H Power and Osaka Gas Announce Plans to Develop Fuel Cell System
H Power Corp. (Clifton, NJ) and Osaka Gas Co. Ltd. (Japan) announced plans that H Power will develop a new 500W residential cogeneration fuel cell system for the Japanese market, using Osaka's compact fuel processor. The new unit will incorporate H Power's fuel cell technology and Osaka Gas' steam reforming technology, which Osaka Gas will transfer to H Power non-exclusively through H Power's marketing partner in Japan, Mitsui and Co. Ltd. (Japan). Osaka Gas is scheduled to begin evaluation of the new systems at selected customer sites in Japan before the end of 2001.
Yuji Matsumura, head of technology and managing director of Osaka Gas, commented, “We believe that our reformer technology, combined with H Power's cogeneration fuel cell expertise, is a marriage of world-class technologies that will produce an efficient, cost-effective fuel cell system well suited to the residential and apartment markets. We look to offer compact one-kilowatt and 500W systems in Japan where the demand for low-power alternative energy sources is strong. When mass-produced, we believe the low manufacturing cost, high durability and reliability of our reformers will help promote interest in H Power's cogeneration fuel cell systems."
H Frank Gibbard, CEO of H Power Corp, stated, “The fuel cell system we develop for Japan will also provide a technology base for new products in the US and Europe, where we will see a significant demand for 500 to 1,000W systems. Osaka Gas' compact fuel processor will add to the system's appeal by reducing overall size. We anticipate production of the 50W systems for Japan as early as 2003."
