NEWS

July 2010 Fuel Cells Bulletin9

Meanwhile, ITM Power is now offering a suite of integrated electrolyzer products for a range of markets in the US, including research facilities, manufacturing processes, and clean fuel generation for hydrogen vehicles.

‘We can meet the requirements of a hydro-gen fuel cell, a hydrogen engine, a hydrogen compressor, a hydrogen store (steel cylinder, composite tank or metal hydride system), or gas chromatography equipment,’ says the firm’s CEO, Dr Graham Cooley. Each product has been designed to be simple to use, and require a minimum of maintenance.

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

NextEnergy 700 bar (70 MPa) Hydrogen Fueling program: www.nextenergy.org/services/collaborativeprograms/70mpahydrogen.aspx

Nuvera, Xebec sign three-year hydrogen purifier supply deal

Montreal-based Xebec Adsorption Inc, a provider of biogas upgrad-

ing, natural gas and hydrogen purifi-cation solutions for the clean energy market, has signed a multi-year supply agreement with Nuvera Fuel Cells in Massachusetts. Xebec has also received the first multi-unit purchase order under the non-exclusive agreement.

Nuvera will purchase Xebec’s proprietary H-3300 pressure swing adsorption (PSA) systems for incorporation in Nuvera’s PowerTap™ hydro-gen generator and hydrogen stations, to provide customers with a cost-effective source of hydrogen for refueling of fuel cell vehicles. The H-3300 PSA will purify hydrogen to 99.999% or better.

The agreement expands on cooperative work by Xebec and Nuvera over several years, to develop advanced products that support the commercialization of clean energy technologies such as fuel cells for forklift truck applications. The initial term of the agreement is for three years, with shipment of the first units to take place in the third quarter of 2010.

‘After careful evaluation of all available tech-nologies, Xebec’s proven advanced PSA technol-ogy was selected, since it provided us with the most reliable, cost-effective and efficient solu-tion for our critical applications,’ says Nuvera’s president/CEO, Roberto Cordaro.

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

Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe SrL, San Donato Milanese

(Milan), Italy. Tel: +39 02 5161 6701.

Xebec Adsorption Inc, Blainville, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tel: +1 450 979 8700, www.xebecinc.com

ITM Power makes first product sale, field trial

In the UK, ITM Power has announced its first product sale and field trial,

to the University of Birmingham. The HPac®10 unit will supply hydrogen to the fuel cell laboratory, removing its dependency on bottled gas. Excess electrolytic hydrogen not used by the laboratory, will be used by the univer-sity’s fleet of fuel cell vehicles.

The HPac unit will be delivered in the fourth quarter, and installed and commissioned by ITM staff. Telemetry is being integrated into the unit so that ITM can monitor its perfor-mance and schedule testing from its sites in Sheffield. The university’s Centre for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research will work closely with ITM, and provide important feedback on the performance of the unit in a variety of modes and performance profiles.

HPac is a high gas rate hydrogen generator producing a minimum of 10 liters/min of hydro-gen. This product is targeted at the built envi-ronment for energy storage and backup power.

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

University of Birmingham, Centre for Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research: www.fuelcells.bham.ac.uk

Associations call for increased clean energy investment in US

The Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), National

Hydrogen Association (NHA), and US Fuel Cell Council (USFCC) have added their support to calls to dramatically increase investment in clean energy technologies in the US. These associa-tions – all based in Washington, DC – collectively represent more than 200 companies and organizations.

‘Fuel cell and hydrogen technologies are an essential part of America’s energy solution,’ the organizations said in a joint statement.

‘Commercial fuel cells will deliver clean, efficient energy at home and at work, create hundreds of thousands of American jobs and, together with other technologies, eliminate the need for gasoline for passenger vehicles.’

The fuel cell and hydrogen energy industry and the government have had a strong part-nership in developing these clean energy tech-nologies, although federal investment has been decreasing in recent years. ‘Going forward, a clarification of priorities is needed,’ say the organizations. ‘To achieve our national goals for increased security and reduced pollutants, the US must expand its commitment to the clean energy options that fuel cells and hydrogen provide.’

They emphasize the need to learn from previ-ous lost opportunities in advanced energy tech-nologies: ‘It will be more expensive to buy these technologies back from foreign competitors if we let them finish what the US has started.’

Electric Drive Transportation Association: www.electricdrive.org

National Hydrogen Association: www.HydrogenAssociation.org

US Fuel Cell Council: www.usfcc.com

Arcola Theatre unveils HyLight, sets up fuel cell retail business

The innovative Arcola Theatre in London has launched an in-house

designed and manufactured fuel cell product, the HyLight. The theater has also established a new trading com-pany, Arcola Energy Ltd, to develop the commercial aspects of its award-win-ning arts and sustainability program.

The HyLight unit was developed with regular Arcola partners BOC, the global industrial gas supplier, and White Light, which supplies light-ing equipment and services to the entertain-ment industry. The system is a unique, portable lighting and power supply to provide illumina-tion in locations away from the grid, silently and without the emissions of traditional noisy, polluting diesel generators.

HyLight is packaged in a compact, wheeled flight-case, rugged for transportation and easy to deploy. The system includes the new Hymera hydrogen fuel cell generator from BOC [FCB, April 2010], utilizing PEM fuel cells sup-plied by Singapore-based Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies; two of BOC’s new lightweight compressed hydrogen cylinders; and a choice of

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