Comunicato stampa

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. and Brunnthal/Munich, Germany  – Oct. 6, 2008 – SFC Energy AG with its U.S. partners DuPont and Capitol Connections LLC today announced that two of their portable fuel cell systems integrating different technologies won first and third prizes in the U.S. Defense Department’s Wearable Power Competition.

In a team effort with DuPont, the new groundbreaking SFC electrical power system, the M-25 Portable Fuel Cell, won the $1 million first prize. The company’s JENNY fuel cell, entered by SFC and its partner Capitol Connections LLC of Middleburg, Va., won $250,000 for third prize in the competition. In both systems, the hybrid battery was still fully charged, with substantial amounts of fuel left in the cartridge at the end of the demanding 96-hour test protocol.

The two SFC fuel cells competed with nearly 170 entries in the inaugural Wearable Power Competition. The Department of Defense Research and Engineering established the Wearable Power Competition in 2007 to encourage innovation in energy systems carried by personnel during field missions. Attached to a standard military vest, the systems were required to provide 20W of average electric power for 96 hours, meet brief peak-power demand of up to 200W and weigh no more than 4 kg (8.8 pounds), or less than half a battery-powered system.
The M-25, which combines DuPont’s direct methanol technology with SFC’s commercially proven fuel cell systems, products, and integration expertise, was deployed for limited use in the field for the U.S. Army earlier this year. SFC’s JENNY systems are in operation or field tests at numerous NATO defense organizations. Both systems include a fuel cell, a fuel cartridge, a rechargeable Li-ion battery and a DC/DC converter.

They can power a wide range of equipment, such as GPS navigation devices, communications equipment, computers, sensors, C4ISR gear, robots and UAVs. Weighing up to 80 percent less than conventional power sources, they also offer unparalleled high-energy density, safe and easy handling and considerably reduced logistics costs compared to previous power-supply systems.

“We are extremely proud that our partnerships with DuPont and Capitol Connections have won two top prizes in this rigorous Department of Defense competition to encourage innovation in wearable power systems,” said Dr. Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy. “Fuel cells are the portable and off-grid power sources of the future, and SFC has established its leadership in providing systems that meet a wide range of defense, industrial and consumer applications.”

SFC, the first and only provider of fully commercialized fuel cell products, has sold more than 10,000 fuel cells worldwide.

“DuPont, in collaboration with SFC, is thrilled to have won the competition, and work with the Department of Defense to address the need for lightweight, long endurance power system for soldiers,” said Mark S. Baunchalk, DuPont Fluoroproducts – Fuel Cells Business Leader.  “We greatly appreciate the strong collaboration with SFC and it was an honor to compete with the other teams showcasing our fuel cell technology that represents a major breakthrough in portability, weight reduction and prolonged power output.”

“Our partnership with Energy has provided the U.S. Air Force with leading fuel cell technology in the SFC Power Manager,” said James Stephens, President of Capitol Connections. “The success of the JENNY 600S in this competition underscores this technology’s ability to meet a range defense needs, and we are very proud to contribute to the safety and effectiveness of the U.S. armed forces.”

The winners were announced Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., where bench and field tests beginning Sept. 28 determined the best-performing systems from among 20 semi-finalists.

About SFC Energy AG
SFC Energy AG is market leader in fuel cell technologies for mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial and defense markets.  As one of Germany’s technology pioneers, SFC has won numerous innovation awards.  SFC has alliances with leading companies in a wide range of industries.  Unlike most other fuel cell manufacturers, who are in the research and development phase or run subsidized demonstration projects, SFC has shipped fully commercial products to industrial and private end users for more than four years, and has created a convenient fuel cartridge supply infrastructure. SFC is DIN ISO 9001:2000 certified. SFC is based in Brunnthal, Germany, and has a U.S. sales and technical service office in Atlanta.

About DuPont
DuPont is a science-based products and services company.  Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere.  Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.