Coca-Cola to install hydrogen fueled forklifts with Plug Power fuel cell systems (01/10/09)

Plug Power has confirmed that it will install 40 hydrogen-powered forklifts at Coca-Cola Bottling Co Consolidated's production facility in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"With these fuel cell materials handling units, we will be able to maintain productivity, decrease operating costs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent," said Lauren Steele from Coca-Cola.

3M and Plug Power Sign Strategic Supply Agreement for GenSys Fuel Cell Units Being Sold in India (08/10/09)

Plug Power has also signed a supply agreement to receive the 3M membrane electrode assemblies it requires for its GenSys proprietary proton exchange membrane reformate stacks.

The stacks are designed to allow the full potential of their fuel cells to be recognised, thus facilitating the processing of hydrocarbon-based fuel stocks.

Whole Foods Market(R) to Use Plug Power GenDrive Power Solutions (20/10/09)

In a busy month for Plug Power, the clean energy solutions provider also revealed that it has supplied Whole Foods Market with 61 GenDrive fuel cell-powered forklifts.

The units will be used by the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket next year at its distribution facility in Landover, Maryland.

ISE's Hybrid Fuel Cell Drive System Powers the First BC Transit Production Bus Unveiled in Vancouver, BC (02/10/09)

Government officials in Vancouver have unveiled the first of 20 hybrid fuel cell buses which will form a zero-emission fleet that will run at next year's Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Electric Fuel Cell Motorglider Completes Test Flight in Germany (04/10/09)

A fuel-cell powered motorglider known as the Antares DLR-H2 has successfully completed a flight around Stuttgart Airport and a subsequent landing at the site.

DLR Institute for Technical Thermodynamics, the group which designed the craft, is now planning to conduct the first successful transatlantic flight by a fuel cell plane.

KDDI Shows Latest Prototype Phone Based on Fuel Cell (06/10/09)

Japanese mobile phone service provider KDDI debuted its modified Toshiba T002 handset - which operates on a direct methanol fuel cell - at the recent Caetec show.

SFC Smart Fuel Cell Launches EMILY 2200 Fuel Cell (05/10/09)

SFC Smart Fuel Cell launched its new EMILY 2200 fuel cell at the 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition.

The unit can be included in tactical battle vehicles as an auxiliary power source or in the field to provide power for mobile and stationary defence tools.

GM, Toyota Fuel-Cell Plans Clash With U.S. Battery Car Push (09/10/09)

Leading automakers such as General Motors and Toyota are eager to bring electric cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells to consumers by 2015, Bloomberg reports.

Intelligent Energy's Multi-Functional Fuel Cell System Unveiled at Airbus, Hamburg (08/10/09)

Intelligent Energy announced last month that it has supplied aircraft manufacturer Airbus with a fuel cell auxiliary power unit capable of operating within aeroplanes.

"Not only do fuel cells reduce emissions and decrease fuel consumption, but as we move to a lower-carbon economy, the airlines can diversify their fuel supply base, becoming less exposed to volatility in fuel prices," said Intelligent Energy CEO Henri Winand.

Energy Minister "Drives" London Taxi Fuel Cell System at Intelligent Energy (12/10/09)

Meanwhile, Mr Winand met up recently with UK Energy Minister David Kidney, providing him with an interactive demonstration of how a hydrogen fuel cell works at the company's base in Loughborough.

"Intelligent Energy have made exciting developments in their drive towards the commercialisation of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and in particular the work they're doing to introduce low carbon taxis in London by 2012," said Mr Kidney.

Carbon Trust launches £8m competition to search for a cheaper fuel cell (09/10/09)

Also in the UK, government-backed hydrocarbon technology firm the Carbon Trust has launched an £8 million competition in order to promote the most innovative fuel cell applications, the Guardian reports.

London hydrogen station is step closer to hydrogen fuel cell buses (29/10/09)

The Olympic Delivery Authority has confirmed that planning permission has been secured for a hydrogen refuelling station in east London.

Located at a bus garage belonging to operator First on Temple Mills Lane in Leyton, the facility will eventually see the launch of a fleet of five fuel cell buses in the capital.

PT Consistel Indonesia Wins Spiro Hydrogen Fuel Cell Contract (13/10/09)

PT Consistel Indonesia has secured a contract with PT Hutchison CP Telecommunications which will allow it to supply 200 of its Spiro hydrogen fuel cells in the Java, Sumatra and Bali regions of Indonesia.

Legal barriers loom for fuel-cell auto technology (15/10/09)

Lawmakers in Japan are making it difficult for major car companies such as GM and Mercedes-Benz to test their latest fuel cell vehicles in the country, the Japan Times reports.

"Japan is waving a flag for eco-cars but why don't they let these cars in?" George Hansen, Director of Fuel Cell Commercialisation at General Motors Asia Pacific (Japan), told the news provider.

Van Hool's New Hybrid Electric Bus With UTC Power Fuel Cell System Wins Award at Busworld Europe (19/10/09)

A new fuel cell hybrid electric bus designed by Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool and fuel cell firm UTC Power won the Grand Environment Award at Busworld Europe Kortrijk 2009.

"We're seeing growing momentum worldwide for transit solutions that have zero emissions and quieter operation," said Ken Stewart, Vice-President of Transportation Business at UTC Power.

Japan's Toshiba launches fuel cell for mobiles (22/10/09)

Elsewhere, Toshiba has commenced shipping of its new palm-sized Dynario fuel cell, which makes use of methanol cartridges.

The company believes that it can triple the battery life of an average mobile phone, Reuters reports.

Japan debut for mobile fuel cell (23/10/09)

Initially, only 3,000 Dynario units are set to go on sale in Japan at a price of £195, with a set of five methanol refills expected to cost roughly £21.

However, the company will ship more through its Shop 1048 online store if demand is strong enough.

Idatech partner deploys 43 backup power units in Mexico (21/10/09)

Mexican mobile service provider TelCell has received 43 fuel cells from MICROM - which is the Latin American partner of Idatech - to use for back-up power.

ACAL Energy achieves record output from FlowCath fuel cell (23/10/09)

UK-based firm ACAL Energy has revealed that its fuel cell system, which makes use of its patented FlowCath liquid cathode technology, has achieved record power levels of 1.5kW.

Suzuki Fuel-cell Scooter Runs 350km (23/10/09)

Suzuki unveiled the latest instalment of its Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter at the recent Tokyo Motor Show 2009.

The firm has increased the scooter's hydrogen fuel storage capacity to ten litres and it its now capable of travelling on a flat road at 30km/h for 350km.

Japanese automakers' hydrogen car drive (25/10/09)

Meanwhile, a number of top automakers expressed their commitment to developing fuel cell vehicles at the exhibition in the Japanese capital.

"We believe that the fuel cell electric vehicle will be the ultimate form for automobiles in the future," Honda President Takanobu Ito told AFP.

"It has advantages such as zero CO2 emissions in use, can travel considerable distances without refuelling and can be quickly refuelled."

Government-Owned Fouriertransform to Invest 60 MSEK in the Fuel Cell Company Powercell Sweden AB (27/10/09)

In Sweden, Fouriertransform, which is the government's automotive venture capital company, has announced a SEK 60 million (£5.25 million) injection into Powercell Sweden AB.

Powercell is heavily involved in developing, producing and selling fuel cells, while it also has interests in fuel reformers and auxiliary power units.

Fuel cells have strong future in Africa: Angloplat (27/10/09)

Anglo Platinum, which is the world's largest producer of the precious metals, has expressed its belief that fuel cells will be commercialised in Africa within a decade.

"Fuel cells are a unique opportunity for Africa … they are modular in nature, you can put them in a remote area, they can run on or off grid, they can run on (various) feed sources," Angela Bath, Head of Market Development and Research, told Reuters.

KIER Succeed in Fuel Cell MEA Production (28/10/09)

Finally, the Korea Institute of Energy Research claimed recently that it has completed South Korea's first ever test production of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA).

According to the group, the MEA industry will be valued at about five trillion won (£2.59 billion) by 2013 following full commercialisation.

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