Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Goes Around the World in 125 Days (10/01/11)

German car maker Mercedes-Benz announced at the North American International Auto Show the start of a 125-day journey using its B-Klasse F-Cell vehicles.

The expedition, which will take the cars across 14 countries in four continents, is designed to highlight the effectiveness of the Mercedes-Benz fuel cell system.

"With this unique circumnavigation of the world we are emphasising the high level of technical maturity of our electric vehicles with fuel cell," said Thomas Weber, Daimler member of the board for Group Research and Development.

UltraCell Contracted for 150W Fuel Cell System (10/01/11)

UltraCell has been awarded a $1 million (£620,000) contract from the US Army to deliver fuel cells first developed for the British Ministry of Defence.

The firm, which is a pioneer in Reformed Methanol Micro Fuel technology, was awarded the contract by the army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center to develop to the 150-watt fuel cell system.

It will be used to convert methanol into electricity to charge batteries and power electronic devices used by the military.

IdaTech continues to improve margins with new generation fuel cells (11/01/11)

Clean fuel technology firm IdaTech has launched a new generation of methanol-water fuel cells.

The ElectraGen ME is a backup power cell that possesses a fuel reformer that creates its own supply of hydrogen gas from methanol and water.

In a statement, the company said the new generation of products offers "substantial cost and performance improvements" on its previous range of cells.

The firm also said it had sold over 350 systems in 2010, down on the 445 in the previous year, though profit margins have improved significantly.

Detroit Auto Show 2011: Toyota Promises 'Affordable' Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle (10/01/11)

Toyota has announced plans to sell "affordable" highly fuel-efficient hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the US by 2015.

The new fuel cell car will "be reliable and durable, with exceptional fuel economy and zero emissions, at an affordable price," according to Irv Miller, Toyota North America spokesman.

Multiquip Introduces Industry’s First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Light Tower (11/01/11)

The first hydrogen fuel cell-powered light tower has been unveiled by Multiquip as part of a planned series of similar products.

Using innovative plasma light technology, the tower is filament-free and produces 22,000 lumens, uses only 255 watts and comes with a life expectancy of up to 50,000 hours.

Torsten Erbel, Multiquip vice-president for product management, engineering and customer support, said: "It's reliable due to the lack of moving parts; durable; does not contaminate due to fuel spills; there is very low maintenance; and it is user-friendly, using an automotive-style fuel nozzle."

Global Observer, AeroVironment’s Extreme Endurance Unmanned Aircraft System, Achieves Historic First Hydrogen-Powered Flight (11/01/11)

An unmanned aircraft has completed its first flight powered by hydrogen-fuel propulsion.

Lasting four hours and reaching an altitude of 5,000 feet, the Global Observer flight is the result of a joint project between AeroVironment (AV) and the US government.

AV chairman and chief executive officer Tim Conver said the aircraft is like a satellite and is the first system to offer "unblinking eye and continuous communications link over any location on the earth's surface for as long as needed".

Japan firms plan to create fuel-cell car mkt by 2015 (13/01/11)

Ten Japanese firms are cooperating to develop the infrastructure needed to develop a viable domestic fuel cell vehicle market.

Car makers Toyota, Honda and Nissan are to work with major oil and gas firms to build ten hydrogen stations in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka by 2015.

Another Sysco Distribution Center Converts to Plug Power GenDrive Fuel Cells (19/01/11)

Plug Power Inc announced that it has received its third order from Sysco Corporation for its GenDrive fuel cell units.

The fuel cells will be used to power sit down counterbalanced trucks, standup reach trucks and pallet jacks.

Plug Power said the order will increase productivity and lower operational costs for Sysco.

Bristol to run UK’s first clean, green hydrogen ferry (21/01/11)

Britain's first hydrogen-powered ferry is to start operating in Bristol from this summer.

Bristol Hydrogen Boats – a consortium formed by No 7 Boat Trips, the Bristol Packet, and Auriga Energy Ltd is behind the project, which local councillor Neil Harrison says will stimulate technological enterprise in the city.

Mercedes-Benz Electric Vehicle with Fuel Cell Presented to Federal Ministry of Transport (25/01/11)

German federal minister for transport Peter Ramsauer has been presented with a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell car.

Dr Thomas Weber from Mercedes explained that the fuel cell drive in the car has range of 400km and can be refuelled in just three minutes.

Mr Ramsauer said he there is "great potential" for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to be used for short journeys in cities, while they present "an interesting option" for longer routes.

Cover Story: More than Just Pretty! – Well-Defined Catalysts for Fuel Cells (26/01/11)

Scientists have made progress in developing alloys of platinum and other metals to act as fuel cell catalysts.

A team from Argonne National Laboratory in the US have found a method to synthethise a family of platinum-nickel nanoparticles with controlled size, composition and alloy homogeneity.

It is hoped the breakthrough will allow the development of cheaper catalysts by reducing the amount of platinum required.

Plug Power Applauds President Obama for His Support of Alternative Energy Solutions for the U.S. (26/01/11)

Plug Power Inc has applauded US president Barack Obama for his support of tax legislation and the continued commercialisation of clean energy.

Andy Marsh, the firm's chief executive officer, noted that hydrogen fuel cells are a "promising solution" to energy independence of the US.

"Plug Power applauds President Obama and his administration for seeing the correlation between alternative energy and job growth, economic upturn and environmental progress," he said.

Methanol, hydrogen fuel cells gain believers (26/01/11)

There is a growing acceptance of methanol and hydrogen fuel cells, as demonstrated by Earp Distribution in Kansas and Sysco Corp's Baugh Northeast C-op Inc unit in Virginia.

Sanjiv Malhotra, chief executive officer at Oorja Protonics, which supplies Earp Distribution, said the use of fuel cells by the Kansas firm "is showing that green solutions are good for business and the environment".

According to Oorja, its fuel cells reduce carbon dioxide emission by between 30 and 66 per cent.

Glasgow University in hydrogen fuel project (28/01/11)

Scientists at Glasgow University are pioneering research on using nanotechnology to find a way to store hydrogen for fuel cells in a solid state.

The gas could then be safely combined with oxygen to produce electricity in a fuel cell, while producing just water as a by-product.

Professor Duncan Gregory, from the university's school of chemistry, said: "Finding a viable means of storing hydrogen in the solid state would pave the way for the industrial-scale use of hydrogen as a clean alternative to hydrocarbon-based fuels in aeroplanes."

Linde selected as exclusive partner for Mercedes-Benz hydrogen world tour (31/01/11)

The Linde Group has been selected by Mercedes-Benz as its hydrogen partner for the F-Cell World Drive, which is seeing three B-Class hydrogen fuel cells tour the world.

It worked with the German car maker to develop a new mobile 700-bar refuelling unit based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, specifically for the tour.

The technology firm will also supply around 18,000 cubic tonnes of hydrogen for the tour.

Central Grocers Places Follow-On Order for Plug Power's GenDrive Fuel Cells (01/02/11)

Central Grocers has purchases an additional 11 GenDrive fuel cell units for its electric truck fleet in Joliet, Illinois.

The order from Plug Power takes the total number of fuel cell-powered trucks to 231, after purchasing 220 GenDrive units for its brand new distribution centre in 2008.

The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association Commends President Obama's Challenge to Lead in Clean Energy Technology (01/02/11)

The Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) welcomed President Obama's call to make clean energy technology a "national imperative".

"We thank the president for acknowledging the need for all portfolio options to meet the challenge of generating 80-percent of America's electricity from clean energy sources by 2035," said FCHEA president and executive director Ruth Cox.

The association said the hydrogen and fuel cell industry is "poised to transform the way energy is generated and used". 

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