Ballard Power Systems Inc. (Vancouver, BC) Electric Drives and Power Conversion Division has signed a joint development agreement with Ford Power Products (FPP), a subsidiary of Ford Motor Co. (Dearborn, MI), to jointly develop commercial power generation products driven by spark-ignited combustion engines for the generator market. Other opportunities exist for on-road hybrid applications, such as commercial trucks and buses, where the powertrain provides power to electric drive motors, batteries and other equipment. The initial products resulting from this joint agreement are expected by year-end and will serve the prime power, standby power and emergency power markets.
“Power-conversion electronics are a key part of Ballard’s core fuel-cell-based products,” said Ross Witschonke, vice president of Ballard’s Electric Drives and Power Conversion Division. “By joining with Ford Power Products, we are able to leverage our world-leading power-conversion capabilities with Ford’s proven combustion engines to deliver cleaner, more efficient and more comprehensive customer solutions in today’s distributed and standby power generation markets.”
“We continue expanding the products and services we offer to these markets, giving our customers access to new technologies that will reduce their time to market, and significantly lower their engineering costs associated with developing power generation designs,” said Paul Moore, vice president and general manager, Ford Power Products. “Ford Power Product’s intention is not to become a generator set manufacturer, rather a supplier of preferred components to this market.”
