Acta Share Discussion Threads

[mattjos] 19/11/2012 18:30

Nokia Siemens Networks, Ballard Power Systems develop fuel cell backup power for mobile networks

[encarter] 19/11/2012 11:07

Just like the Iron-age, history will name the next centuries as the Hydrogen-age and we are in at the start imho. Realistically I'm hoping for £3 a share by 2015.

[duwendag] 19/11/2012 10:33

the 100k was me, Iv been looking at Acta for a while, went through the co accounts and web site last night so I took a small punt this morning hopefully we are at the bottom right now, and the only way is up! its product range is good with exciting applications,

[34simon] 19/11/2012 08:32

Might have a run today after that 100k buy early doors.

[34simon] 16/11/2012 15:10

I'm guessing the 5.95p showing as a sale was a buy ?

[swimhat] 16/11/2012 10:15

Acta have no connection to Altergy, but the news that Fuel Cell back-up or off-grid power was the only power source still going strong after Hurricane Sandy knocked out the power grid is a very significant piece of good news for the fuel cell market because even though on price it is already comparable to other back-up power options now the whole world can see it is the most reliable.

The ACTA connection to back-up telecoms market comes in the form of their electrolyser for producing hydrogen on-site, the only one that can compete on price with bottled gas and is actually cheaper than bottled gas in the Asia markets that Acta are targeting, which is why Heliocentris and SEFCA have signed agreements with Acta to use their tech.

"This installation will represent the first telecoms customer field trial of an integrated fuel cell back-up power system incorporating Acta's unique technology, and is the only system in the world able to offer the same functionality at a comparable price." ............ "On the basis of a five-year Total Cost of Ownership, the system is cheaper than diesel or battery-based alternatives, while incurring none of their environmental disadvantages. In addition, since the hydrogen used to power the fuel cell is generated onsite whenever it is required, the system suffers none of the logistical barriers (delivery of hydrogen or other fuel) often associated with fuel cell back up power units. This is particularly advantageous in remote locations and in markets with high hydrogen costs, such as in Australia and in South East Asia in general."





Sefca recognises the Acta solution as a major breakthrough for us and our customers. It is the quantum improvement "disruptive" technological solution that we have been searching for. Uniquely, it is a solution that offers Sefca the ability to produce high pressure hydrogen on site, is designed to work with the variable power outputs of PV cells, and all at a relatively low cost. Sefca has been monitoring the Fuel Cell and Electrolyser markets closely in search of a product that can solve these issues and we are incredibly excited to distribute Acta Electrolyser. We see it as meeting our needs and providing the hydrogen breakthrough that the market in Australia has been waiting for."

[basti1302] 16/11/2012 09:18

Is Altergy linked to alta? If not, then what is so special about alta's cell tower product if there are allready established competitors with similar products?

[swimhat] 15/11/2012 14:52

Another big tick in the box of fuel cells for back-up power in the telecoms sector ........... makes the SEFCA field trials for producing on-site hydrogen with Acta's electrolyser even more interesting.

"Altergy has been informed by some of its customers that the only wireless cell tower sites that remained up and operating during the power outages that followed hurricane Sandy were those powered by Altergy's Freedom Power fuel cell systems.

Telecom carriers reported that numerous cell tower sites became inoperable due to loss of power, rapid depletion of battery backup power and failure of diesel generators to start. Wireless customers powered by Altergy's Freedom Power Systems were still able to make calls, contact emergency services, etc., during the prolonged outages."

[encarter] 15/11/2012 09:30

So why invest in ACTA?

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in
the universe, yet electrolyser technology –
which produces hydrogen from water –
faces two major barriers: cost, and energy
efficiency. Until now.
More than a hundred years ago aluminium
was one of the most precious materials, only
available to kings and queens. This was until
the late 1880s, when the Hall-Héroult process
was developed to produce it so cheaply that
it became abundant. Today aluminium is
accessible to everyone.

There are currently two conventional methods
of electrolysis (PEM and alkaline), and now Acta
offers a third. It is this third method which has
the potential of doing for hydrogen what the
Hall-Héroult process did for aluminium.
Hydrogen plays a crucial role in the renewable
energy mix, and it is for this reason that
Acta has been focusing on cost-effective and
efficient hydrogen generation, with the clear
goal of bringing this technology to the mass
market. After six years of R&D and acquiring
patents, Acta has refined and developed a
groundbreaking technology with products ready
for commercialisation and mass adoption.
The product range includes Alkaline
Electrolyser Stacks (AES100 to 1000)
for electrolyser manufacturers, as well as
electrolyser units (EL100 to 1000) for systems
integrators and onsite hydrogen production.
The products are compatible and perfectly
suited for applications such as backup power,
energy storage, and light vehicle refuelling.
Simplicity and no noble
metals

Hydrogen production from electrolysis today is
expensive and energy-inefficient. But Acta's AES
technology solves both problems: the use of an
alkaline solid polymeric membrane eliminates the
need to use expensive and rare noble metals on
the electrodes, and enables the safe production of
directly compressed hydrogen without recourse
to post-compression or sophisticated pressure
balancing systems, which add to the complexity
and cost. The system is intrinsically simple, also
saving the power required for the ancillary devices
and for the compressor.
An important feature of the Acta system is
that it strongly assists commercial adoption
since it is not dependent on the supply of highpurity
water, and is very tolerant in relation to
competing technologies.

Off-grid hydrogen
opportunities
The AES stack can be directly connected to an
off-grid intermittent power source, such as solar
panels or a wind generator, to produce clean
hydrogen. At the heart of the AES technology
is a significant intellectual property portfolio
centred on Acta's alkaline membrane-electrode
assembly (MEA) technology, developed through
six years of research.


Acta's AES versus
alkaline and PEM
electrolysers
So how does Acta's AES technology really
compare to conventional electrolyser systems?
The AES stack technology combines the
benefits of a liquid alkaline electrolyser
with those of a PEM membrane electrolyser.
As in the alkaline system there is
no need to use noble and rare metals at the
electrodes, reducing costs and making the
technology feasible on a gigawatt scale for
global commercialisation. But as in a PEM
system, the hydrogen can be safely produced
compressed beyond 30 bar (435 psi), with no
need for caustic electrolyte, powered directly
by intermittent renewable energy.
Acta's alkaline solid polymeric membrane
creates a physical barrier between the
hydrogen and oxygen such that they can
never mix in an explosive ratio – unlike
liquid alkaline electrolysers, where gases will
blend across the porous separator when the
current fluctuates, making them unsuitable
for powering directly from intermittent
renewable energy and for pressures beyond
6–7 bar (90–100 psi). Liquid alkaline
systems are generally used at ambient or
low pressures, and to get higher than 6–7
bar requires post-compression and complex
pressure balancing systems.
Additionally, in Acta's technology there is no
water transport through the membrane, reducing
system complexity and cost, and permitting a
simple, low-cost and efficient system.
In a compressed alkaline liquid electrolyser,
caustic KOH/water solution circulates under
pressure at both electrodes, requiring a complex
gas-water separator, pressurised solution pumps
and circuit, and a KOH trap. The PEM system
is simplified since distilled water is circulated
only at the anode (oxygen) side, which is
kept at ambient pressure. However, water is
transferred to the cathode by the H+ proton as
it crosses the membrane, and thus requires a
water-hydrogen separator, a water recirculation
system, and drying of the hydrogen.
In Acta's AES stack, water is circulated at
ambient pressure at the anode, requiring only
an inexpensive water pump and soft plastic
hosing. In addition, there is no liquid water
transport to the cathode, which therefore
remains dry except for a few ppm of vapour.
Therefore the AES unit produces hydrogen that
is already sufficiently dry and pure for most
applications, and requires only a vapour trap
for laboratory use. This contributes greatly to
the simplification and cost reduction of the
electrolyser system.

Acta systems perform extremely well and at
a low cost in comparison to other hydrogen
technologies. When compared
with low-cost electrolysers, for example, Acta's
EL100 and EL200 units generate the highest
pressure of hydrogen at the lowest cost among
their competitors, and also lead the field
in terms of hydrogen purity at the highest
flow rates. At high volumes of hydrogen, the
company's EL100 and EL500R are leaders in
terms of offering high flow rates at high purity
at very competitive prices.
These strong technical benefits give Acta's
products a distinct commercial edge. Indeed,
a number of applications would not be
commercially viable without Acta's priceperformance
ratio, which underscores the
growing interest from across the industry for
the technology.

The product range
Acta is focusing on its product range including
stacks for electrolyser manufacturers as well
as complete electrolyser devices for systems
integrators and hydrogen end-users.
AES stacks
Acta's AES stacks (AES100, AES200, AES300,
AES500, and AES1000) produce dry, pure and
compressed hydrogen at 30 bar. The hydrogen
purity levels are 99.94% at 30 bar without
a purification system, or 99.999% with the
optional purification system. The stacks can
be used in electrolysers for the distributed
generation of hydrogen in domestic, industrial,
and vehicle applications, combined directly
with intermittent renewable energy. The water
can be supermarket grade, demineralised water,
or even rainwater can be used with the optional
rainwater module for entirely independent offgrid
systems.

EL electrolyser range
Acta's EL generators produce hydrogen on
demand from water, directly compressed,
dry and pure through a patented electrolytic
process. CE-certified, low-cost, safe and highly
efficient, it provides the ideal refill for fuel cell
applications on the market.
The EL water electrolyser demonstrates the
great potential of the AES stack technology and
simplicity of design. Acta EL water electrolysers
can be powered by AC or DC for direct
connection to renewable power sources. The
electrolyser product range includes the EL100,
EL200, EL300, EL500, and EL1000 systems.

Entering the market
As the hydrogen market matures, particularly
for backup power, light vehicle refuelling and
storage, Acta is seeing increasing interest in its
technology.
Light vehicle refuelling
Acta has an agreement with Asia Pacific
Fuel Cell Technologies (APFCT) in Taiwan
to develop and supply hydrogen refuelling
systems for light vehicles. This agreement
is indicative of the opportunities in this
sector, which includes bikes, scooters, and
light four-wheeled vehicles. APFCT plans to
expand its production of fuel cell scooters
rapidly within the global scooter market,
which currently stands at over 50 million
units produced per annum (of which 75%
are sold in China, India, and South East
Asia). While the majority of e-scooters and
e-bikes are currently battery-powered, it is
expected that the numbers of fuel cell bikes
and scooters will grow as their economics
become more compelling.
In addition, Acta's first project was recently
launched between Hawaii-based Aloha
Motor Company – a joint venture by H2
Technologies and APFCT – for the world's
first commercial off-grid solar hydrogen
refuelling station, in Honolulu [see page 7].
The hydrogen station uses solar power to drive
the electrolysis of water, generating hydrogen.
The 500 litre/h electrolyser was supplied by
Acta to provide a convenient vending-machine
hydrogen refuelling system for the scooters.

Energy storage
A renewable energy economy is impossible
without storage, and hydrogen storage is
currently the 'holy grail' for meeting the
storage demands of intermittent renewable
energy technologies. In the future,
intermittent – predominately solar or wind
– power systems are likely to require energy
storage for a period of time stretching from a
few days to a week or longer, whether they are
on- or off-grid.
To achieve this energy storage, the
conversion of electricity to chemical energy
is attractive, since chemicals are usually
inexpensive to store. The most attractive
chemical for this process is likely to be
hydrogen, generated locally by electrolysis of
water using excess intermittent solar or wind
power. The hydrogen can subsequently be
used to regenerate electricity via an engine
or fuel cell. While hydrogen electricity
storage is less energy-efficient (40–50%),
than battery or compressed air storage
technologies, it offers far lower costs of
storage capacity. (The overall efficiency is
more like 30%, i.e. 60% efficiency for the
electrolyser × 50% for the fuel cell.)
Thus Acta's products have opportunities in
renewable energy storage and micro-distributed
peak power saving, with the AES1000 and
EL1000 5 kW electrolyser products producing
directly compressed hydrogen for maximum
energy efficiency.
Acta has a licensing agreement with
Heliocentris, providing a strategic commercial
partnership for the German market – currently
the world's largest solar market, as well as
having a significant number of off-grid homes.
Heliocentris specialises in autonomous
energy supply and energy efficiency solutions
with the aim of replacing diesel generators
with zero-emission products. Its Clean Energy
business offers a one-stop shop for fuel cells,
hydrogen storage and power electronics, for
off-grid, backup power and auxiliary power
applications with low and zero emissions. Acta
is included in Heliocentris' commercial product
catalogue.

Backup power systems
Power consumption is a general problem for
all telecom companies. The difficulty for most
telecom operators is the hydrogen itself, and
the need to source, store, and deliver what at
the moment is a specialty chemical in heavy
cylinders to remote base stations. This is the
'hydrogen barrier', and currently presents a
major obstacle to the adoption of fuel cells in
this application.
The hydrogen barrier has led to the stalling
of a number of projects in regions with
unreliable grids, but Acta's solution promises to
overcome this. Onsite generation of hydrogen
removes the service cost and logistics problems
encountered when handling hydrogen or any
other fuel. Furthermore, thanks to its tolerance
of the purity of the water supply, the company's
electrolyser can be rain-fed for service-free
operation. With Acta's solution, the longer
replacement period and lower five-year total
cost of ownership, fuel cell storage systems
strongly outweigh the lower upfront costs of
diesel and battery systems.
For a systems integrator, the benefits of Acta
stacks lie in their ease of UPS integration, their
compact size and low cost, and for the endcustomer,
their service-free operation, which
requires no hydrogen delivery. They offer
extended runtime, lifecycle, and reliability. A
significant opportunity is seen in the fuel cell
backup power market for telecoms.
Acta has recently signed a marketing
and distribution contract with SEFCA, an
Australian-owned company specialising in
the design, supply, installation, and support
of fuel cells for backup and prime power
applications. The immediate commercial
objective of the new partnership is to integrate
Acta electrolysers into SEFCA's fuel cell
backup power systems, and to distribute them
to the major telecom operators in Australia
and New Zealand.
The Australian market is distinctive for
its high cost of hydrogen supply and the
logistical difficulties of fuel distribution to
remote locations. This makes the market
economics particularly attractive for onsite
hydrogen generation using electrolysis. By
incorporating onboard hydrogen generation
via Acta electrolysers, SEFCA intends to
reduce the service costs of its fuel cell backup
power systems, in particular for telecom base
stations.
'SEFCA's greatest challenge has been the
cost and availability of hydrogen in Australia,'
explains Martin Burns, CEO of SEFCA.
'Due to Australia's geographic diversity and
small regional populations, delivering reliable
power to regional and remote areas is a major
challenge.'
'The Acta solution... offers SEFCA the
ability to produce high-pressure hydrogen
onsite, is designed to work with the variable
power outputs of solar PV cells, and all at a
relatively low cost,' continues Burns. 'SEFCA
recognises the Acta solution as a major
breakthrough for us and our customers. It
is the quantum improvement 'disruptive'
technological solution that we have been
searching for.'

[swimhat] 15/11/2012 09:16

Mattjos ........ I disagree regarding the scooters, APFCT have come a long way in the 10 months or so since they signed an agreement with Acta and now there is a common standards agreement for fuel cells and hydrogen between Taiwan and China the market has opened up in front of them ............ but for me the most important point is that they have their Government behind them, don't underestimate the speed with which these Governments move ............ once the BETA test phase is over I think things will move quicker.

The Government connection is another reason to like the SEFCA agreement as Martin Burns has some very nice Government connections.

Having said that it's easy to get bogged down on one agreement and fortunately ACTA are not about one agreement growing slowly, they are about the sum of all agreements growing slowly (then hopefully growing quickly) and that's why this share has a very long way to go. I suspect there will be plenty more agreements to come that will keep adding to the list.

I see Heliocntris are raising more cash at €6 a share to fuel their expansion.

[mattjos] 14/11/2012 23:58

Thanks encarter.
Assuming the consumer finds no other use for the canister then it looks like a nice closed-loop supply chain so up-scale costs should be reasonably easy to quantify and little allowance necessary for leakage from the system.
Don't know enough about the legislation covering the transportation of hydrogen but, it is done simply enough by the likes of Linde & BOC in high pressure form so, in low pressure form it should have less onerous regulations covering it & could be shipped alongside other Non-Perishables in forecourt supply chains that run alongside petrol & diesel.

The scooter itself lacks power. At 24v DC x 70Amps peak it's not actually any more powerful than an invalid carriage in terms of its ability to do work.
It would need to go to 48v-72v & at least 125Amps peak to climb any sort of a hill but, it's early days and i can see it taking off ... I was amazed at the number of electric bikes & scooters i saw in Tel Aviv the last time i was there - the kids have really cottoned on to the cost-benefits of these and they are very trendy too.
Has got real long term potential in many parts of the world but, its still early days and whether or not this methodology of employing Hydrogen comes to dominate is far from clear

[encarter] 14/11/2012 23:04

The scooter is my favourite.
I want one.

[mattjos] 14/11/2012 16:15

the scooter project is only a showcase at this stage, as far as i'm concerned. Good PR of course but, i cant see much coming from it in the near-term other than raised awareness.
The Telecom backup units look like they should slowly gain traction in various parts of the world and provide a slowly growing sales line.
The welding project is too early to say.
The Horizon alliance, assuming it is indeed Horizon, is very much the potential game-changer as it will result in volume sales and it is the sort of B2C product which could quickly capture the minds of consumers, early adopters, gadget freaks etc.

[mattjos] 14/11/2012 13:37

swimhat .. that is the conclusion I also have arrived at because, just as yourself, I am unaware of any other such products out there from any other manufacturer & what Horizon have done there I would imagine is well protected also

[swimhat] 14/11/2012 13:18

More evidence (in my head anyway) that the Exclusive Agreement signed in May is with Horizon ........... in the agreement we are told the following.

"The contract is for the supply of Acta's alkaline MEA's for a consumer electrolyser to be used to refill small hydrogen cartridges for fuel cell applications."

"consumer electrolyser to be used to refill small hydrogen cartridges" ........... the following link from Horizon says (call it page 2 next to the four hydrostiks and hydrofill) "THE FIRST & ONLY RECHARCHABLE FUEL CELL CARTRIDGE"

Put the two quotes together and as some of us have been saying, if not Horizon then who?

[kcowe] 14/11/2012 10:13

encarter why will we see a return of the bull market in 2013 ?

[encarter] 14/11/2012 09:45

ACTA, AFC, LLOY, TYR four of the eight stocks I now hold, all up in recent weeks and all showing me a healthy profit. We will see a return of the bulls in 2013 imho.

[kcowe] 14/11/2012 08:39

encarter ... "The markets will get better I already see the signsand 99% of stocks will go up" could you please enlighten me on the signs you see ! as for me it looks as if the markets are rolling over..........

[encarter] 14/11/2012 08:34

34S, just put it down to experience and move on. Do some research, find yourself a couple of undervalued companies to invest in and sit tight. The market will get better, I already see the signs and 99% of stocks will go up.

[34simon] 14/11/2012 08:18

encarter

Most of the buyers were topinfo and his friends, too weak to hold even for a week.

[encarter] 14/11/2012 08:16

Superb, I can't believe that these are still so cheap, must be a sign of the times.