German furnace and refractory metals specialist H C Starck, which hit the headlines last month with its plans to encourage environmentally responsible Coltan mining in Central Africa, is planning to establish a prominent strategic foothold in the budding fuel cells market. Starck, a Bayer subsidiary, last month signed a letter of intent through which it intends to acquire a majority shareholding in the Dutch fuel cell company InDEC BV, based at Petten in the Netherlands. Under the terms Starck would have the option of acquiring the balance of the shares at a later date. The implementation of the plan is dependent on due diligence, the negotiation of a final agreement and the concurrence of the company boards involved. The investment in InDEC will give Starck an inroad into the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) market. Energy systems based on SOFC technology can convert many gaseous fuels such as natural gas, all kinds of green biogases and hydrogen in an efficient, environmentally benign and silent manner into electricity and heat.
展开▼
机译：德国熔炉和耐火金属专家H C Starck上个月计划鼓励中非对环境负责的Coltan采矿活动而成为头条新闻，该公司计划在新兴的燃料电池市场中建立重要的战略据点。拜耳子公司斯达克上个月签署了意向书，意在通过收购意向书收购位于荷兰佩滕的荷兰燃料电池公司InDEC BV的多数股权。根据条款，Starck可以选择在以后的日期收购股份余额。该计划的实施取决于尽职调查，最终协议的谈判以及所涉及公司董事会的同意。对InDEC的投资将使Starck进入固体氧化物燃料电池（SOFC）市场。基于SOFC技术的能源系统可以以高效，对环境无害且无声的方式将天然气，各种绿色沼气和氢气等多种气态燃料转化为电能和热量。
展开▼
