SMP, Heraeus to developprecious metal supplychainNew Mexico-based Superior MicroPowdershas signed a memorandum of understandingwith the Heraeus precious metals andtechnology group in Germany for the supply,management and recycling of precious metal-based materials to SMP. The agreement marksan important milestone in developing asupply chain for precious metal-based fuelcell materials.

The agreement addresses three strategic issues:supply of competitively priced precious metalprecursors for SMP’s use in the production of itsmaterials for fuel cells and other applications;professional assistance in the fiscal managementof precious metal containing materials; andrecycling of precious metal-containing scrapsand parts.

SMP is a leading supplier of materials to thefuel cell industry, including electrocatalysts forPEM, DMFC, alkaline fuel cell and fuelreformer technologies, and is working withleading fuel cell stack manufacturers worldwide.It utilizes a proprietary spray-based powdermanufacturing technology to produce preciousmetal-based electrocatalysts.

Contact: Superior MicroPowders LLC, 3740 HawkinsNE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, USA. Tel: +1 505 3421492, Fax: +1 505 342 2168, www.smp1.com

Or contact: W.C. Heraeus GmbH & Co KG,Heraeusstrasse 12–14, D-63450 Hanau, Germany.Tel: +49 6181 35-1, Fax: +49 6181 35-3131,www.wc-heraeus.com

Or contact: Heraeus Metal Processing Inc, 15524Carmenita Road, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90760, USA.Tel: +1 562 921 7464, Fax: +1 562 926 5333,www.heraeusca.com

Portuguese project getsunder wayPortugal is the latest country to establish aprogram to develop fuel cell technologies.Two national research institutes are collab-orating with a private capital company, andaim to construct the first Portuguese fuel cellprototypes within a year.

The Instituto Nacional de Engenharia eTecnologia Industrial (INETI, National Instituteof Industrial Engineering & Technology) andthe Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica e GestãoIndustrial (INEGI, Institute of Mechanical

Engineering & Industrial Management) will beinvolved in different phases of development,working with Soluções Racionais de Energia(SRE, Rational Energy Solutions). INETI willwork on research related to plate construction,while INEGI is responsible for adapting thiswork to use in fuel cells.

The planned prototypes will be small powerunits – one to feed a video camera (40 We), theother a motor for a golf club trolley – but thesubsequent phase will develop more powerful,1–2 kWe units. The third stage of the projectconsists of developing a 200 kWe energyproduction unit, which should be operational in2004 in an Electricity Museum demonstration.

Contact: INETI, Instituto Nacional de Engenharia eTecnologia Industrial, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar nº 22,1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal. Tel: +351 21 716 5141, Fax:+351 21 716 0901, www.ineti.pt

Or contact: INEGI, Instituto de Engenharia Mecânicae Gestão Industrial, Rua do Barroco 174, 4465-591Leça do Balio, Portugal. Tel: +351 22 957 8710, Fax:+351 22 953 7352, www.inegi.pt

Or contact: SRE Soluções Racionais de Energia,Rua D. Luis I nº 19 – 1 andar, 1200-149 Lisboa,Portugal. Tel: + 351 394 9100, Fax: + 351 396 0431.

MesoFuel to developfuel processormicrotechnologyMesoSystems Technology, an air qualitysampling products company in New Mexico,has formed MesoFuel Inc, to focus onintroducing low-cost hydrogen generationfuel processors into the commercial fuel cellmarketplace.

As part of the spinout several of MesoFuel’skey employees were transferred from Meso-Systems, where the proprietary technology hasbeen developed over the past two years. The newcompany will utilize its expertise in high-tech at the very small (meso-) scale to developtechnology for generating hydrogen.

‘As we develop small, low-cost, on-demandhydrogen generators, the hydrogen economybecomes feasible,’ said former Sandia NationalLabs microsystems developer Dr Ned A.Godshall, CEO and a founder of MesoFuel.‘The last remaining critical problem that’sholding back fuel cells from becoming commonin the marketplace is the safe and low-costavailability of the hydrogen fuel itself. Ourmicrotechnology for hydrogen generation couldbe the key to really enabling this industry.’

MesoFuel has also been awarded US$130 000by New Mexico’s Industrial Development Board

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Hydrogenics installs HyUPS at Californiatelecoms repeater siteToronto-based Hydrogenics has successfullyinstalled its HyUPS™ regenerative backupfuel cell power generator at a trial cell phonerepeater tower site provided by NextelCommunications in northern California. Thenext step of the trial, which will run throughto the end of the summer, will simulate gridpower failure conditions, to test the 25 kWesystem under a variety of operating conditions.

‘We are very pleased with the progress ofwhat we believe is an industry-first demon-stration,’ said Pierre Rivard, president/CEO ofHydrogenics. ‘In preparation for the trial ofthis alpha unit, Hydrogenics made great stridesin understanding how to design and operate areliable, efficient fuel cell power generator.’

Plug on track for 2002 progressAt the year’s halfway mark, NY-based PlugPower has reported that both its financial andoperational accomplishments were in line withcompany expectations, and that it remains ontrack to achieve its full-year milestones.

During the second quarter the companydelivered 31 of its 5 kWe grid-parallel stationarysystems to customers, including initialcombined heat and power (CHP) systems forthe US market, systems shipped through GEFuel Cell Systems (in turn delivered tocustomers), and systems to repeat customersincluding Long Island Power Authority andVaillant in Germany.

The company has also reduced directmaterial costs by 16% since the beginning ofthe year, and remains on track to deliver its30% full-year reduction target. Plug was alsorecently awarded $500 000 by the New YorkState Research & Development Authority(NYSERDA) to develop a high-temperaturePEM fuel cell stack with an advanced reformerfor the CHP fuel cell system.

SAE hires fuel cell expert to lead initiativeThe Society of Automotive Engineers,International has appointed Anthony A.Androsky as director of its fuel cell initiative,on a contract basis while serving as deputyexecutive director of the US Fuel Cell Councilin Washington, DC. He will lead the develop-ment of SAE fuel cell standards, as well asother fuel cell technology related tasks.

The hiring of Androsky adds considerably tothe depth of knowledge and leadership abilityfor SAE’s Fuel Cell Initiative. Since itsestablishment in 1999, SAE’s Fuel CellStandards Committee has earned internationalrecognition for standards information in thearea of fuel cells for mobile applications.

For more information on SAE’s Fuel CellInitiative, go to: www.sae.org/fuelcells

September 2002 Fuel Cells Bulletin

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