Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited 1st Quarter Results 2011 RNS Number : 5034F

RNS Number : 5034F

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

27 April 2011

27 April 2011

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

Quarterly Cashflow Report and Trading Update

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission power products for homes, today released its quarterly cashflow report for the period ended 31 March 2011.

The cashflow report is available at www.cfcl.com.au.

Highlights

-- Started deploying integrated home power and heating products with EWE as part of the order for up to 200 units

-- Further BlueGen sales in Germany, United Kingdom and Australia

-- Progress towards MCS accreditation in United Kingdom

-- Robust and repeatable performance - all BlueGen units have achieved electrical efficiency of 60 percent

Operational Review

Order for 200 integrated products

In December the Company received a conditional order for up to 200 integrated power and heat generators from German energy service provider EWE. This is the largest order the Company has received, with total revenue of up to EUR 4.9 million over two years. The order is conditional on EWE receiving partial funding under the German government's national hydrogen and fuel cell technology innovation program. This Government program is providing EUR 700 million between 2008 and 2018.

The Company is pleased to announce that EWE has received a letter of intent from the funding body confirming the intention to fund the project. Based on this letter of intent, EWE and CFCL have begun installing integrated units in homes as part of the project.

Subject to formal funding approval and to the units meeting agreed performance targets, EWE will order 72 units for delivery in 2011 and 130 units for delivery in 2012. The Company will update shareholders further when a final response is received from the funding body.

The integrated units use Ceramic Fuel Cells' patented technology to convert natural gas into electricity, hot water and space heating, with the world's highest level of electrical efficiency in small scale generators.

Ceramic Fuel Cells will supply the core Gennex fuel cell module and related components. Ceramic Fuel Cells and its local manufacturing partner, Gebruder Bruns Heiztechnik GmbH, will integrate the fuel cell module with a boiler into an integrated power and heating product for supply to EWE. EWE will then install the units in homes in the Lower Saxony region in northern Germany.

This is a significant follow-on order from EWE, the Company's longest standing utility customer. EWE is one of the largest utilities in Germany, with 6,400 staff and revenues of EUR 5.8 billion. Based in Northern Germany, EWE also has operations in other German states as well as Poland and Turkey.

Further BlueGen sales

Apart from the integrated product, the Company has also developed a modular power and heat generator called BlueGen, to provide low emission power plus heat for hot water. One BlueGen can provide about double the electricity the average home needs - excess power can be exported to the grid - plus hot water for an average family's needs.

Like the integrated product, BlueGen uses the Company's Gennex fuel cell module to achieve electrical efficiency of 60 percent - far higher than any other small scale generator. The Company believes this very high electrical efficiency will deliver significant value to BlueGen customers, and will create a significant competitive advantage in the fast growing global market for small scale power generation.

During the March quarter the Company continued to make sales of BlueGen units to leading energy companies and other foundation customers in several markets. For confidentiality and competitive reasons the Company is unable to reveal the identity of some of its customers at this time.

As at 27 April 2011 the Company has received orders for 70 BlueGen units, from a total of 31 customers in Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA.

Highlights during the March quarter and up to date include:

BlueGen installed in Amsterdam

A consortium of innovative companies has installed a BlueGen in a 17th century canal house "De Groene Bocht" in the centre of Amsterdam. BlueGen is expected to produce all the electricity the site needs whilst reducing carbon emissions by more than 50 percent compared to the local power grid.

The members of the consortium, which has a strategy to accelerate the transition to clean energy, include Cool Endeavour, which initiates the rollout of sustainable technologies, and Amsterdam Smart City, a joint venture between the Municipality of Amsterdam and leading Amsterdam companies.

Several leading energy companies in The Netherlands are also members of the consortium: Eneco generates, distributes and sells electricity, gas, heating and cooling to approximately two million business and residential customers; Liander is a distribution company with 2.9 million electricity customers and 2.1 million gas customers; and GasTerra is an international natural gas trading company with revenues of EUR 18 billion. GasTerra is owned by Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil and the Dutch Government. A BlueGen unit is also installed at the home of a Director of GasTerra.

Durham University, UK

During the quarter a BlueGen unit was chosen as an integral component of Durham University's GBP 54 million low-carbon Smart Grid project. The Smart Grid project involves 14,000 homes and businesses and will assess the impact of low carbon distributed generation technologies such as BlueGen on the low voltage electricity grid. The project is designed to help shape the future for a low-emission, more efficient power grid across the United Kingdom. The BlueGen will be housed in the Durham Energy Institute research laboratory where the impact on the low voltage grid of different microgeneration technologies will be assessed.

German Sales

The energy companies WINGAS GmbH and Technische Werke Ludwigshafen (TWL) AG have ordered a BlueGen for installation in a house in Ludwigshafen, Germany.(1)

WINGAS is active in natural gas trading and distribution in Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Austria, the Czech Republic and Denmark. WINGAS operates over 2,000 kilometers of natural gas pipelines and operates the largest natural gas storage facility in Western Europe. Its customers include municipal utilities, regional gas suppliers, and large-scale industrial users. WINGAS is a joint venture of Germany's largest crude oil and natural gas producer, Basf subsidiary Wintershall Holding GmbH, and Russia's OAO Gazprom.

TWL is the local "Stadtwerke" (city utility) in the Ludwigshafen region, providing a range of services, including electricity, natural gas, heating, cooling and water, to residential and business customers.

In addition, two BlueGens were sold to an innovative distributor and retailer of new energy products. One BlueGen is installed with the retailer and the second unit is installed with a leading German provider of services to the energy and telecommunications industries.

In April a further BlueGen unit was sold to Fachhochschule Koln, the Cologne University of Applied Sciences.

Australian Sales

In the March quarter the Company sold a BlueGen unit to GV Community Energy Pty Ltd (GVCE) for installation in a nursing home in Kyabram (Warramunda Village), in regional Victoria, in a project funded by Sustainability Victoria. GVCE is a community not-for-profit company, assisting residents, businesses, community organizations and government authorities to reduce their carbon footprint through the introduction of renewable and low emission energy technologies and adoption of energy efficient practices.

Over the last two and a half years, GVCE has successfully deployed solar hot water units and solar PV units to more than 2,800 homes and small businesses through community purchasing schemes. GVCE is supported by the local Councils of Greater Shepparton City Council, Rural City of Benalla, Campaspe, Moira, Strathbogie and Murrindindi in regional Victoria.

The Company has also sold a BlueGen to the local head office of one of the world's largest manufacturers and distributors of motor vehicles and power products. The Company is in discussions to secure further Australian orders and will make further announcements in due course.

_______________ (1) http://www.wingas.de/1723.html?&L=1

Victorian Government Project

During the quarter the Company continued to work with the Victorian Government Office of Housing to deploy their order of 30 BlueGen units. All the sites in Melbourne and Shepparton have been selected and inspected. Three units have been installed in homes, and the remaining units will be installed in this quarter.

One of the BlueGen units has been installed in a three bedroom house in Melbourne as part of the AusZEH project. This project is to upgrade an existing housing property to a zero net emissions standard. The results of the upgrade will be used to improve the Environmentally Sustainable Design aspects of existing residential housing stock.

The Company is also working with the Office of Housing and leading Australian energy retailer Origin Energy, who is providing the Office of Housing clients with a one-for-one feed in tariff for the electricity generated by the BlueGen units. This means that an Office of Housing tenant who exports power to the grid will get a credit on their bill equal to the normal retail rate of electricity.

BlueGen Distribution and Service in Australia

As reported in the last quarterly trading update, in January the Company signed an agreement with Adelaide-based Hills Holdings Limited (ASX: HIL) for Hills to sell and service the BlueGen product. Hills will distribute BlueGen, initially in South Australia, and will also provide installation and after-sales service for BlueGen products Australia-wide. Hills is a leading manufacturer, distributor and installer of home products including premium solar hot water products. The company had revenues last financial year of AUD 1.1 billion.

United Kingdom Market

The Company is in advanced discussions with a prospective distribution, installation and service partner in the United Kingdom market, and will make a further announcement in due course.

During the quarter the Company continued to make progress towards having BlueGen certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme ("MCS"). All microgeneration products must be accredited under MCS in order to be eligible for the UK Government's feed in tariff.

The MCS accreditation process involves an extensive and rigorous third party review of all the procedures involved in manufacturing, installing and maintaining a microgeneration product. In many cases the MCS process requires additional procedures to be formalised, over and above the thorough procedures already in place for CE safety approval.

Over the last six months the Company has invested a significant amount of resources into meeting the MCS requirements. As part of the MCS process, more than 400 procedures have been written, more than 150 pieces of equipment have been tested and calibrated, and 15 test rigs have been built for quality control testing of subassemblies.

The Company expects the MCS accreditation process to be completed during the current quarter. We expect to be the first fuel cell manufacturer to have a product accredited by MCS and eligible for the UK feed in tariff.

Japan

The Company's current projects are progressing well with customers validating BlueGen's efficiency and performance characteristics. The Company is also working to secure additional sales of BlueGen to new long-term prospects who have a clear strategy for microgeneration products.

During the quarter the earthquake and tsunami tragedy in Japan, and the breakdown of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, has sparked renewed interest in small scale power generation and fuel cells.

BlueGen Performance Data

As at 27 April 2011, 43 BlueGen units are installed at sites in Europe, Japan, USA and Australia. In aggregate, these units have been operating for more than 156,000 hours (more than 17 years of collective operation). The earliest installed units have been operating for more than 11,000 hours.

All of these 43 BlueGen units have achieved starting electrical efficiency of 60 percent or more, demonstrating robust and repeatable performance in many different real world conditions. Over time the electrical efficiency reduces and the thermal output of the fuel cell stack increases. Electrical efficiency is also affected by how the customer wishes to operate the BlueGen unit: efficiency will be lower if the customer modulates the output of the unit or operates the unit at a lower power level. Even with these tradeoffs, the electrical efficiency of BlueGen is far higher than any other microgeneration product. The Company believes this presents a clear and sustainable competitive advantage in the growing global market for small scale power generation products.

Marketing

Over the last year the Company has invested in additional product marketing activities, in order to support the deployment of products and increase sales. During the March quarter several of these activities were finalised. The Company has appointed a Marketing Communications Manager to manage the Company's increasing marketing activities.

BlueGen Marketing

The Company has developed and now launched the BlueGen-net website. This is a web-based customer portal for monitoring BlueGen units installed world-wide. BlueGen customers can log-on and view their unit virtually anywhere, anytime. The website is now live at www.bluegen.net. The multi-language website contains aggregate data on all systems operating, which is available to the general public, and data on individual units, which is available to the particular customer.

CFCL product support engineers also use BlueGen-net to monitor the performance of each unit, remotely diagnose and pre-empt faults, and modulate the power output of the unit.

BlueGen-net is a very powerful and important tool to support the larger rollout of BlueGen units whilst reducing the cost of supporting each unit. All the BlueGen-net software has been developed in-house by CFCL. The Company will continue to enhance the website and add new functionality and features.

The Company has also launched a BlueGen product website, www.bluegen.info, initially in German language, and now also in English and Dutch. This website creates a portal for BlueGen product information separate to the Company's main corporate website. The Company will continue to enhance the functionality and features of the BlueGen website.

To support the BlueGen product rollout, the Company has developed user-focussed and language specific product documentation, including installation and user manuals, and is also developing maintenance manuals for external parties. This new documentation will be used to train local installation and service partners. This 'behind the scenes' documentation and training work is important to lay the groundwork for larger deployments of units.

Industry Events

During the quarter the Company exhibited at several industry events:

-- E-World Energy and Water, Essen, Germany: 544 exhibitors from the energy and water industries in 20 countries, with 19,700 visitors from the energy and water industries. A BlueGen unit was on display, and the website www.bluegen.info was launched.

-- Hannover Messe, Germany: The Hannover Messe is Europe's largest industry exhibition attracting over 230,000 visitors across 13 exhibition sectors. A BlueGen unit was on display at the booth sponsored by the Government of North Rhine Westphalia. Gebruder Bruns Heiztechnik GmbH was also displaying an integrated power and heating product using the Company's technology, of the type which is being installed in the EWE project.

-- Ecobuild, UK: Ecobuild is the world's biggest event for sustainable design, construction, and the built environment attracting over 55,000 visitors. A BlueGen unit was also on display here, at a booth sponsored by leading energy utility E.ON.

-- FC Expo in Japan: Part of Japan Renewable Energy Week, FC EXPO attracts over 90,000 visitors to see the latest cutting edge Fuel Cell technologies.

Dupont Innovation Award

In March the Company's achievements were publicly recognised when it was selected as a finalist in the 2010-11 Du Pont Australia and New Zealand Innovation awards. The DuPont awards recognise the commercialisation of outstanding science and technology. The Company's BlueGen product has been selected as one of three finalists in the 'Design for a Sustainable Future' category. The winner of the award will be announced on 13 May 2011.

RMIT report

During the quarter a team at RMIT University's Centre for Design, in Melbourne, compiled a report on the opportunities for the Company's products in the Australian commercial building sector. The Company will release the report shortly.

Manufacturing

The Company is currently making fuel cell stacks at its volume plant in Heinsberg, Germany, and in Melbourne. During the quarter the Company shipped three additional furnaces from Melbourne to Heinsberg, to increase furnace capacity. These additional furnaces are all fully operational.

As reported in previous updates, in order to further increase the volume of fuel cell stack production the Company intends to use larger furnaces already installed at the Heinsberg plant. During the quarter the Company worked with the furnace supplier to identify changes needed to ensure the furnaces will produce fuel cell stacks in larger volumes at acceptable quality standards. The parties have identified several ways of optimising the furnace operation, which the Company intends to implement during the June and September quarters. These large scale furnaces are not currently constraining production. The additional furnaces now operating at the Heinsberg plant have sufficient capacity to meet the forecast increase in production during this period.

The Heinsberg plant is now also making complete BlueGen units. During the quarter the Company completed the process of transferring the BlueGen assembly operation from its Melbourne research and pilot production plant to the Heinsberg plant, in the same building as the fuel cell stack assembly operation. The Company has expanded the Heinsberg plant, installed assembly and materials handling equipment and hired additional staff.

The first BlueGen unit made in the Heinsberg plant, installed with a fuel cell stack also made in the same plant, is installed and operating in the Heinsberg facility.

As noted in the last quarterly update, the Company has entered into a volume supply agreement with HC Starck for the supply of fuel cell components. During the March quarter the Company and HC Starck began implementing this supply agreement, with HC Starck providing production samples to ensure that it can continue to supply cells to meet the Company's quality requirements.

Financial Review

Net operating cash outflow for the March quarter was AUD 5.7m (GBP 3.7m) which was lower than last quarter due to the timing of inventory purchases partially offset by reduced receipts from customers.

Receipts from customers for the quarter were AUD 0.5m (GBP 0.3m).

The net cash outflow after investing and financing activities for the March quarter was AUD 6.3m (GBP 4.1m).

During the quarter cash outflow from investing activities was AUD 0.5m (GBP 0.3m) for payments relating to the Company's manufacturing plant in Germany including the establishment of the BlueGen assembly operations there.

Cash at 31 March 2011 was AUD 24.3m (GBP 15.7m).

The quarterly cashflow report is also available on the Company's website at www.cfcl.com.au.

Air conditioning Heat-pump Case Study of All Saints Church, Somerby, Leicestshire

Air conditioning Heat-pump Case Study of All Saints Church, Somerby, Leicestshire: "(The first of its kind in England). All Saints church is a beautiful 13th Century Church with great architecture set in the picture postcard village of Somerby Leicestershire, UK. The church had around 200 meters/Squared of area that used a oil fired hot air system which had now failed and beyond economical repair."

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Solar Panel Installation Kit 12 Panel PV PowerGlaz Sunny Boy 2500 Grid Connect

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Solar Panel Installation Kit 8 PV PowerGlaz Solar Panel Sunny Boy 1700 Grid Connect

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Fujitsu Air conditioning ASYG24LE (7.1Kw / 24000Btu) Wall Heat pump Inverter

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Fujitsu Air conditioning ASYG18LE (5Kw / 18000Btu) Wall Heat pump Inverter

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Eco Swimming Pool and Pond Air Heat Pump Heater Highly Efficiency

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Super Energy Saving Pool Heater KFR-THP21 Air Source Heat-pump Heater for Swimming pool Pond 21 kW 71000 Btu

KFR-THP21 Air Source Heat-pump Heater for Swimming pool Pond 21 kW 71000 Btu:




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The energy saving non gas electric Neptune 2.3kw Patio heater with magnetic remote control (as seen on Dragons Den)

Neptune 2.3kw Patio heater with magnetic remote control (as seen on Dragons Den):



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Red 15" 350 W 4 Ohm Car Speaker

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Black Single Moving Head Light Case on Wheels with Foam Lined Interior G012RB

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For the UK Which domestic renewables incentive is best?

Adam Mactavish of Cyril Sweett provides a brief review of the incentive schemes for domestic renewables

A few years ago only the most dedicated developers (or those with tough planning requirements to meet) contemplated the use of renewable energy in new housing, while only the greenest of homeowners would consider retrofitting them into their properties. The cost, hassle and risks associated with the technologies were just too high.

A raft of new incentive schemes is rapidly changing attitudes. In fact, demand has been so high, with nearly 200MW (or 150 hectares) of large scale “solar farms” in the planning system, that the government has reduced its support for larger scale solar electric (PV) systems (those above 50kWp). Uptake of PV in the domestic sector has been broadly in line with expectations with about 15,000 small (less than 4kW) registered installations at the end of last year.

The same but different
Two incentive schemes are relevant to the domestic sector: feed-in tariffs (FIT) that support the generation of renewable electricity and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), which focuses on technologies that generate heat. The structure of the schemes is similar, although the funding roots differ, with FITs paid for through utility bills and RHI money coming from government budgets.

From the domestic perspective, the key difference between the schemes is that while FITs are already available you will need to wait until 2012 to be able to claim RHI monies for domestic properties. This is because the RHI is being launched in two phases, the first of which, from 2011, only focuses on larger scale heat installations. In the second phase, from 2012, domestic scale installations will also be eligible for payments. The start of this second phase will coincide with the launch of the Green Deal, meaning that homeowners will be able to undertake both energy efficiency measures and install renewable technologies in a co-ordinated way.

For both schemes, any compliant technologies installed after 15 July 2009 will be eligible for payments, but payments under the RHI will not begin until 2012.

Together, FITs and the RHI provide support for most of the major forms of domestic renewable energy including PV, wind, solar water heating, biomass and ground source heat pumps. One notable omission is the air source heat pump. However, the government has stated it intends to introduce support for this technology for domestic property in the “second phase” of the RHI in 2012.

Some support for the domestic sector is included in the first phase of the RHI. This will take the form of Renewable Heat Premium Payments from a total fund of £15m. The payments will help subsidise the costs of installation in return for information from the households on their experience of using the technology. Details of these payments will be set out in May 2011 with the first payments made in July.

What are they worth?
The support offered by FIT and RHI varies significantly between technology types. The tariffs for typical domestic installations are shown in the table below.




Tariffs for the technologies supported by the RHI are set for larger scale use. This is justified on the basis that larger installations will offer the most cost-effective means of generating renewable heat. It is not clear whether additional domestic-scale tariffs will be introduced before the second phase.

Assessing whether these incentives make renewables a sound investment involves consideration of several factors:

Size

For heating technologies, the appropriate system size will vary according to home type, size and energy efficiency level.
For power technologies the system size will be limited by the extent of roof area.
Installation costs

The domestic renewables sector is establishing itself in the UK. However, costs still vary significantly for the same technologies. Careful assessment of different providers and delivery options is important to getting the right level of cost and risk.
Technologies and installers need to be Micro Certification Scheme-approved.
Allowance must be made for the full range of cost items including, for example, fuel storage for biomass and scaffolding and connection costs (for solar hot water or PV).
For retrofit of technologies into existing homes it is important to consider access and integration of the incoming technology with existing systems. For example, a heat pump system will not work well in a poorly insulated property with radiators.
Running costs

All renewable technologies will require servicing and replacement of components. For “non-essential” technologies such as solar hot water and PV the system must remain operational for tariff payments to continue.
Biomass and heat pump systems will require fuels and this must be factored into any assessment. It is likely that the costs of electricity will continue to rise in the future and probably at a faster rate than gas prices.
Tariff levels

Tariff levels are fixed at the year of installation but are subject to inflation.
Tariff levels are subject to periodic reviews and, in the case of FITs, planned degression - reductions in tariff levels to compensate for predicted reductions in technology costs.
Export income and avoided energy costs

A percentage of the power generated by PV systems will be exported to the grid. This is assumed to be 50%. However, in some cases, for example where nobody is at home during the day, the export percentage may be much higher. All power exported to the grid can be sold at 3p per kWh.
Use of energy from PV or solar hot water within the home will reduce the requirement for fuel or power from the grid. This avoided energy cost can be significant, particularly for properties that are off gas where the heating is delivered using oil or electricity.
Warranty

Many technologies will be supplied with reasonable warranties (for example, 25 years for PV panels). However, it is important to consider the organisation providing the warranty and the fallback position should the organisation fail.
Warranties for watertightness or other associated impacts must also be considered. The NHBC has introduced guidance on the criteria they will consider when assessing whether they will provide a warranty for homes with renewable technologies.
The table attached summarises costs, benefits and returns offered by different systems in a typical new (Part L 2010) end of terrace house (about 75m2). Analysis is based on survey of technology costs by Cyril Sweett for the Zero Carbon Hub.

Conclusion
It is clear that for housing the FIT provides a more valuable incentive than the RHI, partly because the RHI tariff levels are set for maximum system sizes that are larger than would be used in homes. A further factor reducing the cost effectiveness of the RHI in new homes is their low heat demand compared with existing housing and industrial uses. While incentives for using PV remain strong, RHI tariffs for domestic scale technologies will need to be higher if they are to prompt many installations.

As the second phase of the scheme will coincide with the Green Deal we should hope that the opportunity to support investment in energy efficiency and low-carbon heat is maximised.

From building.co.uk

Wind Powered Water Pump (Complete Installation Kit)

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1 x Windcharger
1 x Weather proof interface controller and brackets for pole or wall mounting
1 x Float switch kit
1 x Potable water hose 30m and electrical cable 30m
1 x Support rope, cable ties, fixings etc
Optional solar panels available: 2 each x 30 Watt, 40 Watt or 50 Watt

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (CFCL) is providing solutions using nanotechnology which meets these efficiency and environmental goals

Australian Nanotechnology Alliance

Nanotechnology at work

Nanotechnology is an emerging scientific field creating materials, devices, and systems at the molecular level. By being able to work at this ultra-small scale, nanotechnology is being used to deliver innovations in industries including clean energy, environment, health and personal care, electronics, transport, construction, telecommunications, manufacturing and mining.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

Eco-friendly power generation

Demand for energy across the globe is forecast to double from 2002 levels by 2025. Yet existing supplies may not cope with this demand, and significant investment is needed in new energy generation that also meets higher efficiency and environmental standards. Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (CFCL) is providing solutions using nanotechnology which meets these efficiency and environmental goals.

A fuel cell is an efficient generator of Direct Current (DC) electricity from hydrogen rich fuels through an electrochemical reaction. Fuel cells differ from batteries since they cannot store electrical energy, so do not ‘run flat’ or need to be recharged. Fuel cells can continuously generate electricity so long as they have a supply of fuel and air.

CFCL’s solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology produces electricity and heat through an electrochemical process using an electrolyte, a cathode and an anode. The cells have electrochemical layers on the nanometre scale, and use natural gas, and in the future liquid petroleum gas or ethanol, as fuel to generate the chemical reaction and produce low-emission electricity. The nanometre layered structure allows for operation at up to 780 degrees Celsius, with a much higher power density compared to electrolyte supported fuel cells, as well as a planar design better suited for high volume mass production of the fuel cells using ceramic manufacturing technology that is in use today. The nanostructured planar design also allows more options when the fuel cells are stacked together, allowing for flexible product options and smaller package sizes, which are best suited for domestic applications.

The fuel cells are very compact and modular, and can be used for a variety of applications where larger scale electricity generators cannot, such as the family home. Currently in Australia, electricity generated by a coal fired power station is typically delivered to a family home through traditional transmission networks with less than 30% efficiency. In contrast, using CFCL’s fuel cell technology, electricity is generated with an efficiency of up to 60% at the point of use. Additionally, the household can use the heat from the fuel cell for domestic hot water and/or space heating, which increases the total efficiency from the fuel cell.

Right now, fuel cells are seen as one of the cleanest and most efficient methods of generating electricity, and it was the use of nanotechnology which enabled this.

ABOUT CFCL

CFCL is a world leader in developing solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology to provide reliable, energy efficient, high quality, and low-emission electricity from widely available natural gas and renewable fuels.

CONTACT CFCL

t: + 61 (0)3 9554 2300

e: enquiries@cfcl.com.au

w: cfcl.com.au

p: 170 Browns Road

Noble Park, VIC 3174

Australia

nanotechnology.org.au

How To Claim Enhanced Capital Allowances On Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps

Buy ECA heat pumps and air conditioning at www.orionairsales.com

Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) are a tax relief given through the tax system by reducing the taxable profits of the business. The ECA scheme builds on existing statutory provisions, under which businesses may obtain tax relief, in the form of capital allowances, for their investment in plant and machinery.

Capital allowances allow the costs of capital assets to be written off against a business's taxable profits. They take the place of depreciation charged in the commercial accounts which is not allowed for tax. The main rate of allowances for plant and machinery is 25% a year on the reducing balance basis, which spreads the benefit over a number of years (about 95% of the cost is relieved in 8 years). ECAs have been granted in other areas before but this is the first time that they have been introduced for use to support energy efficiency. ECAs enable businesses to claim 100% first-year capital allowances on their investment in designated energy-saving plant and machinery in the year in which the expenditure is incurred. ECAs bring forward relief, so that it can be set against profits of a period earlier than would otherwise be the case. The benefit to businesses of ECAs is thus a cash flow boost resulting from the reduction of the business's tax bill of the year in which the investment is made. Capital Allowances can be claimed on capital expenditure incurred on the provision of plant and machinery for use in a business's trade. It is a requirement of the legislation that as a result of incurring the expenditure the machinery or plant belongs to the person making the claim. Some assets will not qualify for ECAs. These include assets that are buildings or structures as defined by sections 21 to 23 Capital Allowances Act 2001 as these assets do not qualify for plant and machinerycapital allowances.

Claims for ECAs are made in the same way as other capital allowances on the Corporation Tax Return for companies and the Income Tax Return for individuals and partnerships. The Inland Revenue's guidance on the ECA scheme can be found at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/capital_allowances/eca-guidance.htm.

The Inland Revenue administers claims for ECAs and they have wide-ranging powers to investigate any aspect of the return. If errors are identified, any tax underpaid may be recovered with interest and, in cases of negligent or fraudulent conduct, penalties. Penalties cannot exceed 100% of the tax that would otherwise have gone unpaid.

Claims must be based on the costs incurred. Where you have purchased a qualifying Product that is not already incorporated into a larger item of plant and machinery you must use the price paid for the item as the base of your claim. If you have purchased a qualifying product which is incorporated into a larger piece of equipment, the eligible claim value is provided in the Claim Values section of this site. The remainder of the equipment can attract capital allowances at the normal (rather than the Enhanced) rates.

The words ‘on the provision of machinery or plant’ in the Capital Allowances Act are interpreted narrowly and exclude remote or indirect expenditure. Some common types of cost are detailed below:

Direct transportation and installation costs can be regarded as expenditure on the provision of plant or machinery. These can include, for example, the costs of transport, crainage costs to lift machinery in to place, project management costs, installation, modifications to existing plant and machinery, and commissioning.

Professional fees qualify only if they are directly related to the acquisition and installation of assets that are plant or machinery. Fees incurred on such things as feasibility studies or design work are generally too remote from the acquisition and installation to qualify. The eligibility of such costs is a question of fact based on the particular circumstances of the case.

Costs of alteration to an existing building arising as a direct result of the installation of qualifying plant and machinery may be eligible for ECA.

For information on claiming products under specific technology groups, please see the "Products and Claims" section of the site. http://www.eca.gov.uk

Worcester Solar FKC-1S 2 Panel On Roof Installation Package

Buy at www.orionairsales.com


A new and exciting way to provide you with total hot water comfort
Worcester’s Greenskies solar panels harness the power in both direct and diffused sunlight, converting the energy to heat, to produce hot water for the home. A typical well-sized solar panel system should provide around 50-70% of the annual domestic hot water requirements of a home, representing a very worthwhile saving on hot water heating costs. Greenskies solar panels have been designed as a complement to existing heating systems which use a store of hot water in a cylinder. The existing cylinder is exchanged for one with two heat exchanger coils: one from the boiler in the property and a second from the solar panels.

If your central heating system provides a store of hot water in a cylinder, Greenskies from Worcester Bosch is very good news – because it means you now have the opportunity to make significant savings on your hot water heating bills. Greenskies solar water heating can supply 50-70% of the hot water you use every year. The remaining portion of your hot water demand will be provided by your central heating boiler in the normal way. Installing Worcester Bosch Greenskies solar panels provides immediate savings on your fuel bills and major benefits to the environment. There are also special financial incentives available to you, as explained in this leaflet.

Worcester Bosch quality assurance

Only the finest materials and components are used in the manufacture of all Worcester Bosch products. Combined with advanced technology and innovative design, this ensures that your Greenskies solar water heating system will give many years trouble-free service and excellent long-term value for money.

The myth about solar energy

Many people are under the common misconception that solar energy can only work in conditions of bright sunshine and high temperatures and is therefore unsuited to the British climate. Greenskies solar panels operate on the principle of light absorption and are not dependent on high temperature or long spells of unbroken sunshine. A special coating on the absorber ensures that the system is effective even on cloudy days.


Worcester Bosch commitment to sustainable energy

In the light of global warming and climate change, developing sustainable energy resources has never been more important. As the UK’s leading boiler manufacturer, Worcester Bosch is leading the way in the search for renewable and sustainable energy solutions which can benefit customers and the environment.

Global responsibility for nature and the environment

The Bosch Group operates worldwide and has been committed to environmental protection for more than 30 years. Every Bosch location around the world prioritises product development in the interests of the safety of people, the economical use of resources, and environmental sustainability.


Key Product Features:

Sustainable energy: unlike energy produced by consuming and depleting the earth’s deposits of fossil fuels (gas, oil and coal), solar energy works on the principle of harnessing freely-available radiation from the sun (which is only half way through its expected 10-billion-year life cycle).

Environmentally friendly: unlike fossil fuels, solar energy produces none of the effects of carbon dioxide emissions or other kinds of environmental damage. Furthermore, all materials used in the making of the Greenskies solar panels can be fully recycled.

Simple, clean, effective technology: Greenskies solar panels absorb sunlight and convert it into heat, pumped directly into your hot water cylinder. The electricity used by the pump is your only running cost!

Proven technology: Greenskies solar systems are based on technology that has been working successfully in Europe for more than 20 years.

Very efficient: Greenskies solar glass has exceptional light-transmission values.

Suitable for any home: Greenskies can be installed on sloping and flat roofs.

You’re in control: the Greenskies system includes a control, which enables you to set the hot water temperature you require with ease.

Easy to look after: Greenskies requires minimal maintenance, simply check the controls and fluid during your annual boiler service.

Worcester Bosch quality: Greenskies has all the built-in quality and reliability for which Worcester Bosch, one of Europe’s leading domestic boiler manufacturers, is renowned.

Kit Includes:

2x Worcester Greenskies FKT-1S Solar Collector Plate
1x TDS10 Solar Controller
1x AGS2 Solar Pump Station
1x FS59 Collector Connector
1x AAS1 Expansion Vessel Connector
1x SAG25 Expansion Vessel
1x WTF25 Solar Fluid 25 litres
1x ELT6 Air Vent
1x FKA5 Roof Bar Kit
1x FKA6 Roof Bar Kit 2 Panel
1x FKA3 Solar Roof Hook Kit

Mastervolt MasterSol CS 15 TL (15KW) Solar Inverter

Mastervolt MasterSol CS 15 TL (15KW) Inverter

Mastervolt Soladin 600 Grid-Tie Inverter including PC link

Mastervolt Soladin 600 Grid-Tie Inverter including PC link

Designed for solar panels up to 600 watts. Easy installation

Buy At www.orionairsales.com

The Soladin 600 is a grid connected inverter for connecting solar panels (or wind turbines) to your existing electrical system. The successful Soladin 600 Solar inverter, some 6000 of which have already been sold by Mastervolt for small 4-6 module based grid connected solar systems. The Soladin 600 offers a simple solution when connecting solar panels to your household mains supply. With it's light weight and compact size, the Soladin 600 can be installed inside existing meter cupboards or in outbuildings (but it is not suitable for outdoors). Connection to the input of the inverter is provided by 2 dedicated DC power plugs. The output should be connected in accordance with the electrical requirements for the country of installation.

The Soladin 600 is equipped with 230V and DC connections and designed for mounting inside homes. The solar inverter is fitted with two MultiContact DC terminals for easy plug&play installation. All Soladin’s are fitted with a communication port for remote monitoring and an advanced yield indicator at the front. The wide input range makes them a flexible system solution.This inverter is supplied for UK use and comes complete with DC input plugs, PC-link connection and Monitoring/Logging software. In "Hybrid" systems (those involving both wind turbines and solar PV), use the standard Soladin 600 inverter, keeping the installation simple and very neat.

The Mastervolt Soladin 600 inverter has a power rating of 600 Watt continuous with an input voltage window between 40-125V DC.

Product Key Feature's

600Wp capabilty
Excellent price/performance ratio
Exclusive lightguide power indicator
G83 approved for use in the United Kingdom
Suitable for most types of wind turbines
Free downloadable PC monitoring software
5-year warranty
Wide input range makes for a flexible system solution
Quick and easy install with mounting bracket (included)
2 dedicated DC power plugs
input voltage window between 40-125V DC
mini string inverter

Technical Data

Model Soladin 600

Article number
Operating temperature
- 20 to 50 °C (full power up to 40 ° C)
Storage temperature
- 20 ° C to 70 ° C
Relative humidity
Max. 95% non-condensing
Electronics have anti-moisture coating
Protection degree
IP 23 (for indoor use)
Safety class
Class II double insulated
Galvanic isolation
Class II HF transformer
Enclosure
UL 5V fire retardant ABS/PC
Mounting
Wall mounting, bracket included
Dimensions
92 x 72x 225 mm
Weight
2 kg
Warranty
5 years


Input

Nominal power
600 Wdc
Startup power
1 Wdc
Operating voltage range
35 – 150 Vdc
Full power voltage range
65 – 125 Vdc
Max. current
8 A
Max. short circuit current
12 A
Connectors
MultiContact 4 mm type

Multicontact “pigtail” adapters included


Parallelling
Multiple units can be operated in parallel to increase output power


Output

Nominal power
600 Wac
Grid Voltage
230 V (185 – 264 V programmable)
Frequency
50 Hz (48 – 52 Hz programmable)
Cos Phi
0.99
Standby power consumption
<0,05 Wac
Max. efficiency
93%
Connection
1,8 meter of AC wire

New Tower Design Enables Higher Annual Energy Production and Less Impact from Turbulence

• New Tower Design Enables Higher Annual Energy Production and Less Impact from Turbulence;
• Hub Heights in Excess of 130 Meters Now Available;
• Taller Towers Increase Potential Wind Site Options.

The new towers enable higher annual energy production (AEP) and increase the number of potential wind sites. The towers initially will be offered for GE’s 2.5-MW series including the new 2.75-103 wind turbine. The taller towers are available with hub heights in excess of 130 meters.

“We continuously strive to increase value for our customers. The taller tower, which will also be available for our new 2.75-103, is the next step in our evolutionary product portfolio,” said Stephan Ritter, general manager of GE Renewable Energy Europe. “With taller towers, more sites become attractive wind farm locations. The increased height also offers more customer value through higher winds and a reduction in the impact of turbulence resulting in higher annual energy production.”

The taller tower will have a robust hybrid pre-cast concrete and tubular steel design. This construction offers an optimal balance between customer value and advanced technology while reducing logistical challenges. The new tower is an especially good fit for densely forested areas and hillside locations that are prone to high turbulence intensity.

Initial key markets for the new, taller GE wind turbine towers will be Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, Romania and Canada.

For wind turbine sales visit www.orionairsales.com

Centrica Begins Construction on $1.2 Billion Wind Farm in U.K.'s Northeast

Centrica Plc (CNA), the U.K.’s biggest energy supplier, started building a 725 million-pound ($1.2 billion) sea-based wind farm near Skegness in the northeast.

The 270-megawatt Lincs wind farm should begin producing power by the end of next year, Julian Mears, a spokesman from West Sussex-based Centrica, said today by e-mail.

Siemens AG (SIE) is providing 75 turbines of 3.6 megawatts each for the project with all of the electricity produced to be sent to the National Grid, Mears said.

The facility is being funded through a joint venture between Centrica, which owns half the project, and Dong Energy A/S and Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, which own the remainder, said Mears.

To contact the reporter responsible for this story: Louise Downing in London at Ldowning4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg in London at landberg@bloomberg.net

Banks Group investing £20m into wind farms

NORTH East mining and renewable company the Banks Group is to invest more than £20m in two new wind farm developments as it increases its profile in the green sector.

Banks Renewables, part of the Banks Group, secured the largest investment in the renewables market the Co-operative Bank has made to date for the two Yorkshire schemes.

And Banks is now looking at the same project finance model to fund a number of similar projects as it continues its drive to establish itself as a major player in the UK onshore renewables market.

The Durham-based company, which has an annual turnover of £60m, employs around 360 people and operates in the renewable energy, mining and property markets, expects the two schemes to start in the autumn.

Neil Brown, group commercial director at the Banks Group, says: “Securing the largest investment that the Co-operative Bank has ever made in the renewables industry not only represents a validation of the strength of the UK market, but also of the business model that Banks Renewables is following in this area.

“We are committed to becoming one of the UK’s leading owner/operators of onshore wind farms, and the investment model that we have used to secure this funding could provide the template for a portfolio of future sites that we are currently progressing across the north of England and Scotland.”

The three-turbine Hazlehead wind farm is situated on formerly derelict brownfield land to the west of Barnsley, while the Marr scheme comprises four turbines and is located five miles to the west of Doncaster.


When fully operational, the schemes will produce up to 14.4mw of renewable energy between them, enough to meet the annual power requirements of up to 9,000 homes.

Geothermal Heat Pumps - A Technology That We Should Seriously Consider For Our Homes

Geothermal Heat Pumps - A Technology That We Should Seriously Consider For Our Homes

In yesterday's post I focused on one of my pet technologies - geothermal energy. However, despite the long term sustainability of this technology, the initial capital cost to tap into warm water sources of direct geothermal energy can often be too expensive with too few suitable sites to make a big impact. Now, consider geothermal heat pumps, a technology that we can use at our homes without the need for a "hot springs" nearby. The basics.

If we dig down about 10 feet, we will find temperatures in the soils typically ranging from 50 - 54 degrees F - and very stable through all seasons. Heat can be extracted from about any source no matter how cold, even in Minnesota and Michigan. A ground source heat pump uses the shallow ground or ground water as a source of heat, thus taking advantage of its seasonally mild temperatures. For example, let's say that it's 40 degrees F outside. To heat our home, we need to raise the temperature to say 70 degrees to be comfortable. And we typically rely on either electricity or natural gas to make up this difference - heating from 40 up to 70. However, if we have an in ground source of energy that is already at 54 degrees with a heat exchanger, then we need only rely on electricity or natural gas to get us from 55 to 70 - a considerable savings in energy expended to heat our home.

Similarly, in the summer, if the outdoor ambient temperature is, say, 80 degrees F but we want our home to be air conditioned and maintain in home temperatures in the 70 to 75 degree range, then we can draw on the lower temperatures in the ground, with a heat exchanger, to do much of the work of reducing in home temperatures. And this is what geothermal heat pumps do - reduce both our home heating and air conditioning expense. Following is a graphic of "closed loop" geothermal heat pump systems typically used in the Pacific Northwest:


Note both the supply and return lines. Geothermal pipe is installed in the gound in a closed loop system. In the winter when heating is needed, a carrier fluid (typically a water/antifreeze mix) is circulated through pipes located in the ground. As the fluid circulates underground, it absorbs heat from the ground and on its return the now warmer fluid passes through the heat pump - requiring less natural gas or electricity use by the heat pump to raise temperatures to the desired level. Spent fluid is recycled back into the ground to be heated up again. The same is true in the summer, except in reverse to provide cooling.

The above graphic shows two alternative closed loop systems - (1) a shallow system spread out across reasonable large spaces and (2) a deep system designed to minimize the land footprint area required, but requiring much deeper depths. Both work very well depending on your homesite footprint area available.

I have learned a lot about the realities of geothermal from a contractor in Seattle who specializes in "green building" - David Delfiner aka Lisa's Parson's husband. For those not aware, Lisa is executive director of the Middle Green River Coalition and she has contributed enormously to the open space areas we now have available to us in the Green River Gorge and watershed. David reports very satisfied customers, because it's so simple. Makes sense to me.

Looking at the economics, I'm not sure that we can make this pencil for us at this time. We have more than enough land to make it work but the total installed cost of about $14,000 seems hard to get a reasonble payback on. According to one supplier, we would save about $950 per year from our investment. The only problem for us is that this includes savings in air conditioning costs during the summer - and we just don't air condition today. As it turns out, we have another geothermal resource called a basement. If it gets too hot upstairs, just go sleep in the basement and all is well.

I will say this. If we were building a new home - there is no question that geothermal heat pumps would be part of our design.

RWE's first 48 wind turbine offshore vessel for wind energy

The ship will take the transport of 48 wind turbines of the six-megawatt class. Full completion of the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm is planned for 2013. The wind power plant of 295 MW will supply 295,000 homes in Germany.



The first of two offshore installation vessels owned by RWE was officially launched after only seven months of construction. The works are thus already a month ahead of the original time schedule. The final large-scale components, the main crane and the jack-up legs, will be installed over the next few weeks. First tests, the so-called sea trials, are scheduled for July and August. On completion in autumn, the installation vessel will be the first of its kind worldwide than can transport up to four offshore wind turbines of the multi-megawatt class at the same time and erect them in water depths of more than 40 metres.

RWE Innogy had already placed the order for construction of two identical offshore installation ships with the Korean shipyard at the end of last year. The contract value for each of these socalled “Jack-up Platforms” is around EUR 100 million. Completion of the first platform is planned for autumn of 2011. From then on, the installation ship will be operated from its home port of Bremerhaven in the construction of the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm and begin placing the first foundations in the German Bight. The installation ship will set sail with two jacket foundations every week. Later it will take over the transport and installation of a total of 48 wind turbines of the six-megawatt class. Full completion of the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm is planned for 2013. From then on, the wind power plant with installed power of 295 megawatts will supply the equivalent of 295,000 homes in Germany with electricity every year.

Besides the “Nordsee Ost” wind farm, RWE Innogy is developing the offshore wind farm “Innogy Nordsee 1” in German territorial waters. At around 960 megawatts (MW) of installed power, this will be the biggest offshore wind farm planned off the German coast. It will be built in an area of 150 square kilometres some 40 kilometres to the north of the North Sea island of Juist.

Off the north coast of Wales, RWE Innogy is already operating the offshore wind farms North Hoyle (60 MW) and Rhyl Flats (90 MW). The decision was recently taken to build a third wind power plant off the coat of Wales, Gwynt y Môr (576 MW). The second, identical, installation ship will be used to build that farm. In addition, the company presently has a 50 percent stake in the construction of the 504 MW wind farm Greater Gabbard off the southeast coast of England. Alone or with partners, RWE Innogy is presently developing further major projects in the UK, such as Triton Knoll (1,200 MW), Atlantic Array (1,500 MW), Galloper (500 MW) and Dogger Bank (around 9,000 MW). In Belgium, the company is also involved in the Thornton Bank wind farm, which in its first stage (30 MW) is already in commercial operation, and is also developing the offshore wind power project Tromp Binnen (300 MW) in the Netherlands.

The Windy Boy 3000W is the perfect solution for the smallest wind energy systems with low generator voltage

The Windy Boy 3000W is the perfect solution for the smallest wind energy systems with low generator voltage: turbines with a nominal voltage of 24 or 48 V can be connected without an additional voltage converter.

The programmable polynomial curve gives you full flexibility for choosing the turbine, while its
weatherproof enclosure and the wide temperature range allow for installation at nearly any location. As an inverter for wind energy systems, the Windy Boy is optimally adjusted to fast and frequent load changes. Its minimum internal consumption during a calm also increases the yield, which you can monitor at any time using the display and different communication interfaces.

The inverters can be located as close to the wind turbine as desired (even on the tower, IP65 protection), eliminating long DC wire runs. Connection to the mains is via the house consumer unit. Inverters automatically shut down in the event of: High/Low grid AC voltage; High/Low grid frequency; Grid failure; or Inverter malfunction. An additional wind turbine controller is required. It is most important that the DC input voltage to the Windy Boy never rises above the maximum permitted even if the Windy Boy shuts down eg. During a power cut.


Operating state monitoring and data acquisition are carried out within the Windy Boy inverter. Wind turbine voltage; mains voltage & frequency; input current & power; operating hours and generated kWh energy are measured. Inverters include displays to show essential information or all values can be accessed centrally via a PC or a Sunny Boy Control unit using a choice of communication methods

Versions of Sunny Boy inverters designed to be used with wind turbines. "Turbine mode" allows the inverter to follow the wind turbine power curve. Units can be linked in parallel allowing operation with a wide variety of wind turbines and to give maximum efficiency.

Key Product:



Max DC Input Power: 3200W
Max DC Voltage: 600V - Max Input Current: 12A
Max AC Power: 3000W
Dimensions: 434 x 295 x 214mm
Weight: 32kg
Fully tested and compliant with UK G83 grid connection regulations.

Pramac WT1KW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine 240V

See the full Spec at www.orionairsales.com








Pramac WT1KW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine 240V

As seen at EcoBuild 2011

A completey innovative design that utilizes perminant magnet technology. The unit is of light weight and reduced size for superior performance. The wind generator has been designed in compliance with IEC 61400-2, class IV and produces 240V.

The values indicated below refer to the following conditions:
Temperature: -20/+50°C
Humidity: <95%
Air density: 1.225 kg/m3
Solar radiation: 1000 W/m2

key product Features:

Rotor

Darrieus rotor type
3-blades
Power output at wind speed 10 m/s
410W
Power output at wind speed 14 m/s
1000W
Cut-in wind speed
3 m/s
Cut-off wind speed
15 m/s
Diameter x height
1,45 m x 1,45 m
Sweep area
2,10 m2
Rotor weight (alternator included)
65 Kg
Braking system
passive
Max revolution speed
415 rpm
Acoustic pression LpA from 4 mt
52 dB(A)
Acoustic power LWA
72 dB(A)

Alternator

Type
Permanent magnets
Phase number
3
Poles number
32
Nominal power
1 kW @ 14 m/s
Nominal voltage
240 Vac @ 14 m/s