January 5, 2008 Millennium Cell Inc. and Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies have announced the completion of a pre-production version of the HydroPak portable power generator that incorporates a unique water-activated cartridge system. The HydroPak product combines Horizon’s fuel cells with Millennium Cell’s Hydrogen on Demand storage technology to offer a clean and quiet power generator for use by consumers and professionals for emergency and recreational purposes.
The HydroPak is designed to appeal to both professionals responding to emergencies, as well as consumers desiring power for both backup and recreational needs by including a common AC outlet and two USB connectors to charge or operate low power devices such as portable lights, notebook computers, portable televisions and ad hoc communications networks for more than 14 continuous hours when needed. The unit is a high-energy power source alternative to lead acid battery packs and portable generators and, together with each cartridge, the HydroPak system provides infinite shelf life and enough energy to recharge an average notebook computer 8 to 10 times. It can run indoors with quiet operation and zero harmful emissions, stores more energy than possible with batteries and boasts a lower cost than any similar fuel cell device.
The HydroPak will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Jan. 7-10 and will also be shown to the U.S. military at the Tactical Power Sources Summit 2008 at the Georgetown University Conference Center in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 29-30. Beginning in February 2008, Horizon and Millennium Cell plan to demonstrate and sample limited numbers of the current pre-production unit to OEM’s, distributors, and key military decision makers. The current design of the unit is in the process of evaluation by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and it is expected that listing will be received by mid 2008. Subsequently several thousand units will be manufactured by Horizon for sale in the second half of 2008 with Millennium Cell having sole responsibility for all sales of the HydroPak power generation system in the United States.
Additional products have also been identified for development and are expected to be shipped to commercial and government customers for evaluation in 2008 and 2009. A HydroPak Mini product prototype for use in consumer devices such as mobile phones, PDA’s and portable media players will also be demonstrated for the first time at the conferences in January. The objective of showing this unit is to gauge interest for a less expensive, smaller power source with unlimited shelf life and silent power for smaller portable communications and electronics devices.
The planned retail pricing for the HydroPak is USD$400 for the system and $20 for the disposable cartridges.
For further info visit Millennium Cell and Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies.
