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Nuvera Receives Order for World's Largest Fuel Cell Vehicle

Multi-million-dollar award from US Department of Defense will fund development and demonstration of locomotive for military and commercial applications. Nuvera Fuel Cells announced it received a multi-million-dollar order, contingent upon project continuation funding, for eight FORZA(TM) fuel cell power modules from Vehicle Projects LLC, which is leading an international consortium to develop the world's largest proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell vehicle under contract to the US Department of Defense (DOD). The development effort, called the Defense Fuel Cell Locomotive Project, aims to demonstrate a 109 metric ton, 1.2-megawatt fuel cell powered locomotive for defense and commercial railway applications. The project is funded and administered by the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command's National Automotive Center. According to project leader Arnold Miller, Nuvera's FORZA power module was selected over seven bidders representing six nations due to "the ruggedness and compactness of its metal bipolar plates and the simplicity of its proprietary direct-water injection system of cooling and membrane humidification." "This is a great opportunity to demonstrate FORZA's advantages in a dynamic environment," said Alessandro Delfrate, Sales and Marketing Manager of Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe. "Having recently worked with Vehicle Projects to successfully demonstrate the world's first fuel cell powered […]

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WHO Issues Guidelines for Herbal Medicines

Provider: Reuters GENEVA The World Health Organization issued guidelines on Tuesday for ensuring the safety and efficacy of the multibillion dollar herbal medicines market amid reports that some products are tainted with toxic substances. The guidelines, intended for national regulatory bodies, lay out the best techniques for growing and harvesting medicinal plants used for various ailments or weight loss, as well as the clear labeling of the contents of any product. Herbal medicines represent an estimated US$60 billion a year global market, some 20 percent of the overall drug market, according to the U.N. agency. Yet only China, Japan, and the European Union have regulations for medicinal plants. "It is not a binding guideline for any country, but it is a model or sort of checklist which they can use to make their own national regulations," Hans Hogerzeil, acting director of WHO's essential drugs and medicines department, told a news briefing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last December issued a consumer alert on the safety of dietary supplements containing ephedra, also called Ma huang, a natural substance. The adrenalinelike stimulant, used for weight loss or to boost sports performance, can have dangerous effects on the heart. In Africa, up […]

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Pittsburgh Ranked as America's 'Greenest' City

Provider: Green Building Alliance Once described by journalist James Parton as "hell with the lid off," Pittsburgh today reached a milestone in its continued environmental renaissance. The Green Building Alliance (GBA) announced that Pittsburgh is currently the greenest city in America, based on the number of Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) rated commercial/industrial buildings and square-footage within the city limits. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED Green Building Rating System is a national standard to assess building environmental performance. Buildings qualify for one of four levels of LEED certification – Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Pittsburgh leads the nation with four LEED-certified projects totaling approximately 2.24 million square feet. Mayor Tom Murphy commented, "We are delighted to have Pittsburgh leading the country in this area because it reflects our economic and environmental transition from rust belt to green belt. These successes are only the beginning, as green building becomes a key component of our economic development strategy." Rebecca Flora, executive director of the GBA, said of Pittsburgh's accomplishment, "Pittsburgh's foundation community, most notably the Heinz Endowments, has partnered with business and government leaders to create an unprecedented infrastructure of green development organizations. As a […]

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Dow, GM Cooperate On Significant Fuel Cell Application

Provider: Dow The world's largest fuel cell transaction between Dow and GM is now a reality. With the pull of a lever by Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham, and Texas Governor, Rick Perry, The Dow Chemical Company and General Motors Corp. began the Phase 1 installation operations of a single fuel cell that will convert hydrogen into electricity. Dow and GM intend to prove the viability of hydrogen fuel cells for a large industrial power system. Operation of the first cell will last four to six months with more fuel cells and electrical generating capacity added during the summer months. Freeport is the home of Dow's largest chemical manufacturing installation in the world. Fuel Cell Unit Capacity The initial GM fuel cell will generate 75 kilowatts of power. This is enough electricity for fifty average homes. Dow and GM plan to ultimately install up to 400 fuel cells to generate 35 megawatts of electricity. That would be enough power for 25,000 average sized American homes. While this is a lot of electrical capacity, it represents two percent of the total Dow needs at its Texas Operations site. "This is a significant milestone from a business, technology, and environmental perspective," said […]

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