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

To: Don Devlin who wrote (2463)	10/13/1998 11:40:00 AM
From: Ray	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 8393

More on Hydrogen as a fuel and ECD's role. (Re copied from Yahoo!) Message 508 of 508 Reply Another report on the Hydrogen contract...dkctx (M/CA) Oct 13 1998 2:12AM EDT===Copied from another source (NJ Enviro news)=== HE PERFECT FUEL...ALMOST. If only hydrogen were readily available, easy to store and distribute, and widely considered safe, the world would be a different place. Hydrogen shares a similar paradox with solar energy - so close but yet so far (limitless sources but hard to make use of within our current energy consumption patterns.) But have faith. Eventually smart scientists and engineers will find ways to make hydrogen a mainstream fuel to power fuel cells and combustion engines alike. Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) has been awarded two cost-shared contracts from the U.S. Department of Energy which could help bring both energy sources closer to everyday use. The first contract is for ECD to demonstrate the technical, commercial and financial feasibility of using hydrogen as an alternative to gasoline to power scooters for markets in the developing world. Within a PV(photovoltaic)-Electrolysis-Metal Hydride Storage System, PV modules will produce electricity to power an alkaline water electrolyzer to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. From this hydrogen will be stored in ECD's metal hydride storage system (MHSS) similar to their proprietary Ovonic metal hydride battery electrodes. Stored hydrogen will in turn fuel an internal combustion engine or fuel cell and electric motor. This contact is for $1.7 million, with DOE picking up approximately 50% contingent on available funding. PV modules will be supplied by ECD partner United Solar. The 2-kilowatt electrolyzer will be supplied by Stuart Energy Systems. The second contract is aimed at reducing production costs of United Solar solar cells with the purpose of making the company more competitive in world solar markets. The $1.9 million cost-shared contract is to further develop the use of very high frequency (VHF) plasmas to make ECD's amorphous silicon-based triple-junction solar cells at deposition rates up to three times higher than current ones. The end result is to increase production throughput and lower costs. ECD's Ovonic nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries were also key components in some electric vehicles shown at the Paris Motor Show and the 15th Annual Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS-15) in Brussels. One battery pack was integrated into Opel's new fuel cell powered Zafira mini-van, a research vehicle. Visit ECD at ovonic.com .