Center for Applied Economic Research to Evaluate Fuel Cells
BILLINGS— Montana State University-Billings, Global Thermoelectric Inc., and Montana Dakota Utilities Co. have entered into a two-year fuel cell evaluation agreement.
“The agreement includes field testing two planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems developed by Global Thermoelectric in grid-connected and grid-independent settings,” according to Dr. Tom Yoder, Executive Director of the Center for Applied Economic Research at MSU-Billings. The research project is being funded by Montana Dakota Utilities Co.
One 2kW AC output fuel cell will be field tested in a residential setting to be fueled by natural gas. A second unit to supply 3 to 5 kW AC output will be fueled by well-site gas and will be field tested at a selected remote industrial location.
There are six areas to be researched under terms of the partnership agreement. These include: (1) grid parallel design for residential and small-scale commercial applications; (2) off-grid design for agriculture, mining, oil and gas, and commercial applications; (3) fuel design for natural gas applications; (4) engineering performance; (5) economic performance; and (6) business design and forecasts.
“With this agreement, we can evaluate the performance of SOFC units in controlled field experiments that represent initial market applications,” stated Brian Gurney, a University lecturer in the College of Business at MSU-Billings who will be helping with the research project. “This research is a critical step forward along the path towards commercialization of this energy technology. Our goal is to allow our partnership in this project to go to market with confidence that the technology can perform as specified in both remote and grid-parallel applications.”
This is an excellent opportunity for Global to work with others who share a similar commitment to developing new power generation products and also identifying and building the markets for them,” said Jim Barker, Global’s Vice President, Business Development. “MSU-Billings and MDU’s role, like that of our other partners, will be to define the needs, scope and distribution channels of different early adopter niche markets and to test and demonstrate fuel cell products. Also, we will have the opportunity to test our systems using well-site gas as the hydrogen feedstock for our fuel cell. This will further demonstrate the fuel flexibility of our SOFC products and potentially open new market opportunities for Global,” Barker added.
“Participating in ground-breaking research such as this is an important strategic step in our long-term future as an energy supplier,” stated Wayne Fox, president of Montana-Dakota. “We are especially delighted that the research will take place in Billings, the largest community we serve with natural gas.”
The Center for Applied Economic Research at MSU-Billings provides energy technology commercialization research through strategic product development partnerships with industry and government. Research services include developing strategic market plans, quantifying market potential, identifying policies and actions to reduce market and regulatory barriers, improving marketing and operations processes, and product field testing. The Center is a member of the Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions, a confederation of state and regional organizations with energy research and development and technology transfer responsibilities.
Global Thermoelectric Inc. is a world leader in the development of solid oxide fuel cell products with headquarters located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The company is also the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of thermoelectric generators for use in remote locations. Global is developing fuel cell products that are compatible with natural gas or propane as the source of hydrogen for the fuel cell. The company is currently prototyping systems for stationary application such as remote or residential power. Additional information about Global is available at: www.global.com.
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. offers natural gas and electricity distribution and electricity generation and transmission to customers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Montana-Dakota is a division of MDU Resources Group, Inc., a multidimensional natural resources enterprise traded on the New York Stock Exchange as “MDU.”
msubillings.edu
Global Thermoelectric Updates Development Progress of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology
(8/16/2002)
August 16, 2002–- During the Raymond James Technology Conference yesterday in Montreal, Global Thermoelectric Inc., stepped forward to discuss its progress in the advancement of its Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology, and testing of its SOFC system prototypes.
Among the highlights of the company’s presentation was the news that, during the testing phase of the company’s products with the Enbridge alliance, they have achieved a test duration exceeding that recorded in the earlier version of the prototype.
The company also revealed it had achieved significant breakthroughs in the service life and manufacturing costs of fuel cell stacks, signed a definitive agreement with Citizens Gas of Indianapolis and was anticipating a product launch of its initial commercial applications in the second half of 2005.
The company reported that it had made the following executive appointments to help guide it through product development: Peter Garrett, President and Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Brian Borglum, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer; and Eric Neary, Vice President of Engineering.
The Company believes that its SOFC technology has fundamental advantages for stationary power applications, as hydrocarbon fuels can be directly utilized in the operation of its fuel cells. This ability allows comparatively sophisticated and costly fuel reforming equipment to be avoided, thus reducing the ultimate cost of a fuel cell system. In addition, Global's SOFC technology can utilize an existing natural gas infrastructure both in North America and regionally in developed economies throughout the world. The commercial adoption of its technology is not dependent on the development of an expensive and logistically daunting hydrogen infrastructure. Propane can also be used as a fuel source in the Company's fuel cell systems, enabling it to capitalize on extensive propane distribution networks around the world.
Global's fuel cell systems operate at 750 degrees C, which results in the production of high grade heat for cogeneration applications, boosting system efficiencies considerably. However, there are a number of challenges, particularly in the fuel cell stack, as a result of operating at these temperatures.
Over the last six months, Global has reallocated a significant portion of its technical team in recognition of the importance of these developments. The Company is pleased to report that this more refined focus has resulted in the following achievements:
As previously disclosed over the last three years, Global has demonstrated industry leading power densities in its fuel cell membranes. In addition, the Company has demonstrated numerous advances in its membrane manufacturing process. Its new TCS2 manufacturing process reduces labor costs by 50% and material costs by 30%.
A long-term test of a fuel cell membrane (which recently achieved 5,000 hours of continuous operation and is still ongoing) indicates that previous membrane designs, which were already close to meeting commercial performance targets, have been surpassed in terms of performance. These current tests indicate that our current membrane can be expected to operate for approximately 13,000 hours nearing our initial target of 20,000 hours for commercial performance. Further improvements will be targeted between now and 2005.
Global's current stack design ("Gen4") has been improved considerably through sealing and interconnect refinements. In controlled test environments (ie. "test stands"), these stacks have demonstrated that a service life of 15,000 hours of continuous operation can be expected.
Service life is measured in terms of a pre-defined minimum voltage output and fuel utilization.
A new generation stack design ("Gen5"), currently being tested, has also initially indicated a service life of 15,000 hours. Mor importantly, this stack design has proved more resilient to thermal cycling, facilitating the warm-up and cool-down of the stack associated with "on/off" operation. Furthermore, this stack design can be manufactured with 70% less cost than that associated with the Company's Gen4 stack.
Over the last year, Global has signed Memorandums of Understanding ("MOUs") with distribution partners including Suburban Propane, Superior Propane, Citizens Gas, Bonneville Power Authority, and Montana-Dakota Utilities, evidencing the Company's emerging relationships with important proponents of its technology.
In further news yesterday, Global announced the signing of a definitive agreement with Citizens Gas & Coke Utility ("Citizens Gas"), which will form the basis for the SOFC system co-development, demonstration, and commercialization activities to be jointly funded by the parties.
With over 175 people directly involved in its SOFC commercialization program, including 14 employees with Ph.D.s and 110 engineers and technologists, the Company firmly believes that it has assembled one of the most talented and dedicated teams in the SOFC industry.
eyeforfuelcells.com
Wärtsilä and Haldor Topsoe start co-operation in SOFC development
16 August 2002
Author:
Provider: Hugin Online Financial Announcements
Wärtsilä has entered into a co-operation agreement with the Danish
technology company Haldor Topsøe A/S to start a joint development
programme within the area of fuel cell technology. The development
programme aims to bring to the market highly efficient, clean and
cost competitive fuel cell products with power outputs above 200 kW
for distributed power generation and marine applications.
The programme combines the competence of both companies. Wärtsilä
will apply its know-how in decentralised power plant applications and
marine propulsion systems. Haldor Topsøe has long experience and a
leading position in catalyst development for oil industry and in
development of planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology.
The fuel cell development programme is part of Wärtsilä´s strategy to
provide environmentally friendly solutions for customers with various
power generation needs. SOFC technology will provide products for
cogeneration applications with ultra-low emission levels, high
efficiency and outstanding reliability.
Wärtsilä is the leading global ship power supplier and a major
provider of solutions for decentralised power generation and of
supporting services with its head office in Helsinki, Finland.
Wärtsilä supplies engine room solutions, integrated propulsion
systems, main and auxiliary engines and maintenance for all types of
vessels. For the power generation market Wärtsilä delivers power
plant solutions from 1 to 300 MW. Wärtsilä has a global sales and
service network in about 60 countries. Wärtsilä´s net sales totalled
EUR 2.4 billion in 2001 and it has 12,000 employees.
Haldor Topsøe is a global technology and catalyst company focused on
heavy chemical, petrochemical, refinery, environmental and energy
conversion related technologies, with its head office in Lyngby,
Denmark. Haldor Topsøe has worked on the development of fuels cells
and fuel processing systems for a number of fuel cell technologies
for years. In the past five years, development has concentrated on
solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology. Topsøe's position within
SOFC technology is to a significant degree based on 10 years
participation, also financially, in the Danish SOFC Fuel Cell
programme led by the Danish National Laboratory at Risø and supported
by the Danish government and the Danish energy sector.
Haldor Topsøe is now developing and plans to manufacture cells and
stacks for all relevant applications and segments for SOFC systems.
Haldor Topsøe´s net sales in 2001 were DKK 2.3 billion ( approx. EUR
310 million) and it has 1,700 employees.
For further information, please call: Wärtsilä Corporation, Mr Matti
Kleimola, Group Vice President, Technology and Environment, tel +358
10 7095 690 or
Mr Erkko Fontell, Development Manager, tel +358 10 7095 228.
Haldor Topsøe AS: Mr Jens Rostrup Nielsen, Director, Research &
Development,
tel +45 4527 2397 or Mr Steen Kristensen, Program Manager, tel +45
4527 2003/+45 2275 4003.
To see more of Hugin's leading financial information and full-text news release services, go to www.huginonline.com
fuelcelltoday.co.uk
A worlds first? Biomass Powered Planar SOFC
16 August 2002
Author:
Provider: Fuel Cell Today
Ascent Power Systems Inc. (APS) and Community Power Corporation (CPC) have announced the successful operation of a solid oxide fuel cell using gasified biomass. In a one-day demonstration, a CPC gasification system and an APS fuel cell were connected and together successfully generated electricity from gas streams derived from pecan shells, wood chips and coconut shells.
The test was conducted on August 7th at the APS laboratory in Colorado, USA. Three different biomass fuels were individually gasified in a CPC gasifier and converted to electric power in a small APS laboratory fuel cell, in order to demonstrate the systems flexibility. The same fuel cell was also run on pure hydrogen in order to calibrate power output. As expected, pure hydrogen produced the highest power level (2.76 Watts) followed by coconut shells (1.97 Watts), pecan shells (1.96 Watts), and wood chips (1.88 Watts).
The three test fuels were selected to demonstrate the robustness of the technology. These fuels are also plentiful, under-utilised waste products from agricultural and forest industries.
CPC and APS are one of the first groups in the world to power a solid oxide fuel cell directly with gasified biomass. "This is an historic event. We believe this to be the world’s first demonstration of a planar solid oxide fuel cell operating on gasified biomass," said John Reardon, Director of Research at Community Power Corporation. APS and CPC were both pleased with the results of the test and are excited about future opportunities of fuel cells and biomass gasification systems.
Robb Walt, President and CEO of Community Power Corporation, stated"We are eager to take advantage of the substantial increased efficiency and operational benefits fuel cells have to offer over the gas internal combustion engine generators we currently use in our small power systems."
"This exciting result opens additional market opportunities for APS fuel cells. We are developing direct oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels with our planar solid oxide fuel cell systems and this demonstration opens the door to renewable energy options," commented William Barker, President of Ascent Power Systems.
Community Power Corporation is a privately held research and technology development company. CPC is focused on the commercialisation of small modular bio-energy conversion systems using proprietary, state-of-the-art gasification and control system technologies.
Ascent Power Systems, is a privately held research and technology development company focused on commercialisation of solid oxide fuel cell systems. APS is jointly owned by Millennium Energy Holdings, a subsidiary of UniSource Energy and ITN Energy Systems, a privately held Colorado corporation. For more information visit either www.itnes.com or www.gocpc.com.
Fuel Cell Today, 2002
fuelcelltoday.co.uk
point of interest:
The Raymond James Conference was originally reported to be this Thursday in some circles, now it appears that GLE's report was presented last Friday ... how much buying , and selling did Raymond James do today ?
Did Raymond James miss the SOFC boat or what ?
Does GLE have bigger fish to fry this week ?
How many New York Stock Exchange partners does GLE have now ... 4 or 5 ?
Drum roll please !!! |
