Breakthrough in Production of High Pressure Hydrogen
2 December 1999
Proton Energy Systems Announces Breakthrough in Production of High Pressure Hydrogen
ROCKY HILL, Conn.--Dec. 1, 1999--Proton Energy Systems(TM) announced today a breakthrough in the development of systems to generate high-pressure hydrogen that can significantly accelerate the creation of a hydrogen infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles. Proton(R) has successfully demonstrated that its proprietary technology produces hydrogen directly at pressure exceeding 2000 psi (pounds per square inch) from electricity and water without mechanical compression. This high-pressure hydrogen generation technology is based on an advanced Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer design. This process can greatly simplify today's truck and compression-based hydrogen delivery method and is less expensive than existing high pressure electrolyzers. Upon commercialization, Proton's high pressure electrolysis technology will enable on site production of high pressure, high purity hydrogen suitable for fuel cell vehicle refueling or industrial cylinder filling. As fuel cell markets develop for transportation and stationary power, Proton's high-pressure hydrogen production technology can provide a ready source of fuel cell grade hydrogen.Hydrogen is an essential fuel to allow fuel cells to operate efficiently and with zero emissions. One of the factors constraining the emerging fuel cell market is the absence of a cost-effective means to deliver hydrogen to this fundamentally distributed market. Proton's advancement enables this need to be met with the existing water and electricity infrastructure.
Andre Shortell, Citibank's London-based Managing Director and Global Auto's Specialist offered the following commentary: "Proton's proprietary technology which produces hydrogen at 2000 psi is a significant step forward in making the hydrogen fuel infrastructure a realisable goal. Low cost decentralised hydrogen production is increasingly becoming accepted as one of the prerequisites for the success of fuel cell vehicles."
Walter (Chip) Schroeder, Proton's President, stated, "Demand for hydrogen is growing in a number of distributed markets -- both industrial and fuel cell related. Proton's latest breakthrough enables us to meet these growing markets in an even more cost-effective manner. Our HOGEN(R) electrolyzer product, coupled with a fuel cell, can create a complete energy management system that both stores and generates electricity. Coupled to renewable power such as photovoltaics, Proton's integrated fuel cell energy storage systems provide the means to provide 'power on demand' from inherently intermittent renewable sources."
Proton Energy Systems, located in Rocky Hill, CT is a world leader in the development and commercial manufacture of proton exchange membrane hydrogen generators and fuel cells. Commercial hydrogen generator products are now in production; commercial introduction of related energy products is planned for 2001.