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'via Blog this'

Largest German State launches subsidy program for small power and heating products

RNS Number : 7162P

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

29 October 2012

Monday 29 October 2012

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) a leading developer of generators which use fuel cell technology to convert natural gas into electricity and heat for homes and other buildings, welcomes the launch of a subsidy scheme for micro combined heat and power products (mCHP) by the German State of North-Rhine Westphalia.

Under the new scheme the North-Rhine Westphalia Government will pay a capital subsidy to commercial customers and Energy Service Companies who install highly efficient mCHP products of less than 50 kilowatts, like Ceramic Fuel Cells' BlueGen and integrated mCHP products. Local energy utilities (Stadtwerke) are also eligible for funding under certain conditions.

Different levels of subsidy are available for various categories of mCHP products and related projects, depending on their level of efficiency, Innovation and carbon saving potential.

Based on discussions with the relevant Government bodies, the Company believes that its BlueGen and integrated mCHP products will be classed as highly innovative cogeneration systems, and therefore eligible for a subsidy of 45 percent of the extra cost of the product compared to a conventional reference product. The subsidy is increased by another 10 to 20 percent for small and medium sized businesses.

While the precise subsidy amount will be determined by the relevant Government department, and may vary between customers, the Company believes its products are likely to be eligible for an initial subsidy of approximately 10,000 Euros per unit.

The subsidy program begins immediately and is due to run until the end of 2017. The subsidy is part of a North-Rhine Westphalia Government funding program of up to EUR 250 million to support CHP deployment. The North-Rhine Westphalia subsidy is in addition to the German Federal Government subsidy of 1,650 Euros per BlueGen, plus the Federal Government feed-in tariff for mCHP products.

North-Rhine Westphalia is the most populous State in Germany, with a population of approximately 18 million people. Ceramic Fuel Cells employs approximately 30 staff at its volume manufacturing plant in Heinsberg, in North-Rhine Westphalia.

Mr Brendan Dow, Managing Director of Ceramic Fuel Cells, said:

"We welcome the North-Rhine Westphalia Government's subsidy program, which will help our breakthrough products become cost-competitive with older and less efficient existing products, and deliver real value to our commercial customers.

We expect this program to give a boost to our sales in the coming year, which in turn will drive higher production levels in our factory in Heinsberg and substantially lower product costs.

BlueGen is one of the few fuel cell mCHP products available in the market today, with almost 100 BlueGen and mCHP units installed and operating in Germany, delivering clean power and hot water for our customers and helping Germany make the transition to a clean energy future."

BlueGen units use ceramic fuel cells to turn natural gas into electricity - as well as heat for hot water - for homes, schools, offices and small commercial buildings. The peak electrical efficiency of BlueGen is up to 60 percent, far higher than any other small scale generating technology in the world. With the added benefit of heat, total efficiency is up to 85 percent.

Earlier this month Ceramic Fuel Cells announced that 25 of its BlueGen units are being used to power Germany's first commercial virtual fuel cell power plant. The virtual power plant was officially opened by Mr Peter Altmaier, Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Mr Johannes Remmel, Minister for the Environment in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, together with Mr Bernd Wilmert, Chairman of the Board of the municipal utility network Trianel, and Sven Becker, CEO of Trianel. The Trianel network will offer BlueGen units to end customers as part of its EnergieBlock(R) micro combined heat and power offering.

Speaking at the official opening event, Mr Remmel, North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for the Environment, said:

"North Rhine-Westphalia is the state for energies of the future and needs more utilities of the future for an accelerated energy transition. Combined heat and power [CHP] should play an important role in our federal state. Therefore, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is planning a support programme for CHP of 250 million Euros. Our goal is to increase the CHP share of electricity generation to more than 25 percent".

Ceramic Fuel Cells and its local distributor sanevo blue energy are marketing BlueGen units to small commercial, Government and utility customers throughout Germany.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited CFU organisation change to focus on Europe

TIDMCFU

RNS Number : 6530O

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

15 October 2012

Monday 15 October 2012

CFCL Strengthens Sales Resources in Germany

Aligns activities in Australia

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) a leading developer of generators which use fuel cell technology to convert natural gas into electricity and heat for homes and other buildings, announces that it is continuing to invest in measures to quickly increase sales in Germany.

We are pleased to announce that Mr Andreas Ballhausen has joined Ceramic Fuel Cells' European management team as Commercial Director. Mr Ballhausen will be responsible for leading our business development, sales and customer service activities in Germany.

Mr Ballhausen joins Ceramic Fuel Cells from leading German energy utility EWE, where he has held various senior management positions since 1996. Most recently Mr Ballhausen was in charge of establishing and running EWE'sbusiness unit selling energy services and contracting solutions for households, industry and communities.

Mr Ballhausen has extensive experience with fuel cells and micro combined heat and power products, having led EWE's project to evaluate, install and operate fuel cell products from a number of suppliers over many years. EWE was Ceramic Fuel Cells' first customer in Germany, and has been testing and operating our products since 2006. Mr Ballhausen is also a member of various committees in the energy sector, including the German Fuel Cell Initiative (IBZ).

"We are delighted that Andreas Ballhausen has chosen to join Ceramic Fuel Cells. His expertise in the field of fuel cell technology and his many years of experience in sales of CHP technologies are a tremendous asset to ourCompany," said Brendan Dow, Managing Director of Ceramic Fuel Cells.

"I'm looking forward to the new responsibilities at Ceramic Fuel Cells. High-efficiency micro-CHP systems can make a significant contribution to the success of renewable energy in Germany and in Europe. Ceramic Fuel Cells' BlueGen product offers an outstanding micro fuel cell power plant, and I look forward to driving our sales effort with a lot of passion," said Mr Ballhausen.

Earlier this month Ceramic Fuel Cells announced that 25 of its BlueGen gas-to-electricity units are being used to power Germany's first commercial, virtual fuel cell power plant.

The virtual power plant was officially opened on Tuesday 2 October by Mr Peter Altmaier, Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Mr Johannes Remmel, Minister for the Environment in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, together with Mr Bernd Wilmert, Chairman of the Board of the municipal utility network Trianel, and Sven Becker, CEO of Trianel.

During the opening ceremony at the Eurogress congress centre in Aachen, Mr Altmaier declared that distributed electricity generation and energy efficiency, along with a coordinated expansion of renewable energies and electricity grids on a national level, are central elements of the electricity market of tomorrow: "Virtual power plant networks are progressive milestones on the way to a successful energy reform," Altmaier said.

To underline the Company's further support for its European activities we have realigned the structure of our headquarters in Noble Park Melbourne to more effectively support our European markets. The changes, along with outsourcing of cell production are expected to result in annualised ongoing cost savings of approximately AUD 5 million and a reduction in headcount since 1(st) July this year of 56 staff.

Brendan Dow CFCL's Managing Director said "We are quickly aligning our corporate structure and operational activities to reduce overhead costs and to focus our resources on markets where we believe we can achieve immediate and significant sales growth - Germany, the UK and the Benelux markets. In the short term we are reducing our direct sales resources in other markets, Australia, Japan and North America."

Ceramic Fuel Cells achieved solid sales growth over the last financial year. The number of BlueGen and integrated mCHP units sold increased by 177 percent, and revenue increased by 82 percent to AUD 6.7 million in FY12. 

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited Change in director interests - Kennett

TIDMCFU

RNS Number : 9980N

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

05 October 2012

Friday 5 October 2012

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

("CFCL" or the "Company")

Director Shareholding

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) announces that on 4 October 2012, Mr Bob Kennett, a non-executive director of Ceramic Fuel Cells, purchased 40,000 ordinary shares in Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 4.38 pence per share, representing 0.00% of the issued share capital.

Following this announcement Mr Kennett is interested, directly or indirectly, in a total of 360,000 Ordinary Shares representing 0.00% of the issued share capital.

Ceres Power Holdings plc indicated plan to complete funding by end Q3 2012

TIDMCWR
RNS Number : 7573N
Ceres Power Holdings plc
02 October 2012


For immediate release
Not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part in, into, or from, any jurisdiction where to do the same would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction.

Ceres Power Holdings plc
("Ceres", "Ceres Power" or "the Company ")
Further to the announcement on 11 September 2012 when we indicated our plan to complete funding by end Q3 2012, we announce that the Board continues to work towards raising an initial tranche of funding to continue to meet the Company's planned expenditure and maintain the business  as a going concern. The Company will update shareholders in due course on progress in this regard.

Enquiries:
   Ceres Power Holdings plc                                  Tel.             +44 (0)1403 273 463      

Ceres Power Holdings plc recent announcements regarding Ceres' funding requirements

RNS Number : 8916N

Ceres Power Holdings plc

04 October 2012

4 October 2012

For immediate release

Not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part in, into, or from, any jurisdiction where to do the same would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction.

Ceres Power Holdings plc

("Ceres", "Ceres Power" or "the Company")

Funding Update

Following recent announcements regarding Ceres' funding requirements, the Company announces that, despite extensive efforts it has been unsuccessful in securing sufficient funding for the business going forward. The Company will continue to explore all strategic options including a sale of the business, cancellation of the listing and in the absence of any alternative proposals commencement of an orderly wind down of the business. A further announcement will be made in due course.

Twenty-five Ceramic Fuel Cells' BlueGen units to be used in German Virtual Power Plant

TIDMCFU

RNS Number : 7758N

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

03 October 2012

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) a leading developer of generators which use fuel cell technology to convert natural gas into electricity and heat for homes and other buildings, is pleased to announce that 25 of its BlueGen gas-to-electricity units are being used to power Germany's first commercial, virtual fuel cell power plant.

The virtual power plant was officially opened yesterday by Mr Peter Altmaier, Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Mr Johannes Remmel, Minister for the Environment in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, together with Mr Bernd Wilmert, Chairman of the Board of the municipal utility network Trianel, and Sven Becker, CEO of Trianel.

A virtual power plant is a cluster of distributed electricity generation units, controlled and operated by a central entity using integrated software systems. A virtual power plant allows power generation to be modulated up or down to meet peak loads and balance intermittent power from wind or solar, with higher efficiency and more flexibility than large centralised power stations. Producing energy where it is needed eases the burden on electricity distribution networks and prevents distribution losses, which can amount to as much as 10 percent from large power plants using conventional generation methods.

The Trianel network will offer BlueGen units to end customers as part of its EnergieBlock(R) micro combined heat and power offering.

During the opening ceremony at the Eurogress congress centre in Aachen, Mr Altmaier declared that distributed electricity generation and energy efficiency, along with a coordinated expansion of renewable energies and electricity grids on a national level, are central elements of the electricity market of tomorrow: "Virtual power plant networks are progressive milestones on the way to a successful energy reform," Altmaier said.

The virtual power plant connects 25 BlueGen units, which convert natural gas into electricity and heat with the world's highest electrical efficiency.

Ceramic Fuel Cells and its local distributor sanevo blue energy, based outside Frankfurt, have delivered the 25 BlueGen units to Trianel. So far 15 municipal utilities in Germany as well as the Energie Kompetenz Zentrum Rhein-Erft-Kreis GmbH are involved in the project. The municipal utilities are installing the BlueGen units in their customer centres and with selected customers. There are also plans to roll out the BlueGen units to end customers in apartment buildings and commercial properties.

Mr Remmel, North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister for the Environment, has praised the municipal utilities' commitment to working on innovative solutions for developing efficient and environmentally friendly energy generation. "North Rhine-Westphalia is the state for energies of the future and needs more utilities of the future for an accelerated energy transition. Combined heat and power [CHP] should play an important role in our federal state. Therefore, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is planning a support programme for CHP of 250 million Euros. Our goal is to increase the CHP share of electricity generation to more than 25 percent," Remmel said in his speech at the event.

Trianel is the leading municipal utility network in Germany and Europe, with more than 50 local utilities as members and serving more than 5 million customers in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland.

Trianel began the mini and micro CHP project back in December 2011. This led to the mini and micro CHP network, in which there are currently 40 municipal utilities. Their goal is to establish highly efficient mini and micro CHPs on the market under the name EnergieBlock(R).

"With this project, the municipal utilities are once again proving their innovative strength in deciding the path that the energy reform will take," commented Sven Becker, CEO of Trianel. "With their proximity to customers and excellent knowledge of the market, generating electricity where it will be used is a promising field of activity for regional energy suppliers."

"This project shows us the energy generation of the future: decentralised, environmentally friendly and highly efficient. BlueGen will allow CO2 emissions to be reduced by 50 percent. That means a vital part of increasing energy efficiency is already in place," said Frank Obernitz, CEO of Ceramic Fuel Cells GmbH.

Ceramic Fuel Cells' BlueGen units are also being used to power a virtual power plant project in The Netherlands with energy network

Ceramic Fuel Cells signs long term Powder Plant Project

TIDMCFU

RNS Number : 6645N

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

02 October 2012

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) a leading developer of generators which use fuel cell technology to convert natural gas into electricity and heat for homes and other buildings, is pleased to announce that it hassecured a long term project for its powder plant in the United Kingdom.

Ceramic Fuel Cells has signed an agreement with a multinational ceramics and speciality chemicals company for them to utilise the plant to develop high quality ceramic powder products. The powder plant equipment and CFCL operational staff at the plant will be allocated to the project on a full time basis.

To cover the operating costs of the plant and related staff, Ceramic Fuel Cells will receive a fee of GBP 450,000 for the 12 month project. The agreement also includes an option for the customer to purchase the plant and licence the related intellectual property for a pre-agreed price. For commercial reasons the identity of the customer and the purchase price are confidential.

The plant, in Bromborough, UK, uses Ceramic Fuel Cells' patented equipment to make nano-size ceramic powders which can be used in a range of applications and products.

About Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited:

Ceramic Fuel Cells is a world leader in developing fuel cell technology to generate highly efficient and low-emission electricity from widely available natural gas. Ceramic Fuel Cells has sold its BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator to major utilities and other foundation customers in Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Australia, and the USA. Ceramic Fuel Cells is also developing fully integrated power and heating products with leading energy companies E.ON UK in the United Kingdom, GdF Suez in France and EWE in Germany.

The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market and the Australian Securities Exchange (code CFU).

www.cfcl.com.au

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END