NEWS

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Quantum has been commissioned to designand integrate hydrogen fuel systems that includeits proprietary ultra-lightweight, all-compositeTriShield™ hydrogen tanks and its patented in-tank regulator. The 5000 psi (350 bar) systemswill be designed and tested to meet industrystandards in the US (NGV2), Japan (KHK) andEurope (EIHP). The completed hydrogen fuelsystems will be delivered to Suzuki to meet itsfast-track FCV development program.

Contact: Miyakoda R&D Center, Fuel Cell Project,Suzuki Motor Corporation, 1-1-2 Shinmiyakoda,Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka 431-2103, Japan. Tel: +81 53428 5109, Fax: +81 53 428 5117, www.suzuki.co.jp

Or contact: Quantum Fuel Systems TechnologiesWorldwide Inc, Advanced Technology Center, 17872Cartwright Road, Irvine, CA 92614, USA. Tel: +1 949399 4500, Fax: +1 949 399 4600, www.qtww.com

H Power ships commercialdirect hydrogen fuel cellsNew Jersey-based H Power has commencedshipments of its direct hydrogen-fueledproduct lines, following their commercialrelease at the beginning of August. The firstshipment from the plant in Monroe, NorthCarolina fulfilled the order for fivecommercial HCore-500 units placed in thesummer by the company’s strategic partner,Naps Systems Oy in Finland.

The HCore-500 is a hydrogen-fueled 500 We,48 Vdc power source that can be configured forindoor or outdoor use. Multiple units can becombined to create customer-specific solutions,featuring voltage outputs of 120 Vac/60 Hz or48 Vdc up to 2 kWe. Naps will adapt these unitsfor battery-charging for industrial users, with theintention to use some of the units ininternational telecom pilot applications.

Contact: H Power Corporation, 60 MontgomeryStreet, Belleville, NJ 07109, USA. Tel: +1 973 450 4400,Fax: +1 973 450 9850, www.hpower.com

Or contact: Naps Systems Oy, Pakkalankuja 7A, FIN-01510 Vantaa, Finland. Tel: +358 10 452 5711, Fax:+358 10 452 5744, www.napssystems.com

ISO certification for US/Italian stack developerNuvera Fuel Cells Europe SrL has beencertified by the International Organization forStandardization (ISO) for its operations inR&D, design, fabrication and servicing of fuelcell stacks. The Milan-based PEM fuel cell

stack developer – formerly De Nora Fuel Cells– is the European subsidiary of Nuvera FuelCells, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

ICIM, an ISO-approved organization based inMilan, has endorsed the company as meeting therequirements of UNIEN ISO 9001:2000 for itscommitment to quality management systems.UNI EN ISO 9000:2000 (also called ‘Vision2000’) represents the newest ISO-approvedindustry standard.

The achievement marks a major milestone forboth Nuvera and the fuel cell industry toguarantee high-quality standards in the deliveryof goods and services to customers. Qualityassurance certification is the process throughwhich qualified independent third parties (suchas ICIM) validate that a company’s qualityassurance system complies with the provisions ofthe relevant standards.

Contact: Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe SrL, Via Bistolfi 35,I-20134 Milano, Italy. Tel: +39 2 2129 2212, Fax: +39 22129 2403.

Or contact: Nuvera Fuel Cells Inc, 35 Acorn Park,Cambridge, MA 02140, USA. Tel: +1 617 498 5398, Fax:+1 617 498 6655, www.nuvera.com

InnovaTek demos militarydiesel fuel processorUS-based InnovaTek has met an importantmilestone in its development program, withthe recent demonstration of its InnovaGen™fuel processor technology for the Army.

The company demonstrated an alpha-stagelaboratory prototype that converts diesel fuel tohydrogen using a proprietary catalytic processand an advanced separations membrane. Thesystem produces pure hydrogen at a rate of 12 l/min, enough to produce 1 kW of electricalenergy from a fuel cell.

The InnovaGen fuel processor is uniquely ableto reform sulfur-containing fuels without theneed for prior sulfur removal. This provides asignificant advantage by reducing the cost, size and complexity for portable hydrogengeneration from complex hydrocarbon fuels.

Contact: InnovaTek Inc, 350 Hills Street, Suite 104,Richland, WA 99352, USA. Tel: +1 509 375 1093, Fax:+1 509 375 5183, www.tekkie.com

3M to supply MEAs forAvista Labs cartridgesAvista Labs will purchase membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) exclusively from3M for integration into its commercial fuel

I n B r i e f

METI, Osaka Gas to develop DME fuel cellIn Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade &Industry (METI) is to develop a new type offuel cell jointly with Osaka Gas, to promotethe use of more environmentally friendlynatural gas in homes. The new fuel cell, whichwill use dimethyl ether (DME) made fromnatural gas, will be smaller and more energy-efficient than conventional products.

METI will tie up with Osaka Gas, which hasalready developed technology to safely extracthydrogen from DME. The ministry is subsid-izing Osaka Gas through the Japan NationalOil Corporation to design the necessary systemsand conduct market research, according to theNihon Keizai Shimbun. METI plans to developa DME-based fuel cell by the end of fiscal 2003,and commercialize it for homes by fiscal 2005.

DME offers safety benefits over compressedhydrogen, because it changes into a liquid at acertain pressure, even at normal temperatures.It does not generate sulfur oxide or otherpollutants.

METI is also considering using the new cellin automobiles, because apparently a DME-based fuel cell will enable cars to carry morethan three times the amount of hydrogen.METI aims to develop an automotive systemwhich can extract hydrogen from a DMEcylinder and supply it to an operating fuel cell.

People newsDr Ron Britton is the new president and CEOof Fuel Cells Canada, stepping up fromchairman to take over from outgoing presidentBrian Josling. One of FCC’s founders,Britton’s management career includes eightyears with Methanex, most recently as seniorVP for emerging energy applications, andbefore that more than 20 years with Bayer andits subsidiaries.

Delaware-based GrafTech International hasappointed Robert A. Mercuri to CorporateFellow, in recognition of his significanttechnical and commercial contributions tographite developments, in particular flexiblegraphite products. For the past 10 years he hasconcentrated on flexible graphite materials andcomponents for PEM fuel cells, and his workwith Ballard Power Systems has establishedGrafTech as a key technical partner in the fuelcell industry.

John Wallace, former executive director ofFord’s Th!nk Group and still chairman ofTh!nk Nordic, is assisting California-basedEnova Systems in further developing andenhancing its corporate strategy in the areas ofelectric, hybrid-electric and fuel cell OEM andheavy-duty mobile applications of its productsand technology. Wallace, who has joinedEnova’s board, is currently serving as aconsultant for fuel cell and hybrid electric

vehicle strategy.

November 2002 Fuel Cells Bulletin