Vancouver-based Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) has inked a deal to provide hydrogen fuel cell stacks for an electrical backup system for the City of Meiningen in Germany.
As part of a trial supported by the German Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, Ballard will provide its fuel stacks for a ten kilowatt backup power system being built by Heliocentris Energy Solutions AG for the City of Meiningen’s information technology system. The project is part of Germany’s national hydrogen and fuel cell technology innovation programme (NIP).
Ballard’s FCgen-1020ACS fuel cell stacks are components of Heliocentris Nexa 1200 fuel cell systems. In addition to the hydrogen fuel cells, the power system will use lithium-ion batteries.
The Heliocentris Nexa system will replace a backup power system that uses lead-acid batteries, which have proven insufficient as a backup power source during prolonged power outages.
In addition to providing a power source that has zero emissions, hydrogen fuel cell technology takes up less space and has lower maintenance costs, Ballard said.
In 2007, Ballard Power sold its automotive fuel cell division to concentrate on utility power generation. (See: "Ballard Power still promising profits after all these years,” issue 1127, May 31-June 6.)
At press time Ballard Power stock was valued at $1.72 per share.
Nelson Bennett
Twitter: nbennett_biv