Ballard to Supply 2,900 More Mark 9 SSL Fuel Cells to General Hydrogen
11 October 2006
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Ballard Mark 9 SSL stack. |
Ballard Power Systems has signed a follow-on supply agreement with General Hydrogen Corporation for 2,900 Mark 9 SSL fuel cells valued at approximately US$22 Million. These fuel cells are for integration into General Hydrogen’s Hydricity packs that are being sold to customers converting from conventional lead-acid batteries in their materials-handling fleets.
Under the agreement, Ballard expects to ship fuel cells ranging in size from 4 to 20 kW, with roughly one-quarter of these units to ship in 2007, and the balance to ship in 2008. This year, through September 30, 2006, Ballard has shipped 100 Mark 9 SSL fuel cells. With this agreement, Ballard has exceeded its publicly stated corporate goal of shipping or booking 300 Mark 9 SSL units in 2006.
Fuel cells offer a number of advantages for electric materials handling equipment over a conventional lead-acid battery system: tripling the runtime; providing constant power throughout the shift; and eliminating battery changing. (Earlier post.)
The Mark 9 SSL stack is based on Ballard’s fourth generation Mark 902 transportation stack technology.
General Hydrogen is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, near Vancouver. It is a private Delaware-registered company started by Dr. Geoffrey Ballard and Paul Howard, the original founders of Ballard Power Systems.
PEM fuel cell price coming down? Assuming that the average size will be around 12 KW, this seems to indicate an average price of about $632/KW. This compares favourably with current price for Lithium battery packs.
At the same reduced price, a 80KW cell stack for a compact car, would cost up to $50 000. It is much better than the $300 000+ of a few years ago. Another 6:1 price drop to about $8000 for a compact car would be viable. Will Lithum batteries or on-board quick charge ESD be able to compete?
Posted by: Harvey D. | 11 October 2006 at 08:44 AM
GE is also making great strides in bring down the cost of electrolyzers. Making H2 created from water at under $3/kg a practical reality.
http://www.carbonfree.co.uk/cf/news/wk41-0005.htm
Posted by: Richard Dupont | 12 October 2006 at 03:00 AM
Harvey, $632/kW is an order of magnitude more expensive than Li-ion batteries.
Lithium batteries are often quoted on a $/kWh basis (not $/kW), and I often see numbers in the $600/kWh range for a full-function battery pack ($400/kWh or so for raw batteries). But if you do the math the cost/kW is below $100. If A123Systems meets their cost targets they'll drive this below $30/kW.
Posted by: doggydogworld | 13 October 2006 at 08:50 AM