Learn about Fuel Cell Technologies Office webinars held in 2012 through the descriptions and linked materials below. Also view webinar archives from other years.

Webinars presented in 2012:

DOE Updates JOBS and economic impacts of Fuel Cells (JOBS FC 1.1) Model

December 11, 2012

This webinar featured updates to a tool for estimating the economic impacts of fuel cells in early market applications. JOBS and economic impacts of Fuel Cells (JOBS FC 1.1) estimates the jobs created by deploying fuel cells in forklifts, backup power, and prime power applications. Marianne Mintz of Argonne National Laboratory presented an overview of the model and recent updates. Eric Stewart of RCF Economic & Financial Consulting gave a demonstration of the tool, including instructions for data entry and interpretation of results.

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Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Manufacturing R&D Opportunities

November 20, 2012

The Fuel Cell Technologies and Advanced Manufacturing Offices held a joint webinar to provide an overview of activities related to manufacturing research and development (R&D), including potential funding opportunities for hydrogen and fuel cell related manufacturing R&D. Office representatives provided an overview to stakeholders on existing activities as well as plans, particularly related to Manufacturing Demonstration Facilities and Innovative Manufacturing Initiatives. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on priorities, needs, and gaps related to manufacturing processes and R&D for the hydrogen and fuel cell industry.

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Fuel Cell Mobile Lighting

November 13, 2012

Fuel cell-powered mobile lighting systems are used in many industries, from construction to entertainment. In this webinar, Fuel Cell Mobile Light Project partners Sandia National Laboratories, Altergy Systems, and Multiquip discussed their recent activities. With support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Sandia, Boeing, Altergy, and Multiquip developed the light tower to meet a need for transportable, indoor or outdoor lighting that can be operated safely and continuously without ventilation. Mobile lighting can be used in the construction industry for road maintenance, general construction, and industrial applications; in the aviation ground support industry in support of general airport operations and servicing of commercial aircrafts; and in the entertainment industry for lighting for events like the Golden Globes.

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California Fuel Cell Partnership's Roadmap to the Commercialization of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

October 16, 2012

Catherine Dunwoody, Executive Director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), focused on a road map that identifies a need for 68 strategically placed hydrogen stations by January 2016. Now available on the California Fuel Cell Partnership's website, the road map represents a collaborative and collective effort by stakeholders from industry, academia, non-governmental organizations and government to design a pragmatic road map for hydrogen station placement, enabling the deployment of tens of thousands of fuel cell electric vehicles in California. CaFCP is a collaboration of organizations, including auto manufacturers, energy providers, government agencies and fuel cell technology companies, that work together to promote the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

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2011–2012 Hydrogen Student Design Contest Winners: On-Campus Tri-Generation Fuel Cell Systems

September 4, 2012

This webinar focused on the winning entries from the University of Maryland; Washington State University; and University of California, Davis. This year, teams created design concepts for a tri-generation system that produces electricity, heat, and hydrogen for their university campus. The first place winner, the University of Maryland's design utilizes organic and municipal solid waste via gasification and anaerobic digestion technology. Washington State University placed second and proposed a pyrolysis reactor for straw waste from agriculture in their community. The University of California, Davis won third place for a design that included a hydrogen power and heating system for a residential building complex next to their new solar village. During the webinar the theme for the 2013 contest also was discussed.

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Material Characterization of Storage Vessels for Fuel Cell Forklifts

August 14, 2012

This webinar focused on the results of a study conducted by Sandia National Laboratories that investigated the fatigue life of steel pressure vessels, commonly used for the transport of pressurized gases, including gaseous hydrogen. By subjecting vessels to pressure cycles with gaseous hydrogen between nominal pressure of 3 and 44 MPa and simulating manufacturing defects to initiate failure after a relatively low number of cycles, Sandia was able to analyze life-cycle performance and create new design rules for hydrogen service incorporated into the CSA HPIT1 draft standard. Additionally, the experimental methodologies are being incorporated in SAE J2579. This webinar will describe how the DOE-EERE funded Hydrogen Safety, Codes and Standards Program was able to provide timely resources for this critical research topic.

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Fuel Cells for Portable Power

July 17, 2012

This webinar focused on recent research and development advancements in direct methanol fuels and their use in portable power. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory discussed advanced materials and the development of new methanol oxidation catalysts, hydrocarbon membranes with reduced methanol crossover, and improvements to component durability. Researchers at Arkema presented their polymer electrolyte membrane design for direct methanol fuels which blends poly(vinylidene fluoride) with a sulfonated polyelectrolyte. Finally, researchers at the University of North Florida focused on a "passive-water recovery" membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which eliminates the water recovery components, and results in a small, lightweight direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) power supply.

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BNL's Low-Platinum Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs)

June 19, 2012

This Energy Department webinar featured Brookhaven National Laboratory's (BNL's) low-platinum electrocatalyst work. Radoslav Adzic of BNL presented an overview of electrocatalysts developed by BNL scientists that can reduce the use of costly platinum and increase the effectiveness of fuel cells for use in electric vehicles. Platinum is the most efficient electrocatalyst for fuel cells, but platinum-based catalysts are expensive, unstable, and have low durability. BNL's newly developed electrocatalysts have high activity, stability, and durability, while containing only about one-tenth the platinum of conventional catalysts used in fuel cells, reducing overall costs.

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DOE Launches JOBS and economic impacts of Fuel Cells (JOBS FC) Analysis Model

May 22, 2012

This Energy Department webinar featured a new tool for estimating the economic impacts of fuel cells in early market applications. The tool, titled JOBS and economic impacts of Fuel Cells (JOBS FC), estimates the jobs created by deploying fuel cells in forklifts, backup power, and prime power applications. Marianne Mintz of Argonne National Laboratory and Eric Stewart and Catherine Mertes of RCF Economic & Financial Consulting presented an overview of the model and instructions for data entry and interpretation of results.

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Procuring Fuel Cells for Stationary Power: A Guide for Federal Facility Decision Makers

May 8, 2012

The U.S. Department of Energy presented an overview of a recently issued guide designed to aid federal facilities managers wishing to implement fuel cell stationary power sources on federal sites. The report, titled "Procuring Fuel Cells for Stationary Power: A Guide for Federal Facility Decision Makers," was developed with support from the Department's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and presents concise, step-by-step recommendations to help federal decision makers more easily transform their interest in fuel cell technologies into successful installations.

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America's Next Top Energy Innovator Runner-Up Presents Hydrogen Detection Technologies

April 3, 2012

Element One, Inc., runner-up in America's Next Top Energy Innovator competition, presented its hydrogen detection technologies. Element One, of Boulder, Colorado, developed and patented a unique family of hydrogen and gas sensing technologies that form the basis for a wide array of low cost and reliable gas detection systems. This technology has the potential to dramatically reduce costs while improving the ability to detect leaks wherever such gases are used, whether it be as a feedstock, reagent, or fuel.

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Critical Updates to the Hydrogen Analysis Production Model (H2A v3)

February 8, 2012

Darlene Steward of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) presented a new version of the Hydrogen Analysis Production Model (H2A v3) and reviewed an updated production pathway case study to illustrate the updated spreadsheet tool. H2A is a spreadsheet-based tool to analyze the technical and economic aspects of central and forecourt hydrogen production technologies. Using a standard discounted cash flow rate of return methodology, it determines the levelized cost of hydrogen for a particular production technology on a $/kg basis. H2A has been modified to include changes to reference year (2007 vs. 2005) and updated default feedstock financial input values. The H2A Users Guide also has been updated to include and explain these changes.

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National Hydrogen Learning Demonstration Status

February 6, 2012

Keith Wipke of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reported on progress the lab has made in deploying fuel cell electric vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations through DOE's National Hydrogen Learning Demonstration. He also updated participants on the metrics used by DOE and industry to evaluate the performance of fuel cell electric vehicles and fueling infrastructure in terms of fuel economy, fuel cell durability, refueling time, and fueling station use.

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