PowerNova Technologies Corporation is developing a hydrogen production technology to supply a new world energy economy based on hydrogen. PowerNova will use its hydrogen production technology to maximize profitability and shareholder returns. PowerNova is a Vancouver, Canada based company founded in June 2000 to research and develop hydrogen production technology. PowerNova has a patent pending on a technology that is a catalyst for the production of hydrogen from hydrocarbons such as gasoline. Currently the research and development of PowerNova’s technology is being performed at the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Russia. Hydrogen originates from the Greek words “hydro” and “genes” meaning “water” and “generator”. Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant element in the universe, making up an estimated 90% of the mass of the universe. However, hydrogen (H) does not exist by itself on earth, but is combined with other elements such as oxygen (H2O or water) or carbon such as methane (CH4) or petroleum. Hydrogen is classified as a secondary source of energy, or an energy carrier that can be used to store, move and deliver energy in a practical way. It has many applications and can be used for transportation, heating and power generation, making it a versatile form of energy carrier. Moreover, it has the highest energy content per unit of weight (52,000 British Thermal Units per pound) of any known fuel, which makes it an extremely efficient source of energy. NASA has used hydrogen in the space program since the 1960s, because it is extremely efficient, and the only by-product is water, which is used as drinking water by the crew, and heat, which can be used for other applications. Hydrogen is now being pursued as the optimal alternative fuel for more “down to earth” applications, because it is a clean source of energy that is efficient and reliable. Key developments for POWERNOVA TECHNOLOGIES CORP (PNTFF)
Powernova Technologies Corp expected to report Fiscal Year 2011 results on September 28, 2011. This event was calculated by Capital IQ (Created on November 11, 2010).
11/11/2010 Powernova Technologies Corp expected to report Fiscal Year 2011 results on September 28, 2011. This event was calculated by Capital IQ (Created on November 11, 2010). Powernova Technologies Corp Reports Unaudited Earnings Results for the Three Months Ended August 31, 2010 11/9/2010 Powernova Technologies Corp. reported unaudited earnings results for the three months ended August 31, 2010. For the period, the company reported net loss before other item of CAD 8,615, net loss and comprehensive loss of CAD 8,615 or CAD 0.001 per basic and diluted share compared to net loss before other item of CAD 17,337, net loss and comprehensive loss of CAD 17,337 or CAD 0.001 per basic and diluted share for the same period a year ago. Cash used in operating activities was CAD 5 compared to CAD 67,233 for the same period a year ago. Powernova Technologies Corp, Annual General Meeting, Nov 24, 2010 10/12/2010 Powernova Technologies Corp, Annual General Meeting, Nov 24, 2010., at 11:11 US Pacific Time. Location: #1620, 1185 West Georgia Street. Agenda: To receive and consider the financial statements of the company, together with the auditor’s reports thereon, for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2009 and May 31, 2010; to fix the number of directors for the ensuing year at five persons; to elect the directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of the company; to appoint the auditors for the company to hold office until the next annual meeting of the company; to authorize the directors to fix the remuneration to be paid to the auditor for the company; to re-approve the stock option plan; to approve a special resolution to alter the company’s notice of articles to provide for an increase in the authorized share capital from 50,000,000 common shares to an unlimited number of common shares; and to transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting or any adjournment or adjournments thereof. The current standard in hydrogen production is steam reforming. Steam reforming uses high temperature steam (about 700 – 900° C) to break the bond between carbon and hydrogen to produce hydrogen. This process is commercially viable in industrial applications but not for fuel cells used in motor vehicles, small residential electrical generation or small battery powered consumer products; steam reformers are too large and costly for these applications. Steam reforming, in a non-industrial setting, must overcome problems of cold start-ups, slow and undynamic response and high costs to be commercially viable. The objective of PowerNova’s process is to produce hydrogen at about 200° C from hydrocarbons. The low temperature chemical reaction is important, because it results in a much less expensive system due to the lower costs of mechanical design and the utilization of more conventional materials as opposed to exotic alloys.  Upon successful completion of the R&D, the implications of PowerNova’s process are significant as it would represent a watershed breakthrough in hydrogen production. The breakthrough addresses the problem of hydrogen delivery, which is the biggest obstacle to the widespread adoption of fuel cells. The fuel of PowerNova’s process would be easily transportable liquid hydrocarbon, which overcomes the infrastructure and storage issues.
Fuel cells generate electricity when hydrogen and oxygen are chemically combined. Water and heat are the only by-products of the chemical reaction. One of the most promising fuel cell technologies for the transportation applications is Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM). Oxygen from the air and hydrogen are fed into the fuel cell. On one side of the PEM, hydrogen reacts with a catalyst and is separated into protons and electrons. The oxygen on the other side of the PEM, attracts the hydrogen atoms but only the protons can migrate through the PEM. The electrons are directed through an external circuit creating electricity. Another highly promising fuel cell technology is solid oxide, which usually uses a hard ceramic material instead of a liquid electrolyte to generate electricity from hydrogen. This technology could be used in industrial and large-scale central electricity generating stations. With recent advancements, some developers also see them used in small scale applications. While this system requires higher operating temperatures, one of its main advantages over PEMs is simpler and less costly fuel reforming process.
PowerNova is developing a highly advanced hydrogen production process based on a catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons into hydrogen. It enables the efficient creation of hydrogen by a chemical reaction that has zero carbon dioxide emissions. The goal of PowerNova’s new technology is to produce pure hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuels in a low temperature catalytic reaction (about 200° C) at a very high speed of conversion. Using hydrocarbons as an instant and available source of hydrogen, this process is intended to simplify production, storage and usage of hydrogen not only onboard vehicles, but also in any other area or application.