Alternative Energy Stocks

Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends has a good writeup on a new photovoltaic cell that doesn't need a battery for power storage. "Solar cells can convert solar energy to electricity, but that's about all they can do. You need batteries to store, and then release, this electricity. But this extra-step might soon no longer be necessary. Japanese scientists have developed a new type of solar cell which integrates an electricity storage device."

Colorado voters have approved an amendment requiring utilities to get part of their electricity from the sun, wind or plant and animal waste. The amendment requires the state's seven largest utilities to get a portion of their retail electricity sales from renewables, beginning with 3 percent in 2007 and climbing to 10 percent by 2015. Four percent of the renewables should be solar sources.

After its official groundbreaking, the Northern Wood Power Project, New Hampshire's first non-hydro, commercial-scale renewable energy project, is now underway at the Schiller Station in Portsmouth. The US$75 million project, developed by Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), will replace a 50 MW coal-fired boiler with a new boiler of equal size that will burn wood chips and other clean wood products. In addition to creating a market for woodchips from the state's many logging operations, the facility will become a major regional contributor of renewable energy.

Mechanical Technology Inc (MKTY) announced today that it has received United Nations (UN) Packaging Certification and is now in United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Compliance for shipment of its methanol fuel cartridges, supporting its initial product launch planned by year-end. With this UN and DOT recognition in place, authorized shippers can now conveniently transport MTI Micro's fuel refills by ground, sea and air, both domestically and internationally. "MTI has emerged as a leader in the development of safe and reliable methanol fuel cartridges and packaging," said John Lynn, President and CEO of the Methanol Institute, the global...

United Technologies Corporation (UTX) has renamed the PC25(TM), the industry's foremost 'workhorse' fuel cell power system, to the PureCell(TM) 200. UTC Power has been producing the on-site power plant since 1991. The system generates 200 kW of clean, reliable electricity and 900,000 BTUs of usable heat suitable for co-generation applications. With a five-year continuous duty cell stack durability and 85 percent efficiency, the PureCell(TM) 200 sets the standard for fuel cell reliability and efficiency. The PureCell(TM) 200 technology has been installed in 19 countries on five continents, ranging from a New York City police station to a science center...

Hydrogenics Corp (HYGS) announced two additions to its HyPM® product line at this week's 2004 Fuel Cell Seminar in San Antonio, Texas. The two additions are the HyPM 7 (kW) unit and the HyPM 65 (kW) unit, both with which the Company will strategically access additional early market opportunities that exhibit long-term potential, specifically in light mobility and backup power applications.

Nathaniel Energy Corporation (NECX) announces the successful gasification of refuse derived fuel (RDF) in Italy, proving that its patented technology is successful and viable on a commercial level. The Company successfully gasified and combusted RDF and produced over one megawatt of electricity with one of its Thermal Combustors(TM) in Cologna, Veneta, Italy.

Arotech Corporation (ARTX) announced today that a test drive conducted with its all-electric hybrid bus using commercially available zinc demonstrated performance similar to that achieved with the proprietary dendritic zinc used to date. Corroborating lab results, the bus achieved a range of 133 miles on a simulated city-cycle drive, similar to the range achieved a year ago in a similar test with the proprietary zinc. The system's efficiency has been improved as well.

Internal Hydro International Inc. (IHDR) is now entering the Second Phase of its business plan, which will be deployment of the company's patented energy production technology, called the Energy Commander IV (EC IV). The Company has entered into a sales agreement that will place ten units in applications in the Southwest United States, while placing other units in the Eastern United States in various areas of use.

BOC Group PLC (BOX) is helping design and construct a hydrogen fueling station located along Canada's Hydrogen Highway(TM) in Vancouver, British Columbia. BOC is working with Canada's National Research Council (NRC) and the Canadian Transportation Fuel Cell Alliance - a Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) initiative - to jointly fund and build the station, located at NRC's Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation on the campus of the University of British Columbia (UBC). The equipment installation is to begin in November, with full system commissioning expected in the first quarter of 2005.

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc (QTWW) announced that the U.S. Army TARDEC's NAC (Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center's National Automotive Center) will exhibit a high performance, fuel cell off-road vehicle at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas from November 2 5, 2004. The "Quantum AMV(TM)" (Alternative Mobility Vehicle), nicknamed the "Aggressor," is a fuel cell vehicle designed and manufactured by Quantum at its California operations for the U.S. Army under contract with the NAC.

IdaTech (IDA) unveiled a scalable 100W to 500W portable fuel cell system prototype to be introduced to the U.S. market at the 2004 Fuel Cell Seminar. The liquid fuel system with on-board reformer, is part of a portfolio of multi-fuel solutions that IdaTech will showcase during the event. The system being shown at the four-day event is a prototype of a system that will be delivered to the U.S. Army for use as a field battery charger in order to help solve the traditional logistical problem of getting power to troops in the field. The entire fuel cell...

Distributed Energy Systems Corp (DESC) announced the receipt of two additional Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) awards for Regenerative Fuel Cell (RFC) demonstration projects in Connecticut. Through the support of CCEF, Proton is deploying two RFC demonstration units for the Town of Wallingford Electric Division and the Mohegan Sun Casino. For Wallingford Electric, Proton intends to provide a 15 kW UNIGEN® RFC Backup Power unit for use in their control room battery system. The unit is designed to operate 24 hours a day and to provide more than eight hours of backup power at the rated load in...

Hyundai-Enova Innovative Technology Center, Inc., (HE-ITC) a joint venture between Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd of South Korea and Enova Systems, Inc. (ENVA), announced today that it has completed development of a 60 kW GenSet for Heavy-Duty Series Hybrid Vehicles in conjunction with Enova Systems. The 60 kW GenSet is an integral component of Enova's HybridPower Series Hybrid, recently introduced at the Electric Drive Transportation Association's annual symposium in Orlando Florida. This leading-edge hybrid technology is the HE-ITC's first commercial product to be developed and produced by the joint research and development alliance between the two companies.

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc (QTWW) and the U.S. Army TARDEC's NAC (Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center's National Automotive Center) unveiled a high performance, fuel cell off-road vehicle at the annual meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army in Washington, DC. The "Quantum AMV(TM)" (Alternative Mobility Vehicle), nicknamed the "Aggressor," is a fuel cell vehicle designed and manufactured by Quantum at its California operations for the U.S. Army under contract with the NAC. This vehicle provides significant advantages to U.S. troops for high mobility in stealth operations.

Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. (NGLPF) announced today that it has acquired 7 square miles of private land and has applied for a one section federal geothermal lease for a total land area of 8 square miles (22 square kilometers) south and east of Black Warrior Peak, Washoe County, Nevada. The leases are on private land and are subject to a 3.5% royalty on gross revenue from electricity sales, however, NGP can purchase the royalty for US$1,000,000. Leases include surface and water rights.