Green Energy News | June 21, 1998

June 21, 1998 – Vol.3 No.12

ENERGIES... week of June 21,1998

A DIFFERENT ROAD TO SUCCESS? The number of vehicles in China has tripled since 1986 to 11 million today. If the number of vehicles per person were the same there as in the U.S. (approximately 180 million by some estimates) there would be more than 900 million on the road. Those cars, trucks and buses would consume 18% more oil than today’s total world-wide production, according to a new report from INFORM, a sustainable environment group.

The report, “China at the Crossroads:Energy, Transportation and the 21st Century,” considers energy possibilities for the nation other than the oil and coal route that most industrial nations have followed. Among those considered are more use of natural gas (which is abundant in China) and electric, hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. The study cites a state-sponsored $12 million program now under way in the country to put 3000-5000 electric vehicles on the road by 2000.

While energy is a key element in the growth of an industrial economy, it should be possible to build an economy around the efficient use of energy from clean sources.

THE MARKET FOR FUEL CELLS. Should utility companies buy fuel cells for power generation? Should investors buy stock in fuel cell companies? Should manufacturers gear up for fuel cell production or parts for them? Kline & Company is marketing a report, “Opportunities in Advanced Fuel Cell. Technologies - Stationary Power Generation, 1998-2008” that could answer some of those questions.

According to the report, there are close to 100 stationary fuel cells operating in the world today, most in the 200kW range. Most of those are in the U.S., Japan, or Western Europe. Sales estimates are for an additional 40-50 units per year of the same capacity. The demand for fuel cells could be as high as 2500 and 6000 megawatts by 2010. Cinergy Corporation alone has committed to 1400 megawatts of fuel cell power by 2009.

Also noted in the report is the success of the “Climate Change Fuel Cell Program” from the U.S. government. The program has provided $10.6 million in grants toward the installation of 53 new stationary fuel cells. The grant program offered $1000 per kilowatt of installed fuel cell power.

Among other comments, Kline Project Manager Michael Corbett notes, “although there is a good deal of optimism about fuel cell technology, assessing how your business can participate in this growth opportunity is a complex question that requires careful planning and pragmatic fact-based decision making.”