January 2005

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Plug Power Inc., Latham, NY is the proud provider of electricity via a 5 kW fuel cell for a Christmas Tree in London’s Trafalgar Square. London’s deputy mayor Nicky Gavron flicked the switch to turn on the lights. “The fuel cell was invented here in London in 1839, so its high time that this clean and efficient technology was used more widely,” intoned His Honor. Every year since 1947, the tree has been a gift by the people of Norway to the United Kingdom as a token of gratitude for the UK’s support of Norway during World War II. The GenCore 5T fuel cell provides electricity 24 hours a day during the holiday season, enough for the 4.5kW required now and significantly less than in previous years because of the use of new voltage light bulbs which are more efficient. The project is sponsored by the BOC Group as the provider of hydrogen; Johnson Matthey, maker of specialty chemicals and catalyst materials; Plug Power; the Greater London Authority; the London Hydrogen Partnership; and siGEN, a commercial fuel cell integrator, Aberdeen, Scotland. Separately, Plug Power last month shipped a hydrogen generator to the Saint Clair power plant in East China, MI owned and operated by the Detroit Edison Company. Detroit Edison’s parent, DTE Energy Co., is one of the founders of Plug Power, partnering with Mechanical Technology, also of Latham, in 1997, initially to make fuel cells for homes, according to a Dec. 23 story in the “Albany Times Union.” Since then, Plug Power has shifted its focus to fuel cells as back up power supply units, according to the paper. The generator will make hydrogen for cooling six generator units at the Saint Clair site. The paper said this is the first hydrogen generator shipped to the utility. Contacts/Sources: www.plugpower.com; http://timesunion.com.