From some of my bookmarked sites.
January 13, 2000
Ballard, Tokyo Gas to Develop Fuel Processor for Residential Fuel Cell Generator
12/17/1999 Avista to Enter Residential Fuel Cell Market - Power Online
Avista, Avista Labs—its technology subsidiary—and UOP signed a joint development agreement that the companies hope will put them in the residential fuel cell market by early 2001. The agreement forges an alliance that combines Avista Labs' fuel cell expertise in the development of small-scale, modular fuel cells with the engineering, process design, and catalyst skills of UOP. The two companies are jointly developing a distributed, fuel-cell power plant designed to deliver electricity to residences or businesses.
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12/19/1999 What Moves Spaceships May Power Your House by Tom Henry - Toledo Blade (Ohio)
[A]re fuel cells the wave of the future for the average homeowner? DTE Energy, Detroit Edison's parent company, thinks so. In less than two years, the utility will try to sell residents of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois on the idea of using them to generate electricity for their homes. This may sound like a strange idea for a company that is in the business of selling power it generates itself. Detroit Edison owns the Fermi II nuclear plant in northern Monroe County and eight coal-fired power plants. ...But DTE has formed a company in Latham, N.Y., called Plug Power to develop fuel cells powerful enough to supply all the electricity a home needs - maybe more. Investors in the project include General Electric. ...The technology is relatively simple and has been around for a long time: NASA employed fuel cells in Gemini rockets during the 1960s to provide on-board electricity for astronauts. They have been used on every spacecraft since, according to Mark Hoberecht, fuel cell team leader for NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. ...Plug Power is developing a device that would be about the size of a full-size refrigerator and tap into natural gas lines in basements or other parts of a home, distributing power throughout each structure. A similar model that runs off propane is likely to be developed for people who live out in the country, away from natural gas service. Natural gas and propane will be used to make the first generation of units affordable, but the price tag is still going to be hefty: $7,500 to $10,000 for the initial units, due out in 2001. By 2003, the company hopes to have sold its first 100,000 devices and have the price down to about $4,000 a unit, John Mousaw, Plug Power spokesman, said. Its initial target market will be people served by rural electrical co-ops, as well as residents of remote areas that either have no electricity or have a history of losing it following thunderstorms, he said. ...Larry Garberding, DTE Energy executive vice president and chief financial officer, said the market is ripe for fuel cells, given the costs and environmental problems associated with aging coal plants. ...Mr. Hoberecht said he believes Plug Power's style of gas-powered fuel cells will be phased out 20 to 30 years after they reach the market. Competition and more efficient production will someday make the cleanest type - those that run off pure hydrogen tanks - affordable for the general public, he said. Nathanael Greene, energy policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council, called Plug Power's units a "transitional technology" that will help wean the nation off its reliance on coal. "They have this ability to dovetail into a clean future," Mr. Greene said. "In their current state, they're not the solution in themselves. But we're very gung ho about them as a whole," he said.
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12/19/1999 Fuel Cell Bus Test Puts Chicago in Driver's Seat - Chicago Sun Times (Illinois)/Bloomberg
Although Ballard isn't the only company trying to develop fuel cells to power cars and trucks, investors say the Canadian company has the best chance of making an acceptable alternative to the internal combustion engine. Winning this competition will be "the equivalent of finding a cure for cancer," said Simon Baker, who manages $85 million in British-based Jupiter Asset Management's Ecology Fund. The fund owns 243,300 Ballard shares, which represent almost 7 percent of its holdings. ..."We don't usually invest in companies that aren't making money," said Jupiter's Baker. "Ballard is an exception" because investments by companies such as DaimlerChrysler and Ford have given the company's technology a "stamp of approval." DaimlerChrysler owns 20 percent of Ballard, and Ford has a 5 percent stake. Ford spokesman Glenn Ray calls the fuel cell "the most promising technology right now to displace gas power," adding that Ford is committed to deliver commercially viable fuel cell vehicles by 2004.
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12/16/1999 Plug Power Cell Now Hooked on Natural Gas by Jo-Ann Johnston - Times Union (New York)
Plug Power's fuel cells for homes are dishwasher-sized devices intended to provide enough electricity for an average house. ...The fuel cell previously operated from June 1998 to July 1999 using hydrogen gas as fuel. But that was an early stage model that doesn't mimic the way an average homeowner would use a fuel cell. Plug Power always intended that homeowners would probably use natural gas or propane with its cells. ...With fuel cells, homeowners would pay $3,000 to $5,000 for the cell, plus the price of the natural gas or propane. Plug Power expects its fuel cells to go on the market in 2001. A joint venture between Plug Power and GE Power Systems, called GE MicroGen, will handle sales.
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Plug Power Unveils World's First Fuel Cell-Powered Home
June 17, 1998
In a dramatic step toward the development of a whole new way of generating electricity, Plug Power demonstrated today the first residential fuel cell to successfully power a home.
Plug Power unveiled its proprietary Plug Power 7000, a prototype residential power generation system, before a gathering of federal and state energy officials and representatives of the utility industry. The demonstration marked the first time a fuel cell has been used to provide a home's complete electricity. Among the items in the home powered by the fuel cell are a refrigerator, air conditioner, dishwasher, oven, television, VCR, microwave, other small appliances and lighting.
``The introduction of residential fuel cells will forever change the way we think about buying and generating power,'' said Gary Mittleman, president and chief executive officer of Plug Power. The company, whose work on automotive fuel cells has received national attention, is a joint venture between DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE - news), Michigan's largest electric utility, and Mechanical Technology, Inc. (MTI) (OTC Bulletin Board: MKTY - news), a pioneer developer of fuel cells.
Plug Power expects to introduce a commercial system for home power generation by the year 2000. While the prototype unit unveiled today was hydrogen-based, commercial units will run on natural gas, propane or methanol.
``For the first time, electric consumers will have a true alternative -- and will begin to enjoy immediate cost savings,'' Mittleman added. Home fuel cell systems are expected to reduce current electric rates by approximately 20% upon their introduction, due primarily to lower operating costs and higher efficiencies.
Fuel cells use an electrochemical process that produces no nitrogen or sulfur oxides, known for producing acid rain. In addition, the excess heat that is generated from the process can be captured and re-used for both hot water and winter home heating.
``The Department of Energy is proud of our role in achieving this milestone. New technologies like this residential fuel cell show that a prosperous economy goes hand-in-hand with a clean, healthy environment,'' said Secretary of Energy Federico Pena. The Department has provided critical technical and financial support for Plug Power's overall fuel cell development efforts.
``Fuel cells are orders of magnitude cleaner than traditional fossil fuel plants,'' said Nathanael Greene, an energy policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council. ``And because they're more efficient than central generation, they'll help fight global warming. The promise of fuel cells is cleaner and cheaper power, and we're starting to see it become a reality.''
``Whenever you put the source of power closer to its recipient, energy losses are minimized,'' Mittleman added. ``Approximately 7 to 8% of the power generated at a utility plant today is lost in the lines that connect the plant to the house. Distributed generation reduces the need for electric lines, and lets us make better use of the ones we have.''
Since no above-ground wiring is necessary, the systems are highly reliable, virtually eliminating power surges and outages. ``The severe weather pattern that we've seen over the past several months has had a devastating effect on so many people,'' Mittleman said. ``With fuel cells, one major inconvenience -- loss of electricity due to downed power lines -- will cease to exist.''
Support at the state level has also contributed significantly to the advancements announced today. Governor George Pataki, who was present at the event, said, ``The Capital Region has always been a manufacturing center for power generation equipment. Today, one of the most innovative energy companies in the world made history in Latham. We are deeply pleased that Plug Power will continue to fuel our state's economy by investing its future in the Capital Region.''
``The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is proud to be part of the team that has developed the first residential fuel cell capable of powering a home,'' said President F. William Valentino. ``Our commitment to the company and the project started way back when we first convinced MTI to begin research in the area of fuel cells.''
Jean Redfield, president of DTE Edison America, Inc., echoed Plug Power's commercialization objective. A joint owner of Plug Power, DTE Energy Co. is providing distribution expertise that will enable the company to meet its aggressive sales targets. ``As the retail marketing arm of DTE Energy, we are tremendously excited about the home fuel cell systems. We anticipate that homeowners in remote locations will be early beneficiaries of the technology and that ultimately any homeowner will be interested in the home cell system for its affordability and reliability.''
``We plan on being the first company to make and sell one million of these units,'' Mittleman said. The company is also working closely with W.L. Gore & Associates, a world leader in membrane technologies as well as advanced polymers and materials (the company is well known for its GORE-TEX(R) fabrics), to manufacture the membrane considered to be at the heart of the fuel cell system.
Plug Power is a joint venture between DTE Energy Company, (NYSE: DTE - news) and Mechanical Technology Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: MKTY - news) an early developer of fuel cell technologies. Plug Power was formed to develop and manufacture fuel cells for electric power generation in residential and automotive applications. Formed in June of 1997, the company has grown from 22 to 125 employees. In October of 1997, Plug Power's fuel cell was used in the only known successful conversion of gasoline to electricity. In May of 1998, the company was honored with the National Energy Resources Organization (NERO) Research and Development award for its fuel cell breakthroughs.
For Further Information: Scott L. Simons, 313.235.8808 or Lewis K. Layton, 313.235.8809
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Hope this small sample whets your online appitite --
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Edward F. Sutton
