Hydrogen News

Innovation award

Barbara Panella from Rome (Ph. D. thesis) and Heiko Holz from Ulm (diploma thesis) are the winners of the DWV innovation award this year. The formal presentation of the awards will be held on the occasion of the annual general meeting of DWV members on June 6 at Munich.

Barbara Panella's thesis (University of Stuttgart) discusses hydrogen storage by adsorption to the surface of highly porous matter (physisorption). The major part of her thesis are systematic investigations of sorption mechanisms sorption mechanisms for different classes of materials, mainly either on carbon base, zeolithes, or metal organic frameworks. The results indicate pathways to new methods to characterise porous materials and to develop or optimise new ones in order to obtain technically interesting storage densities.

In his diploma thesis Heiko Holz (Fachhochschule Ulm) looked for ways to provide all places in a fuel cell with gaseous reactants and at the same time get rid of the product water. Comprehensive test programs with different meander flow fields led to the significant improvement of a shape already existing at ZSW. The results and procedures make further development steps possible.

Hannover

The traditional Group Exhibit „Hydrogen and Fuel Cells“ as part of the Hannover Fair was held for the 13^th time this year. More than 130 exhibitors were a record participation. The net exhibition area was also greater than last year.

This year DWV was partner of the European Hydrogen Association under the roof of a common booth of the European hydrogen associations (see our press release 2/07 of April 11, 2007). EHA distributed the English version of the brochure Where will the energy for hydrogen production come from? which DWV has already published in German. This publication is available for free download from the EHA website (http://www.h2euro.org).

In the field of portable electronics the Canadian company Angstrom Power showed the prototype of a fuel cell charger which can provide energy to different electronic devices by means of a USB connector. Various prototypes of home heating appliances were exhibited in the higher power class. The companies aim at the time from 2010 for market entry. The Norwegian Nordic Power Systems showed a PEM cell running on Diesel. This is mainly meant for applications in leisure, military, or other activities far from a plug. Another Diesel reformer was shown by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems at Freiburg.

A newcomer on the fair was the recently established BASF Fuel Cell GmbH. It will continue the catalyst activities of BASF for the fuel cell industry. Industry estimates say that the world market for fuel cells will grom from 1 G€ in 2010 to about 20 G€ in 2020 (BASF press release of April 2, 2007). baltic Fuel Cells GmbH has recently been established at the Baltic Sea coast as outsourcing of the Schwerin competence centre. One of its first products is a MEA test device which will facilitate quality control for companies. The test conditions are very well reproducible so that the results are indeed comparable.

Munich filling station

Munich now has a public hydrogen filling station right in the city, just around the corner from the research and engineering centre of BMW. It is integrated into a normal TOTAL station. The two companies cooperated closely. (The Bavarian state government was not involved.) The station is supplied with liquid hydrogen by Linde which also developed the tank technology. For the first time the liquid hydrogen is stored in a subterraneous tank. Liquid hydrogen is available at the dispensers. Both cars and buses can be filled up. An extension to gaseous hydrogen is possible. The Munich filling station is the second after the one in Berlin-Spandau which was built in cooperation between TOTAL and BMW; the third will be built before the end of this year in a European capital.

(TOTAL press release of 26 March 2007)

Optimised combustion

Optimising the combustion process in car engines running on hydrogen was the object of the project HyICE which was finished recently. The initiative which was supported by the EU commission succeeded to develop a hydrogen driven internal combustion engine which has advantages in comparison to other drives in terms of output and costs. The researchers were able to concentrate on the hydrogen combustion engine and to make full use of the specific properties of hydrogen. The new technology makes it possible to optimise hydrogen use. The simulation tools were adapted to hydrogen combustion to support the development of future serial engines. According to a spokesman BMW feels confirmed by the results in its opinion that the combustion engine with its development history of 100 years will remain an important element of our mobility in the future.

(BMW press release of 27 February 2007)

Stralsund

Another hydrogen and fuel cell related landmark in the "Land of Ideas" was awarded in April at the University of Applied Sciences at Stralsund. Since 15 years the university runs a complex laboratory for the research into different kinds of renewable energies, including hydrogen and fuel cells. The guests saw devices and systems for using wind energy and solar radiation, for electrolytic hydrogen production for energy storage, for catalytic hydrogen combustion and for the use of low temperature fuel cells.

Transport ministry

On occasion of the start of an international energy efficiency conference in Berlin federal transport minister Wolfgang Tiefensee received a fuel cell car from DaimlerChrysler for the fleet of his department. Soon the fleet will be enhanced further by a hydrogen car with combustion engine by BMW.

(BMVBS press release 93/2007 of 20 April 2007)

Fuel Cells

Planes

The European Union has started a project for the development of a plane running on fuel cells. The project is planned for three years and has a volume of 4.5 M€; the objective is to have a two-seater able to fly for one hour by 2009. Eleven partners from Italy, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Great Britain, and Israel take part; the coordination is done by the Polytechnical University of Turin. The long range objective is a 10 to 15 seater with fuel cell engine. So far nobody succeeded to make a plane running on fuel cells fly. The main problem is the high energy demand at take-off. (Press release of Initiative Brennstoffzelle of 16 March 2007)

For the later part of this year Boeing prepares test flights of a manned aircraft which runs on fuel cells and very light batteries. While Boeing does not expect to use fuel cells for the primary drive a lot of other purposes are possible. (Renewable Energy Access, 5 April 2007)

Phone chargers

The US company Medis Technologies Ltd. reported to have sold fuel cell chargers commercially to Microsoft. No details were given on how many units were delivered or are to be delivered and for which purpose needs the devices (Medis press release of 13 April 2007). Reacting to questions from journalists Microsoft clarified that only a small number of devices was ordered to be given away at events.

Sewage gas

A sewage plant near Stuttgart will soon be equipped with a molten carbonate fuel cell of the HotModule type by CFC Solutions. The output enhanced device will deliver about 280 kW to the plant at Stuttgart-Moehringen. The high electrical efficiency of more than 50 % was an important argument because the HotModule exceeds conventional cogeneration plants by more than 10 %.

(Press release of 27 March 2007)

Bike for the postman

Hercules GmbH from Neuhof and Clean Mobile GmbH from Munich have developed a bicycle for mail purposes which gets additional drive from a fuel cell system. The direct methanol fuel cell (180 W) is from SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG. The drive delivers a maximum power of 1,5 kW and 200 W on average. 1 l of methanol is enough for 200 km. The market maturity of the engine is expected for the autumn of 2007.

(From Hydrogeit-Verlag, 21 March 2007)

Micro reformer

The Japanese Air Water Inc. has developed a particularly small reformer on the basis of a novel catalyst. The quaternary catalyst contains nickel, cerium oxide, platinum, and rhodium. The system is very small and quickly ready for operation. The company says that the hydrogen generator is very well suited for being integrated in fuel cell cars. A test device has been installed in a steel factory.

(Japan Fuel Cell News No. 57, 12 March 2007)

CeBIT

During the CeBIT computer fair at Hannover fuel cells were presented which can provide uninterrupted power supply and emergency power in the output domain between 10 and 200 kW. The whole power demand for Germany is estimated to be more than 11 GW. The global potential is said to be 700 000 base stations. The exhaust air of the fuel cells which is poor of oxygen can be used for fire protection purposes. Market introduction of the systems has started immediately with CeBIT 2007.

Energy and Climate

Too late?

Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) are seen as a way to provide some time during the transition to renewable energy sources. But according to a study commissioned by the federal ministry for environment (Die Zeit, 7 March 2007) it is questionable whether green coal power will ever be competitive. By 2020, when the technology is expected to be commercial, some renewable energies are expected to deliver power at comparable or better conditions than from fossil power stations. The authors also say that the label of „CO₂ free“ power station is a misnomer; only about 75 % of the gas are separated. The enhanced building of green coal power stations is not seen to make sense in Germany because the start point of the technology which is assumed to be 2020 will be too late. Higher energy efficiency and energy generation from renewable sources can be realised faster and make more economical sense. Globally, however, CCS can provide a significant contribution to meeting ambitious climate protection objectives.

Politics

Environment ministry

An expert meeting of the federal ministry for environment to assess and evaluate fuel cell technologies was opened on 14 March by Michael Mueller, secretary of state, in Berlin. Some 100 research institutes, ministries, and associations were invited. „Stationary fuel cells must become a pillar of distributed energy generation“, said Mueller during his opening speech. The ministry sees the fuel cell as a very promising technology. „High electrical efficiency, low pollutant emissions, and high fuel flexibility are properties which can not be overestimated in the present debate about climate protection and supply safety“, Mueller underlined. Cogeneration is the particular strength of the technology.

Europe

45 European companies have established an industry association in Brussels which aims at supporting the formation of a Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) on hydrogen and fuel cells in the EU. The participants demanded that the European Commission and the other EU institutions now make the necessary steps for their part.

Verdict

Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are air pollutants, and the US federal environment protection agency (EPA) does have the legal power to define upper limits for the emission. This verdict from the US Supreme Court on 2 April finished a lawsuit between about one dozen US states and the agency. EPA had argued that CO₂ be not a pollutant and that the relationship between its emission and global warming were not proven. The judged did not agree. „The harms associated with climate change are serious and well recognized“, the decision says. And so they concluded: „Greenhouse gases fit well within the [Clean Air] Act’s capacious definition of “air pollutant.“

What else we have found ...

Car bomb

Did the Ford company really smuggle a car bomb on the lawn of the White House, and did George Bush himself almost ignite it? None of it, but this story demonstrates well how any nonsense can quickly develop a life of its own in the age of the internet.

Ford chairman Alan Mulally had told a few journalists that during a visit to the White House in March he wanted to show Bush a hydrogen hybrid car from his company. While walking over the lawn he said that he saw that somebody had put the cable for charging the battery at the rear of the car, near the filling port for hydrogen. And so he pretended that he pushed the president away quickly and a bit unceremonially to prevent him from plugging the cable to the hydrogen tank.

Of course this story was not to be published by any means. Of course it appeared in the web just hours later and even found its way into the Detroit News. Many commentators with quite different qualification discussed the pro and cons and the possible political consequences of a faulty connection.

The White House was not very amused, and Mulally had to apologize officially. He never had the intention to make fun about the president, and the whole story was rather inspired by a joke somebody in the TV had made a few days ago at Bush's expense. A video of the event does not show any dramatic moments either.

Remark: Connecting an electrical cable to a hydrogen tank is not a good idea for various reasons, but an ignition is not possible because of the absence of oxygen in the tank. Summary: hydrogen cars are safe, but take care of who you associate with.