PYX Resources: Achieving volume and diversification milestones. Watch the video here.
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http://www.engineerlive.com/Power-Engineer/Maintenance/Ceramic_powder_for_fuel_cells/19263/ Ceramic powder for fuel cells Australian consultants Sinclair Knight Merz have placed an order with ELGA Process Water for a system to provide high purity water for manufacturing ceramic powders for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The project is a new ceramic powder factory in Bromborough being built for Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd, which is developing and manufacturing SOFC products for small-scale, on-site micro combined heat and power and distributed generation units that co-generate electricity and heat for domestic use. Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd, formed in 1992 by Australia's Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation and a consortium of energy and industrial companies, is a leader in developing solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology to provide reliable, energy efficient and low-emission electricity from natural gas and renewable fuels. ELGA Process Water’s system consists of duplex Selectron 30 softeners to remove hardness salts from the water and this is followed by a cartridge type activated carbon filter to remove particulate matter and free chlorine. The pre-treated water is purified in two stages: a MaxiRO 14-1000 ES reverse osmosis unit which removes about 95 per cent of dissolved salts before polishing by duty and standby C1040 nuclear grade deionisation cylinders and delivery into a 3000 litre tank with a distribution pump. The skid mounted system combines the economy of reverse osmosis with the convenience of ELGA Process Water’s cylinder exchange service to produce the required quality. Service exchange is a simple concept: partially treated permeate from the reverse osmosis unit is passed through a cylinder of mixed bed ion exchange resin. When the resin is exhausted, the whole cylinder is returned to the supplier in exchange for a recharged cylinder, so there is no on-site regeneration. The combined reverse osmosis and ion exchange process produces 2,400 litres per day of purified water with conductivity better than 1 µS/cm without the use of hazardous chemicals like acid and caustic soda, so it is safe as well as simple to use.
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Thanks for posting your links. I got this research note through today. Equity Development research note on CFU growth in Germany Equity Development, has today published a research note on Ceramic Fuel Cells. The research note is available for download at the Equity Development website, the site requires registration for no charge. (Please note this report is published by Equity Development and Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited is not responsible for its contents.) Download research note - Equity Development website Share price target 11.5 (19.4)
Technology Strategy Board. The AIMC4 consortium is a partnership of UK companies created to pioneer the volume production of low carbon homes, and includes developers Stewart Milne Group, Crest Nicholson PLC, Barratt Developments PLC, H+H UK Ltd and the Building Research Establishment. Crest Nicholson is one of the UK's leading developers of new homes, building approximately 1,500 new homes each year. Brendan Dow, Managing Director, Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited, said: "BlueGen is an advanced technology that is available today. With its high levels of energy efficiency BlueGen provides a clear pathway towards the UK Government's 2016 residential sector targets for all new build houses to be Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited ABN : 055 736 671 Website : www.cfcl.com.au "zero carbon". Demonstrating that BlueGen can provide all the heating for a new home opens up a large market for us, and means BlueGen is not restricted to the market for replacement boilers. "Crest Nicholson is an exciting partner for Ceramic Fuel Cells and we look forward to sharing a close working relationship as we explore the potential for installing additional BlueGen units at other Crest Nicholson new home developments." Stephen Stone, Chief Executive, Crest Nicholson, said: "This is a real first for the UK in terms of introducing fuel cell technology into new homes, and the fact that the technology is now at a point where people can effectively use it in their living environment is something that will bring real consumer benefits. "The technology works best in energy efficient homes that require very low levels of heating, and this is exactly the case with the AIMC4 homes at Epsom. Not only that, but as part of this pioneering project we will also be carrying out an intensive programme of post-occupancy evaluation, which will provide solid data to help us understand how our customers react to the benefits of fuel cell technology. "It is a real priority for us to continue to drive innovation in the delivery of sustainable communities, and we hope that the technology we have installed at Epsom will, through collaboration, lead to volume supply that will ultimately bring down costs and provide an exciting approach to delivering the Government's 2016 zero carbon timeline ambitions." ENDS More information: • A video of the BlueGen unit installed in the Crest Nicholson home, with an interview by Brendan Dow, is available at http://www.cfcl.com.au/webcasts/ • A Case Study on this installation is available at http://www.bluegen.info/crest-nicholson-total- integration/
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited : Crest Nicholson installs BlueGen into low carbon home 06/24/2012 | 08:50pm Market Announcement Monday 25 June 2012 Crest Nicholson installs BlueGen to create the UK's first low carbon home using fuel cell power and heating Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU), a leading provider of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation products for homes and other buildings, is pleased to announce that Crest Nicholson, one of the UK's leading house builders, has installed a BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator in one of its low carbon homes. The BlueGen unit is installed in a four bedroom family home in Crest Nicholson's Noble Park development on the outskirts of Epsom, Surrey. This is the UK's first ever installation of a microgeneration certificate scheme (MCS) accredited micro power and heat fuel cell in a new build home, providing power, heating and hot water. The Crest Nicholson low carbon home demonstrates how new houses can meet the energy efficiency levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4, cutting carbon emissions by 44 percent from 2006 Part L Building Regulations levels. In 2016 this requirement for all homes sent to planning increases to "zero carbon", meaning the building fabric of the home and onsite power and heat generation must cut emissions by at least 70 percent from 2006 levels, equivalent to zero net carbon emissions from regulated energy, which is that used for heating, hot water, lighting and building (services) consumption, over the course of a year. In addition to the energy reduction requirements, the Crest Nicholson home with the BlueGen unit meets all the elements of the 2010 Code for Sustainable Homes level 4, which include design for low water consumption, enhanced ecological protection, Lifetime Homes and Secure by Design criteria. As part of the AIMC4 Consortium research project, Crest Nicholson has designed the home for high insulation and energy efficiency and low heat losses. The BlueGen is providing all the heat needed for the home - there is no separate boiler or other heating device needed. The BlueGen product is the only fuel cell product eligible for the UK Feed-In Tariff (FIT), which provides a payment to BlueGen customers for power generated on-site and exported back to the power grid. 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. Each BlueGen unit can save up to four tonnes of carbon per year in low carbon homes. 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 and may be even higher in such low energy homes. The Noble Park homes are being delivered by the "AIMC4" consortium, supported by funding from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board
http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/30267/ceramic-fuel-cells-gas-to-electricity-technology-to-be-used-in-netherlands-virtual-power-plant-30267.html Ceramic Fuel Cells’ gas to electricity technology to be used in Netherlands virtual power plant Tuesday, June 19, 2012 by Christine Feary Ceramic Fuel Cells (ASX: CFU, AIM: CFU) has secured a Virtual Power Plant project in the Netherlands which will utilise the company’s BlueGen gas to electricity generators. BlueGen units will be installed with customers across the Netherlands, creating a community of distributed energy producers that is connected through the internet and operated as a virtual power plant. Already three BlueGen units have been installed with energy consultants Kiwa Gastec, to test their compatibility with the designed system. This provides a regulated environment for the early testing phases. Initial testing will take about one year and will include examination of the impact of extreme modulation cycles. The project will be scaled up in the second half of 2012 and into 2013. The virtual power plant project is a partnership between Ceramic’s distribution partner BlueGeneration, Dutch regional network operator Liander and IBM (NYSE: IBM). The three companies will design a platform on which the virtual power plant can run, with Liander and IBM to design the technical requirements and define the use cases for the platform. Liander distributes electricity to 3 million customers and gas to 2.3 million customers in the Netherlands. Incorporating the virtual power plant into its Smart Grid will allow Liander to locally balance the demand and supply of electricity, lowering energy costs. IBM will provide system integration to control the BlueGen units remotely, utilising its experience in the field of Smart Grids.
5,000 is not a particularly high figure and as the German and other European government subsidies kick in then the price will fall. Ceramic’s main rival comes from Japanese technology, and at this stage the Australian product is far more fuel efficient – but the Japanese have access to virtually unlimited capital. That’s a danger for the small Australian company. A number of Australian state governments, including Victoria, have approved the units but once again production scale must be obtained to make it economic. The bottom line is that Ceramic is at the stage where it needs capital on a larger scale to take advantage of its market position and its looming manufacturing deal with Jabil. I suspect that existing shareholders will need to decide whether to back the company to the next stage or whether some other group needs to take it further – either through a major placement or a full takeover. All of these factors outlined above make Ceramic a very interesting company to watch, but also clearly a highly speculative stock at this stage. It’s not often that a small Australian company gets to look at an enormous market and find it is the leading global player. Overseas institutions, a few individuals and Australian self-managed funds are its main shareholders. No large Australian institution is involved. Ceramic can see the lush ground ahead but it needs the money to cross into the green fields. Governments around the world face enormous outlays to increase lower-carbon power generation and, in the case of Germany, replace nuclear. If they can encourage small enterprises and households to provide the capital while gaining much cheaper power their problem is solved. This article is copyright of Eureka Report. It can be found here: http://www.eurekareport.com.au/iis/iis.nsf/pages/420B57885A680EF0CA257A1B00814EE3 ?OpenDocument http://www.cfcl.com.au//Assets/Files/20120614-Lights-on-for-an-energy-minnow_Eureka%20Report.pdf
Lights on for an energy minnow By Robert Gottliebsen. Published June 13, 2012. Portfolio point: Investors may find that the next step for the changing household energy market comes from a little-known Australian stock. One of the most dangerous activities of any commentator is to express a degree of excitement about a stock that at March 31 had $17 million in the bank and is burning cash at the rate of about $5 million a quarter. It has a market capitalisation of about $120 million on the basis of a share price of about 8 cents. Yet this company has developed technology in Australia that puts it in a position to be one of the major global beneficiaries of the Japanese nuclear disaster. And a US based giant – the $4 billion capitalised Jabil – is so excited by the prospect that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Australian minnow to make the Australian products in Europe. Jabil is one of the biggest manufacturers of components for Apple (plus IBM, Cisco and GE). For a giant global manufacturer to sign an agreement with a tiny cash-strapped Australian company shows that the US company believes this is a product that, one way or another, is going to be manufactured on a massive global scale. So after that build up, let me tell you the story. Ceramic Fuel Cells (CFU) developed a gas-driven generator that small enterprises and households can buy and install that silently generates electricity at a cost way under the majors. You can imagine how much opposition the incumbents have created when faced with this threat. But painfully, step by step, the Australian company led by former Pacific Hydro chief Jeff Harding and CEO Brendan Dow not only made the technology work but developed a way to mass produce Ceramic’s so-called BlueGen generators. Most of the activity has been in Europe. After the Japanese nuclear accident, Germany decided to scale back its massive investment in nuclear power. It is providing an array of incentives that will greatly improve the economics of manufacturing both Ceramic’s BlueGen small-scale electricity generator and its micro combined heat and power (mCHP) units which convert the heat generated by electricity generation to hot water. Ceramic is also developing markets in the UK, Austria and the Netherlands. Its problem is that at this stage the production volumes, while rising rapidly, are not big enough to reduce the purchase price to a level where there is a four to five year payback as a result of lower power bills. When that happens, BlueGen unit installation becomes a nobrainer for smaller enterprises and households. To get to the required price level Ceramic needs to sell about 5,000 units a year in Europe, but current orders – while rising rapidly – are well short of the target. Nevertheless, for a unit that currently costs in the vicinity of €20,000, production of 5,000 is not a particularly high fi
Most importantly however, it can contribute to reducing peak demand, which is the monster under the energy supply bed all over Australia. On the east coast, research undertaken for the Australian Energy Market Commission forecasts that, without significant intervention, peak demand in 2030 will reach 60,000 MW compared with 38,000 MW today. When you appreciate that it is estimated each megawatt requires about $3.5 million to $4 million in infrastructure capex and that this is one of the major impacts on rising network charges, then finding a genuine mitigation approach needs to be a government priority. It has been calculated that about $11 billion has been invested in the networks segment on the east coast to meet the extreme peaks – in effect to meet power demand for about 100 hours a year. Unlike solar power, fuel cells can deliver peak requirements at any time of day and in all types of weather. With all east coast governments casting around for ways to deal with the peak demand problem, a decision by Baillieu’s regime to accept the VCEC recommendation could have an effect outside Victoria’s borders. One can imagine the idea having its attractions for the federal Coalition as well as it seeks policies to plug the energy management gaps that will be left when it repeals the Gillard government’s carbon tax and other programs – and that will be attractive for borderline voters thinking about going Green. Perhaps not surprisingly, most of the commentariat’s attention has been captured by the VCEC finding that investors in rooftop solar power should receive between 6 and 8 cents a kilowatt hour for what they deliver to the grid until 2015 and thereafter have to rely on what retailers bid for their product. The Clean Energy Council sees this attitude as “unrealistic” – which I guess depends entirely on where you’re standing when you look at it. The CEC says a “fair and reasonable” payment is 12 to 16 cents per kWh, but the big solar boosters argue it should be 40 to 60 cents, the latter being where Victorian Labor launched its scheme, leading inevitably to it being slashed to 25 cents as it was rushed by punters who know a good thing when they see it. However, the real value of the pot of money available over time for distributed generation providers can be seen by looking at AEMO’s forecasts. Under its ‘medium’ modelling scenario, which envisages ‘moderate’ retail power price rises, PV capex reductions and government incentives, the energy market operator predicts solar capacity will reach 12,000 MW in 2031. The ‘high’ scenario (based on the end of the era of cheap energy) foresees 18,000 MW of capacity. That’s a lot of moola in equipment supply and the solar industry until now has been able to see it as theirs, all theirs. Now it may not be. Keith Orchison, director of consultancy Coolibah Pty Ltd and editor of Po
Keith Orchison I suspect the solar power boosters were so busy cheering in late May that they failed to notice the soft noise of a door being opened behind them. The publication of an Australian Energy Market Operator report on the growth of rooftop solar power on the east coast and on potential for photovoltaic capacity to increase four-fold this decade elated the sector and its supporters. The report, they said, shows that rooftop solar PV can be an energy game-changer in Australia. However, this overlooks the potential for a rival to nip in and eat solar’s lunch – something stymied at present because Labor federal, state and ACT governments have preferred to cosy up to the Greens by keeping feed-in tariff arrangements a closed shop. At roughly the same time that AEMO was reporting that solar PV installed capacity, now standing at 1,450 MW and delivering 0.6 per cent of east coast electricity consumption, could rise to 5,100 MW by 2020, the Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission was recommending to the Baillieu government that it consider amending the state’s feed-in tariff scheme inherited from Steve Bracks and John Brumby. VCEC suggests the government open the scheme to offering a subsidy for any low-emission generation of 100 kilowatts or less. This is great news for one Victorian-based company, Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited, which until now has had far more success winning support in Germany and Britain for its gas-fired fuel cell system than in Australia – where the renewable supporters have regarded FiTs as their private preserve. Ceramic Fuel Cells has, in effect, received support from the Commission for its argument that householders, small businesses and community groups should have a wider choice. And naturally it sees that choice extending to its product, BlueGen, which it claims can deliver 13,000 gigawatt hours of power a year (double average national household demand) regardless of weather or time plus 200 litres of hot water a day and a far larger abatement achievement than PVs. VCEC is using the same argument to support its recommendation to the Baillieu government that it put forward in a report on Victoria’s manufacturing sector: selective assistance that lowers the costs of a particular firm or industry may improve its competitiveness at the expense of other sectors. The Commission adds: “Industry assistance through regulated tariffs and discriminatory eligibility criteria may not be the most appropriate way to support the establishment of a sustainable industry, especially when (in the case of the solar PV industry) it is already reasonably well-established.” The attraction for policymakers in going down this road, especially in regions where gas is available (and its reticulation now is pretty widespread), is that a larger take-up of distributed generation can cut power generation combustion losses (which are high for coal-fired output) and line losses. Most impor
http://www.climatespectator.com.au/commentary/door-opens-solar-rival
Did a little research on CFU latest developments, and came across a blog comparing Ceres to CFU. Basically CFU units are 60 percent efficient, compared to apx 35 percent for Ceres from one source of info, and another stated the company would not respond at all for any figures, which says it all! It's been so quiet here, I thought I'd give all invested this to chew on. How cool would it be for the Japanese to ditch their nuclear power stations and build large versions of CFU units instead!
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/in-the-black/quality-stocks-key-to-value-holding-over-long-term/story-e6frfinf-1226362764735 ONE of the bizarre features of feed-in electricity tariffs in Victoria is their availability for solar panels but not on high efficiency, gas-fed power generators such as those made by the locally listed Ceramic Fuel Cells (CFU). When you factor in transmission losses and the significant benefits of distributed power generation, fuel cells can produce well under half of the emissions of standard electricity generators plus free hot water 24/7. The Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission has now recommended that the feed-in tariffs be extended to generators such as the CFU-made BlueGen unit, leading to an 8.24 per cent share spike yesterday. Similar feed-in tariffs are already available in Germany and the UK, really CFU's home market since it moved manufacturing to Germany. A speculative buy for the true believers, once the current price spike is out of the way.
Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited : Victorian Government review supports feed in tariffs for fuel cells 05/20/2012 | 08:57pm Market Announcement http://www.4-traders.com/CERAMIC-FUEL-CELLS-LIMITE-10353847/news/Ceramic-Fuel-Cells-Limited-Victorian-Government-review-supports-feed-in-tariffs-for-fuel-cells-14336713/ Monday 21 May 2012 Victorian Government review supports feed in tariffs for fuel cells Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) - a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation products for homes and other buildings - is pleased to announce that the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) has recommended that feed in tariffs be extended to include small scale low emissions generators like fuel cells. The draft report by VCEC, released on Friday 18 May, recommends that Victoria's solar PV feed in tariff be broadened to include all low-emissions and renewable technologies, with a requirement that electricity retailers must offer a wholesale price based feed in tariff for distributed generation of 100 kilowatts or less. Feed-in tariffs are payments to distributed generators for electricity generated at their premises and fed back into the power grid. VCEC recommends that the feed in tariff be based on the wholesale price for electricity. A report commissioned by VCEC notes that this value varies depending on time, location, and the type of generation technology. The report estimates that currently this value is approximately seven cents per kilowatt hour. Ceramic Fuel Cells' BlueGen gas to electricity generator would be eligible for this feed in tariff, making Victoria the first State in Australia to provide a feed in tariff for fuel cells. BlueGen customers already receive feed in tariffs in Germany and the United Kingdom. The VCEC draft report adopts several recommendations made by Ceramic Fuel Cells in our submission and consultation with VCEC, including:
http://www.utilityproducts.com/news/2012/05/10/ceramic-fuel-cells-limited-1m-hours-of-operation.html RNS Number : 0344D Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited 10 May 2012 Thursday 10 May 2012 Ceramic Fuel Cells' products achieve 1 million hours of operation Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) - a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation products for homes and other buildings - is pleased to announce that its products have achieved a combined one million hours of operation. Ceramic Fuel Cells' first field trial units were operated in Australia, New Zealand and Germany from early 2006. In 2007 the company developed its high efficiency Gennex fuel cell module, which is the core of the Company's BlueGen product (first installed with customers in 2010) and integrated mCHP products (developed with appliance partners in Germany, France and the United Kingdom). Up to 1 May 2012, a total of 189 units have been operated at Ceramic Fuel Cells' facilities in Melbourne and Germany, as well as at customer sites in nine countries. Cumulative operation from all of these systems has now passed one million hours. The company's products 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. Surplus electricity can be sold back to the grid or used in supplementary applications such as charging electric cars. Our products have the highest electrical efficiency of any small scale generating technology in the world, reducing energy bills and cutting carbon emissions. The company currently has an order book of 619 units made up of 264 integrated mCHP products and 355 BlueGen(R) products. The number of units installed and operating at customer sites has increased significantly in recent months and is now up to 199. (This number is updated and reported on www.bluegen.net .) Ceramic Fuel Cells Managing Director Brendan Dow said milestones such as one million hours of operation are important. "These units are not just operating in our labs, but at many customer sites in nine countries around the world," he said. "We continue to optimise the lifetime and reliability of our products, offering customers a real alternative to energy generation, saving them money and dramatically reducing their carbon emissions." Brendan Dow discusses the Company's current activities in a webcast interview with BRR Media, available at http://www.cfcl.com.au/webcasts . ** BlueGen recently featured on Australian Channel 7's Today Tonight program - http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/latest/article/-/13501222/power-saving-breakthrough/ Copyright 2012 London Stock Exchange All Rights Reserved
Ceramic Fuels (CFU) announced that its BlueGen gas-to-electricity units have continued to generate strong interest in the German market. Under the Climate Plus Saar programme, the state government will pay 30% of the total cost of BlueGen units, including installation, for up to 10 BlueGen units installed in the German state of Saarland. This subsidy from the Saarland state government will be in addition to the subsidy from the German federal government, of €1,800 (c. £1,450) per unit, and the existing feed-in tariff regime, under which BlueGen customers are paid for excess electricity generated by BlueGen, which is exported to the local electricity grid. The BlueGen product uses ceramic fuel cells to turn natural gas into electricity and heat for hot water for homes, schools, offices and small commercial buildings. Surplus electricity can be sold back to the grid or used in supplementary applications such as charging electric cars.
Continued Progress in Germany · Subsidy for early BlueGen units in the State of Saarland · BlueGen Unit in German Virtual Power Plant project · BlueGen features at Hannover Fair Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (AIM / ASX: CFU) - a leading developer of high efficiency and low emission electricity generation products for homes and other buildings - is pleased to announce that its BlueGen gas-to-electricity units continue to generate strong interest in the German market.
http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=201205080700528259C
Thanks for the reply.Yes CFU looks better short term as CWR will not roll out until 2016.I bought CWR instead ofCFU but maybe we should both hold both & it is possible one will takeover the other lol.GL.
yes, did a bit of research ages ago and decided that CFU was further ahead. Also, if I remember right I don't think Ceres was as flexible a boiler unit in that you had to have heating on in order to have hot water, may not have got that quite right as it was a while ago but the CFu was the better one. Having said that in terms of share price I bet I've chosen the wrong one !!!