Wednesday, March 08, 2000  

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Calgary fuel cell firm gets
boost from BMW

Carol Howes
Financial Post

CALGARY - BMW AG said yesterday it is studying Global
Thermoelectric Inc.'s fuel cell and expects to install and test solid
oxide cells on board a vehicle this year.

In a report presented to the Society for Automotive Engineers
Congress in Detroit, BMW said it has thrown its support behind
solid oxide fuel cells. The car manufacturer has joined forces with
auto-parts maker Delphi Automotive Systems Inc. to examine their
use in mobile applications.

Delphi is also a partner with Calgary-based Global, which recently
unveiled plans to build the first solid oxide fuel cell manufacturing
plant in Canada.

Despite the early phase of development, the results achieved so far
are quite promising, the report said on Global's process.

However, while Global was specifically mentioned by BMW, Linda
Beckmeyer, spokeswoman for Delphi, said BMW's remarks should
not imply it has endorsed Global's technology outright.

Jim Perry, Global's president and chief executive, said he would not
speculate on what will come of the tests, but was pleased to see
BMW support its technology, which differs from the hydrogen fuel
cell developed by industry leader Ballard Power Systems Inc. of
Vancouver, in that it functions off gasoline.

The presentation helped send Global's share price up $2.75
yesterday to close at $43.