Ballard & Tokyo Gas Develop PEM Fuel Cell

Ballard Power Systems (Vancouver) recently announced that its subsidiary, Ballard Generation Systems (Burnaby, BC), signed an agreement with Tokyo Gas, EBARA Ballard and EBARA Corp. (Japan) to develop a fuel cell processor for a one-kilowatt natural gas-fuelled fuel cell power generator targeted at the Japanese residential market.According to Ballard, the agreement involves collaboration in the development of a fuel processor, which will be incorporated by EBARA Ballard in a one-kilowatt proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell power generator to provide electric power for Japanese homes and apartments as well as heat for space heating and hot water."Tokyo Gas has extensive expertise in natural gas fuel processing," said EBARA Ballard president Masakatsu Ohya. "Their expertise, combined with that of EBARA BALLARD and Ballard Generation Systems in PEM fuel cell power generators and EBARA Corporation's manufacturing skill, will accelerate the development of a commercial one-kilowatt residential power generator for Japan.""EBARA Corporation's broad knowledge and experience in the development and manufacture of fluid and precision machinery as well as zero-emission technologies will allow us to support EBARA Ballard in this undertaking," said EBARA senior managing director Yoshio Hirayama. "We are confident that the result of this collaboration will be a power product that meets the needs of the Japanese public."