H2Expo 2011 – hydrogen and fuel cells on track for market
Exhibitors show how to make innovations into products
8th International Conference and Exhibition on Hydrogen,
Fuel Cells and Electric Drives, at the Hamburg Fair site
Hydrogen and fuel cells are well on track for market. This trend can be seen at H2Expo, to be held in Hamburg for the eighth time on 8 and 9 June. A glance at the portfolio of the 35 exhibitors and scientific facilities shows that now, alongside ideas and visions, more and more market products are coming into the foreground. The exhibition will be held together with the International Conference on Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Electric Drives, where 70 speakers from 11 countries will present the latest developments in research and application, and highlight current projects.
The exhibition, held in this year’s European Green Capital, is expecting exhibitors from all areas of fuel cell and hydrogen technology. For the first time, H2Expo also reflects the closely related areas of electric drives, electric energy storage systems, and hybrid systems. This exhibition will be a comprehensive information platform for forward looking energy and mobility technologies, featuring users and research facilities, and companies making use of technical consulting and testing, financing, and training and education.
Vattenfall will show its commitment in the electric vehicle sector at the stand of the Hamburg Initiative for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technology. Visitors can learn there about developments such as the hydrogen refuelling station in the HafenCity district of Hamburg – Europe’s most advanced hydrogen fuel station, which is to go on stream in late summer 2011. The hydrogen available there is certified as produced from renewable energy resources, for passenger cars and for the new generation of fuel cell hybrid buses for the Hamburg public transport company (Hochbahn).
A transportable hydrogen refuelling station (“Hfuel”) in modular, expandable container technique, will be demonstrated in the range of products of the ITM Power, from Sheffield, UK. Hfuel achieves a delivery capacity of up to 50kg H2 per day. A model of this station can be seen at the exhibition stand. The electrolysers and hydrogen generators and have received the CE certificate, which is practically the “passport” for sales to the EU market. Germany is regarded as the first major sales market.
Airbus will present a model of the A320 research aircraft at the H2Expo. This “Fuel Cell Demonstrator” shows the multifunctional approach pursued for aircraft of the next generation. This is about more than replacement of the conventional Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) by a fuel cell system, which in itself permits emission-free ground operation. It will not only generate electricity, but also by-products of the fuel cell such as water vapour, heat, and oxygen-depleted air, to increase the overall efficiency of the aircraft.
A liquid hydrogen storage system for supply to FC systems of future aircraft is being developed by Magna Steyr, Austria, in cooperation with Airbus. The know-how for handling of the liquid hydrogen and oxygen comes from Magna Steyr’s space department, which manufactured the fuel pipes for the European launcher Ariane 5.
Hydrogen storage is also featured by the working group on Nanotechnology at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. Their stand will provide information on the latest research results for storage in innovative metal hydrides.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) will display a laboratory electrolyser which can produce up to 100 litres of hydrogen per hour. It will also show a 100 Watt methanol-based FC system used to generate energy for a solar boat, and an FC-based mobile power generating system (1 kW). The latter runs on hydrogen which is stored in metal hydride canisters at 30 bar.
Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH is one of the few FC manufacturers capable of supplying the complete range of products from individual stacks to complete highly integrated systems for a wide range of mobile, stationary and maritime applications. Its products and systems are based on the PM 200 stack developed by the company itself, with electric output of 2.0 to 8.0 kW. Two of these stacks will be on show at their stand.
Stationary applications are also fast approaching market readiness. The Baxi Innotech GmbH stand at H2Expo will present their fuel cell heater Gamma 1.0, which is already manufactured in small series. This system, which delivers 1.0 kWel and 1.7 kWth, is designed for the energy needs of single-family houses, and is running in numerous field trials. This Hamburg company has been participating in the Callux Project of the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) since 2008. NOW, the organisation responsible for conduct of this programme, will provide information at H2Expo on the state of market preparation for mobility and energy supply. And contacts of Germanischer Lloyd will also be present at the stand of the Hamburg initiative, providing information on safety aspects in the handling of hydrogen and fuel systems in the maritime sector.
The world’s first series-produced hybrid fork-lift truck RX 70 and a fuel cell baggage tractor will be presented by Still GmbH at the Hamburg Fair forecourt, at the edge of the Ride&Drive area. There will also be four locally emission-free FC cars from Mercedes-Benz Hamburg in this area, where exhibition visitors are invited to take exclusive test drives with the B-Class F-Cell. A number of the component developers for hydrogen and fuel cell systems will demonstrate their latest products in Hamburg, e.g. Witt-Gasetechnik GmbH, which recently presented a safety valve as has become mandatory for hydrogen vehicles since February this year.
For more information, please visit the website www.h2expo.com
Press contact: Gudrun Blickle, Tel.: +49 40/3569-2442, e-mail.: gudrun.blickle@hamburg-messe.de
