Hydrogen fuel cells are gaining more attention all over the world. The energy systems have won acclaim for their ability to generate large amounts of clean electricity without producing any harmful emissions into the environment. While fuel cells are often criticized for their efficiency and cost, they are still gaining ground in countries where breaking away from fossil-fuels is considered a priority. This attention is good news for the global fuel cell industry, which could see major financial gains and business growth because of it. The problem, however, is that the industry may not be able to live up to the expectations of demand. Full Story
EBay’s Bet on Fuel Cells Will Influence Data Centers
The question of how EBay would find clean power for its Utah data center—which is part of the company’s global consolidation of data centers into just three mega data centers in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada—opened up another possibility: Would it make more sense for the online marketplace to power its Utah data center by generating its own power and using the grid as backup? Full Story
The Fuel Cell Industry Review 2012 reports that annual fuel cell system shipments in 2011 were 24,600 – growing by 39% compared to 2010,
The Fuel Cell Industry Review 2012 forecasts annual shipments in 2012 will triple compared to 2011 to reach a total of over 78,000 for the full year. Report
Fantastic UTC link well worth a visit
Please click the link http://www.utcpower.com/fuelcell-cityscape#
US Congressman and Senator to Promote Fuel Cells and Hydrogen in Proposed Legislation
The Act creates a tiered investment tax credit (ITC) to reward efficient stationary fuel cell power plants running in combined heat and power (CHP) configuration. The structure of the credit is comparable to other federal efficiency incentives such as for biomass and hybrid vehicles, and adds two tiers to the current ITC tax credit: Full Story
CMAL has been commissioned to carry out a feasibility study for Scottish Enterprise that will evaluate the technical and commercial possibilities of using hydrogen fuel cells to enable the development of zero emission ferries.
The feasibility study will be used to apply for European Union funding for the development of a zero emission ferry which is expected in September 2012. The EU project will put Scotland at the forefront of global developments in sustainable ferries and could result in design, development and manufacturing of hybrid engines being located here. The consortium, CMAL, Logan Energy, St Andrews University and Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association (SHFCA), will evaluate a number of projects which will focus on cost efficient, innovative and environmentally-friendly vessels and port infrastructure which will benefit Scotland’s rural and island communities. Full Story
After Two Decades, FuelCell Energy Approaches Profitability, Reaches For Higher Volumes
“The end-game for this company — and the industry for that matter — is to get
to a point where you can produce power at prices per kilowatt that are
competitive with the grid or other technology without incentives,” Bottone said.
“And some people tell me, ‘You’re nuts because there are always incentives.
There are incentives for the oil industry that’s been around for hundreds of
years.’ Full Story
Well worth watching – Jeremy Rifkin had the honor of presenting before 1,100 delegates and representatives from more than 50 countries, who were invited to attend a special lunch presentation, at the World Hydrogen Energy Conference 2012.
Please click to watch the video of the presentation, it is in three parts. VIDEO
LG Takes on Fuel Cell Market, The LG Group will develop fuel cells as a next-generation growth engine. Three affiliates, LG Corporation, LG Electronics, and LG Chem, jointly bought a 51 percent stake in Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems for US$45 million, the group said Thursday.
Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems was established in Canton, Ohio in 2005. It will be renamed LG Fuel Cell Systems as a result of the takeover. Full Story
Is the fuel-cell industry really near a tipping point? Despite this tough environment, there was a true sense at Ballard’s annual meeting that the industry is nearing a tipping point.
In fact, there’s a bit of a race to profitability going on in the industry, with companies such as FuelCell Energy and ClearEdge demonstrating that they’re closing in on that goal. Full Story
