Epyx Corporation Receives 1998 PNGV Medal Award
17 March 1999
Epyx Corporation Receives 1998 PNGV Medal AwardDemonstration of Gasoline / Ethanol Powered Fuel Cell Engine Hailed as Key to
Enhancing American Competitiveness, Increasing Energy Independence, and
Offering Cleaner Environment
WASHINGTON, March 17 -- In a White House ceremony, U.S.
Assistant Secretary of Energy Dan Reicher awarded the prestigious 1998
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) Medal to team members from
Epyx Corporation. Epyx' staff were honored today along with 11 scientists
from the Federal government, the automotive industry, and automotive suppliers
for their work advancing clean, highly efficient automotive technologies for
the future.
Epyx, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy, teamed with
industry researchers to successfully demonstrate the first-ever multi-fuel
processing technology, which is capable of converting conventional hydrocarbon
fuels (gasoline), renewable fuels (ethanol), and alternative fuels (natural
gas and methanol) into hydrogen to power fuel cells and generate electricity.
Fuel cells, originally developed as part of the nation's space program, have
the potential to become a highly efficient and clean source of power for
future automobiles.
"I have counted on our PNGV technical team to achieve breakthroughs in
fuel cell technology," said Vice President Al Gore who has championed the
effort for cleaner, more fuel-efficient automobiles. "It's demonstrations
like the one we are recognizing today that will catalyze the ability to put
fuel-cell-powered vehicles on the road and, ultimately, bring enormous
benefits for all Americans: a stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and
greater energy independence."
PNGV is a joint government-industry program aimed at strengthening
America's competitiveness by developing technologies for a new generation of
vehicles. Automakers are scheduled to unveil PNGV concept cars as early as
2000 and pre-production prototype vehicles in 2004. The goal is to produce
vehicles that achieve up to triple the fuel economy of today's vehicles, meet
all safety and environmental requirements, and provide the comfort, utility,
and performance of today's vehicles.
"This historic program has enabled us to tap the enormous creative and
technical resources in our nation's research community in pursuit of an
important national goal -- a cleaner environment and a stronger economy,
said William M. Daley, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In partnership with the PNGV and industry, Epyx aims to translate this
exciting technology into commercial reality. "The Epyx multi-fuel processor
is commercially significant because it enables fuel cell-powered vehicles and
stationary power applications to use nearly any fuel accessible in the world
today," stated Jeffrey Bentley, Chief Operating Officer at Epyx. "For
consumers, this means convenience, which will ultimately drive early market
success. And for the automotive industry, it hastens the day fuel cell
vehicles can operate on practical, available fuels."
According to the White House, "The technology would permit the nation's
gasoline refining and distribution infrastructure to be used to supply fuel
for fuel cell-powered vehicles. By developing and demonstrating a fuel-
flexible system, the scientists removed a major barrier to the application of
fuel cell technology in automobiles."
Among the award winners are Epyx' Jeffrey Bentley, Chief Operating
Officer; William Mitchell, Vice President of Engineering & Operations;
Lawrence Clawson, Senior Scientist; and Bo-Xiong He, Senior Scientist.
Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory,
Plug Power LLC, and General Motors were also honored.
The Medal winners were selected by a panel of five judges for research
involving government-industry teamwork and resulting in a significant
technical accomplishment in PNGV-related automotive technology. The research
was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, a government partner in PNGV,
and by the industry participants. The Illinois Corn Growers Association also
contributed to the projects.
Epyx Corporation, established in February 1998, is a recognized global
leader in fuel processing technology. Its mission is to rapidly develop and
commercialize the Epyx multi-fuel processor for fuel cell applications in the
transportation and small-scale stationary power markets. To date, the Epyx
multi-fuel processor has powered fuel cells from Ballard, Plug Power, Energy
Partners, DeNora, Dais, and other world-class organizations, generating clean,
efficient, power in a range from 300 watts to 250 kW. With the
commercialization of its revolutionary Next Millennium Fuel Processor(TM)
technology, Epyx is reshaping the power paradigm for the 21st century --
bringing The Future of Energy(TM) to the world today!
