Ohio Governor Bob Taft recently announced that more than $6 million in grants have been awarded to seven Ohio companies and research collaborations to assist in the commercialization and adaptation of fuel cell technologies through the Third Frontier Fuel Cell Program (TFFCP). The Third Frontier Commission approved the grants following a review and scoring by Teratec Corp., an independent evaluating organization.

Created in 2002, the TFFCP is a $103 million program that aims to spur job creation in Ohio while positioning the state as a national leader in the growing fuel cell industry. The initiative is an integral part of Ohio’s Third Frontier Project, a $1.6 billion high-tech research program designed to create jobs and bring new products to market.

To date, more than $49 million in TFFCP funds have been awarded to projects across the state. Last May, the Governor extended the initiative for three more years and the Third Frontier Commission allocated $1.6 million in operating funds to create Ohio’s Wright Center of Innovation for fuel cells.

The 2006 TFFCP award recipients, projects and collaborators include: HydroGen Corp. (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County) was awarded $1,000,000 for its Development of Ohio-Based Mass Manufacturing of Air-Cooled Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells project in which it will develop and utilize computer simulation models to optimize decisions and resource allocations for an accelerated manufacturing facility for multi-megawatt fuel cell systems.

The facility, to be located in Ohio, will produce 400-kilowatt air-cooled phosphoric acid fuel cell modules. Total capacity planned for the facility is 25 megawatts per year, and will be expandable to 100 megawatts per year production. HydroGen’s employment is expected to grow to more than 200 by 2008 and more than 300 by 2010. Collaborators on this project include Edison Materials Technology Center and Storm Software, Inc.

SOFCo-EFS Holdings LLC (Alliance, Stark County) was awarded $999,841 for its Advanced Components for Commercially Competitive Solid Oxide Fuel Cells project, which is designed to integrate SOFCo’s technology with the megawatt-scale power system being developed by Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems. SOFCo will characterize the materials presently used in the Rolls-Royce system and benchmark performance against materials developed by SOFCo.

SOFCo will then adapt the materials to develop higher performance and lower cost cells based on the Rolls-Royce design. Successful integration of the technologies of SOFCo and Rolls-Royce has the potential to lead to rapid market introduction of large fuel cell units for power generation. Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems is the only collaborator on this project.

Edison Materials Technology Center (Dayton, Montgomery County) was awarded $1,000,000 for its Design for Manufacturability of TMI’s SOFC System project, which will develop Technology Management, Inc.’s (TMI) small-scale solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) platform into a complete auxiliary power unit (APU) for use in over-the-road heavy trucks.

Use of an APU to supply the electrical needs of today’s heavy trucks will improve engine efficiency and allow the engine to be turned off when the truck is not moving, significantly reducing vehicle emissions and fuel consumption. Sales are expected to be in the range of $10 million to $31 million by 2011 and could lead to the creation of 65 to 200 jobs. Collaborators on this project include Technology Management, Inc.; Ricardo, Inc.; Precision Energy & Technology; Remy International; and W.W. Williams.

OnPower, Inc. (Lebanon, Warren County) was awarded $919,892 for its 1 MW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell System Package Development, Integration & Prototyping project, in which OnPower will assemble 1-megawatt (MW) fuel cell products using Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems solid oxide fuel cell technology. The package will be assembled in 250 kW and 1 MW systems.

The project will also develop the designs required to show the feasibility of the ultimate “packaging” (manufacturing) facility, and develop the requirements for that facility. OnPower anticipates the creation of 134 new jobs in Ohio by 2011, both direct and supply chain employment, as a result of this project. Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems is the only collaborator on this project.

Pemery Corp. (Painesville, Lake County) was awarded $775,300 for its Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells for Munitions project, in which Pemery and its collaborators will design, build and test a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cell-based power source for the U.S. Army’s latest generation “smart munitions” fuze, the Precision Guidance Kit (PGK).

The PGK fuze requires at least 8-watts of power and the power source must offer a shelf life of 20 years or more, operate over a wide range of temperatures, and survive gun muzzle velocities and forces. Current battery technologies cannot meet these stringent specifications. Sales are projected to reach $50 million per year by 2010, and could lead to the creation of up to 400 manufacturing jobs. Collaborators on this project include Edison Materials Technology Center; IMAX Industries, Inc.; Alliant TechSystems, Inc.; KDI Precision Products, Inc.; and the U.S. Army.

Catacel Corp. (Garretsville, Portage County) was awarded $751,719 for its Low Cost, High Temperature Heat Exchanger and Reactor Platform for Fuel Cell Applications project, in which Catacel will prepare for market entry of a heat exchanger module capable of operating at 950 degrees Celsius and suitable for use with solid oxide fuel cells.

Catacel will evaluate two methods of sealing the assembly, produce prototypes for internal testing, conduct performance validation by potential customers, develop software to evaluate heat exchanger performance, and design and specify initial manufacturing equipment. Revenues are expected to reach $10 million by 2010 and lead to the creation of 63 new jobs. Collaborators on this project include Patriot Engineering; Creative Processing; and Edison Materials Technology Center.

NexTech Materials, Ltd. (Lewis Center, Delaware County) was awarded $999,927 for its High Efficiency Military Purpose Fuel Cells project, in which NexTech will design, manufacture, and test “short stack” solid oxide fuel cells with an output of 500 watts each. NexTech also plans to estimate the capital cost of a pilot-scale and full-scale manufacturing facility.

The initial market is targeted at mobile military, particularly for the U.S. Air Force. Other markets include premium assured (wireless communications) and commercial stationary backup power. By 2011, NexTech projects demonstration contracts of $12 million with a corporate employment of 75. Collaborators on this project include Plug Power and Case Western Reserve University.