NORWAY GERMANY NORSK HYDRO CLEAN ENERGY
PARTNERSHIP
ARAL BMW
BERLIN PUBLIC TRANSPORT DAIMLERCHRYSLER
FORD
GM/OPEL LINDE VATTENFALL
EUROPE Norsk Hydro November
12, 2004 |
| GERMAN HYDROGEN STATION CAN REFUEL 100
VEHICLES PER DAY! |
|
 |
World's Largest Hydrogen Station
Opened in Berlin
Aral Tests Hydrogen in Everyday Use
A conventional Aral roadside filling station now also offers hydrogen as well as
gasoline and diesel - a European first.
Bochum/Berlin, 12 November 2004 - Aral, Germany's leading retail site operator, has opened
the world's largest hydrogen filling station in Berlin at its Messdamm retail site, near
the city's trade fair. It has the capacity to fill up more than 100 vehicles per day. For
the first time anywhere in the European Union, Aral (a sub-sidiary of Deutsche BP) is
offering the alternative energy hydrogen alongside gasoline and diesel at a conventional
filling station. The station is part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP), a project
involving Aral, the BMW Group, the Berlin Municipal Transport Company (Berliner
Verkehrsbetriebe), DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM/Opel, Hydro/GHW, Linde and Vattenfall Europe
- supported by the German Ministry of Transport. All those involved are investing a total
of 33 million euros in the project up to 2007. "The opening of this hydrogen filling
station is an important step on the way to-wards sustainable, emissions-free mobility in
the future. Here, for the first time, we can test the production, distribution, storage
and fuelling of hydrogen in everyday operations at a normal filling station," said
Dr. Uwe Franke, Chairman of Deutsche BP AG. The ultramodern station has two hydrogen pumps
- one for liquid and one for gaseous hydrogen. The latter is produced by electrolysis,
with the electricity needed being generated from renewable energy. The liquid hydrogen,
which has a temperature of minus 253ºC, is produced off-site, delivered by road-tanker
and stored on-site in a special tank.
In order to examine the everyday suitability of hydrogen as a source of
energy, and to test customer acceptance, 16 vehicles belonging to the project partners
from the automobile industry will immediately start filling up at the Berlin station. Some
of the vehicles involved are powered by fuel cells, some have a hydrogen combustion
engine. For the first time, they will be made available to customers, too. A service area
will be opened in 2005 on the station site for servicing hydro-gen vehicles.
Background: Aral is one of the pioneers in Germany in the field of
hydrogen. Since 1999 the company has been running a test project on fuelling with liquid
and gaseous hy-drogen at Munich Airport in collaboration with eleven partners and
supported by the Bavarian Ministry of Economics. The station is the world's first and only
public hydrogen filling station with fully automatic liquid hydrogen fuelling per-formed
by robots. The results are impressive. Four buses and a number of cars, all powered by
hy-drogen, have so far covered over 530,000 km without encountering any problems.
Practical experience gained from over 3,600 fuellings with liquid and gaseous hydrogen
were taken into account when the Berlin project was being planned and put into practice.
For more information and photos, see www.aral-presse.de [Press
release provided in English to ICHBC by Aral.] |
The world's largest hydrogen filling station was formally opened
in Berlin, Germany, on Friday. Hydro supplies the equipment for hydrogen gas production.
FILLING HYDROGEN: It is believed that using hydrogen as a fuel will contribute to
future sustainable mobility. Hydro has worked with eight other companies in the Clean
Energy Partnership (CEP) project, which is supported by the Federal Government of Germany.
The aim of the project is to demonstrate that hydrogen can function as an everyday fuel
with a view to future sustainable mobility. At the opening of the filling station, Ivar
Hexeberg, vice president of the New Energy unit in Hydro, handed over the hydrogen fuel
dispenser to the Federal Minister of Transportation, Dr. Manfred Stolpe, describing it as
a "token of a better future".
The total investment in the project is approximately EUR 33
million. Companies that otherwise compete in the energy, hydrogen and automotive
industries are working together on the development of hydrogen as fuel for transportation.
The hydrogen station, which is part of the Aral chain, is situated at Messedamm, close to
the Berlin central bus station. Hydrogen is produced by a Hydro/GHW electrolyser through
splitting water into its two basic elements hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity needed
for this process is in the form of renewable power in Berlin. The hydrogen is pressurized
and stored. The Hydro electrolyser can be controlled from Norway and will produce hydrogen
at demand. This production in the middle of the busy city of Berlin gives no emissions at
all, apart from oxygen which is released to the air. "Environmentally friendly
initiatives such as this are well suited to us; it's Hydro's mission to help create a
sustainable society," said Hexeberg at the opening. -- Norsk Hydro
|
- THE BERLIN H2
STATION: Fill It Up With Hydrogen
Deutsche World November 13, 2004
The Berlin service station has enough capacity to fill 100 vehicles with
hydrogen. At the moment, though, there are only 16 cars and one city bus which will hook
up at the Aral pumps. The cars from BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and Opel are only
prototypes and have not been designed for widespread use.
Also see HYDROGEN
VEHICLES |
| JAPAN MAZDA |
Car Pages (UK)
November 30, 2004
|
 |
Mazda Green Car a World First
Mazda is set to make
automotive history with the world's first "street legal" dual-fuel hydrogen
rotary H2RE - Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE - which is due on road test in Japan with government
offices and major companies over the next two years. The H2RE is powered by a modified
version of Mazda's award-winning RENESIS rotary engine that features an electronically
controlled hydrogen gas direct injection system on the rotor housing. |
 Hondas and
Hydrogen Nov/Dec
2004
Jim Motavalli E/The
Environmental Magazine
Arnold Schwarzenegger and
GM's Hydrogen Hummer
Motor Trend November 29, 2004
| GM FORD BMW
MAZDA MERCEDES-BENZ
November 22, 2004 |
The Engine Looks Familiar, But It Runs on Hydrogen
Don Sherman New
York Times
Creating a market for hydrogen to fuel internal combustion engines could break a
longstanding stalemate - the reluctance of energy companies to create a hydrogen supply
without substantial demand, and fuel cell development stymied by the lack of a hydrogen
supply network. |
Hydrogenics
Receives Contract From German State
to Develop and Demonstrate Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus
Hydrogenics November 19, 2004
Samsung Develops
Hydrogen-powered Scooter
Asia Times November 19, 2004
WASHINGTON D.C. SHELL
HYDROGEN GM
November 11, 2004
US DEPT OF ENERGY - INFRASTRUCTURE DEMONSTRATION &
VALIDATION |
"The
only way the hydrogen economy will be realised is having not only fuel cell vehicles, but
also convenient places to refuel, and local communities that will support this transition
to a new energy source."
Larry Burns, General Motors
Vice President of Research and Development and Planning |
 |
Shell Opens First
Combined Hydrogen and Gasoline Station in North America
Shell |
| Shell Hydrogen (U.S.) opened the first
hydrogen dispenser at a retail gasoline station to service a fleet of six fuel cell
vehicles from the General Motors Corporation, the companies announced today. Located in
northeast Washington, D.C, the station is part of a collaboration between Shell and GM to
demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refueling infrastructure technology, an
important contribution in making fuel cell vehicles an everyday reality. Shell will offer
both compressed and liquid hydrogen at the Benning Road station... "Our aim is to become the
market leader in a growing industry that will provide hydrogen alongside improved
traditional fuels to customers enjoying new generations of attractive vehicles. To meet
our customers? wishes for this attractive fuel, we?re focused today on large scale
demonstration projects ? what we call `Lighthouse Projects? ? that create mini-networks of
hydrogen fueling stations in specific cities or regions of the country. These Lighthouse
Projects will bring together governments and several energy and auto companies to hasten
full commercialization of hydrogen as a transportation fuel."
Jeremy Bentham, CEO, Shell Hydrogen
Shell has developed a realistic understanding of the importance of hydrogen and
the steps necessary to make this happen. The following is Shell’s step-by-step
approach to development of the hydrogen mass market:
- Step One – Stand-alone projects with
restricted access (like depots for hydrogen-fueled buses)
- Step Two – Second generation sites, with
public access, but separate from existing gasoline stations (e.g. the facility Shell
opened in Iceland in April, 2003 which supplies hydrogen made from water to three city
buses)
- Step Three – Fully integrated fuel stations
(traditional fuels and hydrogen)
- Step Four – Within the next five years,
mini-network “Lighthouse Projects” (semi-commercial, public-private partnerships
involving multiple energy companies, governments, and fleets of 100 or more vehicles)
- Step 5 – 2010-2020 connecting the
mini-networks with corridors and filling in the white spaces
“We are now celebrating the achievement of the third step, and are moving
forward to realize steps four and five,” said Bentham. “We need to accelerate
the process today by coordinating with government leaders and the public in order to build
effective public/private partnerships and realize semi-commercial lighthouse projects.
Based on our analysis, Lighthouse Projects should include:”
- Fleets building up to 100 vehicles and beyond
- Fueled from mini-networks of 4-6 integrated hydrogen/gasoline stations
- Have both semi-commercial and publicly subsidized elements
- Focus on transportation in urbanized area
- Have a high visibility because people must be able to see the miracle of
hydrogen technology with their own eyes. It mustn’t be only something they read
about.
Also see HYDROGEN
VEHICLES |
Westport Signs a
New Agreement with BMW for Supply and
Development Tasks of Hydrogen-fueled Injection Components
CCN Matthews November 10, 2004
2ND ANNIVERSARY OF TOYOTA'S FUEL CELL HIGHLANDER |
"My dog was in the driveway and if you turn the car off there's an air
compressor that blows air out through the tailpipe to take out moisture. Well my dog
started drinking water out of the tailpipe!"
Gregg Kelly, CEO of Orthodyne Electronics
CEO Is
Guinea Pig for Cleaner Cars
Miguel Llanos
MSNBC November
8, 2004 |
| SOUTH KOREA CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA FUEL CELL
PARTNERSHIP HYUNDAI
CHEVRONTEXACO UNITED TECHNOLOGIES |
Hyundai to
Introduce Hydrogen SUV Fleet in California
Mason Stockstill Inland Valley Daily
Bulletin (CA) November 5,
2004 |
| Contractors
have begun work on a fueling station at the Hyundai America Technical Center in Chino,
where a fleet of five SUVs that run on pollution-free fuel cells will be kept. ...Use of
the station will be limited to the five compact SUVs that Hyundai is building to run on
hydrogen, Gloddeck said. There are no plans to convert it to a retail station in the
future. The station is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy that also
went to ChevronTexaco, who is constructing the station, and United Technologies Corp.,
which created the fuel cells that are being used. |
Mazda to Launch Hybrid SUV
with Ford Technology
Reuters November 2, 2004
| AUSTRALIA GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA November 1, 2004
|
 |
EcoBus Newsletter
Issue 1 November 2004
It seems that the days of ‘a bus is a bus’ may be over. Passengers have been
very keen to embrace the new fuel cell buses – and the quietness inside the bus has
allowed the overhearing of some very lively discussion by passengers about the new
technology and their new found knowledge…”
The first bus is unloaded from the ship, with the pure steam
rising from its exhaust pipe visible at the rear. |
| CANADA WESTPORT
INNOVATIONS SUNLINE
TRANSIT |
November 1, 2004 |
Westport to Demo 5
Hydrogen-Natural Gas Buses in Vancouver
Canadian Press
Two 230-horsepower Cummins Westport B Gas Plus engines were calibrated to
run on HCNG for the SunLine Transit Agency of Palm Springs, Calif. ``The buses have now
completed 24,000 miles (39,000 kilometres) on the road and HCNG technology has
successfully proven itself in a commercially available heavy-duty engine in a real-life
application,'' Munshi says. Westport's chief operating officer, Michael Gallagher, adds
that as hydrogen fuelling stations expand, ``HCNG buses and trucks will offer an excellent
way to develop critical mass for fuelling infrastructure while allowing fleets the
flexibility to revert to CNG-only operation as fuel availability dictates.'' Westport now
is preparing a demonstration of up to five HCNG-fuelled transit buses in Vancouver. |
GM,
Shanghai Auto Cooperate on Fuel Cells
Forbes October
30, 2004
SHUT
UP AND HANG ON!
"Preliminary tests have shown that the
acceleration of the Quantum Aggressor is far superior to an unmodified gasoline internal
combustion engine-powered all-terrain vehicle, reaching 40 miles per hour twice as
fast." |
| CALIFORNIA QUANTUM FUEL SYSTEMS US ARMY Quantum October 25, 2004 |
Quantum Ships First
Fuel Cell Vehicle to U.S. Army |
Quantum Fuel Systems
Technologies Worldwide, Inc., (Nasdaq: QTWW) and the U.S. Army TARDEC's NAC
(Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center's National Automotive
Center) unveiled a high performance, fuel cell off-road vehicle at the annual meeting of
the Association of the U.S. Army in Washington, DC. The "Quantum AMV™"
(Alternative Mobility Vehicle), nicknamed the "Aggressor," is a fuel cell
vehicle designed and manufactured by Quantum at its California operations for the U.S.
Army under contract with the NAC. This vehicle provides significant advantages to U.S.
troops for high mobility in stealth operations.
...The Quantum Aggressor runs on compressed hydrogen utilizing
Quantum's proprietary Type IV impact resistant carbon fiber storage tanks. A 10 kW fuel
cell is coupled with an energy storage module in a parallel hybrid configuration, which
provides power on demand to a high-torque electric motor driving the rear-wheels.
Preliminary tests have shown that the acceleration of the Quantum Aggressor is far
superior to an unmodified gasoline internal combustion engine-powered all-terrain vehicle,
reaching 40 miles per hour twice as fast. Ungoverned, the Quantum Aggressor is capable of
reaching speeds of 80 miles per hour. Quantum's electronic control system imposes torque
and speed limits on the drivetrain to enhance traction and safety. |
1972: IN THE BEGINNING
Frank Lynch,
Bill Van Vorst and the Hydrogen Gremliin
Wired
September
27, 2004
California
Makes Progress
in Kicking Oil Habit
Robert Collier
San Francisco Chronicle
October 24, 2004
Arnold
Schwarzenegger Unveils First BP-
Branded Retail-Designed Hydrogen Site In US
BP October 22, 2004
Ford Seeks Takers to Test
its Hydrogen-fueled Bus Fleet
Eric Mayne
Detroit News October 21, 2004
| COLORADO
INTERGALACTIC
HYDROGEN Durango Herald
October 14, 2004 |
 |
Tai Robinson and Ernest Eich
Hydrogen-Powered
Cars Mary Ann
Lopez
Last year Tai Robinson drove his Toyota Tacoma
cross-country, and despite the thousands of miles he |
| logged, he bought just 21 gallons of gasoline all
year. With a modified internal combustion engine, Robinson powered his vehicle with
hydrogen, natural gas and ethanol. He used regular gasoline when a cleaner-burning fuel
source was unavailable. |
| JAPAN
MAZDA |
Dow Jones
October 14, 2004 |
Mazda To Lease
Green Hydrogen-Powered Vehicle Over 2 Yrs
Mazda started working on the development of hydrogen-powered
vehicles in 1991 and has developed nine such vehicle models since then. The company
unveiled the latest model, the RX-8 sports car with the hydrogen powered rotary engine, at
the Tokyo Motor Show in October last year. Rotary engines are less fuel-efficient than
conventional reciprocating engines when running on gasoline, but the engines are more
efficient than standard engines when powered by hydrogen. Since hydrogen has a lower
combustion threshold than gasoline, it often ignites before the optimal point in
conventional reciprocating engines - in which the intake, combustion and exhaust all occur
in the same chamber - resulting in irregular fuel combustion and lower output. In a rotary
engine, the processes take place in different places, producing hardly any irregular
ignitions. Mazda is the only automaker that mass-produces rotary engines among global car
makers. |
GM Daewoo
Reveals its Hydrogen Fueled Vehicle to the Public
Won-Gun Shin The Donga-Ilbo (SOUTH
KOREA) October 18,
2004
| SWITZERLAND
FRANCE PAUL SHERRER
INSTITUTE MICHELIN |
Michelin Pushes Tech Envelope
Larry Edsall Detroit News October
19, 2004
|
 |
SWISS/FRENCH
LONG RANGE FUEL CELL CAR USES HYDROGEN+OXYGEN
Two-litre/100km
Car
Sets New Standards
Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland) Oct
12, 2004
A project for cleaner mobility is currently celebrating its first
public |
appearance
in Shanghai. The research centre of Michelin Group and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)
in Switzerland have developed the prototype for a lightweight passenger vehicle, offering
a new combination of improvements in the field of environmentally- sensitive motor vehicle
construction. This car consumes significantly less raw material and spends very few
energy. It emits no exhaust fumes and is outstandingly stable. The fuel cell vehicle can
demonstrate its performance presently at the Challenge Bibendum, the largest competition
in the world for futuristic drive concepts, taking place for the first time in China in
2004.
Though the buzz of the HY-LIGHT as it drives through the streets is gentle, this
four-seater turns out to have outstanding power. It accelerates from standstill to 100
km/h in less than twelve seconds – but there’s no roar of exhaust from its rear
end. The HY-LIGHT runs on a system of fuel cells, using hydrogen and oxygen to produce
electric current. Steam is the one and only exhaust product from this car – no trace
of nitrogen oxides, greenhouse gases or aerosol particles.
The electric current is conducted through an electric power train, whose last
elements consist of two compact electric motors, fitted in the front wheels of the
HY-LIGHT. When the vehicle brakes, recovered kinetic energy is stored in devices called
supercaps. These capacitors can re-release the electricity later, increasing the output of
the motor from 30 kilowatts (41 HP) to 75 kilowatts (102 HP) for a short time.
Less resource consumption thanks to low weight
As well as the environmentally-friendly fuel cell driving mechanism, the HY-LIGHT
can provide other ecological advantages. This lightweight car only weighs 850 kilograms.
As a result, significantly less raw material is used in its manufacture, and its
consumption of fuel is spectacularly low, equivalent to just two litres of petrol per 100
kilometres. The fuel cell operates at an efficiency level of about 60 percent, making it
three times more efficient than conventional internal combustion engines on average. With
a tank full of fuel, it will travel 400 kilometres – which is also a top value for a
fuel cell car.
Input from basic research
The HY-LIGHT is the result of a partnership between the research centre of Michelin
Group, based near Fribourg, Switzerland, and the PSI in Villigen, in the Canton of Aargau,
Switzerland. PSI developed the fuel cell system, and contributed its long-term experience
of basic electrochemical research. By using the new cells and improved supercaps, the
scientists, engineers and designers achieved a technological leap forward in the
efficiency of energy conversion. Michelin created the whole power train, the electric
motors and the chassis management system, based on an active electric suspension. This
gives the vehicle stability on bends and when it brakes, providing a safe, comfortable
ride. Hydrogen and oxygen are stored in special vessels fitted into the structure of the
vehicle and well protected against shocks. Both gases can be produced by electrolysis. A
prototype installation was studied and realised with the support of the Electrical Power
Company of Fribourg.
Within barely 20 months, this enthusiastic team from the worlds of science and
industry have constructed and tested their prototype. The HY-LIGHT can now demonstrate its
performance in Shanghai at the Challenge Bibendum, the largest competition in the world
for environmentally-friendly motor vehicles. The fuel cell car will be presented in public
for the first time in Switzerland before the end of November 2004.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
For further information, contact: Dr. Philipp Dietrich, Project Manager Fuel Cell
System of the HY-LIGHT, PSI, Tel. +41 (0)79 437 42 93
Daniel Laurent, Head of Research Centre of Michelin Group, Givisiez, near Fribourg,
Tel. +41 (0)79 230 77 07
Prof. Dr. Alexander Wokaun, Head of Department, General Energy Research Department,
PSI, Tel. +41 (0)56 310 27 51; alexander.wokaun@psi.ch
Dr. Günther Scherer, Manager of the Electrochemistry Laboratory, PSI, Tel. +41
(0)56 310 23 62; guenther.scherer@psi.ch
Media Contact: Beat Gerber, Communications Officer Paul Scherrer Institut 5232
Villigen PSI, Switzerland Tel +41 (0)56 310 29 16 Fax +41 (0)56 310 27 17 E-mail
beat.gerber@psi.ch |
DETROIT FORD MICHELIN CHALLENGE BIBENDUM BALLARD October 13, 2004 |
 Supercharged
Hydrogen Ford 2.3 liter engineFord
Unveils World’s
Cleanest Internal
Combustion Engine
Ford Motor Company |
The new 2.3 liter
hydrogen engine with Lean NOx Trap (LNT) aftertreatment, meets the stringent SULEV-Bin 2
emissions standards. Ford engineers are in the process of optimizing its calibration to
obtain performance similar to a gasoline-powered engine. According to Cischke, production
for real-world use could come within 12 months to 24 months. Ford’s first test of the
new hydrogen engine with LNT aftertreatment produced nitrogen oxide results below the
SULEV or Tier 2-Bin 2 standard, which is the world’s cleanest standard. Subsequent
tests have been just as promising. Ford's target is to meet these challenging emissions
requirements, produce virtually no CO2 and deliver gasoline-like performance.
...In addition, the Hydrogen Hybrid Research Vehicle (H2RV), a
technology that could be on sale today if the hydrogen fueling infrastructure were widely
available is on display. The H2RV combines a 2.3-liter internal combustion engine powered
by hydrogen and boosted by a supercharger, with a patented Modular Hybrid Transmission
System. The most advanced environmental vehicle Ford has ever produced, the Ford Focus
Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) also is on display at the Bibendum. The Focus FCV uses a Ballard
fuel cell engine that converts the chemical energy into electricity using hydrogen and
oxygen. |
- Ford Fuel Cell Vehicles Ford
Motor Company
- Hydrogen
Internal Combustion Ford Motor Company
- Ford Unveils World’s
Cleanest Internal Combustion
Engine Ford Motor
Company October 14, 2004
The new 2.3 liter hydrogen engine with Lean NOx Trap (LNT)
aftertreatment, meets the stringent SULEV-Bin 2 emissions standards. Ford engineers are in
the process of optimizing its calibration to obtain performance similar to a
gasoline-powered engine. According to Cischke, production for real-world use could come
within 12 months to 24 months. Ford’s first test of the new hydrogen engine with LNT
aftertreatment produced nitrogen oxide results below the SULEV or Tier 2-Bin 2 standard,
which is the world’s cleanest standard. Subsequent tests have been just as promising.
Ford's target is to meet these challenging emissions requirements, produce virtually no
CO2 and deliver gasoline-like performance. ...In addition, the Hydrogen Hybrid
Research Vehicle (H2RV), a technology that could be on sale today if the hydrogen fueling
infrastructure were widely available is on display. The H2RV combines a 2.3-liter internal
combustion engine powered by hydrogen and boosted by a supercharger, with a patented
Modular Hybrid Transmission System. The most advanced environmental vehicle Ford has ever
produced, the Ford Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) also is on display at the Bibendum. The
Focus FCV uses a Ballard fuel cell engine that converts the chemical energy into
electricity using hydrogen and oxygen.
- Ford 12-passenger Shuttle Altered
to Run on Hydrogen
Detroit Free Press September
30, 2004
The hydrogen buses are made from a modified Ford F-450 chassis cab,
combined with a shuttle bus body and a 6.8-liter Triton V10 engine fueled with hydrogen.
- Ford Motor Company
Celebrates Job One Production of Its Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Focus
Auto Channel September 28, 2004
Ford is building an evaluation fleet of Focus FCVs for placement in
demonstration programs in the United States, Canada, and Germany. Vehicles will be placed
in Michigan, California, and Florida in response to the U.S. Department of Energy's
solicitation, titled "Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Demonstration and
Validation Project." Additional vehicles will be placed in Vancouver, British
Columbia and Berlin, Germany under programs sponsored by the Canadian and German
governments. All of these programs are designed to promote development of hydrogen-based
technologies. Additionally, Ford is working with BP plc. to build a network of hydrogen
fueling stations in these markets to support the vehicles. Some BP hydrogen refueling
stations will evaluate technologies that have near-term commercial feasibility, such as
reformation of natural gas, while others will explore more long-term technology options
and assess the potential to produce renewable-based hydrogen that achieve U.S. DOE
hydrogen fuel cost targets.
|
| JAPAN AMERICAN HONDA
POLYFUEL
October 6, 2004 |
 |
HYDROCARBON FUEL
CELL MEMBRANE
A Cheaper
Fuel Cell?
Matthew L. Wald New York
Times / International Herald Tribune |
|
Honda demonstrated a fuel-cell car with a hydrocarbon membrane in Japan last October,
according to Ben Knight, vice president for research and development of Honda's American
subsidiary. It has 12 such cars on the road in California and plans to bring out one in
the northeastern United States soon. A hydrocarbon membrane functions well at temperatures
slightly below zero degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius, he said.
Flourine-based membranes can produce little power at such low temperatures. |
|
also see FUEL CELLS |
Australian
Government Unveils
A$67 Million Hydrogen-Fueled Bus Plan
Dow Jones October 4, 2004
Ballard Fuel Cells to
Power More Than 50 percent of Announced Demonstration Fleets Under U.S. Hydrogen Economy
Initiative
Ballard Power Systems
September 28, 2004
TENNESSEE CANADA
GENERAL HYDROGEN
MAXWELL TECHNOLOGIES
OZBURN-HESSEY LOGISTICS GM TORO
September 23, 2004 |
 |
H2 Fuel
Cells Powering Pallet Jacks
The tests have just begun, after a four-month process of adapting General
Hydrogen's fuel cells to four of Ozburn-Hessey's battery-powered pallet jacks. Two are in
use at any given time. The cells are produced by |
| hand at General Hydrogen's facility in Vancouver, British Columbia. The
company hopes to eventually mass-produce them in the United States. |
- Field Trials: Fuel
Cell Hybrid Lift Truck September 1, 2004
William C. Shumay, Jr.
Material Handling Wholesaler (IA)
Up to 100 BoostCap ultracapacitors developed by Maxwell Technologies Inc. are used
in General Hydrogen’s Hydricity fuel cell power pack. Ultracapacitors store and
release electrical energy more rapidly than do conventional batteries, and are said to
have a very long operational life. This type of addition to a fuel cell system provides a
way to accept the electrical currents generated by regenerative braking as well as provide
power surges to meet acceleration and heavy lift demands.
|
| JAPAN
YAMAHA
Yamaha
September 22, 2004 |
 |
Yamaha
Fuel Cell Motorcycle with Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Enters Road-test Stage
Sights on Launch for Practical Use
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. announces that it has received license plates for its recently
developed direct methanol type fuel cell motorcycle and commenced with tests on public
roads from September 13, 2004, with sights on eventual release for practical use. |
| YMC’s
plans call for this road testing to continue under a variety of condition until December
31, 2005, during which time a range of surveys and verification tests will be conducted
and data gathered on environmental performance. It was over 20 years ago that YMC first
began research and development aimed at the practical application of the much talked about
fuel cell system as an efficient power source for vehicles with a high energy conversion
rate. The usual fuel for fuel cells is hydrogen gas, but it has proved very difficult to
build compact systems using hydrogen gas as fuel. The fuel cell vehicle “FC06
Proto” that YMC has now begun road testing adopts what is called the “Yamaha
DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell) System.” Developed exclusively by Yamaha, this
direct methanol type fuel cell system eliminates the need for the converter unit required
by a hydrogen-run fuel cell by using liquid methanol diluted in water as its fuel. This
“Yamaha DMFC System” has the advantage of being able to be made into a compact
power source that maintains its power output performance when used for smaller machines
that require an electrical output of less than one kilowatt. The newly developed
motorcycle has been designed to accommodate these characteristics. YMC believes that the
spread of small personal vehicles is in itself something that contributes to society as a
whole by decreasing environmental impact, and has released on the market personal size
vehicles like its PAS electro-hybrid bicycles and Passol electric commuter that mount
“smart power” units that run on clean energy sources. YMC announced its
“Yamaha Fuel Cell System” in July 2003, and then displayed the fuel cell
motorcycle “FC06” as a special exhibition model at last year’s 37th Tokyo
Motor Show. The start of public road testing of this fuel cell motorcycle is a project
that falls under the “New Power Source Strategy” of the “Growth Strategy
Promotion” of our “Next 50” plan. Road testing Yamaha’s fuel cell
motorcycle. |
| GERMANY BMW |
BMW September 20, 2004 |
 |
 |
BMW Sets Nine
Records for Hydrogen- Drive Cars with Combustion Engine with a Top Speed in Excess of 300
km/h
BMW has proven what the hydrogen car is able to offer, Its H2R
vehicle has set 9 records for hydrogen-drive cars with combustion engine. "Nine
records marking the start into the hydrogen age. BMW technology has already come a long
way. Now, together with politicians and the energy industry, we must turn our vision of
sustained mobility into reality", stated Professor Burkhard Göschel, Board Member of
the BMW Group, during the speed record trials in Miramas.
Achieving this amazing success at the high-speed Miramas Proving
Grounds in France, the BMW Group has clearly proven its conviction that hydrogen is able
to replace conventional fuel without requiring the driver to make the slightest compromise
in terms of dynamic, up-to-date performance.
Premium performance with dual-mode operation
Indeed, the specifications of the H2R Record Car clearly
confirm this superiority, the six-litre 12-cylinder power unit developing an output of
more than 210 kW or 285 PS. This accelerates the BMW prototype to 100 km/h in
approximately six seconds reaching a top speed of 302.4 km/h. Based on the petrol power
unit featured in the BMW 760i, BMW's hydrogen combustion engine boasts the most advanced
technologies such as BMW's fully variable Valvetronic valve drive.
The main modifications to the engine involve the fuel injection
system adapted by BMW to the special features and requirements of hydrogen, the H2R Record
Car benefiting from the results gained in series development of BMW's future hydrogen
engine for the world's first premium saloon built for dual-mode operation: BMW will be
launching a dual-mode version of the current 7 Series during the production cycle of the
present model, thus introducing the first car of its kind able to run on both hydrogen and
petrol.
Record-breaking prototype
The H2R prototype set up the following records shown
here in terms of times measured and speed achieved: flying-start kilometre reached 300.190
km/h in 11.993 seconds, 1 kilometre standing-start reached 135.557 km/h in 26.557 seconds
and the 10 kilometre standing-start reached 245.892 km/h in 146.406 seconds.
BMW's motive in setting up these records was not only to prove
the power and performance the hydrogen engine is able to offer. Rather, the reliability
and durability of the technology used clearly demonstrates the supremacy of BMW in
developing the hydrogen engine to production standard. In this process BMW is
concentrating on the combustion engine, simply because the combustion power unit, given
the sum total of all its features and characteristics, still offers the largest number of
advantages and benefits all in one.
The H2R Record Car: developed in just 10 months
The BMW H2R Record Car was conceived, designed and
developed by BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH, the legendary subsidiary of BMW AG. The name
"H2R" stands for "H two Race Car", "Hydrogen Record Car" or
"Hydrogen Research Car".
The engine: series production 12-cylinder specially adapted for
hydrogen
The "heart" of the H2R Record Car is based by
and large on BMW's top-of-the-range power unit, the six-litre 12-cylinder engine. It is
able to run on hydrogen fuel through the adjustment of engine management as well as the
fuel/air mixture formation components. A fundamental consideration is that the combustion
properties of hydrogen are quite different from those of petrol or diesel: While hydrogen
burns faster than conventional fuels under normal air pressure, the combustion temperature
is slightly lower than in the case of petrol. Inside the engine the high combustion speed
of the hydrogen/air mixture generates a higher temperature than in an engine running on
petrol.
Valvetronic provides optimum conditions for hydrogen drive
Exclusive to BMW, Valvetronic technology serving as a
standard feature to mastermind the valves on the 12-cylinder gives the company's engine
development specialists an ideal tool for controlling this demanding gas charge cycle.
Valvetronic controls not only the duration of valve movement, but also the actual valve
lift and is based consistently on BMW's infinite camshaft adjustment process. Already
well-known under its trade name Vanos, this system is an integral part of the Valvetronic
concept. Incorporating a hydraulically controlled adjuster unit in the camshaft drive,
Vanos modifies the beginning and end of the valve opening period, fully variable valve
management serving to adjust the gas charge cycle in the 12-cylinder power unit perfectly
to the requirements and characteristics of hydrogen drive. |
| GERMANY
CALIFORNIA VW CALIFORNIA FUEL CELL PARTNERSHIP |
Power of the
Future: Volkswagen Van With Fuel Cell
Volkswagen September
17, 2004 |
| The Touran HyMotion prototype is one of the most
modern fuel cell passenger cars participating in this year's CaFCP Road Rally. ...The
motor, which is virtually noise and vibration-free, accelerates the Touran HyMotion to 100
km/h in 14 seconds from a standing start, reaching a top speed of 140 km/h. To enable a
dynamic response to maximum power requirements, the Touran HyMotion is fitted with a
nickel-metal hybrid battery with an energy content of around 1.9 kWh. It is
"charged" via the fuel cell or brake energy. |
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