IdaTech Receives U.S. Department of Energy Award for Development of Off-Road Fuel Cell System

BEND, Oregon, November 19 -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected IdaTech for a US$1.4 million award to conduct a three-year program of fuel cell system research and development targeting off-road vehicle applications. This is the second DOE award granted to IdaTech in the past 14 months.

The objective of this program is to identify and recommend innovative fuel cell designs to overcome arduous environmental conditions faced by such off-road vehicles as turf and grounds maintenance vehicles, and construction and farm equipment. To date, nearly all work in fuel cell development has focused on stationary and portable applications operating in relatively benign environmental conditions. However, off-road fuel cell power generation and propulsion must take place where vehicles are exposed to such difficult conditions as dust, heat, humidity, shock and vibration. Given the unique nature of these conditions, there is a need for a system designed specifically for such applications.

This groundbreaking effort will be managed by DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and the department's Golden Operations Office in Golden, Colorado. "This partnership is a testament to the excellent work being done at IdaTech and to the importance of developing alternate energy sources, especially those that are clean, efficient and renewable," said U.S. Congressman Greg Walden of Oregon, vice-chair of the U.S. House of Representative's bipartisan Renewable Energy Caucus. "Here you have government, private companies and education coming together to expand the good work already being done in fuel cell development, and central Oregon is at the heart of the project."

"I am looking forward to continued opportunities to help pioneering companies in the northwest lead the way in environmentally friendly energy technology," Walden continued. "Companies like IdaTech not only bring innovation to the energy industry, they bring much needed economic development to rural parts of Oregon."

"This new DOE award represents the second grant IdaTech has been awarded in just over a year," said Claude Duss, IdaTech president and chief executive officer. "Beyond IdaTech's state-of-the-art fuel processing technology, this new program recognizes IdaTech's leading fuel cell expertise. The research program will focus on fuel cell technology operated under severe environmental conditions which is critical for a number of civil and military applications. With DOE's continued support we are able to move forward in developing technology for this new application; further advancing fuel cell technology and bringing this exciting technology to market."

Led by IdaTech, the program will include team members from Donaldson Company, a Minnesota-based global leader in filtration systems; the University of California - Davis, offering expertise in the application of fuel cell systems in vehicles; and The Toro Company, a leading manufacturer of utility vehicles, also based in Minnesota. The program will begin in December 2004 and is scheduled to be completed by December 2007.

In October of 2003, IdaTech was awarded a US$9.6 million development program by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the development of a 50-kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system suitable for providing grid-independent energy sources for large facilities.

About IdaTech

IdaTech's fuel cell solutions are based on a flexible modular design, supporting interchangeable components, which enables IdaTech to accelerate product development incorporating proven components and subsystems into customized configurations. Additionally, IdaTech's fuel cell solutions incorporate its patented fuel processing technology and operate on a variety of fuels.

IdaTech's portfolio of fuel cell solutions is based on its proprietary multi-fuel fuel processing technology, its own fuel cell stack and power module, and fuel cell system integration capabilities. With the support of strategic partners, the company's solutions are being deployed on a global scale for stationary and portable applications. IdaTech is a subsidiary of the Boise, Idaho-based energy and technology holding company IDACORP, Inc. .