Hydrogen News
New Name
The General Assembly of the DWV members decided on 14.May to rename the association from German Hydrogen Association to German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association. The fuel cell as highly efficient transformer is the ideal complement to hydrogen to enhance its ecological advantages and to combine it with economical ones. This has long been reflected in the daily work of the association. So the new name represents better to the public what DWV does. Of course we still remain the hydrogen association for Germany.
The DWV innovation award was presented for the first time. Dr. Jens Mathiak (ZBT Duisburg) was selected for a thesis about distributed home energy supply on the basis of PEM fuel cells. A special award was given to Dr. Rolf Stromberger (BMW) for investigations concerning the setup of a fuel infrastructure for cars.
(See DWV press release 2/04 of 17. May 2004)
Europe
The annual meeting of members of the European Hydrogen Association (EHA) was held on 1. June in Brussels. Since 2003 associations from Spain, Bulgaria, Italy, und Norway have joined the association. Considering the political attention which the topic now enjoys in many countries and at the EU a strong voice on the European level is necessary.
Poland
The Polish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association was founded on 19. June 2004 in Cracow. Its legal seat will be the city of Cieszyn.
USA
1100 participants made the annual meeting of the National Hydrogen Association of the USA in Los Angeles one of the biggest hydrogen conferences ever. One thing to be noted was the progressing globalization of this conference which initially had a purely national character. Participants from 40 countries were there. Almost everything was dealt with in plenary and parallel sessions, from production over possible applications, storage, safety, rules and standards, military applications, and infrastructure to education and training.
For the second time now a Hydrogen EXPO was held in parallel. Almost 1500 visitors saw exhibits of 58 exhibitors and sponsors, almost twice as much as last time. A remarkable feature was the car parcours which comprised a whole fleet of hydrogen cars from different companies like Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and DaimlerChrysler.
Berlin
On 29. April NEOMAN Bus GmbH gave an MAN bus with internal combustion engine to the BVG (Berlin transport utility). The first ride went to the Brandenburg gate where Mr. Wolf, senator for economy, entered as first guest, but did not pay. In June the vehicle was sent to the manufacturer for inspection and modification; in fall it will come back to a second test ride in Berlin. The bus fuel is stored in pressure cylinders on the roof. BVG will soon use hydrogen buses of different manufacturers in scheduled service, including fuel cell vehicles. (BVG press release of 29. April 2004)
TOTAL Germany has meanwhile converted the hydrogen filling station existing in the city district of Wedding. The operating pressure for filling with gaseous hydrogen was enhanced from 200 to 450 bar. Liquid hydrogen is available as well.
Dresden
On 5. May the Environment Center Dresden, the Technical University of Dresden and DWV on behalf of the „Economy Initiative Hydrogen Dresden“ held the 1. Dresden hydrogen day. The objective was to inform decision makers from economy, research, and politics as well as the general public on hydrogen energy.
Deputy mayor Dirk Hilbert and DWV chairman Johannes Toepler called Dresden a future hydrogen technology site in Germany. Dr. Frank Koch demonstrated for the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Competence Center of the state of North Rhine-Westfalia how such an institution can be set up on state level. Finally Lutz Reichelt (L-B-Systemtechnik) reported about the study of the Economy Initiative about recognition, analysis, and exploitation of the potential of the hydrogen economy for medium enterprises in the Dresden area.
Munich
Five years ago the second German hydrogen filling station was opened on the airport of Munich, and the first which distributed liquid hydrogen (see Nr. 3/99 „Munich“). All participants now presented a positive balance. Three fuel cell buses and a few cars traveled a total of more than 500.000 km without problems. The public sector of the station is now enhanced by the installation of a third position for gaseous hydrogen. The pressure level was raised from 250 bar to 350 bar.
(Aral press release of 18. Mai 2004)
Marathon
In May and June General Motors made a tour across Europe with a hydrogen car. A HydroGen3 prototype based on the Opel Zafira running on liquid hydrogen traveled 9.696 km across 14 countries from Europe's most northern town, Hammerfest in Norway, to the most western tip of the European mainland, Cabo da Roca near Lisbon. This took 38 days. The endurance test demonstrated the everyday suitability and durability of the technology. What mattered was not speed, of course, but demonstration. Technical Universities and media events provided opportunities for stops along the way.
The efficiency of the HydroGen3 at 100 km/h is more than 40 %. For the European Driving Cycle a value of 36 % is achieved for the HydroGen3, in comparison to only 22 % for a direct injection Diesel with equal output. But there are no CO2 emissions, in contrast to 177 g CO2 output per km for the Diesel.
At the end of the test Opel and General Motors were very satisfied with the result. Under all weather conditions, uphill and in the valley, on the highway or in the Paris or London city traffic the car held its ground without problems. Neither at the borders nor in the public any negative reactions towards the appearance of a hydrogen car was felt, even though the car was rather clearly marked as such.
The progress towards the serial car reflected itself also in the drivers. The car was conducted not by the development specialists, but by 23 journalists from 15 European and american motor journals. Most of their logbook entries were enthusiastic (see „Expectations“). Germany's AutoBILD even draw two among its readers as test drivers.
HYFORUM
A giant awakening — this is the impression the participants to the HYFORUM conference held from 25. to 28. May in Beijing had about China. The country has a lot of energy, at least in principle, but must of it is coal. This is the reason for the great interest in clean technology.
About 400 conference participants observed and listened how the topic is dealt with in many state institutes and at other places. During the Olympic Games 2008 fuel cell buses will carry the participants and guests silently and cleanly across the city. A service center will be built near the Olympic Village. The start of the serial production of such buses was announced for the year after. For the moment DaimlerChrysler will deliver three fuel cell buses to Beijing next year for a project of the United Nations.
Certainly the Chinese will not restrict themselves to using the technology domestically, but they will enter the global market with products. As a representative of Opel commented towards the Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Letter: „Maybe we'll buy fuel cell buses from them in ten years from now.“
To the customer
On 18. June DaimlerChrysler gave the first four vehicles of the „F-Cell“ type for everyday test to Deutsche Telekom and the energy utility Vattenfall Europe in Berlin. The cars based on the Mercedes A-Class will be driven by them in normal service. At the end of the year 60 of these cars will be in customer service worldwide to promote the development of this drive, according to development head Thomas Weber.
Europe's first regular service station for fuel cell cars was opened at the same day in the Mercedes-Benz outlet in Berlin. After 2010 DaimlerChrysler will introduce first small series of fuel cell cars in the market, Weber said. Higher production volumes will lead to more acceptable prices.
(DaimlerChrysler press release of 18. June 2004)
Cartridge
A group of companies led by OperaThing from Huerth (North Rhine-Westfalia) tries to develop a hydrogen cartridge for small applications like fuel cell bicycles, wheel chairs, and laptops. It will contain up to 2 l under up to 700 bar. The total cost of the project is about 475 k€. 213 k€ are funded by the state government. Oliver Knauff, head of OperaThing, is dreaming already: „One day the cartridges will be on display in the supermarket, like the milk“.
(Press release of the state ministry for transport, energy, and land development of 19. May 2004)
Lerning
The fuel cell education institute Weiterbildungszentrum Brennstoffzelle Ulm (WBzU) provides a two-day hydrogen basis training for DaimlerChrysler members from all over the world to familiarize them with the new technology. Apart from general basics the training is focused on practical hydrogen application, for example repair works or correct filling. The fuel cell generates a directed voltage of a few 100 V; this means that some knowledge about electrical power engineering is necessary.
(WbzU press release of 3. May 2004)
Schwerin
A center for hydrogen technology was opened on 9. June in Schwerin (capital of the state of Mecklenburg - Western Pomerania). The building for 9,6 M€ offers more than 1200 m2 for workshops, laboratories, test and clean rooms as well as 500 m2 office space. Half of the house is already rented. „The center will be a starting point for young business founders in the cost intensive domain of hydrogen and fuel cells“, said Stefan Moeller, head of the Hydrogen Institute of Applied Technologies (HIAT). Four companies and the institute employ 25 people.
(Ostsee Zeitung, 8. June 2004)
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