Started in 2002 by Stephen Voller, the initial flurry of energy and development seems to have worn off with the market gossip ranging from Voller being worth a punt to maybe someone needs to step in and provide a direction for what seemed to be a worthwhile operation.

When BB rang for an update and spoke to Geoff Carr, applications engineering manager, he told us the company was 'consolidating its position' and working to get the units to a position where they are distributor friendly. It seems the distributor had been asking for some features to be added, although Mr Carr wouldn't give us the name of its distributor, preferring instead to 'keep that quiet as we are still in negotiations with them'.

When asked if rumours of Voller doing badly were right, Mr Carr replied: 'If you look at the share price, I wouldn't care to argue or comment'.

The 52 week high was 22.00 on 17 September 2007, with the 52 week low on 30 September 2008 showing at 2.25. Make up your own mind...

But Voller isn't the only company into fuel cells by a long way. And in August this year, Proton Power Systems plc unveiled what it claims is the world's first fuel cell-driven passenger ship.

The ZemShip (Zero Emission Ship), based in the port of Hamburg, runs on a hybrid unit integrating two of Proton Motor's 48kW fuel cell systems and a lead gel battery. An intelligent energy management system effectively co-ordinates the output of power between the fuel cells and the battery to offer twice the fuel efficiency of a standard diesel engine ship. The company says the fuel cell hybrid system provides the ship with a non-polluting and virtually silent drive. It uses up to 50 kg of gaseous hydrogen stored in onboard tanks, sufficient to provide fuel for around three days' use.

According to Proton, the European Union is investing 2.4m in ZemShip's development, realisation and operation until 2010. Following the commencement of operations, technicians will collect information on the performance of the hybrid zero emission drive and identify areas of improvement to feed into the company's ongoing commercialisation programme. The power system has been certified for maritime operations by Germanischer Lloyd.

After a phase of test operation the ship operator will gradually take the ship into commercial service starting this year, with a capacity of 100 passengers at a time. The ZemShip project, which began in November 2006, has been co-ordinated by the city of Hamburg and has received the support of eight other partners in addition to Proton Motor.

The company says the ZemShip project marks the first use of fuel cell systems in marine passenger transport and represents a major milestone for the company. To date, fuel cell systems of equivalent performance level in maritime applications have only been usedfor military submarines.

'The launch of the ZemShip marks a significant milestone for Proton Power and is a testament to the potential that our fuel cell technology has in helping to reduce and even eliminate emissions in maritime transport,' said Thomas Melczer, CEO of Proton Power Systems plc.

Our product has numerous routes to market, he added, such as uninterruptible power supply (UPS); city buses; back-to-base systems, including forklifts and other materials-handling vehicles; and municipal utility vehicles, such as refuse collection trucks and road sweepers.

'We intend to identify those routes that enable us to achieve volume sales in the immediate future,' said Mr Melczer, 'with the aim to put ourselves in a cash generating position in the quickest possible timeframe.'

Talking to Neil Phelps - ex-Berthon and now sales manager at Cummins Onan Marine Power Generation in Swanwick - he's not sure the new fuel cell technology has been accepted by many yet, mainly due to the cost.

'Cummins is working on a fuel cell generator that will be the same size and output as a conventional unit,' he told us. 'The company was given $71m by the US government's Department of Energy (DOE) to help develop the products.' But I think it's still many years off, he added.

He's right. The Cummins project has been running since 2001 with the object of developing a 10kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power system over a 10 year span and the company - and its working partners - are putting in some $54m to match the US government's tranche of cash. Heavy duty stuff, eh?

The design work undertaken to date has been all about packaging the SOFC power system on a platform consistent with the company's most advanced existing diesel RV gensets. This means the SOFC hot section has to occupy a space envelope comparable to the existing engine, generator, cooling system, muffler and noise reduction packaging.

Controls and power electronics, including the 120VAC output inverter, are integrated consistent with experience in RV products. The balance of plant components blower, fuel controls, fluid connections, are between the electronics and the hot box housing the stacks, reformer, recuperator, manifolding, and thermal insulation.

Cummins says the result is a packaged SOFC power system configured to directly replace its diesel powered predecessor.

As with all fuel cell projects, a key objective is to reduce the manufacturing costs associated with SOFC in order to price fuel cells near the costs of current premium diesel gensets. The target is to build a 10kW system with a factory cost of $400/kW, which is competitive with current reciprocating engine systems of this size. Cummins expects demand to increase for this cost effective technology, and thereby significantly replace reciprocating engine technology.

Key to the Cummins SOFC power system will be Versa Power Systems planar SOFC stacks. This technology combines SOFC materials with cost effective ceramic fabrication techniques used in the microelectronics industry.

The project is running over three phases, with the first phase leading to a prototype system. The unit completed over 1,500 hours of testing, producing 3kW of electrical power while operating on commercial pipeline natural gas. Performance met expectations and the system reliability was, says Cummins, exceptional.

Phase II included second generation system design and engineering and - interestingly - development of diesel fuel processing. The company that can reform diesel for use in a fuel cell will lead the world. Also included in Phase II - running from 2007 through 2008 - was continued focus on cost reduction, continuing improvements in stack performance, sulphur tolerance, degradation reduction, and tolerance to startstop cycles.

The final Phase III (2009 to 2011) will see the SOFC power system performance and cost developed to full commercial levels and the resolution of key technical challenges to market introduction. The result will see the commercial product ready for introduction to target markets.

So we have just over two years to wait...

Lindsay Ross at Fischer Panda says the main question at boat shows is a long way from fuel cells. 'Usually it's "what's your smallest generator?" and we hear that 20 times a day,' he told us.

Mr Ross says the average boat owner wants whatever the smallest diesel generator is and that's usually around 4kW. And he wants that to power battery chargers.

'As soon as he gets away from the shore he gets worried about having flat batteries,' explained. 'They don't necessarily want to be running the main engine just to charge batteries because fuel concerns are coming to the fore right now, as well as the wear an tear on the propulsion engines.'

And yes, he added, people are worried about what's going to happen to red diesel costs on 1 November.

Mr Ross said Fischer Panda is innovating on DC generators, where an owner can cut the size and the running hours of the generator considerably. 'The capital cost of the equipment is higher, but the savings are good over a period,' he told us.

The company says it has been pioneering the technology behind DC generators for over 15 years. By the application of patented permanent magnet alternators and fresh water cooled rectifier assemblies the company can deliver soundproofed diesel generators with any DC voltage required in a range of generator outputs from 4kW - typically at 12, 24 or 48V - up to 150kW - typically 96V.

The onset of smart inverter-chargers enables a DC generator to be offered as a sensible solution for any power generation system, says the company. Combined inverter/chargers enable all AC consumers on board to be run from the batteries.

They operate automatically as a charger when shore or AC generator power is available and as an inverter when mains power is not available. The AC power available is generally limitless due to their paralleling capability.

High-efficiency battery charging with a variable-speed diesel generator is advantageous to the vessel designer and operator in a number of ways, they say. The generator output in kVA is not selected to cope with peak demand. It is selected based on an average demand. This means in real terms that installed generator capacity can be minimised, sometimes by as much as half.

Fischer Panda says it can be seen from an average load profile that an AC generator selected with an output of say, 12kW, would be grossly over-rated and would run at full load condition for probably less than 5% of the day and at very much part load for the remaining 95%.

A 6kW DC generator set to operate on automatic battery sensing mode would run only when the domestic battery bank voltage drops to a preset lower level, nominally 11.2V for a 12V system, and run until the higher charge level is reached, this is nominally 13.8V for a 12V system.

The power consumption and the power generation are effectively divorced from one another, the battery bank in these cases acting as a 'reservoir' of power.

When talking with Mastervolt's David Melville about this 'n that as you do at boat shows - we got around to wondering whether fuel used for power generation would be lumped in with the 40% heating fuel charged at the existing red diesel duty rate agreed by Her Majestys Revenue & Customs with the British Marine Federation (BMF) and the RYA.

A quick call to the RYA confirmed that any fuel used for non-propulsion purposes (heating, running navigation instruments, power generation, etc) will be charged at the rebated rate. Unless the boat has a separate tank for the rebated fuel, of course, this will be automatically included in the 60/40 split agreed by HMRC.

In general, Mr Melville told BB people are looking to buy smaller generators; Partly through cost, partly through weight, but also because we feel more relaxed, as a generator supplier, in using smaller generators, regardless of whether they're ours or not.

These days with the advent of power electronics, where you can get a sensible sized battery bank and inverter to support whatever the AC supply is - a generator or a shore supply in southern Spain - the inverter can support that AC generation to overcome peak demands, which means people can downsize their generator and use a 2½kW inverter in parallel support for those brief periods if someone switches on the microwave when someone else is drying their hair. Watermaking is another application that needs a fairly substantial start-up power, but relatively low running power, he added. And the inverter can help the generator get over that initial demand.

But it seems people are moving away from the perceived cheap fix of anything that isn't a pure sine wave inverter. 'The cheapest ones create the sine wave in steps: sometimes it's called modified square wave or step wave or whatever,' said Mr Melville. 'It means the electrical equipment on board runs less efficiently, but you have got a cheaper inverter. But it's economically nonsense to have anything other than a pure sine wave inverter on board these days - your digital clock won't work, videos and DVDs and the microwave won't work properly if you don't have a pure sine wave inverter.'

Mastervolt launched ChargeMaster at the Southampton Boat Show. It's a battery charger with three outputs to ensure all batteries are always charged safe, quick and complete, whether the boat's at sea or berthed with low shore power or limited supply.

The company's three-step charging method guarantees optimum efficiency and' besides the fast and complete charging of three batteries up to 350Ah (recommended), this autoranging (120 & 230V) battery charger also functions as a supply unit.

When the input voltage is low, ChargeMaster automatically makes up the full capacity in the 12V circuit. They say its direct current outlet is so clean that the battery charger itself can be used as direct power source, even without a battery.

The high-frequency switch-mode technology, in which advanced microprocessors combine a myriad of functions, causes an extremely accurate charge characteristic, says Mastervolt. And the ChargeMaster battery charger has a unique memory function which prevents the charger starting a new three-stage charge cycle if the supply voltage is interrupted.

The model is equipped with a clear multifunctional display with backlight and three easy push buttons. A selection button lets users see the charge current, charge voltage and charge cycle of three battery sets.

The charger is also equipped with a digital bus communication called MasterBus to enable extensive remote monitoring and control options for even more convenience.

Merlin Equipment is moving from being very much a systems integrator/distributor to being a manufacturer.

'We're manufacturing in Poole and we have a couple of sub-contract factories building for us,' Merlin's James Hortop told BB. 'We're doing all the designing and weve got the technical knowledge here. With electrical systems and with electronics, anyone can go out and design a split charging system or a battery monitor, and weve already seen that in the market.'

But so many electrical and electronic engineers don't understand the real fundamentals of battery charging and how batteries react when they're being charged and discharged and the chemical properties of the batteries Mr Hortop added. The real fundamental knowledge is here in the UK and not out there in China and other parts of Asia and the world.

That knowledge comes from the 60 years' worth of combined knowledge of the engineers weve got here, he said. They're needed to create the algorithms - the complicated bits behind how the products work. That's the difference between a product doing what it says on the tin and not.

BB asked if manufacturing in the UK produced better quality than using manufacturers in other parts of the world; China, for example.

'For low run production items the quality is better here,' he said. 'And a lot of our products are big electrical distribution cabinets and sub-assemblies for boatbuilders where there can be changes between single units, so for every boat there can be specific changes for that boat. A production line environment is almost impossible.'

And it also means Merlin can now handle any sized boat's electrical system from a RIB right up to superyachts. 'And that's 12, 24 and 48V for the hybrid systems, which are going to become a major thing.

'We see a big emergence in 48V technology, the reason being there are lot of people promoting hybrid engines with a DC generator built in. The hybrid systems work at 48V and Merlin already has a standard 48V power system available.

'So for guy who wants a hybrid engine in a narrowboat, we already have an off the shelf power system for him.'

Merlin Equipment launched a whole range of new products at Southampton. 'Starting from the top,' said Mr Hortop, 'we launched our new Powerbank battery management system that's an all-in-one control unit for remote battery switching, split charging and battery load shedding.'

According to Merlin, boatbuilders have had to rely on fitting three or four separate electrical and electronic modules, often from separate suppliers, to create their battery management solution. 'Alternatively,' says Mr Hortop, 'they had to devote resources, time and money to develop their own bespoke systems, which inevitably end up requiring partial redesign when a new boat comes along.'

Merlin says its Powerbank is designed from the ground up as a solution a builder can use through its entire boat range, standardising on inventory and making it much easier for installation and test engineers to understand.

The system is a single electronic hub controlling a number of heavy duty relays. The hub can be installed in virtually any location and connects (via data cable) to a range of optional control and monitoring panels. These can be conventional switch/indicator panels or touch-screen.

The system controls up to four battery banks, providing voltage controlled split charging, remote battery isolation, flat battery protection and emergency parallel for engine starting.

'An electrical system will start to shed off loads when it starts seeing the batteries run down,' said Mr Hortop. 'So at various different set points you'll be turning off things like the fridges, reducing the output of your air conditioning system so you don't end up on the DC side reducing and flattening your batteries and, very importantly on the AC side, not overloading your AC generators or shorepower.

'Our Powerbank system works on both DC and AC, so it does all the battery management for the primary side and the secondary side, but both on DC and AC.'

HMI is a division of HM Plant, the title sponsor of the Honda British Superbike team. The company is also the Newcastle upon Tyne-based UK distributor for Isuzu and Farymann diesel engines and a parallel importer for the Spanish-marinised Sole diesel.

And, working to the company's strength in the UK canal boat market, HMI launched two new Isuzu-based gensets at the Southampton Boat Show.

'There are two sets at the moment,' HMI's Hedley Beavis told BB, 'an 8½ and a 13½kVA marine genset. Both are slow speed; they run at 1500rpm.

'They are ideal,' said Mr Beavis, 'for the Dutch Barge, liveaboards and bigger genset market and not to compete with the smaller 3½/4kVA high speed gensets. Theyre for people with a high quality boat who want a big, reliable and quiet genset.'

The sets are based on the Isuzu 3CB1 and Isuzu 3CE1 engines and are offered with heat exchanger cooling and keel cooling and come complete with acoustic housing. Service access is from one side of the set to engine oil filter, fuel filter, sump pump, air filter, raw water pump impellor and engine dipstick.

The control panel offers two options; a simple start panel or a fully automated panel to suit the boat's needs.

Over the last 10 years the team at Energy Solutions has built an unrivalled reputation in total system solutions with its own range of bespoke monitoring panels.

'Customers often come to us with unique requirements,' explained commercial manager David Piper. 'They know Victron power products are the best in the market but they need help and technical expertise on bringing them on board and incorporating them with modern monitoring systems.'

We are happy to design the right system, drawing schematics to aid installation, and supplying the complete set of products so the owners know everything will work together correctly and efficiently.

The company has been the UK's largest distributor of Victron products for two years running and keeps a good range of products in stock at all times, and the company's own range of ESP panels, AC changeovers and DC link boxes have been designed exclusively to work alongside the Victron range. Victron distributes Energy Solutions' ESP panels across the rest of the world.

The company says the new Victron Quattro 5kW inverter/charger has created a lot of interest amongst Energy Solutions' customers the large capacity means it can power appliances from electric cookers to air conditioning a first in the onboard power market.

Energy Solutions says it has already supplied the Quattro to a range of customers from narrowboats to OEMs.

Advance Yacht Systems says it's now a distributor for the Studer range of power management products.

Advance Yacht specialises in the supply of hybrid power packages that make use of its small to medium sized Paguro generators and Studer's modern inverter technology, to give flexible power on board a yacht without the burden of a large generator running all day.

'We have a 3kVA Studer Xtender and a 4kVA Paguro generator fitted to our demo yacht; providing the power normally expected of a large 7kVA generator whilst enjoying the flexibility of inverter power on tap,' says Advance MD Rod Boreham. 'We can supply this solution as a package of parts with hands-on advice to yards looking to maintain their competitiveness in a very demanding market.'

Trade customers are welcome to visit Advance Yacht at Saxon Wharf to see the equipment in action.

Mike Beacham's Watermota is the UK distributor for the USA manufactured Westerbeke Corporation, which claims to be the first manufacturer to offer NMEA 2000R certified generators.

The company is now delivering its 9.2 EDT, D-NET electronic diesel generator. Notable in this 9.2 kW (at 50Hertz, 1500rpm; 11.5kW at 60Hertz, 1800rpm) generator, says Westerbeke, is its extremely compact size, efficiency and advanced technology with the availability of a NMEA 2000R compliant databus: this, they say, makes the 9.2 EDE is a standout compared to other generators currently on the market. The dimensions of this 9.2kW generator set are 805 x 485 x 610 millimeters (L x W x H).

The Westerbeke 9.2 EDE is powered by a compact, lightweight, TIER IV, 1.3-litre 3-cylinder engine. Its slow-rpm operation, newly designed air-intake silencer and advanced engineering enhance smooth and quiet operation. The say electronic governing virtually eliminates 'droop' when electrical loads are applied or removed.

The model meets all EPA, CARB and CE emissions requirements and is designed to meet or surpass the technological advances expected by many leading boat builders.

The 9.2 EDE is offered with either a standard Westerlink or optional NMEA 2000R compliant databus. Westerlink allows multiple Westerbeke displays to communicate via the same digital databus cable. The digital controls simplify diagnostic and operating data for user convenience. D-NET with the NMEA 2000R databus provides boat builders and their customers the potential to significantly reduce the cost, weight and space normally required to run cables throughout a vessel. All certified NMEA 2000R electronics can then communicate via a single backbone power-supply cable using simple T-adapters to build this network. The D-NET generator may be used as the power supply for this network.

Other standard features on the 9.2 EDT include LED status lights and a bright LCD screen where detailed information can be scrolled through. The genset includes safety shut-downs for overspeed, underspeed, low oil pressure, high exhaust and high coolant temperature. In addition, the standard 9.2 EDE includes an AC circuit breaker, a 50A battery-charging alternator, and the convenience of easily accessible service points.

EP Barrus handles the Italian-made Mase gensets, the latest of which is the Mase IS 2.6.

According to Mase, there are no differences between the new small generator Mase IS 2.6, rated at 2kW at 3000rpm 50Hz, and the largest gensets built by Mase. They say the quality, the noise, the efficiency and even the elegance of the best Mase products were also transferred to the entry level model, which is particularly suitable for sailing boats and motor boats that do not have enough space for the most powerful gensets.

The Italian company says the unit's compact design allows it to be installed in cramped spaces, without any difficulty, even for maintenance service and check control. Like all Mase generators, it doesn't need air circulation and it can even be placed in a closed cabin without any trouble.

With a heat exchanger seawater/coolant the alternator and the engine both work at the ideal temperature, regardless of external conditions, for the best performance and reliability.

Mase says the Yanmar aluminium engine is the most modern and lightest motor currently on the market. The genset is controlled by a microprocessor and monitored through a waterproof control panel. The electronic security system protects the IS 2.6 and the new genset is the evolution of the model IS 2.5 and has an aluminium marine cover that gives it a professional appearance and improves the silence. The noise level is only 54dBA at 7m, less than the sound made by the wake of a sailboat.

The Rutland 504 is Marlec's new design of windcharger to replace the previous 503 model often seen in marinas.

Marlec's 500 series products are distinctive with their outer ring joining all the blade tips. This is often referred to as a safety turbine as it has no sharp edges and as such makes it ideal for mounting on small sailboats where space is at a premium.

The new design features a more elegant tail fin and sharper nose that should improve orientation and positioning to wind in operation. The Rutland 504 is just 51cm in diameter and features the Rutland low wind speed start up of just over 5kts but delivers up to 2A at 19kts.

'The compact proportions of the 504 make it great for sail boats up to about 10m because it can deliver a useable amount of power whilst sailing or just to arrive to a fully charged battery at a weekend,' says Marlec.