NEWS RELEASE

Power & Energy Develops Key Fuel Cell Technology

Hydrogen separator will accelerate use of fuel cells.

IVYLAND, PA../EWORLDWIRE/Sep. 2, 2003

Power & Energy, Inc., (P&E) a small company with 12 employees, founded in 1993 in Bucks County Pennsylvania is about to revolutionize the use of fuel cells and kick-start the Hydrogen Economy.

The company, which develops and manufactures hydrogen separators, has developed new hybrid hydrogen separation technology specifically designed for fuel cell applications. Using advanced nano-technology, a system the size of a typical telephone directory (one tenth of a cubic foot) can supply the hydrogen needed for a 100KW fuel cell that could be used to power a car. By using P&E’s technology, auto manufacturers could dramatically shorten the projected time needed to make fuel cells powered vehicles practical for the general public.

P&E’s new product will allow fuel cell vehicles to use easier-to-handle liquid fuels such as ethanol. Ethanol is derived from corn and is already used as a fuel for automobiles in many regions in the United States. Using this new technology, hydrogen can be extracted from liquid fuel as it is needed by the fuel cell. This will allow existing gasoline stations to be refueling points for Hydrogen driven vehicles.

Without this technology, auto manufacturers have been planning to install high pressure hydrogen storage tanks in fuel cell cars. This would require a network of hydrogen refueling stations and a completely different fuel supply network. Investments to produce, store and dispense high pressure hydrogen would likely cost several millions of dollars per station. P&E technology will allow local gas stations to dispense ethanol from existing fuel pumps and storage tanks.

The United States Department of Defense (DOD) has already provided some funding for research & development. At the request of the DOD, P&E has submitted a proposal for additional funding to develop a hydrogen separation membrane that would be suitable for portable fuel cells. These fuel cells could be used to replace costly and inefficient battery power for ground personnel and many other military needs.

About Power+Energy

Power & Energy, Inc. is headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA. Established in 1993, the company’s mission is to enable the hydrogen economy and promote energy efficiency through the application of micro-channel technologies. The company provides a full range of micro-channel hydrogen purifiers to ultra-high purity users across the U.S., Asia and Europe.

Power & Energy is leading the way to the hydrogen economy with proprietary manufacturing and patented hydrogen purification, separation and generation technologies. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel palladium-alloy hydrogen purifiers purify any grade of hydrogen to nine-nines purity, meeting the most stringent requirements for semiconductor fabrication processes, including light emitting diode manufacture, solar cell manufacture and the manufacture of other compound and silicon semiconductors. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel hydrogen purifiers are also ideal for metallurgy, R&D, and instrumentation applications. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel membrane systems can also be used to efficiently separate hydrogen from reformed fuels and synthesis gas mixtures.
Power & Energy is now applying its hydrogen expertise to the fuel cell vehicle refueling market. Power & Energy has recognized that highly compact, low cost, and efficient hydrogen generators that can convert existing liquid fuels to hydrogen at the refueling station will enable the rapid development of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure that fuel-cell vehicles will require. The company’s expertise in the design and manufacture of micro-channel gas processors provides the basis for this exciting new venture.

For further information, contact Noel Leeson, Power & Energy Inc., 106 Railroad Drive, Ivyland, PA 18974-1449, e-mail sales@powerandenergy.com.

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