ExxonMobil partners with Ben Gurion U on hydrogen fuel

Israeli start-up Engineuity also develops hydrogen fuel cells.

ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), QuestAir Technologies Inc., Plug Power Inc. (Nasdaq:PLUG) and Ben Gurion University of the Negev are collaborating to commercialize an on-vehicle hydrogen production system for use in a fuel cell-powered lift truck application.

Plug Power will seek to commercialize unique technologies developed by ExxonMobil, QuestAir Technologies, and Ben Gurion University that take liquid fuels - gasoline, diesel, ethanol or biodiesel - and convert them into hydrogen onboard the vehicle where it will be used in a fuel cell power train.

BG Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd., Ben Gurion University's technology transfer company is responsible for the university's share in the program. The university is represented by the Blechner Center and Prof. Moti Hershkowitz. The university and its partners have been developing the individual components that make up the on-vehicle hydrogen fuel system. Sulfur is controlled by an ExxonMobil proprietary S-Trap developed in conjunction with the university. Plug Power will be responsible for integrating the fuel system with its GenDrive fuel cell power system for lift truck applications.

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering VP R&D Dr. Emil Jacobs said. "By developing a system that converts liquid hydrocarbons into hydrogen directly on a vehicle without the need for storage, we hope to demonstrate significant infrastructure, logistics, and cost advantages compared to other hydrogen vehicle systems, all while reducing the impact on the environment. There is a long road ahead before this technology could be deployed on a mass scale in passenger vehicles, but it has the potential to be up to 80% more fuel efficient than today's internal combustion engine technologies and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 45%. The use of this technology in a practical, commercial setting such as in a lift truck application is an important early step in demonstrating the potential benefits this technology may hold in the long-term.”

Most prototype hydrogen vehicles on the road today are powered by highly-compressed or liquefied hydrogen that is delivered to distribution points and then stored at high pressures on-board the vehicle. For these vehicles to be widely adopted a significant hydrogen generation and delivery infrastructure must be developed. As the ExxonMobil system uses conventional fuels and produces hydrogen on demand, no such infrastructure or on-board storage would be necessary.

An interesting competitor to this project is Israeli start-up Enginuity Ltd., which is developing technology to produce hydrogen on board the vehicle as needed, utilizing a modified internal combustion engine with a zero emission solution.

Like ExxonMobile, Engineuity also claims that its technology overcomes the obstacles facing hydrogen fuel cells: safety, transport, installation, and storage because the hydrogen is produced on board and consumed immediately. It also says that refueling with the technology is no more frequent than at present for regular vehicles. The converted engine can use existing manufacturing infrastructure, eliminating the need to develop a whole new infrastructure.

The main difference between Engineuity and ExxonMobile's proposed systems is that Engineuity's technology does not need to use oil reserves to make fuel.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 19, 2007

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007

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