Ammonia as a Fuel 101

This is the Executive Summary from the 2006 US Departement of Energy White Paper "Partial Roles of Ammonia in a Hydrogen Ecconomy" by George Thomas and George Parks.

-Editor

Ammonia has a number of favorable attributes, the primary one being its high capacity for hydrogen storage, 17.6 wt.%, based on its molecular structure. However, in order to release hydrogen from ammonia, significant energy input as well as reactor mass and volume are required.

Other considerations include:

• safety and toxicity issues, both actual and perceived
• The incompatibility of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells in the presence of even trace levels of ammonia (> 0.1ppm).

Given the state of the art in ‘cracking’ ammonia to produce hydrogen, there are many issues in the on-board use of ammonia similar to those identified for on-board fuel processors.

Specifically, these include:

• high operating temperature (>500° C)
• Longevity and reliability of catalysts and other components (at high temperatures and in the presence of impurities);
• Start-up time (to get the system up to operating temperature);
• Purification requirements (to prevent ammonia poisoning of fuel cells);
• Complexity of the overall system;
• Energy efficiency (on-board ammonia would have to be burned in the cracking process); cost (currently ~$100K for 1-3 g H2/s stationary units);
• And reactor weight and volume (commercial units with sufficient throughput currently weigh about 2000-5000 kg and are about 3000-6000 liters in size).

Simply stated, most of the performance parameters of ammonia reactors would need at least two orders-of-magnitude improvements in order to be used on-board commercially viable hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles.

Due to the above reasons, DOE does not plan to fund R&D to improve ammonia fuel processing technologies for use on board light weight vehicles at the present time.

However, a distinction may be made between conventional fuel processing of ammonia (e.g. high temperature, low efficiency, slow start-up/time response crackers) versus novel approaches to store ammonia and release its hydrogen content under conditions available on-board PEM fuel cell vehicles.

As DOE’s current portfolio in hydrogen storage evolves, breakthrough approaches that allow the safe, efficient and cost effective use of ammonia-based storage may be considered at a future date.

While this paper describes general advantages and disadvantages of ammonia with a focus
on on-board vehicular hydrogen storage,

...the use of ammonia as a potential hydrogen carrier for hydrogen delivery or off-board hydrogen storage is currently under evaluation by the DOE and the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership’s Hydrogen Delivery Technical Team.

Full Department of Energy Report

Page 5 of 23 Feb 2006

Ammonia Fuel Network

Ammonia Fuel Network

Mission: To promote the implementation of anhydrous ammonia as an affordable, sustainable, carbon-free fuel for transportation and stationary power applications, thereby enhancing economic security, reducing fossil-fuel dependence, and helping save the environment.

• Anhydrous ammonia is an ultra-clean, energy-dense alternative liquid fuel.

Ammonia is the only fuel other than hydrogen that produces no greenhouse gases (GHG) on combustion. Ammonia will power diesel and spark-ignited internal combustion engines, direct ammonia fuel cells, and even combustion turbines. And, ammonia can be manufactured from simply water and air using clean renewable energy.

info@ammoniafuelnetwork.org

Flywheel energy storage (FES) 101

Flywheel energy storage (FES) works by accelerating a rotor (flywheel) to a very high speed and maintaining the energy in the system as rotational energy. The energy is converted back by slowing down the flywheel.

Most FES systems use electricity to accelerate and decelerate the flywheel, but devices that directly use mechanical energy are being developed.[1]

Advanced FES systems have rotors made of high strength carbon-composite filaments that spin at speeds from 20,000 to over 50,000 rpm [2] in a vacuum enclosure and use magnetic bearings. Such flywheels can come up to speed in a matter of minutes -- much quicker than some other forms of energy storage.[2]

Source: Wikipedia

Deep Cycle Lead Acid Batteries 101

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A lead-acid gel battery
A deep-cycle lead-acid battery is designed to deliver a consistent voltage as the battery discharges.

In contrast, starter batteries (e.g. most automotive batteries) are designed to deliver sporadic current spikes.

Battery-driven vehicles, such as golf carts, forklifts and floor sweepers commonly use deep-cycle batteries. While a deep-cycle battery can be used as a starting battery (and may work better than a traditional starting battery with the myriad of electronic components attached to most modern vehicles), the lower "cranking amps" imply that an over-sized battery may need to be used in an older vehicle that lacks fuel injection.

Deep cycle batteries can be charged with a lower current than regular batteries.

The key structural difference between deep cycle batteries and cranking batteries is the Lead plates, which are solid in deep-cycle batteries and composed of porous sponge-like plates in starting batteries.

Some batteries that are labelled "deep-cycle" do not possess these solid lead plates, however, and are actually "hybrid" batteries.

While a deep-cycle battery is designed to discharge down to as much as 20% of its charge capacity over several cycles, companies recommend that a hybrid battery not be discharged beyond 50% of its capacity. [1].

Source: Wikipedia

Emergency Power System (EPS) 101

Emergency power system

A backup generator for a large apartment building
Emergency power systems are a type of system, which may include lighting, generators and other apparatus, to provide backup resources in a crisis or when regular systems fail.

They find uses in a wide variety of settings from residential homes to hospitals, scientific laboratories, data centers[1], telecommunication[2] equipment and modern naval ships.

Emergency power systems can rely on generators, deep cycle batteries, flywheel energy storage or hydrogen fuel cells[3] [4]. Finally, some homebrew emergency power systems use regular lead-acid car batteries, but these do not make a very efficient or reliable system.[5]

Source: Wikipedia

Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) 101

An uninterrupted power supply (UPS), also known as a battery back-up, provides emergency power and, depending on the topology, line regulation as well to connected equipment by supplying power from a separate source when utility power is not available.

• It differs from an auxiliary or emergency power system or standby generator, which does not provide instant protection from a momentary power interruption.

• A UPS, however, can be used to provide uninterrupted power to equipment, typically for 5-15 minutes until an auxiliary power supply can be turned on or utility power is restored.

While not limited to safeguarding any particular type of equipment, a UPS is typically used to protect computers, data centers, telecommunication equipment or other electrical equipment where an unexpected power disruption could cause injuries, fatalities, serious business disruption or data loss.

UPS units come in sizes ranging from units which will back up a single computer without monitor (around 200 VA) to units which will power entire data centers or buildings (several megawatts).

Source : Wikipedia

Ultra Capacitors 101

How An Ultra Capacitor Works

Ultra capacitors & Super Capacitors store electricity by physically separating positive and negative charges— different from batteries which do so chemically. The charge they hold is like the static electricity that can build up on a balloon, but is much greater thanks to the extremely high surface area of their interior materials.

• An advantage of the ultracapacitor is their super fast rate of charge and discharge... which is determined solely by their physical properties. A battery relies on a slower chemical reaction for energy.
  
• A disadvantage of an ultracapacitor is that currently they store a smaller amount of energy than a battery does.
  
• Ultracapacitors are very good at efficiently capturing electricity from regenerative braking, and can deliver power for acceleration just as quickly. With no moving parts, they also have a very long lifespan - 500,000 plus charge/recharge cycles.

• Ultracapacitors are currently used for wind energy, solar energy, and hydro energy storage.
  

An ultra capacitor, also known as a double-layer capacitor, polarizes an electrolytic solution to store energy electro statically.

Though it is an electrochemical device, no chemical reactions are involved in its energy storage mechanism. This mechanism is highly reversible, and allows the ultra capacitor to be charged and discharged hundreds of thousands of times.

Once the ultra capacitor is charged and energy stored, a load (the electric vehicle's motor) can use this energy. The amount of energy stored is very large compared to a standard capacitor because of the enormous surface area created by the porous carbon electrodes and the small charge separation created by the dielectric separator.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:

An ultracapacitor can be viewed as two non reactive porous plates, or collectors, suspended within an electrolyte, with a voltage potential applied across the collectors. In an individual ultra-capacitor cell, the applied potential on the positive electrode attracts the negative ions in the electrolyte, while the potential on the negative electrode attracts the positive ions. A dielectric separator between the two electrodes prevents the charge from moving between the two electrodes.

Electrical energy storage devices, such as capacitors, store electrical charge on an electrode. Other devices, such as electrochemical cells or batteries, utilize the electrode to create, by chemical reaction, an electrical charge at the electrodes. In both of these, the ability to store or create electrical charge is a function of the surface area of the electrode. For example, in capacitors, greater electrode surface area increases the capacitance or energy storage capability of the device.

As a storage device, the ultracapacitor, relies on the microscopic charge separation at an electrochemical interface to store energy. Since the capacitance of these devices is proportional to the active electrode area, increasing the electrode surface area will increase the capacitance, hence increasing the amount of energy that can be stored.

This achievement of high surface area utilizes materials such as activated carbon or sintered metal powders. However, in both situations, there is an intrinsic limit to the porosity of these materials, that is, there is an upper limit to the amount of surface area that can be attained simply by making smaller and smaller particles. An alternative method must be developed to increase the active electrode surface area a Capcitors.orgwithout increasing the size of the device. A much more highly efficient electrode for electrical energy storage devices could be realized if the surface area could be significantly increased.

Source: Ultra Capacitors.org

Fuel Cell Terminology & Definitions 101

Glossary of Fuel Cell Terms

Alkali: A chemical "base" (loosely, the opposite of an acid). Certain types of alkalis (especially potassium hydroxide) have been used as fuel cell electrolytes.

Anion: A negative ion. Alkali, molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel cells are "anion-mobile" cells – anions migrate through the electrolyte toward the anode.

Anode: One of two electrodes in a fuel cell or battery. In a fuel cell it is where the fuel reacts or "oxidizes", and releases electrons.

Capital Cost: The purchase price of a power generating system.

Carnot Limit: A theoretical limit on the efficiency of an engine based on the flow of heat between two reservoirs. Named for its discoverer Sadi Carnot (1796-1832) of France, this limit stems from basic physical laws and applies to all steam engines. Fossil fuel and nuclear power plants are bound by this limit, but most fuel cells are not.

Catalyst: A substance that causes or speeds a chemical reaction without itself being affected.

Cathode: One of two electrodes in a fuel cell or battery. In a fuel cell, it is where oxygen (usually taken from the air) "reduction" occurs.

Cation: A positive ion. Phosphoric acid and PEM fuel cells are "cation-mobile" cells – the cation migrates through the electrolyte toward the cathode.

Cogeneration: The use of waste heat from industrial processing, a steam turbine, or a fuel cell to generate electricity. Harnessing otherwise wasted heat boosts the efficiency of power-generating systems.

Direct Fuel Cell: A type of fuel cell in which a hydrocarbon fuel is fed directly to the fuel cell stack, without requiring an external "reformer" to generate hydrogen.

Electrode: An electrical terminal that conducts an electric current into or out of a fuel cell.

Electrolyte: A chemical compound that conducts ions from one electrode to the other inside a fuel cell.

Electron: A sub-atomic particle carrying a negative charge.

Fuel Cell: A device for generating electricity by the chemical combination a fuel and oxygen.

Generating Capacity: The maximum amount of electric power produced by a generator.

Graphite: A soft form of the element carbon. It is used for pencil leads, as a lubricant, as a moderator in nuclear reactors, and for other products. It does not burn easily or fuse at high temperatures, and is an important material in the construction of phosphoric acid fuel cells.

Hydrogen: A chemical element consisting of one proton and one electron. Two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom to form a molecule of water. Hydrogen serves as the fuel for most fuel cells.

Inverter: A device used to convert direct current electricity produced by a fuel cell (or other source) to alternating current.

Ion: An atom that carries a positive or negative charge due to the loss or gain of an electron.

kW: Kilowatt (1,000 watts). A measure of electric power.

kWh: Kilowatt-hour (1,000 watts for one hour). A measure of electric power consumption.

Matrix: A framework within a fuel cell that supports an electrolyte.

Molten Carbonate: A type of fuel cell electrolyte that contains carbon, oxygen and another element. Solid at room temperature, it must be melted in order to function.

MW: Megawatt (1,000,000 watts). A measure of electric power.

MWh: Megawatt-hour (1,000,000 watts for one hour). A measure of electric power consumption.

Nafion: A sulfuric acid in a solid polymer form. It is usually the electrolyte of PEM fuel cells.

O&M Costs: Operations and Maintenance. The cost of keeping a power plant running and in good repair.

Oxygen: A chemical element consisting of eight protons, eight neutrons and eight electrons. Two hydrogen atoms combine with one oxygen atom to form a molecule of water.

Peak Load: The maximum demand for electricity from an electrical system in a given period of time.

Phosphoric Acid: A solution of the elements phosphorus, hydrogen, and oxygen that serves as the electrolyte for one type of fuel cell. Chemically: 4H3PO4.

Polymer: A natural or synthetic compound composed of repeated links of simple molecules.

Potassium Hydroxide: A solution of the elements potassium, hydrogen, and oxygen that serves as the electrolyte for one type of fuel cell. Chemically: KOH.

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM): A polymer sheet that serves as the electrolyte in one type of fuel cell.

Reformer: A device that extracts pure hydrogen from hydrocarbons.

Regenerative Fuel Cells: Several fuel cell types in which fuel and, in some types, the oxidant are regenerated from the oxidation product.

Solid Oxide: A solid combination of oxygen and another element (often zirconium) that serves as the electrolyte for one type of fuel cell.

Stack: Individual fuel cells connected in series within a generating assembly.

Source : Smithsonian's American History

Plug Power

Plug Power, seem to be building one system at a time, they have participated in some US goverment military housing projects, and a few others.


Corporate Headquarters
968 Albany Shaker Road (directions)
Latham, New York 12110
Tel: 518.782.7700
Fax: 518.782.9060

Canada1
3120 Vanier Place
Richmond, B.C. V6V 2J2
Tel: 604.303.0050
Fax: 604.231.0400

Washington, D.C.
499 South Capitol Street,
SWSuite 606
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202.484.5300
Fax: 202.554.2896
government@plugpower.com

Europe/Middle East/Africa
Wilmersdorf 50 (directions)
7327 AC Apeldoorn
The Netherlands
Tel: 31 55 53 81 000
Fax: 31 55 53 81 099apeldoorn@plugpower.com

AA- Shandong Saikesaisi Hydrogen Energy Company

Shandong Saikesaisi Hydrogen Energy Co., Ltd. is an expansion of Jinan Applied Chemical Technology Development Co., Ltd. Many high-technology people with multi-disciplinary educational background get together, such as experts returning overseas, senior engineers and postgraduates. This is an excellent team which has an innovative and exploiting ability. The chief technical expert is the first one developing SPE technology in China, who has 20 years experience in the relative research. She has developed four generations of hydrogen generators using SPE technology and all obtained patents. This technology fills in the blank in China.

The company focuses on utilizing Solid Polymer Electrolyte—SPE positive ion (proton) exchange membrane, carrying on the research and development of pure water electrolysis and hydrogen fuel batteries etc.

Large Hydrogen Equipment is a core product of our company, has obtained the Golden Prize of BCEIA and the European CE certification.

It is the only hydrogen generator which obtained the two awards in China.
The company’s products have not only spread all over the country, but also taken their places in over twenty countries like USA, Britain, Italy, Turkey, South Africa, Korea, Sweden, Singapore, Nigeria, Israel, India, Saudi Arabia etc.

Methane Gas Production 101

by Al Rutan Research http://www.methane-gas.com/

Methane, Biogas, or Gobar Gas (Gobar is the Nepali term for manure) is made by the anaerobic (in the absence of oxygen) digestion of manure and plant life. The purpose is to convert this manure into methane to use as cooking fuel.

Methane is:

• A gas made up of one molecule of carbon and four molecules of hydrogen.
• It is the major component of the "natural" gas used in many homes for cooking and heating.
• It is odorless, colorless,
• Yields about 1,000 British Thermal Units (Btu) [252 kilocalories (kcal)] of heat energy per cubic foot (0.028 cubic meters) when burned.

Natural gas is:

• a fossil fuel that was created eons ago by the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials.
• It is often found in association with oil and coal.
• The same types of anaerobic bacteria that produced natural gas also produce methane today.
• Anaerobic bacteria are some of the oldest forms of life on earth. They evolved before the photosynthesis of green plants released large quantities of oxygen into the atmosphere.
• Anaerobic bacteria break down or "digest" organic material in the absence of oxygen and produce "biogas" as a waste product.
• Aerobic decomposition, or composting, requires large amounts of oxygen and produces heat.) Anaerobic decomposition occurs naturally in swamps, water-logged soils and rice fields, deep bodies of water, and in the digestive systems of termites and large animals.

Anaerobic processes can be managed in a "digester" (an airtight tank) or a covered lagoon (a pond used to store manure) for waste treatment.

The primary benefits of anaerobic digestion are nutrient recycling, waste treatment, and odor control.

Except in very large systems, biogas production is a highly useful but secondary benefit.

Biogas is:

• produced in anaerobic digesters consists of methane (50%-80%), carbon dioxide (20%-50%), and trace levels of other gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen sulfide.
• The relative percentage of these gases in biogas depends on the feed material and management of the process.
• When burned, a cubic foot (0.028 cubic meters) of biogas yields about 10 Btu (2.52 kcal) of heat energy per percentage of methane composition. For example, biogas composed of 65% methane yields 650 Btu per cubic foot (5,857 kcal/cubic meter). http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/ab5.html

Source from http://www.methane-gas.com/

Hydrocell’s metal hydride technology

Hydrocell’s metal hydride technology is a very safe and simple way to store, transport and use hydrogen.

• Hydrogen is not stored in the metal hydride in gaseous form, but is adsorbed into the material’s crystal structure.
• The energy densities that can be achieved using metal hydride are very large.
• Sorage pressure, just 2-4 bar depending on temperature and the amount of hydrogen that the storage unit contains.
• The metal hydride pressure level can be adjusted to suit different client applications.
• As storage units do not suffer from self-discharge, they can be stored for years without any loss of capacity.
• Since only hydrogen is stored in the metal hydride, the gas drawn from storage units is very pure, approximately 99.9999%.

Hydrocell’s portable hydrogen storage units are well suited to use with fuel cells and other applications that require a source of hydrogen.

All Hydrocell storage units are fitted with a self-sealing quick-fit hose connection and a safety valve, and can be easily connected to a fuel cell or other device using a flexible pipe.

Source: Hydrocell's Web Site

Minkkikatu 1-3,FI-04430 Järvenpää
+358 20 7288 640 info@hydrocell.fi

ZAO Independent Power Technologies

ZAO Independent Power Technologies

Cascade-6

• 6kw Alkaline Fule Cell, seems to be based on Space Station Technology
• 6.0 kW Voltage Output: 30.0 - 42.5 V
• Maximum Current Output: 200 A
• Fuel: Industrial Grade Hydrogen Fuel
• Consumption: <>
• Pressure: Atmospheric
• Ambient Temperature Range: -20 to +40 °С (-4 to +104 oF)
• Maximum Relative Humidity: 98% at 25 °С
• Dimensions (l×w×h): 125 cm × 58.2 cm × 86.3 cm (48.8” × 22.7” × 33.7”)
• Gross Weight: <>
• Start-up Time: <>
• Electrolyte: 6.6 M KOH (aqueous solution)
• Emissions: H2O (vapor), heat DC Output: 1 pair negative and positive terminals
• Hydrogen Supply Pressure: 4-6 atm (59-88 psi)

3rd Mytishchinskaya 16 bldg 60
Moscow129626
Russian Federation
phone:
+ 7 495 687 9817 + 7 495 684 1635
fax:
+ 7 495 787 5361


info@independentpower.biz

Fuel Cell Technology 101

The following types of fuel cells are commercial viable at this time

• Alkaline - AFC
• Phosphoric Acid - PAFC
• Molten Carbonate - MCFC
• Polymer Electrode Membrane - PEMFC
• Solid Oxide - SOFC
• Direct-Methanol - DMFC

* Alkaline - AFC have one of the highest system efficiencies of all fuel cell types.

Operating temperature is directly linked to material and manufacturing costs i.e. the lower the operating temperature, the lower the cost of the materials needed to create a working and reliable electrode and system.

The fact that Alkaline technology can work perfectly well without the use of precious metals is an insurance against aggressive price hiking in the industry.

• Alkaline technology is the longest established technology having been invented in 1839.
• Alkaline technology is the most reliable of all fuel cell technologies having been selected for both the space and submarine applications over other available technologies.
• Having liquid electrolyte means that we can control the temperature of the system in a cheap and efficient manner.
• Liquid electrolyte also allows us to deal with any CO2 contamination much easier.
• Alkaline fuel cells have a very simple, low component count and architecture

Read more about the different types of fuel cell..

(Source AFC Energy)

*Phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC) are a type of fuel cell that uses liquid phosphoric acid as an electrolyte.

• The electrodes are made of carbon paper coated with a finely-dispersed platinum catalyst, which make them expensive to manufacture.
• They are not affected by carbon monoxide impurities in the hydrogen stream.
• Phosphoric acid solidifies at a temperature of 40 °C, making startup difficult and restraining PAFCs to continuous operation.
• However, at an operating range of 150 to 200 °C, the expelled water can be converted to steam for air and water heating.
• Phosphoric acid fuel cells have been used for stationary applications with a combined heat and power efficiency of about 80%, and they continue to dominate the on-site stationary fuel cell market.

Major manufacturers of PAFC technology include UTC Power (also known as UTC Fuel Cells), a unit of United Technologies (NYSE: UTX), as well as HydroGen Corporation (NASDAQ: HYDG).

As of 2005, there were close to 300 "PureCell"® 200 kW units by UTC Power in service globally. (Editors Note: as of 8 December 2008, they no longer manufacture the 200 KW Systems, according to theirs sales department-They are moving to larger systems)

*Molten-carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are high-temperature fuel cells, that operate at temperatures of 600°C and above.

• Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are currently being developed for natural gas and coal-based power plants for electrical utility, industrial, and military applications.
• MCFCs are high-temperature fuel cells that use an electrolyte composed of a molten carbonate salt mixture suspended in a porous, chemically inert ceramic matrix of beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE).
• Since they operate at extremely high temperatures of 650°C (roughly 1,200°F) and above, non-precious metals can be used as catalysts at the anode and cathode, reducing costs.

*Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells, also known as polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells (PEMFC), are a type of fuel cell being developed for transport applications as well as for stationary fuel cell applications and portable fuel cell applications.

• Their distinguishing features include lower temperature/pressure ranges (50-100 degrees C) and a special polymer electrolyte membrane.
• A proton exchange membrane fuel cell transforms the chemical energy liberated during the electrochemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to electrical energy, as opposed to the direct combustion of hydrogen and oxygen gases to produce thermal energy.

*A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an electrochemical conversion device that produces electricity directly from oxidizing a fuel. Fuel cells are characterized by their electrolyte material and, as the name implies, the SOFC has a solid oxide, or ceramic, electrolyte.

Advantages of this class of fuel cells include:

• high efficiencies
• long term stability
• fuel flexibility
• low emissions
• Cost

The largest disadvantage is:

• the high operating temperature
• which results in longer start up times and
• mechanical/chemical compatibility issues.

*Direct-methanol fuel cells or DMFCs are a subcategory of proton-exchange fuel cells where the methanol (CH3OH) fuel is not reformed as in the indirect methanol fuel cell, but fed directly to the fuel cell operating at a temperature of ca. 90 – 120 °C .

• Storage of methanol is much easier than for hydrogen as it does not need high pressures or low temperatures, because methanol is a liquid from -97.0 °C to 64.7 °C (-142.6 °F to 148.5 °F).
• The energy density of methanol - the amount of energy contained in a given volume - is an order of magnitude greater than even highly compressed hydrogen.
• The waste products with these types of fuel cells are carbon dioxide and water.
• Can still store a high energy content in a small space. This means they can produce a small amount of power over a long period of time.
• Ideal for consumer goods such as mobile phones, digital cameras or laptops.
  

Problems

• The efficiency of current direct-methanol fuel cells is low due to the high permeation of methanol through the membrane materials used, which is known as methanol crossover.
• A new kind of membrane (polymer electrolyte thin films, assembled "layer by layer") has been shown to reduce this problem dramatically.
• Other problems include the management of carbon dioxide created at the anode and the sluggish dynamic behaviour.
• Current DMFCs are limited in the power they can produce, but This makes them presently ill-suited for powering vehicles (at least directly),
• Methanol is toxic and flammable. However, the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) voted in November 2005 to allow passengers to carry and use micro fuel cells and methanol fuel cartridges when aboard airplanes to power laptop computers and other consumer electronic devices.

Source for the Above Data is Wikipedia

Of the above technologies, PEMFCs and SOFCs are the two most applicable to small scale systems. SOFCs are widely regarded as the superior technology for stationary applications since:
SOFCS are more efficient.

In actual tests using natural gas as a fuel, SOFCs are over 45% efficient in making electricity, while PEM fuel cells are less than 25% efficient.

• SOFCs can operate on fuels available today.
• PEMFCs require hydrogen to operate, which necessitates an external reformer and hydrogen separator. This makes the use of other fuels such as methane and natural gas inefficient.
• SOFCs reform a wide variety of fuels using steam created as a by-product of the reaction. Additionally, the solid oxide cells are tolerant to CO and thus SOFCs do not require expensive catalysts to remove traces of CO.
• SOFCs have a longer life The stack life of SOFCs has been proven to be much longer than PEMFCs.

Demonstrations is the 100kW class have been operational for over 16,000 hours and showed no signs of degradation in power output.

It is anticipated that SOFCs show the best promise for achieving the reliability necessary to meet commercial needs. Stack life of 50,000 to 100,000 hours is entirely feasible and attainable in the near term.

By contrast,

the average life of 90 PEM fuel cells tested by the Army Corps of Engineers was just 3,000 hours Back to Top

What are the advantages of SOFCs?

In general, all fuel cells are characterized as being low noise, low polluting, and highly fuel-efficient compared to conventional power sources.

However, the SOFC has its own specific set of additional advantages over other types of
fuel cells. A number of these advantages are listed below:

Source Acumentrics

Fuel Cell Manufacturers

• Acumentrics Corporation

They make a 5 kw SOFC Fuel cell: Acumentrics’ 5000 Electric Power Generator

• Efficient: Peak efficiencies between 40-50%; up to 90% with waste heat recovery.
• Silent: Whisper quiet electrochemical process generates continuous electricity.
• Internal scrubbing: Negligible NOx and SOx output; reduced CO2 output.
• Solid State: Ceramic fuel cell tubes.
• Fuel-flexible: Compatible with natural gas, propane, biofuels, LPG, H2 \
• Site flexible: Small scale package is easy to site.
• Grid-tie option: Allows connection to utility grid for peak shaving and net-metering.
• Easy operation: Rapid start and stop. Fuels can be stored onsite or delivered at residential line pressures.
• No external or internal pressure boosting required.
• Communications ready: Monitor and control using built-in Ethernet port.



• Altergy

Altergy Systems designs and manufactures proprietary proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems, collectively known as Altergy Freedom Power™ products. These compact, rugged, high efficiency systems produce power at the point of use -- making reliable, distributed power generation a reality.

Freedom Power™ Systems provide an excellent alternative to batteries and generators. Their plug and play design allows system modules to stand alone or be combined to produce a wide range of power output (1-30kW).

• American Power Corp

InfraStruXure Fuel

• Cell 30 kw



• Analytic Power



• Ansaldo Fuel Cells Spa



• Apollo Energy Systems Inc.



• Astris Energi : Test Equipment



• Ballard Power Systems: Small PEMFC System
• 
  Mark 902 Transportation PEM 85 kW
  Mark 9 SSL
  Materials Handling / Light
  Mobility PEM 4.4 - 19.3 kW
  Mark 1030 Cogeneration PEM 1.3 kW
  Mark 1020 ACS
  Back-up power / Light
  Mobility PEM 300 - 5000 W
  HD6* Transportation / Bus PEM 65 or 130 kW net
  DFC 300MA Stationary MCFC 300 kW
  DFC 1500MA Stationary MCFC 1200 kW
  DFC 3000 Stationary MCFC 2400 kW
  
• Brennstoffzellentechnik GmbH (ZBT): Manufactures Hydrogen fuel Cell Stacks



• Cellkraft Small FC Up to 2 KW of PEM



• Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd CFCL is an Australian based world leader in developing solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology to provide reliable, energy efficient, high quality, and low-emission electricity from widely available natural gas and renewable fuels. CFCL is developing SOFC products for small-scale on-site micro combined heat and power (m-CHP) and distributed generation units that co-generate electricity and heat for domestic use.



• ClearEdge Power 5 kw natural gas not clear what type



• Dais Analytic Home level PEMFC



• DCH Technologies: DCH Enable



• De Nora - Italy



• Distributed Energy Systems (gone)
• (Proton Energy Sytems -A range of systems including hydrogen generators


• ECG



• EDC Ovonics



• ERDC



• European Fuel Cell GmbH



• Fuel Cell Technologies



• FuelCell Energy



• Fuji Electric



• GenCell



• General Electric



• Global Thermoelectric



• Global Thermoelectric



• GM



• H Power Corp.



• HELION



• Hoku Scientific and IdaTech



• Hydra Fuel Cell Corp



• HydroGen Corporation



• Hydrogenics Corp

Hydrogenics USA

27201 Tourney Road,

Suite 201

Valencia, CA

USA 91355

Phone: 661.253.2593Fax: 905.361.3626

• IdaTech



• Industrial Research Laboratory



• Intelligent Energy



• Ion America



• Ishikawajima Shibaura Machinery Co



• M-C Power Corp



• Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co



• Minaton (Russian Institute of Atomic Energy)



• Mitsubishi Electric Corp



• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries



• MOSAIC Energy



• MTU CFC Solutions GmbH



• NedStack Fuel Cell Technology BV



• Nuvera



• P21 GmbH



• Plug Power



• Sanyo Electric Co.



• Schatz Energy Research Center



• Schunk



• Siemens Power Generation, Inc



• neration, Inc.



• Smart Fuel Cell AG



• Sulzer Hexis



• Teledyne Energy Systems



• Teledyne Energy Systems



• 'Tokyo Gas



• Toshiba



• Tropical S.A.



• University of Queensland



• UTC Power



• Voller Energy Group



• Wärtsilä'



• ZTEK Corp. Specialize in High efficiency fuel reformers for fuel cells, etc..
• 
  Mark 902 Transportation PEM 85 kW 􀀹
  Mark 9 SSL
  Materials Handling / Light
  Mobility PEM 4.4 - 19.3 kW 􀀹
  Mark 1030 Cogeneration PEM 1.3 kW 􀀹
  Mark 1020 ACS
  Back-up power / Light
  Mobility PEM 300 - 5000 W 􀀹
  HD6* Transportation / Bus PEM 65 or 130 kW net 􀀹
  DFC 300MA Stationary MCFC 300 kW 􀀹
  DFC 1500MA Stationary MCFC 1200 kW 􀀹
  DFC 3000 Stationary MCFC 2400 kW 􀀹
  HyPM XR (DC)
  Backup Power
  Systems Stationary PEM 8 - 16 kW 􀀹
  HyPM XR Power
  Modules Stationary PEM 4 - 12 kW 􀀹
  HyPM HD Power
  Modules Mobility PEM 4 - 65 kW 􀀹
  HyPM Power Packs Mobility PEM / hybrid 12 kW continuous 􀀹
  HySTAT Hydrogen
  Station Hydrogen Refueling
  Alkaline
  Electrolysis 4 - 60 Nm3/hr 􀀹
  ElectraGen™ 3XTR Backup PEM - Liquid Fuel 3 kW 􀀹
  ElectraGen™ 5XTR Backup PEM - Liquid Fuel 5 kW 􀀹
  ElectraGen™ 3 XTi Backup PEM - Liquid Fuel 3 kW 􀀹
  ElectraGen™ 5 XTi Backup PEM - Liquid Fuel 5 kW 􀀹
  iGen™ Portable PEM 250 W 􀀹
  ElectraGen ™ 3 Backup PEM - Hydrogen 3 kW 􀀹
  ElectraGen ™ 5 Backup PEM - Hydrogen 5 kW 􀀹
  Medis Power Pack** Portable
  Direct
  Borohydride 1 W TBD
  www.medistechnologies.com
  Mobion 30M*** Micro / Portable DMFC 30 W 􀀹
  www.idatech.com
  www.ballard.com
  www.fuelcellenergy.com
  www.hydrogenics.com
  www mechtech com
  Page 1 of 3 Copyright US Fuel Cell Council 2008 For a detailed product listing, including product descriptions and efficiencies, visit www.

Hyrdogen Engine Center

Preliminary data sheets are available for the 60kW and 250kW generator sets. For information regarding generator capabilities and sales, please contact us via telephone 1-515-295-3178 or e-mail at sales@hydrogenenginecenter.com.



Hydrogen Engine Center
2502 E. Poplar St., Algona, IA 50511
Phone: 515-295-3178 Fax: 515-395-1877
www.hydrogenenginecenter.com info@hydrogenenginecenter.com
OTCBB Symbol: HYEG:OB

Preliminary data sheets are available for the 60kW and 250kW generator sets. For information regarding generator capabilities and sales, please contact us via telephone 1-515-295-3178 or e-mail at sales@hydrogenenginecenter.com.





Hydrogen Engine Center Announces a 9.3L Compacted Graphite Iron Engine10/06/2008
Hydrogen Engine Center, Inc. (HEC) (OTCBB: HYEG.OB) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Eliminator Performance Products to produce the largest spark ignited hydrogen V8 engine yet built. It is intended for large hydrogen-fueled electrical power generation systems and for buses. Ted Hollinger, HEC Founder, says “This 572 cubic inch engine will give us a much needed power source. Hydrogen is very light and it takes a lot of displacement for every kW of power produced. Compacted Graphite Iron will increase the strength and life of the engine by more than five times and thus give very long engine life which is essential for engines running 24/7. This is our first Distributed Generation engine. After years of work I believe that HEC has an engine that can achieve the efficiency and durability that the industry has long been looking for. We are also proud to build this engine in the United States.”

Source HEC Website

CFC Solutions GMBH now MTU Onsite Energy GmbH

MTU Onsite Energy GmbH is a subsidiary business unit of MTU Friedrichshafen, a subsidiary of Tognum AG, involved in manufacturing large diesel engines and complete propulsion systems.

(thanks for the Update Bryan-see comments below)

• CFC Solutions became MTU Onsite Energy GmbH (Fuel Cell Systems Division) in September 2008.
  
  The company manufactures diesel engines for propulsion systems in ships, distributed power plants, heavy vehicles and rail in the power range between 35 and 9,000 kW.
  
  
  Since 1990, MTU has shown interest in fuel cells which resulted in the foundation of MTU CFC Solutions, now CFC Solutions.
  
  The company has been involved in the development and manufacture for molten carbonate fuel cells ("HotModule", 250kW).
  
• Since the end of 2000, MTU is also involved in PEM technology in order to develop fuel cell drive systems for off-highway applications.
• The focus of this work has been on propulsion systems for ships and on-board power generation. The aim is to develop scalable fuel cell systems on a modular basis so that they can be modified to match the requirements of the various applications as closely as possible.
• In October 2003, CFC has presented a PEM fuel cell powered sailing vessel using Ballard Power fuel cell units.

Partners

• CFC and Fuel Cell Energy are partners to a cross-licensing and cross-selling agreement. MTU Friedrichshafen has been a shareholder in FCE since 1989.
• In July 2003, RWE Fuel Cells, a subsidiary of RWE (one of Europe's leading utilities) and responsible for RWE's fuel cell business has joined MTU CFC Solutions by bying a 25.1% stake in the company.

Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) 101

People who Purchase certain renewable enery assets may be eligible to depreciate those assets more quickly than they think. Thow owners of the equipment get the "MACRS" sometimes prounouced "MACKERS".

The Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) is the current method of accelerated asset depreciation required by the United States income tax code. Under MACRS, all assets are divided into classes which dictate the number of years over which an asset's cost will be recovered.

Source: Wikipedia

Here are some links to the US Internal Revenue Web Site that Might help:

Introduction
Useful Items - You may want to see:
What Property Qualifies?
Terms you may need to know (see Glossary):
Eligible Property
Property Acquired for Business Use
Property Acquired by Purchase
What Property Does Not Qualify?
Terms you may need to know (see Glossary):
Land and Improvements
Excepted Property
How Much Can You Deduct?
Terms you may need to know (see Glossary):
Dollar Limits
Business Income Limit
Partnerships and Partners
S Corporations
Other Corporations
How Do You Elect the Deduction?
Terms you may need to know (see Glossary):
When Must You Recapture the Deduction?
Terms you may need to know (see Glossary):

The Hydrogen Economy

The hydrogen economy is a proposed method of deriving the energy needed for motive power (cars, boats, airplanes), buildings or portable electronics, by reacting hydrogen (H2) with oxygen, the hydrogen having been generated by a number of possible methods, including the electrolysis of water.

• If the energy used to split the water were obtained from renewable or Nuclear power sources, and not from burning carbon-based fossil fuels, a hydrogen economy would greatly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and therefore play a major role in tackling global warming.
• Countries without oil, but with renewable energy resources, could use a combination of renewable energy and hydrogen instead of fuels derived from petroleum, which are becoming scarcer, to achieve energy independence.
• In the context of a hydrogen economy, hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a primary energy source (see nuclear fusion for an entirely separate discussion of using hydrogen isotopes as an atomic energy source).
• Nevertheless, controversy over the usefulness of a hydrogen economy has been confused by issues of energy sourcing, including fossil fuel use, global warming, and sustainable energy generation.
• These are all separate issues, although the hydrogen economy affects them all (see below).

Proponents of a world-scale hydrogen economy show that hydrogen can be an environmentally cleaner source of energy to end-users, particularly in transportation applications, without release of pollutants (such as particulate matter) or greenhouse gases at the point of end use.

Analyses have concluded that "most of the hydrogen supply chain pathways would release significantly less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than would gasoline used in hybrid electric vehicles" and that significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions would be possible if carbon capture or carbon sequestration methods were utilized at the site of energy or hydrogen production.[1]

Critics of a hydrogen economy argue that for many planned applications of hydrogen, direct distribution and use of energy in the form of electricity, or alternate means of storage such as chemical batteries, fuel plus fuel cells, or production of liquid synthetic fuels from locally-produced hydrogen and CO2 (see methanol economy), might accomplish many of the same net goals of a hydrogen economy while requiring only a small fraction of the investment in new infrastructure.[2]

Hydrogen has been called the least efficient and most expensive possible replacement for gasoline (petrol) in terms of reducing greenhouse gases.[3][4]

A comprehensive study of hydrogen in transportation applications has found that "there are major hurdles on the path to achieving the vision of the hydrogen economy; the path will not be simple or straightforward".[1]

• Recent publicly demonstrated technological achievements using low cost materials and manufacturing processes [5], challenge the popular critique.
• Hydrogen (renewable hydrogen) can now be produced from renewable sources, thus enabling the intermittent and excess power generated to be stored for applications in transport, homes and businesses, thereby making off-grid wind and solar sources economic.

The term hydrogen economy was coined by John Bockris during a talk he gave in 1970 at General Motors (GM) Technical Center.[6]

Source Wikipedia

Fuel Cell Market Analysis

The following excellent article was originally published on 18 November, 2008. By the Institue fur Kraft Fahr Zuge in Aachen, Germany.
It is such an accurate and complete summary of my own research that I present it. The only difference I would have is an editors note I added near the bottom. I disagree that this technology is 4 years away from major market penetration. I believe it is imminent.

-Editor

The Rest Published in the Road2hy.com
.

The application of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen technologies to the industrial and commercial markets takes the form of co-generation or tri-generation systems.

• Systems available today have total powers in the range 100kW to 2-3MW (higher power, modular, systems are possible but have not been installed) and produce electricity, heating and, sometimes, cooling.
• Most quoted efficiencies are 70-80% overall and 45-50% electrical, suggesting that co-generation using Fuel Cells will yield significant reductions in GHG emissions.
• In developed countries the existing industrial and commercial power/heat sources are responsible for approximately 20-25% of the total GHG emissions, making these sectors prime targets for Fuel Cell system introduction [1].

The arguments for introducing Fuel Cell technology into these sectors are as follows:

• Many countries are investigating distributed generation strategies, influenced by renewable sources such as wind, solar, tidal and others. Fuel Cell co-generation systems suit this strategy well [2].
  
• The industrial and commercial sectors already use well-established fuel chain infrastructures for on-site generation and heating, plus the energy utility grids.
  

Some industries already produce large quantities of potential fuel, suitable for reforming, as a direct by-product of their manufacturing/production processes.

• An excellent example is the chlor-alkali industry that, globally, produces 200 tonnes of hydrogen per hour. If used in Fuel Cell co-generation plants this hydrogen could produce more than 3GW of electrical power and heating.
  

Co/tri-generation system efficiencies are much higher than those based on more conventional, established technologies.

• Fuel Cell systems will offer these sectors large potential fuel cost savings.
• Industries and commercial businesses will be increasingly keen to exploit GHG emissions reduction opportunities as legislation impacts their bottom line.
• Legislation in some countries is already forcing the adoption of increasing quantities of energy from renewable or greener sources.
• Combined with increasing conventional fossil fuel prices in the long term, a significant market already exists for Fuel Cell systems [3].

The choice or availability of fuel influences the type of Fuel Cell and reformer technology selected. Fuel Cell distributed or co-generation development is following a number of potential technology streams but with varying levels of development achieved so far. The systems that are already being produced commercially are:

• Molten Carbonate (MCFC) for applications of 200kW-2.5MW.
• Phosphoric Acid (PAFC) for applications of 100-500kW.
• Proton Exchange (PEM) for high power applications of 250kW-1MW
• Solid Oxide (SOFC): Considerable development is still required before true commercialisation is a reality for SOFC, in spite of the significant number of companies active in this particular technology stream. Systems that have been announced so far will be suitable for many applications and operate at powers between 100-250+ kW.

All these Fuel Cell systems incorporate fuel reformers where necessary so that the unit can operate on alternatives to hydrogen.

Fuel Cell co-generation systems, furthermore, must compete with long-established technologies and utility grids that are, at present, cheaper but are far less efficient. The primary goals must be as follows:

• Reduce co-generation system costs to more competitive levels.
• Reduce cell-stack operating temperatures to enable improved cell chemistry and the use of cheaper materials for the cell stacks.
• Improve fuel reformer technologies to reduce fuel impurities and hence reduce cell degradation.
• Extend cell-stack lifetime.

Main Players

An overview of companies known to be developing fuel cell systems for commercial and industrial applications is presented. The main players known to be active in industrial and commercial applications of H2&FC systems .

These companies can be divided into

1. manufacturers of fuel cell stacks
2. system integrators who develop the actual products
3. Those that do both.

(Editors Note: not in original article) Some companies are emerging which integrate multiple renewable energy generation (OREG) with energy provision though Power Purchase Agreements, In Deregulated environments. These engineering companies use multiple renewable technologies to provide entire energy solutions to a variety of energy users.)

Some of the key players in this sect a highlighted in the text below.

• CFC Solutions (Germany) manufacture high temperature fuel cell CHP systems. To date, CFC have installed more that 20 of their HotModule® fuel cell systems throughout Europe. These systems typically generate 245 kW of electricity and 180 kW of heat. CFC use Fuel Cell Energy’s Direct FuelCell® technology [4].
  
• Fuel Cell Energy (Danbury, Connecticut USA) is continuing to develop modular Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) systems with powers ranging from 300kW up to 2.4MW. They claim to be able to build systems of up to 50MW using their existing, smaller FC modules. Fuel Cell Energy owns and operates a manufacturing plant in Torrington, Connecticut, with a capacity of 50 MW of fuel cells per year at present, with plans underway to increase the production capacity [5]. Fuel Cell Energy has been working closely with its partner Enbridge to develop more efficient plants. Using the energy produced from micro-turbines, that reduce the very high natural gas transmission network operating pressure to acceptable levels, FCE is able to increase the overall efficiency of their Fuel Cell system.
  
• NedStack (Arnhem, the Netherlands) have developed low power PEM fuel cell stacks that they sell to integration companies. NedStack is also developing a much larger PEM system, for industrial / commercial power applications, with a power output as high as 1MW [6].

• Nuvera (Italy) is continuing the third phase of development of the Forza™ high power PEM Fuel Cell system specifically for chemical process industries. The hydrogen by-product of many chemical industries is an ideal fuel for this system. Nuvera expect Forza to produce up to 250kW at a net efficiency of 55-60%. Forza is being developed to allow many modules to be combined in systems with maximum powers of 2-3MW [7].
  
• Rolls Royce Fuel Cell Systems (UK) are developing industrial/commercial SOFC co-generation systems for commercialisation in 2010. Their first field trials should start in late 2008 or early 2009.

• UTC Power (South Windsor, Connecticut, USA) is a single source developer, integrator and supplier of on-site, stationary co-generation and tri-generation PAFC systems with powers ranging from 195-400kW electrical plus additional heating and cooling outputs [8].
  
• Wärtsilä (Finland) have developed a 20 kW SOFC CHP system for commercial applications. Their unit, called WFC20, is based on planar SOFC technology developed by Tospøe Fuel Cells A/S (Lyngby, Denmark). In July 2008, Wärtsilä’s SOFC CHP system was demonstrated at the Vaasa Housing Fair where it was used to supply electricity and heat, while being fuelled by landfill gas.
  

Recent Developments

• Since early 2007 Fuel Cell Energy’s largest customer, POSCO Power of Korea, has ordered nearly 40MW of systems, for delivery in 2008-2010.
  
• UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, announced in July 2008 that four models of its PureComfort® combined cooling, heating and power systems had met the emissions limits of the California Air Resources Board. This will allow UTC systems to be sited in any suitable location in California. CARB has now ordered 4 systems from UTC as part of the California Distributed Generation certification program.
  
• On 11 June 2008, UTC Power announced that the New York Power Authority (NYPA) had selected the company to supply 12 fuel cells totalling 4.8 MW of power for the Freedom Tower and three other new towers under construction at the World Trade Centre site in lower Manhattan.
• Delivery of UTC’s PureCell systems will begin in January of 2009. This installation has already attracted considerable interest from the building and site system services communities [9]. An overview of some of the recent key milestones is presented below.
  

Key Milestones and Future Developments for applying H2&FC technology to the Industrial and Commercial Market Sectors

Drivers and Barriers

Fuel cell technology holds considerable promise for the industrial and commercial market sectors. The potential flexibility and efficiency of stationary systems, plus the many applications for which they would be ideal sources of power, are certain to be recognised.

• Fuel Cell systems are used predominantly in niche industries at present, but this is likely to change rapidly as the technology gains acceptance and recognition.
• This does depend on many elements of course, including costs, lifetimes and air quality/emissions/GHG offsetting legislation.

The findings of this study indicate that large co- and tri-generation systems available to the market now can offer significant advantages over existing technologies.

True commercialisation is limited, however, by the unproven nature of Fuel Cell-based systems and by suspected cell stack lifetimes. There is a strong, well-developed existing market for conventional products and limited Government subsidies available, in only a very few countries, to encourage Fuel Cell technologies. The high overall efficiencies of Fuel Cell systems do not yet adequately outweigh the inertia within these markets, though that situation is changing.

Only a small number of companies are successfully exploiting these markets and, until now, only to a very limited extent. Fuel Cell systems require considerable further development and have made only the smallest dent in the dominance of existing energy generation technologies. Recent shifts in Government energy strategies towards renewables, GHG emission reduction and distributed generation will improve the prospects for the future, but slowly.

More companies are carrying out research and development than are producing commercial systems. Competition should increase and help to drive the cost of the Fuel Cell systems down in time. This analysis suggests that is not likely before 2012-2015.

The current industrial and commercial uses for Fuel Cell systems are niche applications only that use existing fuel infrastructures and hence rely on the available fuel reformer technology.

Manufacturers must build on their successes so far and find new opportunities by:
Continuing development of reformers to improve efficiency and maximise cell stack lifetimes through fuel impurity reductions.

Use modular systems that can be adapted to specific requirements but benefit from economies of scale from common components, cell stacks and balance of plant machinery.

Improving overall system efficiencies to further distinguish between Fuel Cells and conventional generation technology.

In conclusion, the Industrial and Commercial market sectors have huge potential for growth - approximately 10 billion GWh per year is generated globally for these markets alone. Continued investment in R&D towards better products, plus increased take-up rate of Fuel Cell systems in the near future due to improved public acceptance of the technology, will ensure growth. There is no doubt that these market sectors will be critically important to the whole Fuel Cell industry.

The Rest Published in the Road2hy.com

Back up and Running

Sorry for the Technical difficultires, Back up on running:
Send me any venders or reps youthink should be here

Texas Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) Initiative Grants

To encourage fleets to increase the number of heavy-duty Natural Gas Vehicles, the Land Office has a Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) Initiative Grant Program available in certain Texas counties.

• The program is funded with a Texas Emissions Reduction Plan grant through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TXEQ).
• A variety of vehicles - including street sweepers, forklifts, buses, and garbage trucks - are eligible for grants to help cover the cost of replacing diesel vehicles with NGVs.
• The Land Office offers preference for these grants to state and local public sector fleets.
• Private fleets also may be eligible, especially those that operate directly under contract for government work or do other government business.
• Additional information on eligibility is available in the NGV Initiative Grant Program guidelines.

Counties Eligible

Austin area:

• Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, Williamson
  Beaumont-Port Arthur area:
  Hardin, Jefferson, Orange

Dallas-Fort Worth area:

• Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area:

• Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, Waller

San Antonio area:

• Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Wilson
  

Tyler-Longview area:

• Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Smith, Upshur

To Apply

• Request for Applications (RFA)
• Guidelines
• Application
• Checklist