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Ballard Introduces New Air-Cooled Fuel Cell Stack

Ballard Power Systems (TSX:BLD.TO – News)(NASDAQ:BLDP) has successfully completed alpha trials and plans for accelerated beta trials and managed commercial rollout of its air-cooled fuel cell, the Mark 1020 ACS. The Mark 1020 ACS, a product primarily focused on the backup power market, provides a range of power outputs from one to five kilowatts, and leverages Ballard’s air-cooled fuel cell technology expertise to deliver several significant improvements over earlier product prototypes. Key elements of this next generation design include: – Simplified, lower cost design: the Mark 1020 ACS uses 33% fewer parts than the previous generation air-cooled product, incorporates new, lower cost materials, and reduces precious metal catalyst content significantly. – Self-humidification: the unit operates without the need for external humidifiers, thereby reducing both part count and cost. – Ambient operating regime: by dropping operating pressure of the fuel cell stack, Ballard has removed the need for an air compressor, again reducing system cost and improving reliability. Utilizing air-cooled fuel cell technology for lower power output applications enables system integrators to develop fuel cell products that can compete effectively with today’s technologies. With reduced balance of plant costs, integrators can offer customers a lower cost, clean energy alternative. “Ballard’s Mark […]

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European SRI Market Valued at 1 Trillion Euros

Eurosif, the European Social Investment Forum, has just published the “European SRI Study – 2006.” This unique study highlights the scale and progress of European Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) across nine countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom). Based on a survey of funds under management, the report reveals that the Broad European SRI market is currently estimated to be up to 1 trillion Euros and representing as much as 10-15% of the total European funds under management. This represents a 36% growth since December 31, 2002. SRI is growing in many countries and is particularly booming in Spain and Austria. Eurosif’s Executive Director Matt Christensen states: “Readers of the Study will find a European SRI market that has considerably changed since 2003, when we last published our report. Across Europe, there are signs of robust SRI strategies, increased mandates from institutional players and the growing involvement of more traditional financial services providers. The one constant in the field is that European SRI continues to be an area of diversity and innovation.” The research shows that the three key drivers of the growth in SRI are the increased credibility of the business case […]

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