Volvo To Step Up Development Of Fuel Cells

In partnership with Midroc and OCAS, the Swedish Energy Agency and the Volvo Group are investing SEK200 million (Rs 123 crore) in Volvo's development of fuel cells. To accelerate the introduction of fuel cells into the market, the Volvo Group, through its company Volvo Technology Transfer, will receive investment from the companies Midroc New Technology and OCAS, as well as from the Swedish Energy Agency.

The above corporations will together make an investment of SEK200 million in Powercell Sweden AB, which is owned by Volvo Technology Transfer. Following the investment, however, Volvo will be a minority owner in the company.

A fuel cell resembles a small battery. It is charged with hydrogen gas and converts this into electricity, water and carbon dioxide through a chemical reaction. The areas of use include power supply units for cars and trucks. Compared with normal diesel or petrol engines, fuel cells produce significantly less carbon dioxide and no emissions at all of particulates and nitrogen oxides. In addition, they are more efficient, smaller and lighter.

'I am proud that we are building this company on a technology that has been developed by Volvo for 15 years,' says Per Ekdunge, CEO of Powercell Sweden. The company Powercell Sweden AB is based on two patented components: a fuel converter (reformer) and a PEM fuel cell - the type of fuel cell most often used in transport applications. The fuel converter produces hydrogen gas from bio fuels such as ethanol, DME (Dimethyl ether), biogas, methanol and biodiesel, but also from regular diesel or gasoline. The PEM fuel cell then converts the hydrogen gas into electricity.

'Thanks to our reformer technology we are now ready to start our production without having to wait for an infrastructure for the distribution of hydrogen gas. This is truly a major step in the development of fuel cells,' says Ekdunge.

[Via: indiaautomotive]