HARC Publishes Fuel Cell Industry Assessment Report.THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Houston Advanced Research Center The Houston Advanced Research Center, commonly referred to as HARC, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in The Woodlands, Texas dedicated to improving human and ecosystem well-being through the application of sustainability science and principles of sustainable (HARC) has published its annual Fuel Cell Industry Assessment Report. Available for purchase through the center (http://www.harc.edu/fuelcell), the report provides summaries of the commercial activities of 110 key fuel cell stack developers and system manufacturers. An introductory chapter analyzes ongoing trends in the fuel cell industry, including market conditions and drivers. The report found 2005 a difficult year for the industry with a number of companies experiencing financial stress. While only a few companies showcased compelling new products, many reported progress in applications, such as forklifts, industrial trucks, and uninterruptible power supply See UPS. (hardware) Uninterruptible Power Supply - (UPS) A battery powered power supply unit that is guaranteed to provide power to a computer in the event of interruptions in the incoming mains electrical power. (UPS). These improvements pushed some products closer to market viability. Despite delays in product launch related to performance and other issues, such as codes and standards, about 38 of the companies surveyed are expected to unveil pre-market or commercial products in 2006. Also encouraging is that auto companies working with fuel cell technologies are sticking to a 2010 date for introduction of fuel cells into the vehicle market. The launch of residential PEM (Privacy Enhanced Mail) A standard for secure e-mail on the Internet. It supports encryption, digital signatures and digital certificates as well as both private and public key methods. Not widely used, work on PEM later evolved into S/MIME. See MIME. cogeneration units into the Japanese market and progress made at Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA SECA Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance SECA Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association SECA Southern Early Childhood Association SECA Sulphur Emission Control Area SECA Self-Employment Contributions Act of 1954 ) support optimism about the technologies as well. The report also suggests that government action to address fuel costs, supply risks, and environment could make a dramatic impact on fuel cell prospects in the next couple of years. Of the developers included in the report, about 60 percent are working on polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell (or closely related direct methanol fuel cell Direct-methanol fuel cells or DMFCs are a subcategory of proton-exchange fuel cells where, the fuel, methanol (CH3OH), is not reformed, but fed directly to the fuel cell. ) technologies. For more information about the report, visit http://www.harc.edu/fuelcell HARC is a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. , based in The Woodlands, Texas, dedicated to improving human and environmental well-being through the application of sustainability science and the principles of sustainable development Sustainable development is a socio-ecological process characterized by the fulfilment of human needs while maintaining the quality of the natural environment indefinitely. The linkage between environment and development was globally recognized in 1980, when the International Union . Major program themes include air and climate; clean energy; environmental health; water resources; ecosystems; and the built environment. For more information about HARC and its fuel cell program, visit www.harc.edu. |
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