Green Energy News | August 1, 1999

August 1, 1999 – Vol.4 No.18

ENERGIES... week of August 1, 1999

FUEL CELL BATTERY. Fuel cells produce electricity and waste water from hydrogen and oxygen. Electricity running through water (electrolysis) produces hydrogen and oxygen. So, why not a closed system for fuel cells?

Proton Energy Systems has done just that. The company’s Proton Exchange Membrane Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell (PEM URFC) Energy Storage System is, in essence, a rechargeable hydrogen battery. That is, when power is needed the PEM URFC operates like a fuel cell generator. At other times in stationary applications, power can be drawn from the grid to produce more hydrogen fuel by electrolysis. Connection to a natural gas pipeline could also supply additional hydrogen for the device.

While Proton’s target markets range from small back-up power supply units to larger grid-connected systems for energy storage for homes and businesses; one can’t help thinking of the vehicular possibilities. Fuel cell cars that could be “recharged” at off-peak hours, or refueled with hydrogen on the road for long distance travel seem possible. Visit Proton at http://www.protonenergy.com / .

METHANOL AND NO REFORMER. DTI Energy has entered into a licensing deal for the intellectual property rights to its Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) technology. Under the agreement, Ballard Power Systems will have a non-exclusive license to further develop the technology as well as sub-license the technology to its worldwide partners. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of Southern California (USC) will also have rights to develop a new company which can commercialize and manufacture DMFC’s. DTI can still license its technology to others.

DMFC’s operate on liquid methanol without the need for a reformer to extract hydrogen gas. The technology is scalable in that DMFC’s can be used to power anything from cell phones to vehicles.

NEWS FROM THE DESERT. As previously reported, plans for the Nevada Green Energy Project are shaping up. Initially Composite Power plans to build 50-150 megawatts of solar and wind energy on land 110 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, then add more than 1000 megawatts of renewable energy over time.

The site averages 350 days of sunshine each year and daily 17-21 mile per hour winds. Geothermal, too, has potential at the site. Strategic partnerships have been made with companies such as Siemens, Duke Solar and Stirling Energy Systems. Siemens has announced plans to build a new 500kV transmission line to the site to accommodate future generating capacity. Visit Composite Power at http://www.compositepower.com/ .

SOLAR SWITZERLAND. According to Atlantis Solar Systeme AG, the world’s largest solar-slate roof has been installed and is operating in Berne, Switzerland.

While re-roofing a former grain storage building in the city, 16,650 power-generating “Sunslates” were installed covering 2050 square meters of south-facing roof. The grid connected system can provide up to 200 kilowatts of power, a yearly average of 167,000 kilowatt hours.