Ballard's Ebara unveils second-generation prototype
Ballard Power Systems Inc BLD
Shares issued 89,262,649 Jan 7 close $48.66
Tue 8 Jan 2002 News Release
Mr. Mike Murry reports
EBARA BALLARD UNVEILS ADVANCED SECOND-GENERATION PROTOTYPE ON ...
Ballard Power Systems' associate company, Ebara Ballard, unveiled the
second generation of its engineering prototype one-kilowatt proton exchange
membrane (PEM) fuel cell stationary power generator for the Japanese
residential market. This prototype exhibits increased performance and
efficiency, and its volume has been reduced by 40 per cent. The natural
gas-fuelled cogeneration unit is the product of a collaboration involving
Ballard's subsidiary Ballard Generation Systems (BGS), Ebara Ballard, Ebara
Corporation and Tokyo Gas.
The second-generation prototype unit has advanced to include an electrical
inverter, to convert DC to usable AC power, and operates at an AC gross
electrical efficiency of 34 per cent (lower heating value -- LHV). Heat
recovery efficiency has increased to 47 per cent (LHV), giving total
efficiency of 81 per cent (LHV).
"This fuel cell stationary power generator will provide electric power for
Japanese homes as well as heat for space heating and hot water," said Mike
Murry, Ballard's vice-president, power generation. "The increased
performance of this next-generation prototype is testimony to the
effectiveness of our collaboration with Ebara Corporation and Tokyo Gas."
"We are pleased with the rapid progress towards commercialization that
Ebara Ballard is making," said Ebara Ballard's president, Masakatsu Ohya.
"We consider ourselves on track to meet the objective of beginning to sell
residential fuel cell power generation units commercially in 2004."
The unit consists of a Ballard fuel cell, Tokyo Gas technology in a
reformer made by Ebara Ballard, and a water tank warmed with heat from the
fuel cell.
Ebara Ballard is a jointly held company of Ebara Corporation of Japan and
Ballard Generation Systems with a mandate to supply Ballard Generation
Systems fuel cell power generators incorporating the Ballard fuel cell to
customers in Japan.
Ebara Corporation is globally recognized as a major developer, manufacturer
and distributor of fluid machinery and systems, precision machinery and
environmental engineering systems, and as a leader in zero-emission energy
technology.
Tokyo Gas is the largest natural gas company in Japan both in terms of the
number of customers -- over 8.9 million in total -- and gas sales volume.
Founded in 1885, its service area now covers over 3,100 square kilometres
in the heart of the Kanto region, Tokyo and neighbouring prefectures, the
largest and most densely populated region in Japan with a total of
approximately 40 million people. Tokyo Gas is conducting research and
development in many areas including cost reduction, safety enhancement and
efficient usage of natural gas, and fuel-processing technologies. |
