Both projects support Nuvera’s product development plans to reduce fuel cell capital and life cycle costs for both advanced automotive technology and its next-generation PowerEdge materials handling products. The overall value of these programs – scheduled for completion in 2012 – is $11.1 million, of which DOE is directly funding $8.4 million.

The objective of the first Nuvera project, SPIRE, is to study and identify strategies to assure the durability of fuel cells designed to meet DOE 2015 cost targets. Los Alamos and Argonne national labs are the program partners.

The objective of the second Nuvera project, AURORA, is to optimize the efficiency of fuel cell stacks designed to meet the same DOE 2015 cost targets. Partners on this program are UK-based Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells, Pennsylvania State University, and Berkeley Lab in California.