Ballard to Ship Almost 3,000 Fuel Cells

Ballard Power Systems (Vancouver, British Columbia) signed an agreement valued at $22 Million with General Hydrogen Corp. (Cincinnati) to supply 2,900 Mark 9 fuel cells. These fuel cells will be integrated into General Hydrogen products that are being sold to customers converting from conventional lead-acid batteries in their material handling fleets. Under the agreement, Ballard expects to ship fuel cells ranging in size from 4 to 20 kilowatts, with roughly one-quarter of these units to ship in 2007, and the balance to ship in 2008. In 2006, through September 30, Ballard has shipped 100 Mark 9 fuel cells.

With this agreement, Ballard has exceeded its corporate goal of shipping or booking 300 Mark 9 units in 2006.

"General Hydrogen is a key leader in commercializing fuel cells in the material handling equipment market," said Noordin Nanji, Ballard's chief customer officer. "The Mark 9 product has been performing exceptionally well in fuel cell-powered forklifts."