Proton Energy Systems Awarded Phase II NASA SBIR PEM Fuel Cell Contract

Business Wire, Oct 13, 1999

ROCKY HILL, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1999--

Proton Energy Systems announced today that the Company has been selected for a NASA Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract leading to further development of an advanced fuel cell. The contract for a "Zero Gravity - PEM Regenerative Fuel Cell Energy Storage System" leads to a PEM fuel cell that provides the advantages of a primary fuel cell but can recharge itself from an electrical power supply. The Phase II contract continues and significantly expands effort begun by Proton in 1998 leading to kilowatt-scale test systems.

Successful prototypes of these energy storage products will be suitable for development to serve future NASA mission requirements. The salient features of this system-high reliability and no moving parts-make it an excellent candidate for Technology Transfer to meet commercial energy storage needs. These unitized regenerative fuel cell (URFC) products could serve unique electrical energy storage applications through direct conversion of electricity to hydrogen chemical energy offering many performance advantages over even advanced batteries. Important applications include long discharge power systems for premium power backup, standby power supply, and portable power.

Walter (Chip) Schroeder, PROTON's president stated "URFCs may ultimately be used to provide energy storage in homes, villages, and factories." Coupled to a conventional fuel source such as natural gas, these systems can create a complete energy management system with the ability to both generate and store electricity. Coupled to renewable power such as photovoltaics, PROTON's URFC provides 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 regenerative fuel cells. At the heart of these systems is the proprietary Proton Energy Systems electrochemical cell stack. Commercial hydrogen generator products are now in production; commercial introduction of related energy products is planned for 2001.