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DuPont and SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG Develop First Portable Power System for U.S. Army

Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics News 

June 25, 2008

thomas

Lightweight M-25 Fuel Cell Supplies Reliable Power

WILMINGTON, Del. and BRUNNTHAL, Germany, June 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
— DuPont (NYSE: DD) and SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG (SFC) today announced that
the M-25 portable fuel cell, which combines DuPont’s direct methanol
technology with SFC’s commercially proven fuel cell systems, products, and
integration expertise, has been deployed for its first limited use in the
field for the U.S. Army.

“DuPont is very pleased to collaborate with SFC on achieving this
milestone,” said Cynthia C. Green, vice president and general manager —
DuPont Fluoroproducts. “Our fuel cell technology represents a major
breakthrough in portability that will benefit soldiers through significant
weight reduction, while providing a prolonged source of power.”

When worn by soldiers in the field for extended missions, the M-25 is
up to 80 percent lighter than conventional power sources, yet is capable of
powering a wide range of soldier equipment, such as digital communication
and navigation equipment. In addition to its light weight, the M-25
delivers quiet and continuous energy, and offers independent standalone
functions such as remote area battery charging and power.

“The M-25 has the capability to revolutionize wearable portable power
sources in the field by extending soldier-mission times to 72 hours and
beyond,” said Col. Richard Hansen, project manager, Soldier Warrior, U.S.
Army. “We want our soldiers in the field to have the best equipment with
the least weight to carry, and their gear must be powered reliably on
missions. The M-25 is progressing well toward helping us realize this
goal.”

The field use of the M-25 fuel cell is part of the Office of the
Secretary of Defense’s Defense Acquisition Challenge Program (DACP), which
was established to provide opportunities for the increased introduction of
innovative and cost-saving technologies, products, or processes into
existing Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition programs. DuPont and SFC
were selected for this program in November 2005, and since then, DuPont and
SFC fuel cells have successfully passed several important milestones.
DuPont maintains a minority investment in SFC.

“We are extremely proud that this collaboration between DuPont and SFC
has brought the M-25 to market within two years,” said Dr. Peter Podesser,
chief executive officer — SFC Smart Fuel Cell. “Our combined expertise has
enabled us to meet DACP’s goals of introducing new technologies to DOD
acquisition programs, while adapting some of the latest alternative-energy
technologies to the Army’s needs.”

SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG is a market leader in fuel cell technologies for
mobile and off-grid power applications serving the leisure, industrial and
defense markets. SFC is the first and only provider of fully commercialized
fuel cell products, and has sold more than 9,000 fuel cells into a wide
range of consumer and industrial applications.

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.

SOURCE DuPont

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