Joint Collaboration Agreement

RNS Number:3781P
Acta S.p.A.
05 March 2008


5 March 2008

                                  Acta S.p.A.

         Acta and CMR Fuel Cells announce Joint Collaboration Agreement

Acta SpA ("Acta"), the AIM-listed catalyst developer, today announces that it
has entered into a Joint Collaboration Agreement (the "Agreement") with CMR Fuel
Cells plc ("CMR") to accelerate the launch of Acta's fuel cell catalysts in
portable electronics applications.

Acta manufactures low cost catalysts for a wide range of markets, including
portable power, hydrogen generation for renewable energy, and waste treatment.
In the portable power market, Acta manufactures a unique range of platinum free
catalysts for fuel cells, with trials underway with a number of portable
electronics OEMs. Acta believes that the removal of platinum from fuel cells is
essential to make them commercially affordable for future mass use.

CMR is a leading developer of low cost fuel cell stacks for portable
applications and also has trials underway with a number of OEMs. Alongside CMR's
alkaline membrane fuel cell program, the Company is developing acid membrane
based, first generation products which will enable CMR to build early market
traction in less price sensitive applications and to follow-up with lower cost,
alkaline membrane based products for mass market applications.

The Agreement will initially coordinate the activity of the two companies with
leading technology just as market interest in alkaline membrane fuel cells is
increasing. Acta brings high performance low cost catalysts as well as extensive
expertise in the specific technology of alkaline membrane fuel cells. CMR brings
outstanding stack and system engineering expertise. The Agreement is expected to
lead to further joint development activities in which Acta catalysts would be
engineered into CMR stacks to offer enhanced value and market ready products.
Both companies have complementary commercial contacts and trials ongoing which
would allow for a rapid commercialisation of jointly developed technology.

This agreement is one of a number of agreements being negotiated by Acta in
order to accelerate the commercial development of alkaline membrane fuel cells
and to secure Acta's position as the catalyst supplier of choice. It meets one
of the commercial milestones which Acta have set for the first half of 2008.
Good progress continues with commercial activity across the full range of Acta's
catalyst technologies.

Acta and CMR concluded the agreement at Fuel Cell EXPO in Japan. The two
companies were the only AIM listed companies to have stands at the largest trade
show for fuel cells in the world, with over 450 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors
over three days. Both companies demonstrated their latest catalyst and stack
technologies, generating encouraging customer interest.

Paolo Bert, Chief Executive of Acta, commented:

"Acta and CMR both have outstanding and complementary commercial and technical
capabilities. We are confident that this agreement will allow both companies to
develop and promote the high performance fuel cells that the market wants, at a
price that the consumer will be happy to pay."

John Halfpenny, Chief Executive of CMR Fuel Cells, commented:

"As leaders in our respective fields, this is a major opportunity for us both to
accelerate the development and deployment of the high performance, cost
effective portable fuel cell products that OEMs around the world need."







For further information, please contact:

Acta S.p.A:
Toby Woolrych, Chief Operating Officer            Tel: [phone]

Smithfield Consultants:
George Hudson / Katie Hunt / Will Henderson       Tel: [phone]

Numis:
David Poutney / Jag Mundi / Alex Ham              Tel: [phone]

                                    - Ends -

Acta S.p.A.

Acta develops and manufactures unique patented catalysts which have been
launched initially to the renewable energy,  automotive and portable
electronics/battery markets.

Acta's catalyst range for alkaline membrane fuel cells allows fuel cell
developers to stop using expensive platinum so  that fuel cells can be made
commercially viable for mass adoption, particularly in automotive and portable
electronics  applications.  Adoption of HYPERMEC catalysts greatly reduces the
cost of fuel cells and additionally allows for the  first time the use of a wide
range of safe liquid bio-fuels such as ethanol and glycerol.

Acta's catalysts for ammonia decomposition into hydrogen offer the automotive
industry access to a practical hydrogen  carrier for the first time. The
catalysts extract hydrogen from ammonia at room temperature, allowing ammonia,
one of  the most widely used chemicals in the world, to become a fuel for
automotive use, solving the problem of hydrogen  storage and transportation.

Simple passive alkaline membrane fuel cells can act as a high performance and
environmentally friendly alternative to  lead acid and alkaline batteries at a
commercially acceptable price.

Acta is also developing other commercial opportunities using its catalysts for
waste treatment in the bio-fuel, polymer  and other industries.

CMR Fuel Cells plc

CMR Fuel Cells plc is a UK based developer of high-performance compact fuel cell
stacks for the portable consumer electronics industry. The Company is currently
engaged with a number of consumer electronics OEMs and leading fuel cell system
developers and plans to become a leading supplier of small, low-cost stacks for
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell ('DMFC') power supply systems.

DMFC power systems can deliver longer electrical equipment run-times than
conventional battery solutions as well as delivering other superior performance
features such as instant recharge, which are ideally suited for modern feature
rich, 'always on, always connected' wireless devices.

In 2006, an estimated 1 billion Li-Ion battery packs were sold world-wide to
power portable consumer electronic devices. This number is expected to rise to
an estimated 1.9 billion in the year 2008. The 2006 Frost and Sullivan report
predicted that sales of consumer portable fuel cells could reach over 38 million
units by 2009.

CMR has a broad and growing intellectual property portfolio and experienced and
capable technical, commercial and management teams which, when combined with its
world-class, purpose built facilities, strongly positions it at the forefront of
its high-growth target markets.

Further information

Alkaline Membrane Fuel Cells

Acta has developed a range of platinum free catalysts to be used in a type of
fuel cell called Alkaline Membrane Fuel Cell (AMFC). The extensive use of scarce
and expensive platinum severely restricts the commercial potential for fuel
cells to be used in mass market applications. Acta has been a market leader in
developing not just the catalysts but also systems expertise with AMFC. Acta is
seeing increasing evidence that many leading companies and technical institutes
in the field are now also seeing the commercial potential for AMFC, as evidenced
by recent demonstrations by Daihatsu of AMFC technology.




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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