Connection
February 2015
Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Connection

HeadlinesFuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Headlines


 
Toyota, Nissan, and Honda to Jointly Support Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Development in Japan

 

On February 12, Toyota announced, along with Nissan and Honda, a joint effort to accelerate the development of hydrogen fueling infrastructure for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

The collaboration, which will take place only in Japan, is based on the Strategic Roadmap for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, which was developed by the Japanese government in 2014. 

The three automakers will consider underwriting the cost of hydrogen station operation, among other activities.

 

For a link to the Strategic Roadmap, click here.  For a link to the full press release, click here.

 

Ballard Power Signs $80 Million Deal with Volkswagen for Fuel Cell Intellectual Property

 

On February 11, Ballard Power announced that it had signed a $80 million Technology Solutions transaction with the Volkswagen Group.  The deal includes the transfer of Ballard's automotive fuel cell intellectual property (IP), as well as a two-year extension of an engineering services contract maintained by Ballard Power with Volkswagen.

 

Volkswagen Golf SportWagen HyMotion Concept (Source: Volkswagen)


The Volkswagen group, including the Volkswagen and Audi brands, plan to use the IP to develop fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology.  The Volkswagen Group recently introduced three FCEV concepts at the LA Auto Show; the Golf SportWagen HyMotion concept, the Passat HyMotion concept, and the Audi A7 Sportback H-Tron Quattro concept.


 For a link to the full press release, click here.

 

FuelCell Energy Receives $10 Million Loan for Expansion

 

On January 30, the Connecticut State Bond Commission approved a $10 million loan to FuelCell Energy.  The loan will be used to help FuelCell Energy expand its manufacturing facilities in Torrington, estimated to create 325 jobs over the course of the next five years.

 

The first phase of the expansion will include construction of a 90,000 square-foot addition to the company's existing facility in Torrington, which would cost $23 million and is expected for completion in early 2016.  The second phase would cost $42 million, and will add manufacturing equipment for production capacity expansion, a larger on-site fuel cell power plant, and a new advanced technology research center.

  

For a link to the full story, click here.

 

Doosan Fuel Cell America Delivers System for Apartments in Old Hartford Bank Building

 

On January 9, Becker Development Agency announced that the new apartment complex in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, will be ready by mid-April of this year.  The complex, previously the Hartford Bank Building, will be powered by a 400 kilowatt (kW) Doosan fuel cell, which was delivered in early January.

 

Doosan Fuel Cell Delivered at Old Bank Building in Hartford, Connecticut (Source: Hartford Courant)


The fuel cell will provide both heat and power to the 26 story building, helping it achieve LEED Platinum rating.


For a link to the full article, click here  

 

Stop & Shop to Install Bloom Energy Fuel Cell in Mt. Vernon, New York Supermarket 


On February 24, the Stop and Shop Supermarket announced that a Bloom Energy fuel cell will power the company's Mt. Vernon, New York store. The 250 kilowatt (kW) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system will generate more than two million kilowatt-hours (kWh) each year, resulting in carbon reductions or more than 700,000 pounds annually. 

 

Stop and Shop is installing the Bloom Energy fuel cells as part of its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% by 2015, and to strengthen resiliency of its locations in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

 

For a link to the full article, click here.  

 

Air Products Signs Agreement with Suzuki Shokan to Develop Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure for Japanese Material Handling Market

On February 19, Air Products announced that it signed an agreement with Suzuki Shokan, a Japanese industrial gas company, to co-design, develop, and operate hydrogen refueling stations for Japan's material handling market. Under the agreement, Suzuku Shokan will use Air Products hydrogen fueling technology and adapt it to Japanese laws and regulations.  

The two companies will work to meet the needs of the growing fleet of fuel cell-powered forklifts operating in Japan.

For a link to the full press release, click here.

 

Th�ga Group's Power-to-Gas Plant, Built by ITM Power, Exceeds Expectations 

 

On February 12, ITM Power noted the announcement by the Th�ga Group that its Power to Gas (P2G) plant, located Frankfurt, Germany, had exceeded initial operating and efficiency expectations.  

 

ITM Power Power to Gas Unit at Th�ga Group Plant in Frankfurt, Germany (Source: ITM Power)

 

The plant, built by ITM Power, achieved an operating efficiency of up to 77%, operating in the 50 to 325 kilowatt (kW) range.  The P2G helps balance the grid by engaging in the secondary control market and converting excess electrical production into hydrogen.

 

For a link to the full press release, click here


Kansai International Airport in Japan to Acquire Fuel Cell Powered Forklifts 

 

On February 12, the New Kansai International Airport Co. announced that they would begin replacing its fleet of conventional forklifts with hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts from Toyota Industries, a subsidiary of the Toyota Group. 

 

Toyota Fuel Cell Forklift at Kansai International Airport (Source: The Asahi Shimbum)

 

The airport will receive its first forklift on February 23, with a planned addition of 400 more forklifts in the future.  The forklifts are able to operate for 8 hours on a single tank of hydrogen, and can refuel in three minutes.

 

For a link to the full article, click here

 

Johnson Matthey and Technical Fibre Products Announce New Fuel Cell Electrode Technology


On February 6, Johnson Matthey and Technical Fibre Products announced a new, commercially-ready fuel cell electrode substrate.  The electrode technology will help reduce costs for gas diffusion layers (GDL) materials used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and direct methanol (DMFC) fuel cells.  Technical Fibre Products is a UK-based company specializing in non-woven material fabrication. 

 

The electrode technology was the result of Fuel Cells Incorporating Nanomaterials in Electro Substrates (FINESSE), a joint project between the two companies co-funded by the UK Innovation Agency. 

 

For a link to the full press release, click here.  

 
Ballard to Supply Fuel Cell Modules for FTA-Funded Bus Deployments

On February 17, Ballard Power announced that it expects to supply ten modules to power fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) as part of two projects that were recently awarded funding by the U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the Low and No Emission (LoNo) Vehicle Deployment Program.

 

Ballard's partners are BAE Systems, a system integrator and major supplier of hybrid drive components, and ElDorado National, a North American bus original equipment manufacturer (OEM).  SunLine Transit Agency in California will receive $9.8 million in funding from the FTA to purchase and deploy five FCEBs; in addition, the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) in Ohio will receive $8.9 million in funding from the FTA to purchase and deploy five additional FCEBs. 

 

Ballard expects to receive orders for these modules once agreements with each transit agencies are finalized, and expects to begin shipments in the second half of 2015. 


For a link to the full press release, click here.

 

NEESC Announces 2015 Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Plans for Eight Northeastern States


On February 19, The Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster (NEESC), administered by the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc. (CCAT), announced the release of the 2015 Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Development Plans for each of the eight states in the Northeast United States.

 

Created individually for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont, these plans were produced with support from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and input from industry stakeholders including automakers, government agencies, gas suppliers, and hydrogen and fuel cell companies. The plan aims to help policy makers identify the potential benefits of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for the region.  

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For the full reports, click here.

 

NREL Holds Webinar on Hydrogen Component Research and Development to Enable Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Technologies

 

On February 4, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) held a webinar on hydrogen component research and development to help enable fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technologies.  

 

The webinar topics included:

  • Factors in design selection for hydrogen systems
  • Pressure relief valve failure mode investigation
  • Hydrogen safety sensor evaluations
  • Dispenser metering support
  • 70 MPa hydrogen dispenser hose reliability testing
  • Future work
The webinar featured presentations from NREL's Fuel Cell Technology Program staff.

Kraftwerk Portable SOFC Charger Surpasses Kickstarter Goal

As of February 6, Kraftwerk, a portable solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) charger for USB devices like smartphones and tablets has more than doubled its Kickstarter funding goal of $500,000.  Developed by the European company eZelleron, the device has the capability to charge an average smartphone 11 times on a single butane cartridge. 

eZelleron expects to start shipping Kraftwerk units in December of 2015. For a link to the Kickstarter campaign, click here

 

Sandia Releases Report Describing Joint Opportunities for Natural Gas and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Markets 


On February 18, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), with support from DOE, released a workshop report titled "Transitioning the Transportation Sector: Exploring the Intersection of Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Natural Gas Vehicles."  

 

The September 2014 workshop, organized by SNL, the American Gas Association (AGA), and Toyota, explored common opportunities and challenges when using hydrogen and natural gas as transportation fuels.  During the workshop, industry stakeholders identified potential for co-location of stations, as well as similar manufacturing processes and equipment to help enable economies of scale for both fuels. 

 

For a link to the full workshop report and observations, click here.  For a link to the full press release, click here 

 

FedFederal Program News

Department of Energy Announces the 2015 SBIR/STTR Phase 1 Release 1 Awards

On January 21, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Fiscal Year 2015 Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I Release 1 Awards. 
 The awards include funding for non-platinum fuel cell catalysts, as well as the detection of contaminates in hydrogen fuel.

Recipients for the non-platinum group metal (PGM) catalyst research include Proton Onsite, who will develop a non-PGM catalyst based on doped cobalt oxides.  With this technology, the DOE aims to help increase performance and lower costs in alkaline fuel cells. 

To view the full SBIR/STTR awards, click here.

For a link to the full DOE announcement, click here

DOE Fuel Cell Technologies Office Reaches Major Patent Milestone

On January 9, the Department of Energy's Fuel Cell Technologies Office (DOE FCTO) announced that the office had reached a major milestone, with over 500 patents granted resulting from FCTO-supported research and development. 

Using the report 2013 Pathways to Commercial Success, the FCTO tracks not only patents granted through research and development conducted by the National Labs and other DOE resources, but successful fuel cell technology commercialization as well. Since 2007, the FCTO reports that a total of 65 technologies have reach the commercial market, including fuel cells, hydrogen production and delivery systems, and storage technologies.

For a link to the full FCTO blog post, click here.
Events
Upcoming Events

European Fuel Cell Conference and Exhibition


The European Fuel Cell Technology & Applications Piero Lunghi Conference - EFC15 - is going to celebrate its 6th anniversary in beautiful Naples, Italy, from 16 to 18 December 2015.

 

This conference offers three days with prominent academics, researchers, students politicians and entrepreneurs, in the field of fuel cells.  The topics include Materials, Modeling, Lab Tests, System Design, Fuels and decarbonizing society, Fuel Cell Applications, Fuel Cells operated in reversed mode, Marketing and Policy pathways to full commercialization of Fuel Cells, and Cross-cutting Issues.

 

A series of special sessions will be held in parallel with the core event: Safety, Regulations codes & standards in Fuel Cells; Microbial Fuel Cells; Dissemination of European projects on Fuel Cell and Hydrogen.

 

The call for abstracts is now open. Selected paper will be published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

 

The event offers also opportunities to those who want to promote their products and activities. For more information, please visit the website at  www.europeanfuelcell.it.


 
Alternative Clean Transportation Expo Registration

 

Join the Fuel Cell Hydrogen & Energy Association at the 2015 Alternative Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, set for May 4-7, 2015 in Dallas, Texas.  ACT Expo is North America's largest clean fleet event, representing all weight classes and alternative fuel types-electric, hybrid, hydrogen, natural gas, propane autogas, renewables and more. 

 

ACT Expo partners with leading industry associations to develop the four-day program, including the Propane Education and Research Council, the Electric Drive Transportation Association, the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, Carbon War Room, NGV Global, Business for Social Responsibility, and the U.S. DOE Clean Cities team, among others.

 


Gladstein, Neandross & Associates, organizer of ACT Expo 2015, invites you to join 3500+ clean transportation stakeholders to see hundreds of leading vehicle, fueling and technology suppliers in the Expo Hall, experience real-world AFV projects at offsite tours, and learn from peers in fleet-focused educational sessions. 

 

Learn more and register at www.actexpo.com.

LinksAdditional Links

Business Korea | January 29, 2015
 

Hyundai Cuts Price of Fuel Cell Car, Eyes Competition with Toyota 

Reuters | February 2, 2015

GreenTech Media | February 10, 2015

 

Business Insider | February 11, 2015

 

Gevo | February 12, 2015

 

Wall Street Journal | February 12, 2015 

 

 

Automotive News | February 12, 2015

RFI
Request for Papers, Proposals, and Information

USDA Announces Funding for Renewable Energy for America Program

On February 10,  the Department of Agriculture announced the availability of $280 million in funding through the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP).  

The USDA is offering grants of up to 25% of project costs and loan gurantees for up to 75% of project costs. Eligible projects include renewable energy installations, including hydrogen-based systems, as well as energy efficiency improvements.  Up to $25 million is available per-project. 

For a link to project eligibility specifics and more information on the REAP program, click here.

NETL Releases Two Funding Opportunities
 for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology

 

On February 4, DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) released two separate Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs).

 

The first FOA is for core technological advancements for SOFCS to improve reliability, robustness, and commercial viability.  NETL anticipates making 13 awards available for core SOFC technology, and will award systems in the 5-10 kilowatt (kW) range. The second FOA will award two seperate 400 kW SOFC systems, and deals with the testing of prototype SOFC systems. 

 

Both FOAs close on April 6, 2015.

 

For a link to both FOAs, click here

 

Marine Corps Releases Request for Information for Expeditionary Energy Concepts Demonstration 

 

On January 27, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) posted a Request for Information (RFI).  The RFI seeks industry participants to demonstrate technologies addressing the USMC's energy, waste, and water capability gaps for the Expeditionary Energy Concepts (E2C) event.  

 

Eligible technologies include hybrid and all-electric vehicles, batteries and other energy storage technologies, and fuel cells up to 10 kilowatts (kW) in capacity.

 

The Marine Corps is interested in fuel cell power systems that meet the following specifications:

  • A power output of up to 10 kW, with a target output of 3 kW
  • Ability  to operate on a safe solid or liquid fuel, including but not limited to zinc, aluminum, JP-8, and other alternative fuels
  • Transportable via light tactical trailer (NSN:2330015435794)
  • Fuel savings over the 3 kW Tactical Quiet Generator (~24% fuel efficiency at 100% load)
The E2C is a week-long demonstration event where a team of USMC engineers will collect data on and analyze potential technologies.

For a link to the full RFI, click here 

 

SARTA is Currently Seeking Proposals for Hydrogen Fueling Station for Fuel Cell Electric Buses 

The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) in Ohio is currently seeking proposals for hydrogen fueling station for fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs), as well as hydrogen supply for a hydrogen fueling station. 


 

Registered vendors can access the proposal "bid packet" at sartaonline.com/vendor bids or contact Julie at 330-430-2275 or [email protected]

 

To become a vendor with SARTA, click here. 


 

NYSERDA Accepting Funding Applications for RPS Customer-Sited Tier Fuel Cell Program 

On January 5, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced a set of two funding opportunities for customer-sited fuel cells - one for a fuel cell system rated 25 kilowatts (kW) or less, and another for systems over 25 kW.   NYSERDA is making up to $50,000 available for fuel cell projects as part of the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).  

Funding will be available until December 31, 2015.

For a link to the full Project Opportunity Notices (PON) for small and large fuel cell systems, click here and here, respectively. 

 

Part 1 Applications for $4 Billion DOE Loan Program Due April 1

 

March 11 marks the next deadline for industries to submit their Part I application for the DOE's $4 billion in available loan guarantees for EERE Projects.  As a part of the President's Climate Action Plan, the DOE has allocated $4 billion in loan guarantees to promote EERE projects that avoid or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Fuel cell and hydrogen technologies are eligible for the EERE loan program.  The five technology areas of interest under the solicitation are:

  • Advanced Grid Integration and Storage
  • Drop-in Biofuels
  • Waste-to-Energy
  • Enhancement of Existing Facilities
  • Efficiency Improvements 

DOE has due dates for the loan program on a rolling basis as follows:

 

Part I Due Dates

Round 3 - April 1, 2015

Round 4 - August 5, 2015

Round 5 - December 2, 2015

 

Part II Due Dates

Round 2 - March 11, 2015

Round 3 - July 1, 2015

Round 4 - November 4, 2015

Round 5 - March 2, 2016

 

For more information on the EERE loan program, click here.

 

In addition to the $4 billion loan guarantee program for EERE projects, DOE is also accepting applicants for its $8 billion Advanced Fossil Energy Projects solicitation and $16 billion Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program.

 

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Press releases and story ideas may be forwarded to Connor Dolan and Karen Hall for consideration at [email protected] and [email protected] respectively.

 

The Sponsors

 

Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association --  The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) is the trade association for the fuel cell and hydrogen energy industry, and is dedicated to the commercialization of fuel cells and hydrogen energy technologies. Fuel cells and hydrogen energy technologies deliver clean, reliable power to leading edge corporate, academic and public sector users, and FCHEA members are helping to transform the our energy future. FCHEA represents the full global supply chain, including universities, government laboratories and agencies, trade associations, fuel cell materials, components and systems manufacturers, hydrogen producers and fuel distributors, utilities and other end users.

National Energy Technology Laboratory --  The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory system is owned and operated by the DOE.  Its mission is "Advancing energy options to fuel our economy, strengthen our security, and improve our environment".  NETL performs, procures, and partners with universities and the private sector.  Together, these efforts focus a wealth of scientific and engineering talent on creating commercially viable solutions to national energy and environmental problems.  NETL has expertise in coal, natural gas, and oil technologies, contract and project management, analysis of energy systems, and international energy issues.   NETL supports DOE's mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.

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