The agreement with Daalderop provides Ceres Power with access to a cost-effective volume condensing boiler capability, thereby avoiding the additional capital costs and risks of building an in-house volume assembly capability. Daalderop brings innovative gas appliance engineering expertise, and a well established volume global supply chain for standard boiler components.

Having completed the fit-out of its fuel cell manufacturing facility in Horsham in July, Ceres Power has now installed all of the key manufacturing machinery for the initial manufacturing line for its intermediate-temperature SOFC units. The company is on track to begin initial low-volume manufacturing operations by the end of 2009.

The boiler assembly agreement with Daalderop, together with other key supply chain relationships now in place for balance-of-plant components, will allow Ceres to prepare for production of Beta units for deployment in upcoming sheltered and commercial in-home field trials.

‘We are pleased to have secured this long-term relationship with Daalderop, and look forward to working with them to launch the Ceres Power CHP product in the UK market in partnership with British Gas,’ comments Peter Bance, CEO of Ceres Power. ‘Daalderop’s gas appliance expertise and volume assembly capabilities will enable the manufacturability refinements identified in the Alpha phase to be incorporated in Beta.’