Delphi Updates DOE on Fuel Cell Progress at D.C. Workshop

TROY, Mich., March 21 -- As part of a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Delphi will present an update on its solid oxide fuel cell technology progress today and tomorrow at the Third Annual Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Workshop.

Delphi engineers believe that fuel cells are a key future technology for automotive and non-automotive applications. They will highlight the significant technological advancements in fuel reforming and fuel cell stacks achieved over the last year during the workshop at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, as follows:

* Jean Botti, chief technologist, Innovation Center, Delphi Dynamics & Propulsion Center, will deliver a presentation entitled "The Vision for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells in the Marketplace" today at 1:10 p.m., ET

* James Zizelman, director, Propulsion and Fuel Cells Center, Innovation Center, Delphi Dynamics & Propulsion Sector, will present "Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit Status Update" at 9:45 a.m., ET on Friday, March 22.

``Delphi strongly believes solid oxide fuel cell technology can be made an economically viable auxiliary power solution,'' said Botti. ``We believe alternative energy sources, like fuel cells, will provide important energy security benefits and environmental advantages, and this kind of collaboration between industry and the U.S. government will accelerate the availability of this important advanced technology.''

The purpose of the workshop is to report on progress made toward achieving the program's cost goal of reaching $400 per kilowatt by 2010, which is expected to be met because of the solid oxide fuel cell's multi-fuel capability and ability to be mass manufactured. Delphi is one of four teams selected by the DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in 2001 to help meet this goal and address ways to increase national energy independence and help improve the environment.

The SECA program is developing solid oxide fuel cell modules with low manufacturing cost and broad automotive and non-automotive applications. The workshop is sponsored by the DOE through the NETL, and supported by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).