Bavaria' minister for economy, Otto Wiesheu, and managers of 13 important companies inaugurated on 5. May a hydrogen filling station on the airport of Munich which now supplies hydrogen cars and buses with fuel (see our press release no. 5/99). Wiesheu said that in autumn the "Bavaria Bus 1" will be presented with a 120 kW fuel cell. Further expectations: "The hydrogen project at Munich Airport and the Bavaria Bus 1 are only the Warm-Up in the race for the lead in the field of hydrogen technology."

One half of the costs of 17 MEuro comes from the Bavarian state budget. The other is shared by the industry partners Aral, BMW, FMG, GHW, Grimm, HDW, HEW, IAW, Linde, MAN-Nutzfahrzeuge, MAN-Technologie, Mannesmann, Neoplan, and Siemens. Added to this is the support in matters of safety engineering by TUEV Bavaria.

For the time being the filling station supplies the combustion engines of three buses with pressurized gas and that of one car with liquid. Filling up liquid is done fully automatic by means of a robot. This technology is not only comfortable, but also safe and advantageous for the environment (no operating failures, no fuel spill or vaporization).

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A fuel cell bus in scheduled service running on liquid hydrogen will operate next year in Berlin for Berliner Verkehrs-Betriebe (BVG). At the time of the opening of Expo 2000 in June it will connect the train station Zoological Garden with Tegel airport. After nine months of operation in Berlin it will go to Copenhagen and Lisbon for three months each. A site for the hydrogen filling station in Berlin is being selected together with the oil companies.

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DaimlerChrysler's hydrogen car Necar 4 has been awarded the rank of the best future vehicle concept by an international jury of motor journalists. Daimler's project head Ferdinand Panik commented in a discussion with journalists commented on the repeated critical remarks of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA). UBA usually says that less emissions can be achieved more economically by consumption optimized cars with combustion engines. This position is certainly true for the current state of technology, said Panik and: "But this time we happen to believe that we have a true alternative under the aspect of environment. ... I can kill any innovation when I start to make cost/effect-calculations from the very beginning." The fuel can be made economically from general waste, plastic waste, or biomass.

Necar 5 will be presented before the end of this year. The fuel cells will have 40 % more output power than those of Necar 4, but at the same time they will be smaller. They will also be much cheaper by the use of mass-produced components. (Frankfurter Rundschau, 17. June 1999)

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Ford chairman William Clay (also known as "Bill") Ford Jr., a great-grandson of Henry Ford, opened on 15. June the new Ford Research Center at Aachen. Among the guests were Federal Chancellor Schroeder and North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Clement. Schroeder made a test drive in the fuel cell prototype P2000 with hydrogen tank. (See no. 1/99 "DaimlerChryslerFordBallard")

Ford jr. declared a "green revolution" and proclaimed himself and his company to be the leader: "To achieve his vision, Henry Ford had declared customers could have whatever colour they wanted, as long as it was black. To achieve my vision, I am declaring customers can have any vehicle they want, as long as it is green." He called on European governments to harmonize regulations, taxes, and incentives in the whole European Union to promote the fast introduction of environmentally friendly alternative fuel vehicles. For the market introduction of fuel cell cars Ford has set the same deadline as the Partner DaimlerChrysler, namely 2004.

The Federal Chancellor apparently liked what he heard. "I will be glad to pass the message of the green cars to my environment minister." He seemed to have enjoyed the test drive with the P2000: "What I have just driven seems to be a real chance. We must wish that people come to terms with the new technology." His demand to the car industry and the Ford chairman: "It must not become a technology for a few who can afford an environmentally suitable car."

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An average computer site in the USA is estimated to experience 289 grid problems exceeding the guaranteed limits per year; power outages cause a damage of 29 billion $ per year. The First National Bank of Omaha has converted the emergency power supply of its computer center to four phosphorous ONSI cells of about 200 kW_el each and now has an availability of 99,9999 % (6x9). This bank is one of the most important processing centers for credit card transactions in the USA. The fuel cell system is more reliable than lead batteries and a Diesel generator, it is more economic, and of course cleaner. The power which under normal conditions is not used is fed in the grid, and the heat is sufficient heat to keep the sidewalks clear in the winter around the bank building.

For similar reasons the South County Hospital at Wakefield (Rhode Island) has ordered such a cell for delivery in autumn. Not only the medical devices for the care of the patients or in the laboratory can keep operating in case of a power failure, but hospitals as well become more and more dependent on computer systems which do not tolerate grid events or failures. (PR Newswire, 9. June 1999)

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The DWV members from Munich will fit not only their hydrogen cars with fuel cells, but also in their gasoline types. on 26. April they concluded an agreement with Delphi Automotive Systems, the greatest car supplier of the world, about the development of a solid oxide and a reformer which generates the fuel from gasoline. Cell supplier is the Canadian company Global Thermoelectric Inc.; nothing was stated about the sums involved.

According to BMW this system has the advantage that no great changes in the on-board equipment and the filling stations are necessary. In the long run the usual generator will become superfluous, and only a small battery for the start or for emergencies would be necessary.

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The three Canadian companies Petro-Canada, Ballard Power Systems Inc., and Methanex Corp. on 11. June agreed on a joint activity for the creation of an infrastructure for fuel for fuel cell cars. The focus is at first on methanol. This was announced during an event at which members of the governments of Canada and the province British Columbia were present. Petro-Canada is one of the greatest Canadian oil companies, and Methanex is a world leader in production and distribution of methanol. At first suitable places for methanol filling stations will be looked for, probably in or around Vancouver where both Ballard and Methanex have their seat. Ballard chairman Firoz Rasul said that the car manufacturers hope that in 2010 up to 25 % of the production will be fuel cell cars. He hopes that during the next 12 months car manufacturers with their products will participate in the project in the way they are already doing in California. (Ballard press release of 11. June 1999)

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Honda intends to reach the aim of the fuel cell car from own resources, and also faster than the competitors. Until 2003 50 to 60 billion Yen (385 to 465 MEuro) will be invested to have a zero emission car by then. the cells to be used will not be Ballard's, but will be smaller and lighter ones from the own development. Takeo Fukui, responsible for Honda's research and development, said: "Fuel-cell vehicles will probably overtake gasoline-powered cars in the next 20 to 30 years".

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Honda USA has stopped the production of battery cars. In the face of the extremely moderate market success costs were too high. During the last three years less than 2400 vehicles were sold or leased in the whole USA, most of them to Californian companies or authorities which wanted to meet their legal obligations to reduce emissions. The development work will now be concentrated on fuel cells. Experts consider the decision to be an important signal. (Los Angeles Times, 29. April 1999)

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The three US companies Energy Conversion Devices (ECD), EV Global Motors, and Unique Mobility have founded a joint venture named Unique Mobility Europa GmbH with seat near Leipzig. The purpose of the new company is to produce and distribute battery electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell vehicles worldwide. The first product will be a small battery powered minivan which will be distributed over selected Volkswagen dealers.

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of "Small fuel cells" in no. 2/99: VNG will distribute its system for end prices around 5000 $ (not DM), a bit less than 5000 Euro.

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Hamburgische Electricitaets-Werke (HEW) and Deutsche Shell in Hamburg offer electricity from 100 % renewable generation from 1. June 1999. The offer under the name "newpower" is for customers in Hamburg at first. In case of success at Hamburg the intention is to distribute the product in whole Germany. Shell will build two new wind turbines at 1.5 MW in Hamburg, able to supply electricity to about 2.300 Hamburg households. The new electricity option will cost 4.6 Eurocent/kWh more than normal HEW power.

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