American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (Torrance, CA) announced that the first hydrogen production and fueling station in the Los Angeles area has started operation at the company's research and development center in Torrance, CA. The station operates by using solar cells to produce electricity, which in turn is used to extract hydrogen from the water. […]
Medis Technologies Ltd. (New York, NY) announced that it has successfully demonstrated that its direct liquid methanol (DLM) fuel cells can utilize a range of alcohols or mixtures of alcohols as fuel without reducing the performance or longevity of the fuel cell. This was accomplished at the Fuel Cell 2001 Asian Conference (Japan). At the […]
Japanese newspapers report that Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. (Japan) plans to increase production of specialized lithium batteries used in devices that keep a constant check on vehicles' tire air pressure, even while the vehicle is running. The firm plans to invest 300.0 million yen by spring 2002 to boost its output capacity at its main […]
Exide Technologies (Princeton, NJ) reports that it has received permission from the Chinese government to launch a joint venture with Shenyang Dongbei Storage Battery Co. Ltd. (China). Exide will own 65 percent of the venture, a total investment that will reach $25.0 million over five years. The new venture, to be called Exide Shenyang Industrial […]
Tianjin Lantian-Sanyo Power Sources Co. Ltd. (China), a Sino-Japanese joint venture, announced that its automated nickel-metal-hydride battery-production line has started production. The company expects to achieve revenues of nearly $29.0 million by the end of this year.
Betacera Inc. (Taiwan) announced its new NSM2XXXJXXXJ Series of surface-mount NTC thermistors in 0402 case sizes. The thermistors are suitable for use in battery packs, office automation machines, LCDs, mobile phones, and electronic test and measurement equipment. At 25 degrees C, the NSM2XXXJXXXJ Series exhibits negative TCR ranging from minus three percent per degree Celsius […]
Trimol Group Inc. (New York, NY) announced that it has entered into a cooperation agreement with Hitachi Maxell Ltd. (Japan) to work on an aluminum-air fuel cell power source for portable consumer electronics. The agreement anticipates the cooperative efforts of the companies in the development of an aluminum-air fuel cell power source for possible license […]
Catalytica Energy Systems Inc. (Mountain View, CA) announced that it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed public offering of five-million shares of its common stock. The proposed offering includes 4.25-million shares of common stock to be offered by the company and an additional 750,000 shares to be […]
Beacon Power Corp. (Wilmington, MA) showcased its Model 20C1000 flywheel energy-storage system to Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham at a recent conference of alternative energy technology companies in Boston. Beacon's 20C1000 is a flywheel system designed to meet the long-duration, backup-power requirements of the telecommunications industry. "We were delighted to have the opportunity to speak […]
Exide Technologies (Princeton, NJ) has signed a multi-year $2.4-million contract with NASA (Washington, DC) to supply specialty batteries for the X-38, a prototype of the future emergency crew return vehicle for the International Space Station. Exide will design and produce four battery modules that will power all critical onboard operations on the X-38, including computer […]
H Power Corp. (Clifton, NJ) announced a multi-tier distribution and development agreement with Naps Systems Oy (Finland), a subsidiary of Fortum Corp. (Finland). Under the agreement, H Power will deliver fuel cells for Naps Systems' solar-power products. Both companies will work toward the distribution of H Power's standard and customized off-grid fuel cell units throughout […]
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has launched a program that will offer incentives to encourage customers of Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and Southern California Gas Co. to install self-generation units to lessen the electricity load on the power grid. Under the $125-million-per-year program, called the Self-Generation […]
KDDI (Japan) announced its intent to recall 560,000 Internet-enabled Sony (Japan) handsets. The recall of the phones, used by KDDI's mobile operator, is the largest in Japan this year. It involves a battery problem rather than software. Sony spokesman Shusuke Kanai has said that the problem in the handset mainly concerned a design flaw in […]
Multiplier Industries Corp. (Mt. Kisco, NY) announced the availability of their rechargeable replacement batteries for the Ericsson/GE LPE Series, and Motorola HT750/1250, GP350, P1225, Visar and XTS-3000 radios. The batteries, which the company claims are intrinsically safe, are approved by the Factory Mutual Research Corp. as meeting the same standards as the OEM.
Catalytica Energy Systems Inc. (Mountain View, CA) announced that it has been selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) for an $11.2 million cost-shared contract to help fund research and development of fuel-processing technology for use in automotive fuel cell applications. The 36-month program will focus on developing a compact fuel-flexible fuel processor for use […]