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Technology Stocks : Ballard Power -world leader zero-emission PEM fuel cells -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: CH4 who wrote (4889)	1/24/2000 6:37:00 AM
From: Ronald	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 5827

Fuel for life: Inventor's impatience led to development of device that will run cars that don't pollute Review by Teresa McUsic Star-Telegram Help may be on the horizon to fight the severe air pollution problem in North Texas, Houston and other areas under pressure to clean up their act by the Environmental Protection Agency. It's called the Ballard fuel cell, an electrochemical device that takes hydrogen and air and converts them directly into electricity to run electric motors -- like those in cars. Like conventional batteries, there are no nasty byproducts: Its emission is water pure enough to drink. But unlike batteries, there is no need for a slow recharging period after use. It is simply refueled with compressed hydrogen when it runs low. And if the skeptic in you is wondering where these cars with Ballard fuel cells are and where this compressed hydrogen is going to come from, consider this: DaimlerChrysler has a prototype car on the road in Germany and plans to put fuel cell cars on the market by 2004, along with Toyota and General Motors. And Shell, Texaco and ARCO are working on developing the fuel infrastructure with compressed hydrogen necessary to run these cars. Sound too good to be true? Considering it was developed by a small group of scientists and engineers working for next to nothing in a little Canadian town, such an energy source does seem almost unbelievable. Which makes for an even more amazing story written by journalist Tom Koppel. "The Ballard fuel cell promises nothing less than to solve some of the world's worst air pollution problems," he writes. "Yet, it all began with a handful of people working on shoestring budgets for a tiny Canadian company, Ballard Power Systems, in a little-known city of North Vancouver." Development and implementation of the Ballard fuel cell is discussed in Koppel's book, `Powering the Future: The Ballard Fuel Cell and the Race to Change the World' (John Wiley & Sons, 276 pages, $). Geoffrey Ballard, who is a citizen of both Canada and the United States through his parents, did not set out to find an environmentally friendly energy source, Koppel writes. Ballard became interested in the idea when he worked as a civilian scientist assigned as director of research for the newly formed conservation office of the Army during the energy crisis of 1973. Ballard realized early on that conservation was not a practical means to solve U.S. dependence on foreign oil or the nation's air pollution problems. Instead, a cleaner energy source had to be discovered. So Ballard quit his well-paying, steady job to start a company to create a new energy source. Tight money forced Ballard and his wife and children to start a restaurant on the side to keep his dream alive, Koppel writes as he deftly chronicles the ups and downs of such an entrepreneurial effort. "In short, taking the Ballard fuel cell to where it is today took inspiration, perspiration, and a heavy dose of serendipity," he writes. Interestingly, as the company began to succeed, so did it's stock. Now 35 percent owned by DaimlerChrysler and Ford, Ballard Power Systems stock is up tenfold in the past three years. Daimler and Ballard also agreed to create a separate company called Ballard Automotive that would be owned jointly and would market the fuel cells for vehicles and fuel cell engines made by DBB. Although Ballard, now retired, is a millionaire several times over, it didn't take too many conversations with him for Koppel to realize that the money was the least of his interests. As he told students graduating from the University of Victoria: "Do not be patient. All things to do not come to those who wait. Challenge the normal. Question conventional wisdom. ... Dare to be in a hurry to change things for the better." Ballard was in a hurry, and his urgency may help us all breathe a little better.