Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Protonex wins Army fuel cell deal

By Mass High Tech staff

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Protonex Technology Corp. reports it has landed a contract worth a potential $1 million to develop fuel cells for the U.S. Army.

The Marlborough-based fuel cell company was awarded the deal from the University of South Carolina Research Foundation and WinTec Arrowmaker Inc., a Fort Washington, Md.-based defense engineering firm. Under the deal, Protonex (LON: PTX) will continue to build and test liquid-fueled, solid oxide fuel cell power systems for the Army. Protonex said it plans to increase the fuel cells’ energy output, reliability and life span.

The solid oxide fuel cells are intended to give the Army lightweight, quiet and fuel efficient power systems that can be used as auxiliary power units, portable generators or field battery chargers, according to Protonex. 

In September, Protonex brought in two contracts to develop fuel cells for the military. The company received a $2 million follow-on contract from the Army to make solid oxide fuel cell power systems more rugged and robust to meet the Army’s needs.  Protonex also landed a $600,000 contract with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to develop fuel cell power systems for aerial drones.