Companies: ACTA   

Acta, which floated on AIM with a £9m placing at 125p in October, looks an intriguing alternative play on the sexy fuel cells space. Fronted by chief operating officer Toby Woolrych, Acta joined AIM to promote awareness of its technology, and boost its commercial prospects. Intriguingly, the company has developed and now produces platinum-free catalysts for the fuel cell industry.

Traditionally, catalysts used in low temperature fuel cells contain platinum group metals (PGMs). With the exception of fuel cells running at very high temperatures, no fuel cell has yet operated with commercially viable output levels without using expensive PGM-based catalysts. As well as cost issues, PGM catalysts limit the fuels usable in cells to hydrogen and methanol.

However, Acta’s family of Hypermec catalysts contain no PGM, and boast the same functionality as commercially available platinum catalysts. Although able to function with hydrogen and methanol, uniquely, fuel cells containing Hypermec can run on environmentally friendly ethanol, enabling the development of mass-market fuel cells without the need for pricey platinum.

Experts suggest the fuel cell industry could be worth £10.4 billion by 2013, driven by consumer demand for portable power (which is outpacing battery technology development) and rising global consumption of gasoline and electricity, despite worries over oil depletion and greenhouse gas emissions. Since launching Hypermec last June, Acta has signed confidentiality agreements with 15 fuel cell and consumer electronics players, with samples despatched to most for evaluation. Woolrych also says talks are afoot with two manufacturers regarding development of ‘direct ethanol fuel cell stacks’. Risk takers only.