Protonex pulls in $2M more for Army fuel cell program

By Rodney H. Brown

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Fuel cell company Protonex Technology Corp. has received a $2 million follow-on contract from the U.S. Army to make Protonex’ solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power systems more rugged and robust to meet the Army’s needs.

Under the year-long contract, Southborough-based Protonex will focus on system integration and testing of its SOFC fuel cells operating on high-performance liquid fuels, to help the Army develop a fully integrated liquid fuel generator system.

According to Protonex (LON: PTX) officials, using small SOFC systems based on commercially available liquid fuels — including alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel — will provide the military with lightweight, extremely quiet and fuel efficient power systems that can be used as auxiliary power units, portable generators or field battery chargers.

Last week Protonex reported it had received a $599,000 contract with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to develop fuel cell power systems for aerial drones. Under that contract, the company will create high-power generating units to power small unmanned aerial vehicles using the company’s proton exchange membrane technology. The goal is to create a hydrogen fuel cell that can produce about 1.5 kilovolts of power output in a much smaller generating unit.

Also last week Protonex announced that it is working with Cummins Onan to develop fuel-cell power systems for recreational vehicles. Protonex will test its M250-B fuel cell power system, and Cummins Onan will provide marketing assistance at trade shows and become certified installers of Protonex fuel cells for RVs.

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