NESS Corp. (Korea) announced the introduction of their new 2.3V ultracapacitor technology for electric and hybrid-electric vehicle applications. The new NESS ultracapacitor is designed for use in regenerative braking, where it recaptures and recycles energy normally lost through brake-friction heat. The company reports that the ultracapacitor earned the Chairman's Choice Award for components at the […]
International Fuel Cells Inc. (South Windsor, CT) has aided South County Hospital in Wakefield, RI, with their PC25 fuel cell system. South County has become the first hospital in New England to generate its own electricity. The fuel cell began its 24-hour operation in December 1999, producing one-third of the hospital's electricity during peak hours, […]
Electric Fuel Corp. (New York) announced production on their universal ZincAir booster powerpack, which will enable cellular phone users to "cut the cord" while talking and charging their cellular phone, simultaneously. The less than 3oz powerpack provides up to three complete charges to the phone's battery without the need for an electrical outlet. The booster […]
Rentech Inc. (Denver, CO) has signed a memorandum with FuelCell Energy Inc. (Danbury, CT) to immediately begin a feasibility study for the siting of a 9,000kW commercial scale fuel cell power plant at the Sand Creek Energy LLC (SCE, Commerce City, CO). Rentech plans to convert the existing methanol plant at Sand Creek into a […]
Hamilton Sundstrand (Rockford, IL) has announced that ELDEC Corp., (Lynnwood, WA) part of the Crane Aerospace Group (Lynnwood, WA), will provide electrical power equipment for the RAH-66 Comanche Helicopter. ELDEC will supply the battery-charging system and two high-powered dc/dc converters for the power system. "Hamilton Sundstrand also supplies power system equipment on that aircraft and […]
Eagle-Picher Technologies LLC (EPT, Joplin, MO) signed a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA) with the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate Power Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The TIA enables the joint development of lithium-dry-polymer battery technology. The TIA will provide a total funding of $1.44 million over three years under the Department of Defense's […]
Before the end of April, Term Corp. (Tokyo, Japan), an affiliate of Toshiba Corp., will begin operation of a pilot plant for recycling lithium-ion batteries used in notebook computers. The new plant will have a capacity of 10kg of batteries an hour. According to Toshiba, recycling cobalt will be more economical than procuring it from […]
DaimlerChrysler (Frankfurt, Germany) has become the first automaker to offer fuel cell vehicles for sale. The company plans to build 20 to 30 city buses with fuel cell drives during the next three years. The buses will be sold to transport-operating companies in Europe and abroad. The first vehicles are planed for delivery by the […]
At yesterday's 67th meeting of the Electrochemical Society of Japan, the Energy Devices Division of NEC Corp. (Tokyo, Japan) announced its development of a high-energy density, electrochemical, proton-polymer battery. The company plans to begin delivering samples of these unique devices in October of this year. Initially, these batteries will be offered in two form factors, […]
Lithium Technology Corp. (LTC, Plymouth Meeting, PA) and Pacific Lithium Ltd. (PLL, Auckland, New Zealand) announced a revised timetable for all SEC-related actions and events associated with their impending merger and the concurrent IPO of the successor public company, Ilion Technology Corp. LTC previously reported that it anticipated holding a stockholder meeting in May 2000, […]
Kentucky Pioneer Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Global Energy Inc., has signed a contract with FuelCell Energy Inc. (Danbury, CT) to build a power plant project in Clark County, KY, that includes a 2MW direct fuel cell power plant. The fuel cell plant is part of a larger $432.0 billion 400MW project funded in part […]
Motorola Energy Systems Group (ESG, Lawrenceville, GA) has granted PolyStor Corp. (Livermore, CA) an exclusive license to a portion of its lithium-ion polymer technology. Under this licensing agreement, PolyStor has the exclusive right to manufacture lithium-ion polymer batteries based on Motorola ESG technology, and the right to sublicense the technology. "This agreement is part of […]
Electric Fuel Corp. (New York) announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Interpage Communications (Ottawa, Canada) in which Interpage will distribute Electric Fuel's line of ZincAir primary cellphone batteries in eastern Canada. The distribution agreement includes an initial order for 20,000 batteries. Interpage Communications supplies wireless services and products throughout eastern Canada. The […]
International Rectifier (El Segundo, CA) announced a new family of improved INT-A-Pak power modules for high-voltage, high-current switching and rectification circuits for motor controls, UPS, forklift trucks, battery chargers, welders and other industrial applications. According to the company, the improved INT-A-Pak module features lightweight construction, high mechanical strength and increased safety. There are more than […]
The MIC2755 from Micrel Semiconductor Inc. (San Jose, Ca) features multiple voltage monitors and ultra-low quiescent current in a MSOP-08 package. Designed for use in battery-operated portable systems such as PDAs, it detects and reports up to three battery states, provides power-on reset and manual reset capability, and controls the system's power converter to ensure […]