The German Minister of Economic Affairs signed a contract on 17th February which will see the delivery of two fuel cell city buses delivered to Cologne in 2010.

According to Cleantech, the two 105-seater vehicles will be manufactured by Dutch company Nedstack, whose Vice-President Jan Piet van der Meer said: "Fuel cell-electric drives are, in the end, the most effective that exist, with pure water as the only emission product."

http://www.cleantech.com/news/4167/germany-receive-fuel-cell-city-buse

NASA Glenn Research Centre is planning to develop a fuel cell electric bus with hydrogen taken from lake water, Cleveland.com reports.

In partnership with the RTA, the Great Lakes Science Centre and United Technologies, the company has applied for a $2.6 million grant from the Ohio Third Frontier Wright Projects programme for funding.

The decision over the bus - which will see electricity produced by the wind turbine and solar array panel at the science centre powering the water decomposition - will be made in May.

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/02/nasa_lewis_working_with_rta_to.html

Meanwhile, SFC Smart Fuel Cell has confirmed the launch of its new JENNY portable fuel cell system for defence applications.

The device produces close to zero emissions and has a very low surface temperature, while also being capable of operating between -20C and 50C, under water or at altitudes exceeding 4,000m.

http://www.sfc.com/en/sfc-press-release/11087-internationaler-verkaufsstart-der-tragbaren-jenny-brennstoffzelle.html

German automaker Volkswagen has announced that it intends to unveil 16 fuel cell-powered Passat Lingyu prototypes in the US, taking its total fuel cell fleet to 24.

The vehicles are capable of reaching a top speed of 145km/h, while travelling for 235km on a single tank of hydrogen with no emissions, Auto123.com reports.

http://www.auto123.com/en/news/green-wheels/volkswagen-hits-the-us-with-16-fuel-cell-equipped-passat-lingyus?model=Passat+Lingyu&make=Volkswagen&artid=105355

The University of South Carolina announced recently that it would use a fuel cell to help power part of the scoreboard in its baseball stadium, Fuel Cell Today reports.

The recycled cell, which was once a back-up power source for a mobile phone tower, is being funded by a $33,000 grant from the South Carolina Research Authority.

http://www.thestate.com/gogamecocks/baseball/story/691537.html

Hitachi revealed recently that it has joined forces with the Centre for Process Innovation and Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation to develop applications for direct methanol fuel cells.

The three companies will test the power generation performance and economic efficiency of applications provided by CPI and powered by Hitachi's prototype 100W-class portable fuel cells.

http://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/090224.html

In Japan, Nissan announced on 25th February that it has commenced tests on a new vehicle which features a next-generation fuel-cell stack.

The new device, which is 25 per cent smaller than previous designs, is capable of providing 1.4 times the power output, increasing from 90KW to 130KW.

The company is set to showcase the technology - which requires less platinum electrodes and has a more durable catalyser - at FC Expo 2009 following recent cold-weather tests at its Hokkaido Proving Ground.

http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2009/_STORY/090225-02-e.html

Alternative energy firm VIASPACE has announced that it has completed its second development contract to offer a high-reliability standard methanol cartridge to Samsung.

The Japanese electronics and appliances giant has been showcasing the new product - manufactured by VIASPACE's fuel cell subsidiary Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation - to its potential customers.

The disposable fuel cartridges could possibly be converted for use with notebook computers, mobile phones and small portable power stations.

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-02-2009/0004980913&EDATE=

Finally, General Motors (GM) has been urged by Democrat politician Louise Slaughter to commit to plans to establish fuel cell manufacturing operations in Rochester, New York.

In a letter to CEO Richard Wagner, quoted by 13WHAM.com, she wrote: "By committing to fuel cell manufacturing in Rochester, GM can apply for the $25 billion loan fund Congress established ... to re-tool and facilitate production of new fuel efficient and alternative fuel vehicles in the US."

http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/Slaughter-Urges-GM-to-Locate-Fuel-Cell-Plant-in/qeCnry8ESk2Uj72dzUS4qA.cspx