Ballard Ships 250-Kilowatt Stationary Fuel Cell Power Generator

Vancouver, BC -- Ballard Power Systems has announced that its subsidiary Ballard Generation Systems (BGS) shipped its fifth 250-kilowatt stationary fuel cell power generator for field testing through its associated company EBARA BALLARD to EBARA Corporation for use at the Nishimachi Sewage Treatment Centre in Tomakomai, Japan.

"This will be the first use of waste gas from an anaerobic digestor as fuel in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system," said Jim Kirsch, President of Ballard Generation Systems. "Anaerobic digestor gas (ADG) contains methane that will be processed using the reforming technology used in Ballard's natural gas-fuelled 250-kilowatt field trial units."

BGS is preparing an additional four 250-kilowatt units for shipment to customers' field trial locations in 2001 and early 2002.

EBARA BALLARD is a jointly held company of EBARA Corporation of Japan and Ballard Generation Systems with a mandate to supply Ballard Generation Systems fuel cell power generators incorporating the BALLARD(R) fuel cell to customers in Japan.

EBARA Corporation is globally recognized as a major developer, manufacturer and distributor of fluid machinery and systems, precision machinery and environmental engineering systems and as a leader in zero-emission energy technology.