Proton Energy Systems Inc. (Wallingford, CT), a hydrogen generator and regenerative fuel cell company, a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp., announced the receipt of $1.1 million in additional funding to continue its Phase II project with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for advanced fuel cell technology development. The award is based on Proton's progress in Phase I and Phase II for the development of a 1 kW-scale prototype system for critical defense and aerospace applications.
The effort is part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) "Water Rocket" program that applies Proton's technology to advanced space propulsion and energy systems. The program supports a broader "Orbital Express" initiative aimed at developing next-generation, serviceable satellites planned to provide significant improvements in US military space operations capability.
Proton's Senior Vice President Robert Friedland commented, "We are pleased that DARPA and NRL have chosen Proton and its contractor team to continue this project. Government sponsorship is an important part of advancing our regenerative fuel cell technology, which we believe will have far-reaching implications for military, aerospace, homeland defense and commercial applications."
