NEWS

4Fuel Cells Bulletin July 2013

three French companies. Cycleurope designs, manufactures and distributes bicycles, and is a European leader in the electric bicycle market. Pragma Industries has developed a new concept of hydrogen PEM fuel cell that is particularly suitable for portable applications and electric mobility. The third partner is Ventec, a leading French specialist in the design and production of battery management systems (BMS) for lithium-ion batteries.

The Alter Bike utilises several technological solutions, including a new type of hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen chemical storage in recyclable canisters, as well as a hybrid electronic architecture that balances power needs between the Li-ion battery and the fuel cell. The objective is to market the Alter Bike from early 2014, initially to public organisations, and to the general public from 2016.

Pragma Industries, Bidart, France. Tel: +33 5 5951 2755, www.pragma-industries.com

Ventec: www.ventec-bms.com

Cycleurope: www.cycleurope.com

First hydrogen fuel cell powered ferry in UK demos green tech

The UK’s first hydrogen-powered ferry – named Hydrogenesis

– is operating in Bristol harbour, demonstrating the practical and commercial advantages of fuel cell technology during a pilot scheme over the summer.

The Hydrogenesis ferry is being operated by Bristol Hydrogen Boats – a consortium between No. 7 Boat Trips, Bristol Packet Boat Trips, and Auriga Energy, which developed the PEM fuel cell system – while Air Products is providing the hydrogen and a dockside refueling station. Bristol City Council provided initial funding of £225 000 (US$343 000) as part of its Bristol Green Capital initiatives. The Hydrogenesis project aims to kickstart enterprise in new environmental technology and new areas of economic growth in Bristol.

‘With the arrival of the heat wave, the prize-winning Hydrogenesis has been demonstrated to operate in all weather conditions, showing the viability of the new zero-emission fuel cell technologies in marine transport operations,’ says Jas Singh, managing director of Auriga Energy and spokesperson for the consortium.

The Hydrogenesis ferry made its first trial voyage in Bristol harbour in August 2012 [FCB, November 2012, p5]. The 11 m (36 ft) vessel,

which is licensed to carry up to 12 passengers per journey, began public service in February and will continue until late August, when the hydrogen refueling station is due to be decommissioned as part of the original planning conditions. Hydrogen is stored in a tank at up to 350 bar (10 000 psi), which is refueled from a purpose-built Air Products refueler.

The steel-hulled Hydrogenesis ferry is powered by four Auriga Energy air-cooled PEM fuel cells – containing stacks supplied by Ballard Power Systems – that provide up to 12 kW of steady-state continuous power at 48 V. The Auriga Energy Power Management Unit controls the combined power delivery to the propeller via two permanent magnet Lynch motors. The ferry operator has found that the various efficiency measures allow up to four days of service before refueling, rather than the anticipated daily refills.

The project consortium is in discussions about trialing the ferry in other cities, such as Cardiff in Wales and Glasgow in Scotland, which is hosting next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Auriga Energy Ltd, Bristol, UK. Tel: +44 117 941 5340, www.auriga-energy.com

Bristol Hydrogen Boats Ltd: www.bristolhydrogenboats.co.uk

Bristol City Council: www.bristol.gov.uk

Air Products UK, Hydrogen as Fuel: www.airproducts.co.uk/h2energy

Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.com/h2energy

Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com

Ultra Electronics AMI fuel cells for UAVs, critical military tech

Solid oxide fuel cell power sources from Michigan-based Ultra

Electronics AMI are providing a reliable power option to the US military. The company’s lightweight SOFCs, running on widely available propane, are powering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the US Army in Afghanistan.

Modern military strategy relies on the ability to quietly and quickly obtain intelligence in harsh, dangerous settings. These unmanned operations are run remotely, where the military is completely off-grid, away from reliable sources of power. Although batteries are the most common power source for portable equipment used by the military, they are not ideal for UAVs or other technologies that

enable soldiers to move quickly and quietly in dangerous settings.

Soldiers currently recover and relaunch a UAV several times during a single day. Batteries simply do not offer enough power for a long-duration flight where cameras and other equipment – powered by the same battery as the UAV’s engine – are in use. These stops and starts are time-consuming, costly, and disruptive.

The US Army is currently using RoAMIo Defender fuel cells from Ultra Electronics AMI in the field in Afghanistan [FCB, August 2012, p3]. In addition to the power needed to fly the UAV, the integrated fuel cell system generates excess power that can then run added UAV payloads such as additional cameras and sensors that extend the military’s surveillance capabilities.

‘Fuel cells aren’t new technology for the military,’ explains Tom Koonce, programme manager of Lockheed Martin’s Rapid Operation Programs. ‘The military is finding new ways to make portable, efficient power available to soldiers. Fuel cells provide efficient electrical power for modern military operations in situations where other power generation systems simply don’t work.’

Using the Defender fuel cell to power mission-critical UAVs and associated technologies gives the military unprecedented capabilities from its air, ground and logistics equipment. Using a single fuel cell, extended capabilities include longer UAV flight times, continuous power for uninterrupted on-the-ground technology and equipment, and reduced weight and logistics burden when batteries are used for backup instead of primary power.

Ultra Electronics AMI, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Tel: +1 734 302 7632, www.ultra-ami.com

European HYCARUS project to demo fuel cell power in aircraft

HYCARUS is a new three-year, E10 million (US$13 million)

European research and development project that aims to demonstrate the potential of hydrogen PEM fuel cells to supply electrical power for auxiliary applications onboard aircraft.

The HYCARUS project – coordinated by aerospace systems integrator Zodiac Aerospace – will investigate the use of PEM fuel cell system technologies in non-essential aircraft applications such as galleys, lavatories, or crew rest compartments in a large commercial aircraft, or as secondary power sources onboard business jets. The application of such