Briefly Noted: World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers Fuel cell developers PolyFuel Inc. and SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG as well as photovoltaics developer Konarka Technologies, Inc. are the only energy companies among 29 firms selected by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as 2005’s “Technology Pioneers.”
Briefly Noted: Ener1/Giner Fort Lauderdale, FL-based Ener1, Inc., has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire Giner Electrochemical Systems, Inc. (GES), Newton, MA, a developer of fuel cell technologies and products. The company was set up five years ago by General Motors and Giner Inc. (H&FCL June 00) as part of GM’s ambitious plans to develop automotive fuel cell technologies.
Briefly Noted: Fraunhofer Ceramic Membranes Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Sintered Materials (IKTS) in Dresden, Germany, claim a long-term stability breakthrough with the development of ceramic materials with minimal degradation for SOFC stacks.
Briefly Noted: Virent Madison, WI-based Virent Energy Systems plans to develop a demonstration power generating system that converts sugar via the company’s patented carbon-neutral aqueous phase reforming process into hydrogen.
Briefly Noted: New Air Liquide Plant French industrial gas producer Air Liquide plans to build a new 100 million standard cu. ft./day steam reforming hydrogen production plant.
Briefly Noted: ZAP/Anuvu Fuel Cell Pickup ZAP, the California distributor of electric vehicles, has announced it is commercially offering the hydrogen fuel cell hybrid pickup truck developed by Anuvu, Inc. Sacramento, CA.
Briefly Noted: Fiat FC Panda What’s touted as the world’s smallest fuel cell car was presented by Fiat’s boss Herbert Demel late last year.
Briefly Noted: Nuvera/East Penn Manufacturing Nuvera, meanwhile, announced last month it was teaming up with East Penn Manufacturing Company, Inc., Lyon Station, PA to develop a hybrid battery/fuel cell electric engine to power lift trucks and other off-road industrial vehicles.
Briefly Noted: Ontario Hydrogen Projects Canada’s Ontario province has launched two energy initiatives. The first is a new fuel cell innovation program to help commercialize hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in the province.
Briefly Noted: Hydrogenics Workforce Cuts Hydrogenics Corp., the Mississauga, Ontario-based developer of electrolysis-based infrastructure systems, expects to save some US $8 million annually in labor costs as a result of its now completed acquisition of Stuart Energy Systems Corp, the company says.
Briefly Noted: Compressed Onboard Safety Study Are cars fueled by compressed gaseous fuels such as hydrogen really more dangerous - “bombs on wheels” - than cars powered by liquids such as gasoline?
