The flurry of corporate interest in hydrogen fuel cells continued this week with telecommunications giant Sprint announcing that it will use the emerging technology as a means of backing up power for rooftop network sites.
Hydrogen fuel cells work by converting hydrogen gas and oxygen pulled from the air into electricity to power an electric motor. The technology has had a rocky history in the United States: while many of the big automakers have dabbled over the past 40 decades - and President George W. Bush set aside $1.2 billion for hydrogen research during his administration - the more recent focus has been largely on advancing batteries for electric vehicles.
This latest investment is supported with financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE). Although the amount funding for this particular project isn't yet undisclosed (it will be within 60days), in 2009 Sprint got a $7.3 million DoE grant to start introducing fuel cells into its network for back-up uses on its ground-based networks.
"To date, we've deployed approximately 500 hydrogen fuel cells in our network,"said Bob Azzi, chief network officer at Sprint, in a statement about the new plan. "This technology will provide backup power for our network and could extend to other industries as well."
The rooftop sites in question make up probably 30 percent of Sprint's coverage area in some major metropolitan areas. One of the reasons hydrogen fuel cells are interesting to the telco is that they are modular and relatively lightweight, which makes them simpler to install. What's more, they can be refueled from the ground, which means that fuel doesn't have to be hauled up to the roof, as would be the case with a diesel generator.
The first locations could be in place by the end of 2014.
FedEx Express is also the beneficiary of a DoE award for development of hydrogen fuel cells. The $3 million project is actually a collaboration betweenFedEx Express, Smith Electric Vehicles and Plug Power, which is one of the better-known players in this market segment.
The focus is on creating hydrogen fuel cell extenders for 20 electric delivery trucks that are part of the FedEx fleet. Right now, the trucks have a range of only about 80 miles per charge. The converted vehicles will run on lithium-ion batteries combined with a 10-kilowatt Plug Power hydrogen fuel cell system,specifically the GenDrive Series 1000. (An image of the GenDrive appears below.)
Plug Power Inc. is engaged in offering end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem, from production, storage, and delivery to energy generation, to help its customers meet their business goals. The Company develops commercially viable hydrogen and fuel cell product solutions. It provides electrolyzers that allow customers, such as refineries, producers of chemicals, steel, fertilizer and commercial refueling stations, to generate hydrogen on-site. It focuses on industrial mobility applications, including electric forklifts and electric industrial vehicles, at multi-shift high volume manufacturing and high throughput distribution sites and environmental benefits; stationary power systems that supports critical operations, such as data centers, microgrids and generation facilities, in either a backup power or continuous power role and replace batteries, diesel generators or the grid for telecommunication logistics, transportation, and utility customers; and production of hydrogen.
PLUG POWER INC. 
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