Hydrogenics awarded US$90+ million contract for integrated fuel cell power propulsion systems for OEM; largest single order yet
05 October 2012
Hydrogenics Corporation has been awarded the largest single order in its company history by a major OEM. Secured by Hydrogenics’ Power Systems division, based in Toronto, Canada, the follow-on contract includes a firm-fixed-price exclusive design and manufacture contract valued at more than US$36 million.
Over the next 3 years, Hydrogenics will supply propulsion system equipment including integrated fuel cell power systems, power electronic converters, associated hardware and propulsion system software. The contract includes additional equipment commitments of US$13 million as well as optional equipment and services totaling another US $43 million over a 10-year period. These options will be triggered as required for production, spare parts, warranty, and service requirements.
Hydrogenics has been engaged in development work on hydrogen-based propulsion systems with this OEM over the past 7 years. This follow-on contract represents the transition to full commercialization of the technology.
In the mobility sector, Hydrogenics offers HyPX Power Packs for powering electric motors in place of conventional lead-acid battery packs and HyPM HD Fuel Cell Power Modules ranging in output from 4.5 kW to 198 kW peak. Hydrogenics has applied its fuel cell systems to mobile applications including urban transit buses; fleet and utility vehicles; and material handling equipment (e.g., forklifts).
The contracted hydrogen powered propulsion system is crucial to enabling a full range of key benefits to the OEM’s commercial product, according to Hydrogenics. In the contract, the customer has made an irrevocable commitment to a minimum number of commercial deployments over a fixed time period. Over the 10-year life of the contract, Hydrogenics will deliver development services, commercial product, spare parts, integration services, and field support.
This is a major triumph and underlines our position as a global fuel cell technology leader with the capabilities and experience to deliver hydrogen power technology to world-leading organizations. The magnitude of this follow-on contract and level and length of commitment that one of our OEM partners has placed in us underlines their confidence in our people, our technology and our company.
—Daryl Wilson, President and CEO
These chaps, im tired of them. It's been years that we know that fuelcell are cheap, efficient, non-polluting, powerful, etc, but at what price will they sell the hydrogen and how ?
Posted by: A D | 05 October 2012 at 11:55 AM
A few more dozen contracts like this one would help to lower production cost. Hydrogen production is not a real challenge. It is a well known technology. The arrival of more hydrogen production facilities will come with higher demand for the product.
Posted by: HarveyD | 06 October 2012 at 09:36 AM
Hydrogen production is well known and almost all of it wastes energy and increases CO2 release. The compression or liquifaction and transport of hydrogen also requires much more energy and cost than the equivalent fuel value of ethanol or petrol. Hydrogen derived from wind or solar energy electricity looses over fifty percent of its input energy in the process. Most hydrogen in the world is made from natural gas by partial combustion.
Before hydrogen is seriously considered as a real fuel for automobiles, hydraulic hybrids could be introduced at much lower costs and save up to fifty percent on automotive fuel use whilst keeping the same old engines and even more if the engines are downsized. Remember the 2CV that, in spite of the name 2 HP, had as little as 9 rated horse power and was fuel efficient.
The NGK sodium sulphur battery is a fuel cell that contains its own fuels that are poured in just prior to sealing. Charged or interchanged at convenient times; It could be used as energy storage and another prius like battery for acceleration.
..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 12 October 2012 at 12:55 AM