20 Feb 2007 07:00
Embargoed Release: 07:00hrs Tuesday 20th February 2007
Zenergy Power plc (`Zenergy' or the `Group') Core Patent
Zenergy Power plc (AIM:ZEN.L), the specialist developer and manufacturer of commercial applications for superconductive materials, is pleased to announce that it has received Notice of Allowance from the US Patent Office for the issuance of its core patent surrounding the production of an industrial-scale surge protector designed to protect electrical grid equipment from the damaging effects of power surges. Developed over a number of years and in conjunction with several utility companies, the Group employs high-temperature superconductors ('HTS') in a compact and lightweight product that is capable of safely absorbing the huge levels of energy associated with electrical power surges. The Group's innovative product thus has the potential to prevent blackouts and eliminate costly equipment damage to national grids.
Global demand for these surge protectors, known as Fault Current Limiters (`FCL'), from national utility companies and local power grid operators has grown significantly in recent years as electrical grids and infrastructures have become progressively more compromised as a result of their inability to manage the effects of an increase in power surges. This has led to frequent incidences of blackouts and soaring liability claims against utility companies for resulting losses and damage.
In response to direct approaches from utility companies, Zenergy has applied its expertise in HTS materials and applications to successfully develop a unique FCL solution, which is the subject of this patent. The innovation utilises a mix of proprietary designs, materials and cryogenics expertise to yield an enhanced FCL product that benefits from the inherent superconductive properties of the Group's HTS materials and their ability to deliver 100 times the power density of copper wires. As a result, the Group's FCL is significantly lighter and more compact than any existing solution. Moreover, the design of the FCL incorporates, at the request of the utility companies, a number of features which distinguishes it from other available solutions. In particular, it is capable of instantaneously reacting to power grid instabilities and resetting itself automatically thereafter with virtually no time-lag. The FCL is wholly non-invasive to the power grid and can be integrated without any complex installation requirements. As a consequence, it is able to provide a simple, continuous, reliable and low maintenance power grid solution.
The power blackouts experienced in New York in August 2003 demonstrated that the persistent and long-term increase in demand for power quantity, quality and reliability is putting an increasing strain on underinvested and limited power grid infrastructures. Driven by growing populations, urban migration and rising levels of power consumption, power surges and blackouts, are evidence of the escalating capacity challenge faced by utility companies and are of central concern when considering future infrastructure investments. It is for these reasons that in researching and developing the FCL, the Group has worked very closely with a number of US utility companies and its US subsidiary is currently negotiating with two US-based utilities for the installation of large scale versions of the Group's FCL. The Board views the grant of this core patent by the US Patent Office as a significant development in exploiting the commercial value of the Group's HTS expertise and applications and that is provides the Group the necessary protection of its technology in what it views as being a key and near-term market.
Michael Fitzgerald, Non-Executive Chairman, commented:
'Having worked so closely with our end-users in the development of this product we have a unique understanding of the severity of the problem faced by our customers in maintaining the integrity of electrical grid infrastructures in the face of escalating power demands. For utility companies the challenge of energy efficiency is not simply limited to production and distribution but encompasses the escalating need for the reduction of costly wastage. As incidences of power surges and blackouts increase across electricity grids, the level of energy wastage continues to grow. Our FCL is capable of eliminating a great proportion of this annual wastage and can play a key role in the delivery of increased energy efficiency.
I would like to thank the utility companies who afforded us the opportunity to work so closely with them in developing a device that we believe offers a huge step towards eliminating the disruptive impact of power surges and blackouts. The potential global market for our groundbreaking product is worth billions of dollars and reaching this point in the patent process gives us great confidence in our ability to successfully address that market.'
-Ends- www.zenergypower.com www.australiansc.com / www.scpowersystems.com / www.trithor.com For further information:Dr. Jens Mƒ¼ller Zenergy Power Plc + 49 22 26 90 60 200 Andrew Tan Hansard Group + 44 207 245 1100 www.hansardgroup.co.uk About Zenergy Group plc
Zenergy Power plc is a global specialist manufacturer and developer of commercial applications for superconductive materials. Comprising three operating subsidiaries located in Germany (Trithor), USA (SC Power Systems) and Australia (Australian Superconductors), the Group is developing a number of energy efficient applications to be adopted in renewable energy power generation, energy distribution and large scale, energy intensive industrial processes.
Superconductive materials are capable of conducting electricity without resistance below a certain temperature and were first discovered in 1911 in what was to prove to be one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century.
The global HTS market is substantial and growing, with a number of market studies projecting multi-billion dollar markets for the application of HTS materials and products. The proliferation of the use of superconductor materials is largely being driven the following key factors:
* HTS materials are highly complementary to energy efficient technologies as a substitute for copper; * HTS technology is set to play a key role in the reduction of CO2 emissions in line with international targets; * HTS wires have power densities of over 100X that of copper; * HTS materials deliver exceptional energy efficiencies and thus reduced consumption levels and running costs; * HTS applications are capable of delivering vastly increased levels of power with increased reliability and reduced material usage; and * Over the next few years advancements in production techniques are set to make HTS materials cheaper than copper.
ZENERGY POWER PLC