Companies awarded for their work on fuel cells

Companies awarded for their work on fuel cells

August 3, 2012 0 By Angie Bergenson

ACAL Energy and ITM Power announces as winners of Carbon Trust challenge

The United Kingdom’s Carbon Trust has been working to promote various forms of alternative energy, with a keen focus on hydrogen fuel. The organization recently issued a challenge to fuel cell companies, tasking them with the development of fuel cell systems that are prepared for commercialization. The winners of the challenge have been announced as ITM Power and ACAL energy. Both fuel cell companies have produced new technologies that may reduce the cost of fuel cells by 30%.

Human-based fuel cell finds favor with alternative energy organization

The Carbon Trust has chosen ACAL Energy as one of the winners of its Polymer Fuel Cell Challenge due to the company’s innovative technology. ACAL’s FlowCath technology is designed after the human body’s circulatory system. The FlowCath makes use of a circulating liquid polymer cathode that enables it to produce energy without the need of platinum. By removing platinum from its energy system, ACAL has successfully reduced the cost of the fuel cell significantly.

ITM Power continues to work on lowering the cost of fuel cells

ITM Power has also been chosen as one of the winners of the challenge. The company has made strides in making hydrogen fuel cells more efficient and powerful. It too has worked to remove the platinum catalysts that are responsible for the high costs of fuel cell technology. The company’s efforts in this endeavor have won it the favor of the Carbon Trust, which is coupled with funding for future projects and the development of low-cost fuel cells.

Funds may help unlock the way for the commercialization of fuel cells

Each company shares in a $2.5 million prize, which will go toward the research and development of new types of hydrogen fuel cells. They money will help ACAL Energy continue its development of its human-based fuel cells. ITM Power will use the money to further examine ways to reduce the cost of fuel cells and their manufacture. In time, the fuel cell created through this initiative may help the fuel cell industry reach commercialization.

 

Related article(s) and resources:

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2195902/carbon-trust-revs-up-uk-fuelcell-market-with-gbp2m-funding

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