H Power Completes Installation of Fuel Cell/Electric Cogeneration Unit

H Power Corp.'s (Clifton, NJ) CEO, H. Frank Gibbard, announced that

the company has completed the installation and start-up of a prototype propane, fuel-cell-based, residential electric cogeneration unit for testing. Located at the LTEE laboratory in Quebec, H Power claims that this is the first propane-powered fuel cell cogeneration unit ever installed at an electric utility.

"This installation is clearly a milestone for H Power's fuel cell technology, representing another giant step toward commercialization. Hydro-Quebec will evaluate our residential cogeneration unit, which can supply all the electricity and hot water needs for an average household," stated Gibbard. "Fuel cell cogenerators are an environmentally friendly, safe, efficient and highly reliable source of electricity. Our systems operate without the usual infrastructure that all utilities use to distribute electricity. Being able to supply an uninterrupted flow of electricity, without power lines, and free from outages caused by storms and other acts of nature, is a big plus for utilities."

H Power claims it is currently discussing the use of fuel cells as an alternative energy source with several major electric utilities. The company has already sold fuel cell systems to the US government, state agencies, and numerous domestic and multinational corporations.