ITM Power (ITM), a UK-based hydrogen systems business, having completed the design phase for a hydrogen home refuelling appliance, has been awarded a USD $30,000 contract by the NextEnergy Center of Detroit, to complete an economic and market analysis of the potential impact of a 70 MPa (700 bar) small scale hydrogen fuelling appliance (SHFA) with particular reference to European and Asian markets. The report will be delivered in April 2011. NextEnergy is a US business accelerator for alternative and renewable energy.
ITM says the prospective market for the hydrogen “home refueller” will require high volume manufacture and thereby provide a commercial route for ITM Power to produce low unit-cost electrolyser technology.
The SHFA will be suitable for the next generation of hydrogen-powered vehicles as being developed by major automotive OEMs. If successful it may provide a substantial part of the US public hydrogen fuelling network for commuter vehicles. In addition it will also facilitate the introduction of hydrogen vehicles in some commercial applications, such hydrogen-powered fork lift-trucks for materials handling.
This item primarily compiled using information from an ITM-Power press release.
