Ballard and Anglo American Unveil 150kW Fuel Cell System Demonstration at COP17 Conference
VANCOUVER - Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) announced that a 150 kilowatt (kW) fuel cell system supplied by Dantherm Power, Ballard's backup power company, to Anglo American Platinum Limited (www.angloamericanplatinum.com) has been deployed near The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a high-level summit on climate change being held in Durban, South Africa (http://www.cop17-cmp7durban.com/). Sale of the system was announced in October.
Neville Nicolau, CEO of Anglo American Platinum Limited said, "This demonstration highlights the importance of fuel cells to our business. Fuel cell power systems in commercial production can increase the energy efficiency of our mining operations, make efficient use of by-product hydrogen in South Africa and provide growth in global platinum demand. Fuel cells further highlight the green credentials of platinum - in this case as an enabler of energy efficiency."
The zero-emission fuel cell system is demonstrating clean energy production during COP17, which runs from November 28 to December 9, by supplying power to the local electricity grid. Following COP17 Anglo American Platinum plans to redeploy the system to provide power at one of its mining operations in South Africa.
"With approximately 20,000 delegates participating in the Conference, this deployment is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of fuel cell backup power systems and raise awareness of the readiness of fuel cell technology for a range of new vertical market applications, including mining," said John Sheridan, Ballard's President and CEO.
During COP17, fuel for the system is being provided by Air Products South Africa (Pty) Limited, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Air Products and Chemicals Inc. which operates an extensive hydrogen pipeline network around the globe and is investing in development of commercial hydrogen production in South Africa. Some of the hydrogen generated by Air Products in South Africa and elsewhere is a by-product of industrial chlor-alkali production, which enhances the cost-effectiveness of power produced by fuel cell systems.
About Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems (TSX: BLD) (NASDAQ: BLDP) provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications. Products are based on proprietary esencia(TM) technology, ensuring incomparable performance, durability and versatility. To learn more about Ballard, please visit www.ballard.com.
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Ballard Power Systems Inc.
