| FuelCellStocks.Com Micro Fuel Cell News Bacteria eat confectionery, produce hydrogen 7/27/06. Bioscientists have demonstrated that bacteria give off hydrogen gas as they consume high-sugar waste produced by the confectionery industry. In the future, such hydrogen could power the hydrogen-fuelled road vehicles of tomorrow. (more) Neah Power Joins Mobile PC Extended Battery Life Working Group 7/25. Neah Power Systems, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NPWS) has joined the Mobile PC Extended Battery Life Working Group founded by Intel Corp. EBL WG focuses on the achievement of all-day battery life in mobile PC platforms. (more) Neah Power Publishes Fuel Cell Primer 7/31/06. Neah Power Systems (OTC: NPWS) is offering an ebook that explains fuel cell technology in general and its own micro fuel cell technology in particular. The read this ebook click here. Casio claims most powerful micro fuel cell for portable electronics 7/28. Casio has developed a fuel cell for notebook PCs that is the most powerful such unit for its size in the world and will be sampling commercial versions next year. Casio claims the 6.5 x 1.9 x 1.8cm prototype produces 19.4W of power, yielding a capacity of 882W per liter, a record for fuel cells for portable devices, about four times more powerful than a lithium-ion battery of the same size. (more) Neah Power Announces Prototype Delivery Schedule 7/18/06. Neah Power Systems, Inc., (Pink Sheets:NPWS), plans to begin assembly of its breadboard prototype designed to prove the functionality and capabilities of Neah's patented porous silicon micro fuel cell technology by the end of the summer. (more) VIASPACE Subsidiary Signs Fuel Cell Cartridge Manufacturing Agreement With Japanese Company 7/18/06. VIASPACE Inc. (OTCBB: VSPC) subsidiary, Direct
Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation, has Medis Shipping Micro Fuel Cells Mass Production to Begin in 2007 7/14/06. Medis Technologies (Nasdaq: MDTL) is shipping hundreds of micro fuel cell battery chargers for hand held electronics this month in advance of scheduled mass production in 2007. The units can instantly recharge cell phones, laptops, game boys, and other hand held electronics. (more) NTT DoCoMo and Aquafairy Co. Developing Micro Fuel Cells 7/14/06.The new micro fuel cells are intended to help keep DoCoMo's FOMA 3G handset customers' devices running all day. The units merge DoCoMo recharger technology with Aquafairy's thin film power unit technology and catalyst for producing hydrogen from water. They will be debuted at DoCoMo's booth at the Wireless Japan 2006 conference in Tokyo, July 19 through 21. (more) UN OKs Transport of Millenium Cell's Micro Fuel Cells 7/12/06. Millenium Cell (Nasdaq: MCEL) announced that new regulations for the commercial transport of sodium borohydride-based fuel cartridges for fuel cells were approved by the United Nations last week. Formal ratification by the full UN Committee of Experts is scheduled for December. (more) Neah Power's Technology Receives $3 Million in DOD Funding 6/27/06. Neah Power Systems, Inc. (Pink Sheets: NPWS), announced that $3 million for the Porous Silicon-based Direct Methanol Fuel Cell research and development project has been included in the House version of the Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill. This funding would support Neah Power's continued development of silicon-based fuel cell technology for portable military applications and devices, such as man-pack radio systems carried by soldiers. Final funding for this project will be determined in a House/Senate conference later this year. Voller Energy Launches Fuel Cell Battery Charger 6/30/06. Voller Energy Group PLC (AIM: VLR), manufacturer of portable fuel cell systems, today launched the Fuel Cell ABC(TM) Automatic Battery Charger that can imultaneously charge an iPod(R), a laptop, and a mobile phone. (more) Acta achieves technical targets 6/28/06. Robert Drummond, Chairman of Acta (LSE: ACTA) announced that
Acta was making good progress in the first half of the current financial
year and had achieved Protonex raises 8.8 mln stg via London IPO 6/28/06. Protonex Technology Corp, a US-based maker of portable fuel cell systems, said it raised 8.8 mln stg through a placing of more than 10 mln new shares priced at 85 pence each. The pricing will give Protonex a market capitalisation of 36.8 mln stg once it starts trading on London's Alternative Investment Market on July 3. Medis Technologies Launches Program to Deliver Power Packs to Potential Customers 6/29/06. Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: MDTL) has launched a program to deliver Power Packs to representatives of its potential customers and other people capable of influencing the markets for its Power Pack products. (more) MTI Micro Delivers on Energy Density Milestone 6/26/06. MTI MicroFuel Cells Inc., a subsidiary of Mechanical
Technology Incorporated (Nasdaq: Neah to Extend Patented Fuel Cell Technology to Military Sensor Market 6/19/06. Neah Power Systems, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NPWS) announced its intent to extend its patented fuel cell technology to power sensors used in military and homeland security applications. Neah Power is developing a unique micro fuel cell system for portable electronics and military applications. (more) UltraCell XX25 beta fuel cells ready for sale 6/14/06. UltraCell announced the launch of the XX25 reformed methanol micro fuel cell system, at the Power Sources Conference, in Philadelphia, yesterday. The event marks the first occasion when beta units of the XX25 formally go on sale to customers in critical markets. (more) Neah Power Signs an Agreement with Danfoss Group Global 6/14/06.Neah Power Systems, Inc. (Pink Sheets:NPWS) has signed an agreement with Danfoss Group Global for fluid control and disposable fluid cartridge technology for portable fuel cells. (more) UltraCell Corp Gets Army Contract 6/7/06. UltraCell Corp. received a contract from the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center's Army Power Division to accelerate development of the XX25, a 25-watt reformed methanol fuel cell, for use as a soldier power device. (more) Viaspace subsidiary Takes Exclusive License on Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Technology 5/23/06. Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation , a subsidiary of Viaspace technologies (OTC BB: VSPC), has signed an exclusive worldwide license agreement with the California institute of Technology for three issued and six pending patents on direct methanol fuel cell technology. (more) Fuel cells in laptops edge closer 6/2/06. Recently, Toshiba, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Samsung and Sanyo, among others, have shown prototypes that suggest that the technology is just around the corner. It has taken time to shrink parts such as pumps to sizes small enough for the fuel cells to be commercially acceptable. (more) SFC Smart Fuel Cell Receives US Air Force Order SFC Smart Fuel Cell will provide a fuel cell based power solution to an important military program. SFC will develop a Fuel Cell based Lightweight Portable Power System for Battlefield Airmen within the next ten months. The value of the development order amounts to US$ 500,000. (more) Commercial Micro Fuel Cells to Take off in 2007 5/31/06. A commercial market for micro-power fuel cells to power mobile devices will begin in 2007 and be fully underway by 2008, a telecommunications expert predicted recently at a London seminar focused on portable fuel cells. The remarks, made by Dr. Hitomi Murakami, vice president, Corporate Technology Sector, KDDI Corporation of Japan, supported a positive outlook expressed across the board by all co-speakers at the one-day event. (more) Dow Invests $1.3M in Millennium Cell 5/31/06. Millennium Cell Inc. Dow Chemical Co. bought $1.3 million of Millenium Cell's convertible preferred stock, per their joint development agreement. The two companies are developing portable fuel cell systems for consumer electronics and military applications. Under their three-year joint program, which began in 2005, Millennium Cell will grant stock to Dow as it achieves certain milestones, as well as give Dow the opportunity to buy more stock. (more) MTI MicroFuelCells Signs Deal with Samsung 5/18/06. Samsung, the world's No. 3 maker of wireless phones has signed an exclusive deal to use technology from MTI MicroFuel Cells, a unit of Mechanical Technology (Nasdaq: MKTY). The joint development deal will last about 18 months, and neither company will work with any other to develop fuel cells for use in wireless phones. Samsung is committing $1 million to the effort. (more) Mechanical Technology Up 23% on Samsung Deal 5/19106. Mechanical Technology Inc. stock rose Thursday after announcing a partnership with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to develop a power source prototype for a series of Samsung mobile phones and accessories. Shares rose 74 cents, or 23%, to $3.97. (more) Casio Micro Fuel cell will give four times battery life for notebooks 5/15/06. Casio has become the latest Japanese electronics giant to hop on the notebook fuel-cell bandwagon, today pledging to offer a micro fuel cell for portable PCs in sample quantities in 2007. Casio's prototype produces 19.4W of power, - the world's highest for a cell aimed at portable products, the company claimed. That means a fuel cell the size of a standard Lithium Ion notebook battery could deliver an operational duration four times as long as that of a conventional portable power source. VIASPACE Subsidiary Signs Exclusive Worldwide License to Caltech Patents on Micro Fuel Cells for Portable Applications 5/17/06. VIASPACE Inc. (OTC: VSPC), transforms proven space and defense technologies from NASA and the Department of Defense into hardware and software solutions. It's subsidiary, Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation, has exercised an option and signed an exclusive worldwide license agreement with the California Institute of Technology for three issued and six pending patents on direct methanol fuel cell technology. (more) Smart Fuel Cell launches new fuel cell generation 5/10/06. FC Smart Fuel Cell presents the new EFOY product family of fuel cells – the successor of the Company’s successful SFC A50 fuel cell. Now consumers and industry users can select between three fuel cell models with various levels of performance for powering their electrical devices: EFOY 1600, EFOY 1200, and EFOY 600. (more) Neah Power Contracts with Apex Strategies, Inc. 5/16/06. Neah Power Systems, Inc., a Nevada corporation (Pink Sheets: NPWS), signed a contract with Apex Strategies, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in Federal Contracts. The 2006 US Department of Defense Appropriations Bill included a $1.75 million project to develop Neah's patented porous direct methanol, micro fuel cell for military applications that will be administered by the Office of Naval Research. Apex Strategies will support and assist Neah in identifying and obtaining future government contracts. Mechanical Technology files $40 mln mixed shelf 5/12/06. WASHINGTON - Mechanical Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MKTY) may periodically sell up to $40 million in debt, common stock, warrants, and units, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday. The fuel cell and battery technology company will use the proceeds for R&D, commercialization, manufacturing processes and potential acquisitions. (more) Microbes Convert Wastewater into Useable Electricity 5/10/06. Millions of tiny microbes infest the water that carries the detritus of human life and society. Some of them steadily break down the organic material in waste streams and produce electrons in the process. By harvesting these electrons, scientists have created microbial fuel cells. New research shows how such biological power plants can be stacked to create usable current. (more) Neah Power Systems Explains its Micro Fuel Cell Technology 5/6/06. Neah Power is a micro fuel cell technology company focused on developing a patented porous silicon-based direct-methanol fuel cell for mobile electronic devices. It's design provides a 'larger reaction area' thus producing more power versus the most common form of DMFC. (more) Medis Technologies Enters Agreement with Hydrocell Ltd 5/5/06. Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: MDTL) announced an Agreement between its wholly owned subsidiary, More Energy, Ltd., and Oy Hydrocell Ltd., a privately held Finnish fuel cell developer. Hydrocell manufactures gel electrolyte for fuel cell products and is developing 20 watt fuel cells. (more) Millenium Cell Partner Protonex Delivers Fuel Cell Systems to U.S.A.F. 5/3/06. Protonex Technology Corporation has delivered prototypes of its P2 soldier power system to the U.S. Air Force fore valuation. the Air Force notified Protonex and its partner, Millennium Cell Inc. (NASDAQ: MCEL), it intends to award an additional $1.02 million program focusing on P2 enhancements. (more) Voller launches fuel cell powered remote battery charger 4/24/06. Voller Energy (AIM: VLR) launched a new industrial fuel cell system, the VE100 Rack Mount, that can charge remote monitoring equipment, surveillance cameras and industrial equipment. It can also be used with solar panels or wind turbines to provide continuous power over an extended period of time. (more) Hitachi micro fuel cell promises five times the energy density of Direct Methanol Fuel Cells 4/28/06. Maxell Hitachi has announced a new variation on the Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell which uses water and aluminium to generate hydrogen and promises a low cost 10 watt cell (enough to operate a laptop PC) with five times the energy density of Direct Methanol Fuel Cells. (more) Bio fuel cells could power portable gadgets A hydrogen fuel cell that uses enzymes instead of expensive metal catalysts has been developed by UK researchers. Enzyme-powered fuel cells could be smaller, simpler and cheaper to make than conventional ones, and have already powered a digital watch. (more) Medis Technologies "Strong Buy" Target Price Raised 4/25/06. Analyst Gary Giblen of Brean Murray maintains his "strong buy" rating on Medis Technologies Ltd (Nasdaq: MDTL), The target price has been raised from $28 to $35. (more) Medis Technologies Announces Voluntary Exchange By Holders of 95% in Principal 4/24/06. Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: MDTL): institutional investors holding $46,582,000 of its 6% senior convertible notes due on July 15, 2010 have voluntarily agreed to exchange their notes for 2,948,806 of Medis' common shares. (more) Polyfuel Moving Toward Commercialization 4/19/06 Polymer fuel cell developer Polyfuel said it was moving towards the commercialisation of its products as it posted an increase in turnover. The group said commercialisation of its technology will take place in 2007/2008. (more) Medis Technologies CEO Reports on CTIA Conference 4/17/06. Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: MDTL) CEO Robert K. Lifton.reported to shareholders that the CTIA show in Las Vegas was a smashing success for Medis' micro fuel cell Power Pack. (more) Casio Micro Fuel Cell will Power Notebook Computers for 20 hours 4/12/06. Casio has created a component using solid polymer fuel cells that is 90 per cent tinier than the competition. Notebook computers using the micro fuel cell will sample within the year and give up to 20 hours life on a single charge. Johnson Matthey to Use PolyFuel Membranes 4/11/06. Polyfuel (AIM: PYF) will provide Johnson Matthey with the PolyFuel hydrocarbon direct methanol fuel cell membrane intended for fuel cells to power portable devices. Johnson Matthey will use these membranes in the manufacture of catalyst coated membranes and membrane electrode assemblies. (more) QuantumSphere Reduces Cost for DMFC Micro Fuel Cells 4/6/06. One problem with micro fuel cells is the high cost of the platinum catalyst. QuantumSphere has reduced this cost by 30% by replacing the platinum with nano-cobalt. (more) Medis Subsidiary Gets Patent 4/7/06. Medis Technologies Ltd. subsidiary More Energy Ltd. got a patent for a refueler for a micro fuel cell that simultaneously injects fresh fuel and extracts spent fuel. The same system can also be used to replace the fuel cell's electrolyte. (more) Micro Fuel Cells Suited to Niche Applications 4/4/06. Micro fuel cell applications include military field applications; early-response devices, and remote emergency beacons. Although they make up only a tiny portion of the consumer portable market, they represent a $1 billion market that is growing faster than the more mature consumer laptop/cell-phone market. (more) Medis Technologies Ltd. Doubles Power of Fuel Cell Power Pack 4/3/06. Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:MDTL) has
doubled the power output of its power packs designed to power portable
electronics. This means longer cell phone life and the
ability to power larger portable electronics such as Laptops. (more) EWI to Work on Millennium Cell Fuel Cartridge Program 3/17/06. EWI has contracted with Millennium Cell for a 15-month project to improve the manufacturing process for Millennium Cell's Hydrogen on Demand(R) fuel cartridges. (more) Toshiba Microreactor Extracts Hydrogen to Power Fuel Cells 3/28/06. Toshiba Corp. has developed a microreactor that functions like a miniature hydrogen reformer, extracting hydrogen from dimethyl ether (DME) and carbon-based fuels to power a fuel cell. The palm-size device is about one fifth the size of a conventional hydrogen reformer, but it produces 200cc of hydrogen per minute, enough hydrogen to power a micro fuel cell to run a laptop computer. (more) Millenium Cell to Power Intel Notebook 3/7/06. Millennium Cell Inc. (NASDAQ: MCEL) will be providing
a fuel cell power source for Intel's demonstration of their notebook PC
Mobile Power System at the 23rd International Battery Seminar and Exhibit
from March 13th to March 16th., at the Broward County Convention Center
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The demonstration will be held at the Intel
booth. (more) USFCC Reports New Safety Specification for Portable Fuel Cells Aids Commercialization, Air Transport 3/7/06. The International Electrotechnical Commission has published a safety specification for small fuel cells powering electronic devices, marking another significant milestone on the road to commercialization. The IEC specification helps open the door to fuel cell use on passenger aircraft. The specification covers fuel cells in devices such as cell phones, music players, gaming consoles, flashlights, and laptop computers. (more) Pacific Fuel Cell Corp. Delivers NanoMEAs 3/16/06. Pacific Fuel Cell Corp. (OTCBB: PFCE) has delivered production-scale prototype nanoMEAs for micro fuel cells to an undisclosed customer. (more) USC, Rice to develop bacteria-powered fuel cells 3/15/06. Scientists from the University of Southern California and Rice University are joining forces to create bacteria-powered fuel cells that could power spy drones that fit in the palm of a hand. The Air Force has long been interested in micro-scale air vehicles – some as small as insects – but it has been stymied by the lack of a suitable, compact power source. (more) BMW May Offer its Bi-Fuel Hydrogen/Gasoline car in 2006 3/13/06. Last month BMW said it expected to launch a part hydrogen-powered car in the next two years. But a report on the Green Car Congress website, citing comments made by BMW's senior vice president of science and traffic policy, Christoph Huss, suggests the company could be ahead of schedule. (more) UltraCell Micro Fuel Cell Powers Laptop for Two Days 3/7/06. UltraCell demonstrated its UltraCell XX25 micro fuel cell system at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco today. Powered by a reformed methanol fuel cell technology, the UltraCell XX25 is a pre-production unit designed for the military. Beta testing of the XX25 will begin mid-year, and a commercial version, the UltraCell UC25 could be available by the end of this year. The UltraCell UC25 will run a laptop computer for up to two working days on a single methanol fuel cell cartridge. (more) The M-1 Super Battery 3/3/06. A123 Systems has introduced a remarkable upgrade to the Li-Ion battery. In comparison to a standard Li-Ion cell they’ve been able to double the power density, increase the peak power fivefold, and significantly reduce the time required for charging. Those gains have been accomplished by shrinking the size of the particles that coat the battery’s electrodes from 5-20 microns (standard Li-Ion) to below 100 nanometers for the new M1. Another benefit to the technology is safety. A typical Li-Ion cell when penetrated will explode, whereas an M1 cell will merely emit smoke. (more) Antig and AVC To Unveil World’s First Commercialized Fuel Cell Integrated into Notebook Computer 3/1/06. Antig Technology, manufacturer of unique PCB (printed circuit board) fuel cell modules, compact, CD-ROM drive size prototype fuel cells for notebook PCs, is back with partner AVC Corporation to introduce the the world’s first commercially available integrated fuel cell for notebook computers. This CD-ROM size fuel cell pack runs on methanol fuel and is integrated into notebook PC using media-bay slot and is showcased at the AVC stand. (more) Carnegie Mellon Team Working To Create Methanol-Powered Micro Fuel Cells 2/18/06. Carnegie Mellon University's Prashant Kumta heads a team developing methanol powered micro fuel cells, envisioning a cigarette lighter sized system that could be refueled by inserting a small cartridge of methanol. Kumta and his group are developing nanostructured catalyst compositions using novel chemistry methods that exhibit excellent catalytic activity compared to conventional standards catalysts. (more) Motorola to Load Cell Phones with More Features. Counts on Fuel Cells to Solve Battery Problem 3/1/06. Motorola Inc. is working on ways to load future cell phones with features that let users pay their McDonald's tabs or watch clips from last night's TV shows, CEO Ed Zander said Tuesday, adding "The problem of battery life might be solved in one to two years, thanks to developments in fuel-cell technology." (more) Penn State Researchers Improve Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Performance 2/24/06. Engineers at Penn State University have improved the membrane performance of direct methanol fuel cells for portable electronics. Dr. Chao-Yang Wang says, "A fuel cell based on our new approach and design could potentially run a notebook computer for 20 hours on straight methanol versus the two to three hours of power current fuel cells produce with six percent mixtures of methanol and water." (more) MIT Researchers Develop Super Battery 2/14/06. Traditional batteries haven't progressed far beyond the basic design developed in the 19th century. researchers promise the first technologically significant and economically viable alternative to conventional batteries in more than 200 years. They are using nanotube structures to improve on an energy storage device called an ultracapacitor. Ultracapacitors are capacitor-based storage cells that provide quick, massive bursts of instant energy. (more) Angstrom Power Approved for Shipping Charged Metal Hydride Systems Throughout North America 2/3/06. Angstrom Power, a leader in micro hydrogen™ fuel cell technology, has received approvals from the US Department of Transportation and Transport Canada to ship charged metal hydride systems within and between the two countries. Angstrom Power is the first and only company to have both a DoT Approval and Transport Canada Permit, enabling trans-border shipment of charged micro fuel cells. (more) General Hydrogen Corp. orders 200,000 Ultracapacitors 2/3/06. General Hydrogen Corporation, developer of hydrogen fuel cell power systems for electric forklifts, has placed a 200,000 unit, three-year, purchase order for Boostcap ultracapacitors, from Maxwell Technologies. Its "Hydricity" Pack power systems are an economical 'drop-in' replacement today for lead-acid batteries in Class I electric forklifts. Each Hydricity system incorporates 30 to 120 ultracapacitor cells, and General Hydrogen anticipates that its volume requirements will escalate rapidly over the next three years. (more) Kurita Micro Fuel Cell Powers Cell Phone for Days on a drop of Methanol 1/26/06. Japan's Kurita Water Industries has developed a revolutionary fuel cell that will power a mobile phone for days on a drop of methanol about the size of a human tear and expects it to be on the shelves within three years. Kurita predicts that the discovery will transform the global effort to commercialise fuel cells. (more) Viaspace Files Additional Patent For Fuel Cell Cartridge Technology 1/27/06. VIASPACE Inc. (OTCBB: VSPC), a company that transforms proven space and defense technologies from NASA and the Department of Defense into hardware and software solutions, announced today that its subsidiary, Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation (DMFCC), has filed an additional patent on its fuel cell cartridge technology. The provisional application for the patent, which is titled “Fuel Cell Cartridge with Flexible Fuel Container,” was filed on January 19, 2006. DMFCC is exhibiting its fuel cell cartridge at Fuel Cell Expo 2006 being held in Tokyo, Japan January 25-27, 2006. (more) Sandia, Sharp to Work on Fuel Cells 1/24/06. Sandia National Laboratories and Sharp Corp. recently signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to work together on renewable and alternative energy technologies, including advanced fuel cells for portable power applications. Sandia will contribute novel membrane and catalyst capabilities to the fuel cell project while Sharp will lend its system and application-level experience. (more) Kuraray develops better micro fuel cell membrane 1/23/06. Japan's Kuraray Co. (TSE: 3405) has developed a superior fuel cell membrane that blocks the passage of of methanol while allowing hydrogen atoms to cross. It will use it to produce membrane electrode assemblies for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (micro fuel cells) designed to power hand held electronics. Kuraray's membrane increases the ability of hydrogen ions to pass by 50 percent, while reducing the passage of methanol by 40 percent. The result is a 160% increase in energy efficiency. (more) QinetiQ plans fuel cell PDAs 1/19/06. Science and technology research organisation QinetiQ has unveiled plans to look into developing hydrogen fuel cells suitable for mobile phones, cameras and PDAs. The UK firm's research is being funded by camera company Olympus, which is looking to benefit from the technology in future models. QinetiQ is hoping to produce by 2008 a working prototype with a long operating time that is capable of producing up to ten watts of power. (more) Millennium Cell receives $1.7 million in 2006 defense bill 1/11/06. Hydrogen battery technology supplier Millennium Cell Inc. has announced that its soldier power program has been allocated $1.7 million of funding in the fiscal 2006 military appropriations bill. The soldier power program is a joint effort with Protonex Technology Corp. The Protonex P2 power system utilizes chemical hydride fuel cartridges with Millennium Cell's (Eatontown, N.J.) Hydrogen on Demand technology which are integrated with Protonex' advanced fuel cell technology. (more) Angsrtom Power breaks energy density record in micro fuel cells 12/21/05. Angstrom has demonstrated a fuel cell system that provides 3 Watts peak power and 1 Watt average power with an energy density of over 300Whr/l in a 25cc form factor. This includes fuel cell, fuel storage, power conditioning and peak power energy storage. The Angstrom micro hydrogen™ fuel cell system operates passively and requires no pumps, valves or heaters. Startup is instant, requiring no assistance from any auxiliary battery. The system is a power source for portable electronics. (more) Voller Energy receives patent approval 1/12/06. Voller Energy Group PLC (AIM:VLR), manufacturer of portable fuel cell systems, has received notice from the Patent Office that the patent 'Mains in a Box' will be granted on January 18th 2006. This patent concerns technology that enables Voller Energy's portable fuel cell system to safely provide mains output (230 volts in Europe and 110 volts for North America) and work from internal canisters of stored hydrogen. The patent was filed in 2003 and the Company has a further seven patents pending. (more) Northrop Grumman-Protonex Team Selected to Develop New Fuel Cell-Based Power Pack for Military Applications 1/9/06. The team of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and Protonex Technology Corporation has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to design and develop a new energy-efficient, lightweight fuel-cell system to power various targeting, communications and other sensor equipment used by airmen on the battlefield. (more) Toray Industries, Inc. Improves DMFC Membrane performance 12/21/05. Toray Industries, Inc. has improved the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), the primary element in a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)1), to a level where it could be put to practical use. The company developed a membrane that suppresses methanol cross-over to less than 1/10 of the existing fluorine-type membranes while maintaining the equivalent conductance. (more) CMR Fuel Cells to Float on AIM 12/21/05. CMR Fuel Cells will float on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange tomorrow at 176p. This could raise as much as £10.3m and will value the fuel cell developer at around £35.7m. CMR’s fuel cell stack is designed for battery chargers, auxiliary power units, laptops and portable military applications. It is a mixed-reactant or 'single-chamber' fuel cell that can reduce stack cost by 80%. (more) New, Thin PolyFuel Membrane Boosts DMFC MicroFuel Cell Performance 12/15/05. PolyFuel, Inc. (London: PYF) has a new, thinner fuel cell membrane that delivers the highest power levels ever demonstrated for passive direct methanol micro fuel cells. The new membrane delivers 33% more power than the previous industry benchmark, PolyFuel's own 62-micron PolyFuel membrane, which is being utilized or studied worldwide by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), particularly in Japan. (more) Manhattan Scientifics Sells Investment Interest in Asian Licensee for $900,000 12/12/05. Manhattan Scientifics Inc. (OTC: MHTX) announced
today that it has sold its equity interest in a Singapore-based licensee
for nearly $900,000. The company intends to use the sale proceeds to retire
a significant portion of its debt. Manhattan Scientifics continues to
be a licensor of its patented fuel cell Medis Technologies unveiling fuel cell powerpacks 12/15/05. Medis Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: MDTL) is planning to unveil at next month's Consumer Electronics Show power packs that will be able to power or recharge portable electronics gadgets.. The power packs use alkaline fuel cell technology to provide several complete recharges for dead cell phone batteries or an additional 20 hours of talk time. They could conceivably keep a pocket PC running for six weeks. Medis will commercially launch the devices in the second half of 2006. (more) FORBES cites NanoMarkets new Micro-Fuel Cell $2.6 Billion Market Forecast 12/11/05. The market for portable fuel cells is predicted by NanoMarkets to be $2.6 billion by 2012. The big battery manufacturers, along with perhaps 50 smaller firms, are working on micro fuel cells, says James Balcom, chief executive of Polyfuel, a manufacturer of the membranes used inside fuel cells. He's seen the typical order jump from 80 units during the first six months of the year to 500 in the second half, he says. "That tells me they are moving from research into development." (more) CMR Fuel Cells seeks listing on AIM 12/12/05. CMR Fuel Cells Ltd, announces it's seeking admission to the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. CMR's revolutionary fuel cell stack is being developed for use in applications such as battery chargers, auxiliary power units, laptops, power tools, robotic devices, portable generators, and portable military applications. The breakthrough technology is 5X cheaper to make than conventional DMFC, 10X smaller than current designs and offers much greater levels of reliability - delivering longer operational life. (more) Toshiba to market micro fuel cells in 2007 12/5/05. Toshiba’s booth at CEATEC had a little corner with some laptops, audio players and mobile phones. Nothing out of the ordinary, until you realise that they’re all powered by Direct Methanol Fuel Cells.Toshiba is conducting tests to validate the use of passive fuel cells in portable music players. The tests have been encouraging so far – a single methanol charge (about 10ml) is enough to power a prototype Toshiba Gigabeat audio player for up to 60 hours. (more) VIASPACE Subsidiary Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation to Exhibit at Fuel Cell Expo 2006 in Tokyo 12/2/05. Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation focuses on producing disposable fuel cartridges containing liquid fuels, such as methanol, to provide the energy source for laptop computers, cell phones and other portable electronic devices powered by direct methanol fuel cells. These fuel cell powered devices are expected to be introduced into the marketplace by major electronic product manufacturers by 2007. (more) UltraCell Moves Into New Facility To Start Volume Production 11/30/05. UltraCell Corporation has announced the opening of a new manufacturing and corporate office facility that will enable the micro fuel cell company to convert from prototype manufacturing to volume production. The new site, located at Tri-Valley Technology Park, 399 Lindbergh Avenue, Livermore, Calif., will use the latest in lean manufacturing practices. (more) NanoMarkets predicts $2.6 billion market for micro fuel cells 11/1/05. Nanomarkets has forcasted a critical milestone in the accelerating development of fuel cells for portable electronics applications, such as PDAs, cell phones, or laptop computers, was reached when fuel cell membrane leader PolyFuel, Inc. announced that its DMFC membrane has passed the 5,000-hour mark in durability testing. According to market researcher NanoMarkets LLC, 2006 is projected to be the take off year for mobile fuel cells, leading to a projected market size of US$1.1 billion by 2009 and US$2.6 billion in 2012. (more) Polyfuel claims milestone in micro fuel cell durability 10/31/05. Startup PolyFuel Inc. (London: PYF) claims a critical milestone that could propel the mass adoption of fuel cells in PDAs, cellular phones and notebook computers. PolyFuel (Mountain View, Calif.) claimed that its hydrocarbon direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) membrane has passed the 5,000-hour mark in durability testing. Industry observers believe that commercially viable portable fuel cells must demonstrate lifetimes in the 2,000-to-3,000 hour range, a market barrier that PolyFuel claims to have eliminated for fuel cell manufacturers. (more) Motorola invests in micro fuel cell manufacturer Tekion 11/10/05. Motorola has made an undisclosed investment into Tekion, a portable fuel-cell manufacturer whose products are powered by the same substance that gives the bite of a fire ant its sting. Tekion has chosen formic acid as a fuel, the same substance produced by fire ants, which use the caustic liquid when defending their nests. In 2004, Tekion demonstrated the technology powering a Nokia phone. (more) H2Volt develops long-lasting fuel cell 10/24/05.It isn't a battery, It's a 4-inch-high fuel cell that should last 10 times longer than the batteries it replaces. Its inventors, founders of a firm called H2Volt, have joined the hunt for one of the technology industry's Holy Grails -- a new power source capable of running the portable electronics products that grow more complex every year. We're going to go from hours on a laptop battery to days. Or from days for a cell phone battery to weeks," said Farshid Arman, a Siemens director of venture technology who sits on H2Volt's board. (more) Medis Technologies successfully tests new micro fuel cell power packs 8/29/05.Medis Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:MDTL) announced that its refuelable fuel cell Power Packs, developed to power an Itronix® Corporation tablet (GoBook™) under a contract with General Dynamics with funding from the U.S. Air Force, performed successfully in meeting the specified test criteria. The Power Pack produces eight watts at 5.0 volts output and when depleted of its fuel can be refueled by a fuel cartridge in a matter of seconds. (more) Sanyo, IBM to develop micro fuel cells 8/12/05. IBM and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. have teamed up to create prototype notebook computer batteries using long-lasting fuel cell technology. The prototype fuel cell system can provide eight hours of battery life using replaceable methanol fuel cartridges. This is a step toward the mass-market use of fuel cells for powering portable electronics and aims to show how IBM is still innovating ahead of its planned merger with Lenovo Group Ltd. of China, IDC industry analyst Roger Kay said. The IBM-Sanyo system is a hybrid fuel cell system that combines fuel cell technology with existing, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. (more) Fuel Cells Available For Rent 8/31/05. Sandpiper Technologies Inc. has initiated a program enabling customers to rent methanol-powered fuel cells for evaluation.The program, called the Fuel Cell Power Rent-to-Own program, allows the first-time user to try the fuel cell for at least two weeks with a 100 percent rental credit towards a purchase. STI's standard rental credit of 50 percent applies towards later purchases. Weekly rentals are calculated from $99 to $149 depending on the total number of contracted weeks, plus power used. (more) Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Made Cooler for Portables 7/31/05. Companies are considering SOFCs for portable electronics. The
output density is significantly higher than that from the DMFCs. At Small
Fuel Cells 2005, a seminar held in Washington DC at the end of April 2005
for portable equipment applications, three firms presented papers on SOFC
supplies. UltraCell Launches New Reformed Methanol Fuel Cell 8/24/05. UltraCell introduces its reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC), a new power source for portable electronic devices with two times the energy density of lithium batteries. RMFC utilizes a breakthrough micro reformer technology that produces fuel-cell-ready hydrogen from a highly concentrated methanol solution. UltraCell's new fuel cell has the energy density of a hydrogen fuel cell. However, it utilizes easily accessible and inexpensive methanol fuel. (more) Vestel to market fuel cells 7/22/05. Vestel, Turkey's leading producer of home electronics, has invested US $10 million to design fuel cells it hopes to market within three years. It hopes to bring a micro fuel cell to power hand held electronics to market in late 2006 and a stationary fuel cell to power homes and small businesses to market as early as 2007. (more) CMR Fuel Cells Completes Series B Funding 7/15/05. CMR Fuel Cells, the winner of the 2005 Carbon Trust Innovation Award, has completed a series-B funding round from a syndicate of institutional and individual investors. The amount of funds was not made public but it will be used to strengthen and accelerate CMR’s technical and commercial development. CMR is a fuel cell stack technology and the company's patented design architecture aims to make fuel cells 10 times smaller and more powerful and up to 80% cheaper than competing products. It is developing fuel cell stacks for use in applications such as battery chargers, auxiliary power units, laptops, power tools, robotic devices, portable generators, and portable military applications. (more) Samsung to Market Butane Fuel Cell in 2007 7/15/05. Samsung SDI will commercialize a new fuel cell capable of using retail butane gas to generate power for portable electric and electronic devices by 2007. The world’s largest plasma display panel (PDP) maker said yesterday that it has developed a fuel cell that can generate 100 watts of electricity for five successive hours with liquefied butane contained in the 220 gram gas cartridge generally used for portable gas cookers. Samsung SDI said it is second only to Matsushita Electric Industrial of Japan to develop the butane-based fuel cell but would be the first to commercialize the technology. (more)
Patented microbial fuel cell creates electricity from wastewater 7/08/05. Lars Angenent, Ph.D., assistant professor of Chemical Engineering, and a member of Washington University's Environmental Engineering Science Program, has devised a microbial fuel cell which he calls an upflow microbial fuel cell that is fed continually and, unlike most microbial fuel cells, works with chambers atop each other rather than beside each other. A description of the process and research is in the July issue of Environmental Science and Technology. "We are doing basically the same thing as is done in a hydrogen fuel cell with our microbial fuel cell," said Angenent. "We've found that the bacteria on the anode electrode can act as the catalyst instead of platinum." (more) Millennium Cell to receive funding for fuel cells 7/26/05. Millennium Cell Inc. said that its proposal to develop a high-volume manufacturing process for fuel cartridges has been awarded a contract by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences. The contract calls for a cross-industry collaborative partnership between NCMS and the U.S. Dept. of Energy, to develop manufacturing technologies for affordable hydrogen-powered energy systems including fuel cell components and hydrogen storage systems. (more)
Microfuel Cells Need Greater Power Densities To Operate Advanced Equipment Direct methanol fuel cell technology provides power density in the range of 20 to 50 mille watts per square cm (mW/cm2). DMFCs must reach 100 mW/cm2 to avoid an output density shortfall and meet the requirements of power-hungry devices such as notebook computers, handheld data collection devices, and military equipment. Another alternative to DMFC is the direct formic acid fuel cell technology that has the potential to offer five to six times higher power densities. (more)
Japanese Robot Is Powered by Fuel Cells 6/28/05. Speecys Corp. has developed a small bipedal walking
robot powered by fuel cells. The company developed the Speecys FC for
use in research and at special events. It is 50cm tall, weights 4.2kg
and is operated by a personal computer via a wireless local area network.
The robot is powered by five fuel cell stacks located in its arms. A 16-liter
canister of compressed hydrogen is inserted near the robot's neck and
provides enough fuel for around one hour of operation. The company will
begin manufacturing it on a build-to-order basis for universities, research
institutions and companies in July, with the robot to be priced at 2.5
million yen (US$22,850). Fuel cell specs for notebooks released 6/28/05. The Mobile PC Extended Battery Life Working Group, an Intel initiative, has released its "Fuel Cell Guidelines for Mobile PCs" covering electrical, mechanical, control, thermal, environmental and regulatory aspects of fuel cells for mobile PCs. Fuel cell technology promises to power mobile PCs for full working days, while instant refueling with cartridges could extend run time almost indefinitely. (more) Micropower Heats Up: Propane fuel cell packs a lot of punch 6/13/05. Portable electronics could soon run on miniature fuel cells that consume propane, the same fuel used in gas barbecues. In search of longer-lasting alternatives to conventional batteries, a team of researchers has developed just such a device. "A propane-driven fuel cell could be the same size as a lithium battery but last 10 times longer," says Paul Ronney of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. (more)
Korean Student Develops Groundbreaking Micro Fuel Cell Ahn Jeong-min, a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California, has developed a groundbreaking solid oxide fuel cell that eliminates the need for a separate heat source to serve as a catalyst for the chemical process that generates electricity, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. That would allow for miniaturized cells that would be used in both commercial and military applications, said Paul Ronney, a professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at USC. Its reactions can last at 500-600 centigrade degrees without any assistance from heating devices. Ahn operated a 1.5V MP3 player by linking two of these fuel cells, and plans to develop fuel cells usable for portable electric goods. (more) UK firm claims breakthrough in fuel cell technology Cambridge-based CMR Fuel Cells said it had made a breakthrough with a new design of fuel cell which is a tenth of the size of existing models and small enough to replace conventional batteries in laptop computers. "We firmly believe CMR technology is the equivalent of the jump from transistors to integrated circuits," said John Halfpenny, the firm's chief executive. CMR said the new design would run for four times longer than conventional batteries in a laptop or other devices and recharges instantly. (more) MTI MicroFuel Cells Hosts Congressional Presentation
on Fuel Cells For Military New fuel cell runs on blood A team of scientists led by Matsuhiko Nishizawa, at Tohoku University, have developed a fuel cell that runs on blood without using toxic substances, opening the way for use in artificial hearts and other organs. The biological fuel cell relies glucose with a non-toxic substance to draw electrons from glucose. While most other bio-fuel cells under study use a metal complex, the new electron mediator is based on Vitamin K3, already present in the body, it is thus safer and could in the future generate power from blood as an implant-type fuel cell. The newly developed cell is the size of a tiny coin and can generate 0,2 milliwatts of electricity, enough to power a device that measures blood sugar level and transmits data elsewhere. Millennium Cell to Power Laptop with Hydrogen Energy System at Intel Developer Forum Millennium Cell Inc. (NASDAQ: MCEL), a leading developer of hydrogen energy systems, today announced that it will demonstrate a next generation product prototype to power a notebook PC at the Intel Developer Forum from March 1st through March 3rd at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. Millennium Cell's technology will be on display in the Intel Pavilion at Intel's booth #17. (more) NT&T produces prototype hydrogen powered micro PEMFC for cell phones Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation has developed a prototype micro polymer-electrolyte fuel cell that uses hydrogen gas as a fuel and is small enough to directly fit in a mobile phone. At present, direct menthanol fuel cells are used for mobile-phones, however, a DMFC suffers two key problems: firstly, CO2 is produced during power generation; secondly, battery miniaturization is difficult. The PEFC developed at NTT is as powerful as a lithium-ion battery without producing CO2. Plus it will fit directly into a mobile phone, and enable a talk time of nine hours. (more) UK firm claims breakthrough in fuel cell technology (CMR Fuel Cells) Polyfuel: U.S. Risks Missing the Boat in Micro-Power Fuel Cells MTI: Military needs more portable power Pacific Fuel Cell Corp. Announces Acquisition of Intellectual Property for Prototype Sanyo, IBM to develop Micro Fuel Cells for Notebooks Toshiba has world's smallest DMFC Fuel cell for notebooks promised for this year Toshiba: No DMFC notebooks till 2008 Millennium Cell to Power Laptop with Hydrogen Energy System at Intel Developer Forum NTT produces prototype hydrogen powered micro PEM for cell phones Bacteria batteries for mobile phones Voller generates £10 million of interest Nanosys and Sharp to Collaborate on Nanotechnology-Enabled Fuel Cells Medis Technologies to intro "Pocket Socket" fuel cell charger in Februray 2005 MTI Announces New Board Appointments Medis Technologies Demonstrates Historic Performance of Fuel Cell Products to General Dynamics MTI Micro Names Soucy President Intermec big on micro fuel cells Ener1 Names New President for Operations Mobion(TM) Fuel Cell Power Product Receives UL and CSA Safety Certifications Micro Methanol Fuel Cells Get UN Shipping Approval Medis Technology guns for military money Toshiba Reinforces Commitment to Fuel Cell Development and Commercialization Ini Power Systems Closes on $3 M in ‘A’ Round Financing Mobion(TM) Technology Named 'Best of What's New' by Popular Science Magazine Medis Technologies Featured in Frost and Sullivan's ''Movers and Shakers'' Interview Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation Opens Japanese Office New fuel cell for notebook computers NEC to show laptop with built-in fuel cell Frost & Sullivan Recognizes MTI MicroFuel Cells' Innovative Fuel Cell Design Micro Fuel Cells To Gain In Popularity Hitachi, Toshiba Show Portable Fuel Cells Fuel cell powered-phones set to debut in 2006 Nokia's fuel cell powered bluetooth headsets HYSUN 3000 Take-off to Set World Record Microbial fuel cell eats flies produces energy General Dynamics C4 Systems to Develop Wearable, Fuel-Cell Driven Tablet Computers for USAF Japanese Companies Lead the World in Micro Fuel Cell Commercialization General Dynamics unit to develop fuel-cell powered computers Neah Power Systems may set micro fuel cell standard Fuel-Cell-Powered Mobile Phones for Terrestrial Digital TV Nokia testing fuel cell powered cell phones Casio Develops World's Smallest Fuel Cell for Laptop PCs Samsung develops direct methanol fuel cell
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