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Technology Stocks : Energy Conversion Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Futurist who wrote (2433)	10/7/1998 12:27:00 PM
From: Don Devlin	Respond to of 8393

DVD-RAM Jukeboxes Launched by Cygnet; Cygnet's Versatile id 100 Is Now Integrated With DVD-RAM Drives Business Editors & Computer Technology Writers SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 1998--Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc. today unveiled its DVD 100(tm) modular library, the first deskside jukebox to incorporate DVD-RAM technology. Based on Cygnet's highly regarded id 100(tm) CD jukebox, the DVD 100(tm) mirrors the convenient physical features and highly reliable storage and recording capabilities of its CD sibling. To the proven advantages of CD technology, DVD 100(tm) adds the competitive benefits of DVD-RAM. For less than four cents per Mbyte, users can create, store, backup, manage, and access up to 260 Gbytes on up to 100 DVD/CDs without changing magazines. DVD 100(tm) supports the Universal Disc Format (UDF) standard and fully meets the reliability requirements for customers' PC, work group, or network. Each DVD 100(tm) is equipped with Hitachi's GF-1050 DVD-RAM drive which can read any single-sided DVD-RAM or DVD-ROM/R. The DVD-RAM drive is also designed to be read-compatible with CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW and CD-DA. Therefore, DVD 100(tm) users will still be able to make the most of their CD archives. "Cygnet has achieved another industry first with the DVD 100," said Wayne Augsburger, vice-president of CD/DVD sales and marketing at Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc. "Our ability to use standard DVD drives enables Cygnet to implement this technology before our competitors." Cygnet is currently working with its independent software partners to develop a wide range of support for the new DVD 100(tm) jukebox. DVD 100(tm) mass shipments will start in October 1998. The jukebox lists for just over $6,000. Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc. is proud to be the choice provider of an increasingly wide array of CD/DVD storage and automated recording solutions, both hardware -- such as CD/DVD-RAM jukeboxes, CD autoloading, duplicators, towers, network attached storage devices and network servers -- and supporting storage management software for a number of vertical markets including banking, government, healthcare and entertainment. In the field of optical storage, Cygnet's Series 1800 12-in. library has been installed by more imaging and enterprise-class storage end-users than any other large-format optical library. Headquartered in San Jose, Cygnet markets its products worldwide through partnerships with leading storage, imaging and network solutions providers in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Note to Editors: Infinidisc, InfiniDVD (DVD-RAM Infinidisc), InfiniWriter, id 100, id 100 Duplicator, DVD 100, Cygnet Towers and Servers and Cygnet Series 1800 are trademarks of Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

To: Futurist who wrote (2433)	10/8/1998 2:30:00 PM
From: Futurist	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 8393

ECD Awarded $3.5 Million in New DOE Cost-Shared Contracts TROY, Mich., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) (Nasdaq: ENER) announced today that it has been awarded two new Department of Energy (DOE) contracts valued at over $3.5 million: 1) a $1.7 million cost- shared cooperative agreement to develop and demonstrate an integrated system for the production and storage of clean, renewable hydrogen fuel for transportation and other applications in the developing world, and 2) a $1.9 million cost-shared contract to develop and demonstrate a high-rate thin-film deposition process to further reduce photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing costs. Revenues under these contracts will be recognized quarterly as the work is performed. The first contract calls for ECD to demonstrate the technical, commercial and financial feasibility of using hydrogen as an alternative to gasoline to power scooters, which are currently the primary means of personal transportation in many developing world countries. It is a continuation of a previous $150,000 Phase I feasibility study awarded to ECD by DOE under which ECD, in collaboration with its subcontractors, developed a preliminary business plan for the development and commercialization of renewable hydrogen based on a PV-Electrolysis-Metal Hydride Storage System. The system calls for using amorphous silicon PV modules developed by ECD and its joint venture partner, United Solar Systems Corp. (United Solar), to produce electricity to power an alkaline water electrolyzer developed by Stuart Energy Systems (SES). The electrolyzer would convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen would then be safely stored in ECD's metal hydride storage system (MHSS) based on metal hydride alloys similar to those used in the company's proprietary Ovonic metal hydride battery electrodes. This Phase II contract calls for ECD, together with its Ovonic Battery Company subsidiary, to perform a detailed market analysis to identify the early markets for the hydrogen production and storage system in developing nations, with emphasis on hydrogen fueled scooters, to identify and develop strategic relationships with appropriate scooter manufacturers, and to further develop its MHSS for scooter applications. A 2-kilowatt electrolyzer will be developed and provided by SES. ECD, together with United Solar, will integrate the PV, electrolyzer and MHSS components. The hydrogen could be used to fuel a scooter powered by an internal combustion engine or a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The scooters would only emit small amounts of water as their byproduct. The system would be totally pollution free and emit no greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. "We are gratified to be able to offer cost-effective solutions to one of the world's most pressing problems -- the need for clean transportation," said Robert C. Stempel, ECD Chairman and Executive Director. "A viable means of producing and storing hydrogen for scooters, together with batteries for electric scooters, which we have already developed and are demonstrating, will provide many developing countries excellent alternatives to their current method of transportation, which is polluting their air, creating health problems for their people, contributing to global climate change and is very costly in its consumption of imported oil." ECD has worked in the field of hydrogen for many years, promoting a hydrogen economy by means of laboratory demonstrations of product applications. The second contract calls for ECD to further develop and demonstrate the use of very high frequency (VHF) plasmas to make its proprietary amorphous silicon based triple junction solar cells at high deposition rates. The goal of the contract is to demonstrate that high stable efficiency multi-junction solar cells can be made at deposition rates three times faster than those typically used in solar module production. Successful implementation of the VHF deposition process in manufacturing lines is expected to increase throughput and decrease costs. The process will be particularly significant as ECD's manufacturing venture, United Solar, moves into higher volume production. "The ability to reduce costs is essential to retaining U.S. superiority in the rapidly emerging, highly competitive global PV industry," said Stanford R. Ovshinsky, President and CEO of ECD and United Solar. "We greatly appreciate the Department of Energy's assistance in enabling us to continually refine our technology as we move into higher volume production at lower costs." The DOE's obligation for its approximately 50% share of the cost under these contracts is contingent upon the amount of funding made available to the DOE. ECD is a leader in the synthesis of new materials and the development of advanced production technology and innovative products. It has pioneered the development of products and production technology based on amorphous, disordered and related materials, with an emphasis on alternative energy and advanced information technologies. ECD's web site is ovonic.com. This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions which ECD, as of the date of this release, believes to be reasonable and appropriate. ECD cautions, however, that the actual facts and conditions that may exist in the future could vary materially from the assumed facts and conditions upon which such forward-looking statements are based. SOURCE Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. CO: Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.; Department of Energy