Technologies Office recently published the 5th edition of its annual report, State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2014. This comprehensive report examines policies and programmes that benefit fuel cell technologies across the US.

Fuel cells are gaining market share, helped by state policies that encourage end-users to deploy clean energy technologies, especially those that promote fuel cells and the growth of successful fuel cell businesses.

The report provides in-depth profiles of fuel cell and hydrogen policies, initiatives, and installations. It includes a detailed overview of the Top Five Fuel Cell States California, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and South Carolina as well as other states that are helping to move the US fuel cell industry forward, such as Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Hawaii. Multi-state fuel cell efforts are also highlighted, as well as efforts by northeastern states to improve power grid resiliency during major storms.

State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2014 (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/doe-state-of-states-2014

Northwestern group invent inks to make SOFCs by 3D printing

Materials scientists at Chicago's Northwestern University have developed new inks that can be used in a single 3D printer to create the individual components of a solid oxide fuel cell: cathode, anode, electrolyte, and interconnects. The team say that making ceramic fuel cells with a 3D printer offers quick and easy manufacturing, and could lead to more efficient fuel cell designs, according to a report in IEEE Spectrum.

The work was conducted in the lab of Dr Ramille Shah, assistant professor of materials science and engineering. The inks are a mixture of ceramic particles that make up 7090% of the mix, plus a binder and a cocktail of solvents that evaporate at different rates. The ink for the electrolyte, for example, is made of yttrium-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) particles, while the anode is YSZ plus nickel oxide.

When the machine prints a line with one of these inks, a highly volatile solvent in the mix evaporates immediately, so the printed piece instantly turns solid. The other solvents evaporate more slowly, leaving the printed line hard enough to maintain its shape, but soft enough that the next layer melds with it to form a single piece. The printing is performed at room temperature, but the printed piece has to be fired at 1250C to make it denser and smoother. To ensure the different parts of the printed fuel cell all shrink at the same rate during firing, the team tweak the composition of the individual inks, and add Fe3O4 as a sintering aid in some layers.

We can get really densely packed particles in the printed structure, says PhD student Adam Jakus, who described the work at the Materials Research Societys Fall Meeting in Boston in early December. The coauthors were Dr Zhan Gao, Professor Scott Barnett, and Ramille Shah.

Jakus says that using 3D printing to build SOFCs of a standard design could be an easier manufacturing process than having to join the separate parts together. But the real promise could come from the ability of 3D printing to create shapes that are beyond standard manufacturing processes. For example, the team have printed flat sheets of ceramic materials, which can be rolled or folded into different shapes before firing. Instead of the standard

stack of cells, they could be built in concentric circles, or interwoven, creating more surface area and therefore easier charge transport.

Contact: Dr Ramille Shah, Materials Science & Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Tel: +1 312 503 3931, Email: [email protected], Web: www.shahlab.northwestern.edu or www.matsci.northwestern.edu

Korean team design direct hydrocarbon SOFC for natural gas

Engineers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea have developed a new material for direct hydrocarbon solid oxide fuel cells that can directly generate electricity from natural gas. Their innovative anode features a new multilayer oxygen-deficient double perovskite material, which offers good redox stability with tolerance to coking and sulfur contamination from hydrocarbon fuels.

SOFCs are regarded as one of the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly energy conversion devices, but they have a number of disadvantages. For example, their performance and longevity suffer because carbon adheres to the electrode through which fuel is supplied, the fuel usually contains sulfur, and pollution in the air can cause corrosion.

To overcome these problems, a team of scientists led by Professor Guntae Kim in the Department of Energy Engineering at UNIST have developed a fuel electrode (anode) with a new multilayer perovskite material, PrBaMn2O5+G. This results in a cell performance three times higher than with electrodes made of existing materials, and also maintains such a high level of performance over a long period.

When the team tested the cell at 700C using propane as the energy source, the carbon did not adhere to the electrode, and the level of cell performance increased three-fold. They were able to maintain this level of performance for more than 500 hours. The team which also includes researchers at Dong-eui University in Korea and the University of St Andrews in Scotland, UK reported their results online in Nature Materials.

Contact: Dr Guntae Kim, School of Energy & Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Korea. Tel: +82 52 217 2917, Email: [email protected], Web: http://gunslab.unist.ac.kr or http://eche-eng.unist.ac.kr

Research paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat4166

RESEARCH

NEWS FEATURE

Fuel Cells Bulletin January 201512

Geological storage solutions can service a number of key hydrogen markets, since costs are more influenced by the geology available rather than the size of the hydrogen market demand, says Sandias Anna Snider Lord, the studys principal investigator. She adds that the work could provide a roadmap for further research and demonstration activities, such as an examination of environmental issues and geological formations in major metropolitan areas that can hold gas. Researchers could then determine whether hydrogen gas mixes with residual gas or oil, reacts with minerals in the surrounding rock, or poses any environmental concerns.

Storage is key to realise hydrogen market growthIf the market demands for hydrogen fuel increase with the introduction of FCEVs, the US will need to produce and store large amounts of cost-effective hydrogen from domestic energy sources, such as natural gas, solar and wind, says Sandia hydrogen programme manager Daniel Dedrick. Additionally, installation of electrolyser systems on electrical grids for power-to-gas applications

which integrate renewable energy, grid services, and energy storage will require large-capacity, cost-effective hydrogen storage.

Storage above ground requires tanks, which cost three to five times more than geological storage, says Lord. In addition to cost savings, underground storage of hydrogen gas offers advantages in volume. Above-ground tanks cant even begin to match the amount of hydrogen gas that can be stored underground, she says. The massive quantities of hydrogen that are stored in geological features can subsequently be distributed as a high-pressure gas or liquid to supply hydrogen fuel markets [Figure 1].

Model helps to identify best storage locationsWhile geological storage may prove to be a viable option, several issues need to be explored, explains Anna Lord, including the permeability of various geological formations. A geologist in Sandias geotechnology and engineering group, Lord has long been involved in the geological storage of the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the worlds largest emergency supply of crude oil.

For her study on geological storage, recently published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Lord and her colleagues analysed and reworked the geological storage module of Argonne National Laboratorys Hydrogen Delivery Scenario Analysis Model (DOE H2A Delivery Analysis). To help refine the model, Lord studied storing hydrogen in salt caverns to meet peak summer driving demand for four cities: Los Angeles, Houston, Pittsburgh, and Detroit. She determined that 10% above the average daily demand for 120 days should be stored. She then modeled how much hydrogen each city would need if hydrogen met 10, 25, and 100% of its

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