LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Air Products (NYSE: APD) and FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:
FCEL) a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable
fuel cell power plants, today announced the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding to work toward the market development of
stationary Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plants that simultaneously
produce hydrogen, ultra-clean electricity and usable high quality
heat. Target markets for these tri-generation
stationary fuel cell power plants include industrial hydrogen users
as well as vehicle fueling applications.
"On-site or distributed co-production of hydrogen in a cost
effective and efficient manner from stationary fuel cell power
plants represents tremendous market potential," said Ed Kiczek, global director – Hydrogen Energy
Systems at Air Products. "Hydrogen is an alternative fuel
that can simultaneously reduce a country's dependence on imported
oil and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
The initiative seeks to develop a market for tri-generation
megawatt-class power plants around the world. Industrial
users of hydrogen can utilize all three of the DFC revenue streams
including hydrogen, electricity and heat. On-site or local
production of hydrogen and electricity eliminates the delivery
costs incurred by industrial companies while enhancing security and
reliability of supply.
"By combining our industry-leading fuel cell technology and
expertise with the market reach, hydrogen processing, and
distribution capabilities of Air Products, together we can create
the hydrogen infrastructure with a solution that is ready today,"
said Chip Bottone, president and
chief executive officer, FuelCell Energy, Inc. "Our stationary fuel
cell power plants are quite versatile and this initiative
represents what we expect to be an efficient and cost effective
manner of providing on-site hydrogen production in an
environmentally friendly manner."
Distributed generation of hydrogen could help to enable hydrogen
infrastructure development by producing hydrogen in locations
convenient for end-uses such as vehicle fueling or industrial
use. Fueling operations or neighboring facilities can utilize
the ultra-clean electricity and high quality heat produced.
Using DFC power plants to generate hydrogen near the point of use
supports domestic jobs while promoting energy independence as DFC
plants are designed and manufactured in the United States and utilize abundant natural
gas as a fuel source.
Air Products and FuelCell Energy are already working together on
a three year hydrogen production project in California, which began in 2011. Under
subcontract to Air Products, FuelCell Energy is operating a DFC
power plant at an Orange County Sanitation District wastewater
treatment facility near Los Angeles. The project, funded in
part by the United States Department of Energy, California Air
Resources Board, South Coast Air Quality Management District, and
also involving the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the
University of California, Irvine, is
providing renewable hydrogen for vehicle fueling along with
ultra-clean electricity. The power plant efficiently converts
biogas generated from the wastewater treatment process into
renewable hydrogen for a nearby vehicle fueling station operated by
Air Products, as well as ultra-clean electricity used by the
wastewater treatment facility.
FuelCell Energy manufactures stationary fuel cell power plants
that provide continuous baseload power in a highly efficient and
environmentally friendly process. DFC power plants are fuel
flexible, using readily available fuel sources such as natural gas
or renewable biogas. These fuels are converted to hydrogen by
the fuel cell process. The electro-chemical power generation
process does not utilize all of the hydrogen generated by the fuel
cells so the excess hydrogen can be used to meet other demands such
as vehicle fueling or industrial purposes. Due to the absence
of combustion in the fuel cell power generation process, virtually
no pollutants are emitted such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur
oxides (SOx), or particulate matter, resulting in ultra-clean power
generation.
Air Products, the leading global supplier of hydrogen to
refineries to assist in the production of cleaner burning
transportation fuels, has unique experience in the hydrogen fueling
industry. These varied fueling applications provide an opportunity
to assess consumer experiences, evaluate product performance and
advance product improvements. In fact, in certain market
applications, fueling rates at several individual sites of over
15,000 refills per year are occurring. The company has placed
over 130 hydrogen fueling stations in the
United States and 19 countries worldwide. Cars,
trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell
towers, material handling equipment, and even submarines have been
fueled with trend-setting technologies that involve Air Products'
know-how, equipment and hydrogen. Use of the company's
technology is increasing and is currently over 370,000 hydrogen
fills per year.
Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and
is on the forefront of hydrogen energy technology development.
Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50
patents in hydrogen dispensing technology. Air Products
provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen, and HCNG (hydrogen/compressed
natural gas) fueling, and has developed a variety of enabling
devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied
pressures. Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a
site via truck, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass
conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is
solar and wind driven.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and
specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology.
For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more
productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 18,000
employees in over 40 countries supply innovative solutions to the
energy, environment and emerging markets. These include
semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification,
natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In
fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of $10.1
billion. For more information, visit
www.airproducts.com.
About FuelCell Energy
Direct FuelCell® power plants are generating ultra-clean,
efficient and reliable power at more than 50 locations
worldwide. With over 180 megawatts of power generation
capacity installed or in backlog, FuelCell Energy is a global
leader in providing ultra-clean baseload distributed generation to
utilities, industrial operations, universities, municipal water
treatment facilities, government installations and other customers
around the world. The Company's power plants have generated
more than one billion kilowatt hours of ultra-clean power using a
variety of fuels including renewable biogas from wastewater
treatment and food processing, as well as clean natural gas.
For more information please visit our website at
www.fuelcellenergy.com
***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements
within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of
the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual
performance and financial results may differ materially from
projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking
statements because of many factors not anticipated by management,
including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its
fiscal year ended September 30,
2011.
SOURCE Air Products