Daimler is now accepting orders from customers in Los Angeles and San Francisco to lease the Mercedes B-Class F-Cell hydrogen fuel cell car. The first 5-15 cars will be delivered in mid-December.  The price per month to lease the car “may be $600 to $800 including fuel.

Mercedes B-Class F-Cell hydrogen fuel cell car. Photo credit nitrobahn.com

In previous year Ukrainian students had gained an Honorable mention in HSDC 2010 so this year much more students were interested in participation. The team was formed by 11 students from Kiev National Taras Shevchenko University. They were registered to participate in 2011 Hydrogen Student Design Contest. This year the task is to plan a system for residential fueling with hydrogen. After submitting their article they will compete against over 54 teams from 19 countries for this year's Grand Prize!

Honda, a leading developer of home hydrogen refueling technologies, has also joined the Contest as a sponsoring organization. Honda joins the U.S. Department of Energy,  Proton Energy Systems, International Association for Hydrogen Energy, and Praxair as supporters of the Contest.

The winners of this year's Contest will be announced in February at Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy 2011 (formerly known as the NHA Hydrogen Conference and Expo). To learn more about the Contest and view the full list of participating teams visit www.HydrogenContest.org

Let’s wish them good luck!

About the Hydrogen Student Design Contest
Organized by the Hydrogen Education Foundation, the annual Hydrogen Student Design Contest challenges university-level students to develop innovative solutions to key issues facing the hydrogen and fuel cell industries. The Contest showcases the talents of students in many disciplines, including engineering, architecture, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

A year has passed since the date of Ukrainian Association for Hydrogen Energy state registration. During this period of time
•  we’ve accepted 19 new members, and now there are 22 of us
•  our website has had up to 500 hits per month
•  we’ve helped the students of Kyiv Taras Shevchenko National University to win the international Hydrogen Student Design Contest
•  we’ve visited the world’s largest hydrogen conference and expo NHA 2010
•  we’ve visited the demonstration project on hydrogen-based mobility in Frankfurt
• we’ve started to develop three hydrogen production related projects one of which has already received financing

Researchers had found a way to create twice as much hydrogen from bacteria as was previously possible, breaking down organic products such as forestry or household waste. The bacteria is called Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus, and it was first discovered in 1987 in a hot spring in New Zealand.

New Zealand bacteria Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus. Photo: A Pereira & M. Verhaart, Wageningen University, Netherlands

The Brenner Motorway (or Brenner Pass E45, European designation) or A22, the Italian designation is about to become hydrogen-friendly. The Pass which has a long history dating back to the Romans crossing the Alps from Austria into Italy are about to make modern history by installing hydrogen stations in five locations along the motorway. New hydrogen highway will cover approximately 2000 km.

Hydrogen highway will cover approximately 2000 km.

US fuel cell manufacturer UTC announced that the first ever fuel cell powered unmanned helicopter flight took place on October 11 2009 on its campus in East Hartford, Connecticut, with a 20 minute flight.

First fuel cell helicopter. Picture form ecofriend.org.

2010-2011 Hydrogen Student Design Contest Theme Announced:

University students worldwide can register to compete in the design of a residential hydrogen fueling system.

With UAHE assistance, ukrainian students took 3rd place in the last 2009-2010 Hydrogen Student Design Contest. This time, Ukrainian Association for Hydrogen Energy is ready to help them again. If you are interested in participation - contact us here!

Zero CO2: the world’s first-hydrogen powered yacht with a fully integrated laboratory to study pollution in the Mediterranean. 

The objective of the Zero CO2 project is to sail around the Mediterranean using a clean carbon-free auxiliary motor (petrol motors are commonly used in yachts for all port manoeuvres). The yacht was presented for the first time at the Paris Boat Show in December 2009. A 12m craft built by the RM shipyard of La Rochelle, the yacht is equipped with an electric motor driven by a hydrogen fuel cell, developed by CEA Liten of Grenoble.

The Zero CO2 project remit: test an environmentally-friendly boat powered by hydrogen and renewable energies. After successful initial tests on the Lac du Bourget in Savoie, France, the boat now is tested again in the Mediterranean before following the Southern French coast and heading for Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Tunisia, Crete, Turkey, the Greek coast, Montenegro, Croatia, the Italian coast, Spain, and the Balearic Islands before sailing back to Marseille in late 2010.

More information you will find on official website http://www.zeroCO2sailing.com

The nation's first switch locomotive powered by a fuel cell holds promise for both enhancing energy security at military bases, and providing an emergency power supply during disaster response.  The locomotive results from a public-private partnership involving the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), BNSF Railway Co., and Vehicle Projects Inc.  The public had a first glimpse of the vehicle at a recent commissioning event in Topeka, Kan.

PHOTO:  The new switch locomotive, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, debuts at a commissioning ceremony in Topeka, Kan.  (Photo courtesy of ERDC)

Boeing's Phantom Works offered a first glimpse of Phantom Eye, the hydrogen-powered unmanned demonstrator built to stay aloft at 65,000ft for up to four days at a time, 12 July in St. Louis.

In September, Phantom Eye will move to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, California, to begin a series of ground and taxi tests in preparation for its maiden flight in the first quarter of 2011. The debut flight is expected to last 4 to 8hr.

Hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye. Image from boeing.com

"We still have a ways to go," said Drew Mallow, Phantom Eye programme manager, including continuing wing testing, integration work and one additional structural test.

Boeing's Phantom Works have been pushing hard to maintain a stringent self-imposed schedule, Mallow said, demonstrating not only the technology but also Boeing's rapis prototyping abilities.

"It is a perfect example of turning an idea into a reality. It defines our rapid prototyping efforts and will demonstrate the art-of-the-possible when it comes to persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance," said Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works. "Phantom Eye is the first of its kind and could open up a whole new market in collecting data and communications."

Phantom Eye has a 45.72m (150ft) wingspan, will cruise at approximately 150kt and can carry up to a 204kg (450lb) payload. It is powered by two 2.3-litre, four-cylinder engines originally designed for a Ford Ranger pick-up truck, each with 111kW (150hp).

"The hydrogen propulsion system will be the key to Phantom Eye's success," Mallow said. "It is very efficient and offers great fuel economy, and its only by-product is water, so it's also a 'green' aircraft."

The engines and propulsion system have undergone entensive component testing the an altitude chamger, said Bill Norby, hydrogen systems integration manager, making sure the aircraft will be able to maintain combustion at such a high altitude for long periods of time.

"One of the most vexing problems to solve so far was the oil consumption with the new turbo charger," he said "It was not a difficult problem to solve, but it was time consuming to work through the data, balancing pressure and capacity."
Source: Flightglobal.com