The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) seeking responses from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) who are willing to be associated with BHEL through a Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA) on long term basis to enable BHEL to design, engineer, manufacture, assemble, integrate, quality control, test, supply, maintain, operate, repair, service, troubleshoot, fault diagnosis, carryout root cause analysis and sell fuel cell stack and system.
- The due date for receiving the proposals against the EoI has now been extended up to February 02, 2021 (Tuesday).
- Fuel cell system means Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack including Air supply subsystem with its controller and filter, Hydrogen supply subsystem with recirculation unit, Suitable humidifiers and water separation unit if needed, Thermal management system to maintain the temperature of fuel cell stack, Safety and warning system, Control and instrumentation for automatic trouble free operation and Power management system for providing required DC/AC output along with the fuel cell stack for various applications, like road transport, railways, stationary etc.
About BHEL:
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is a leading state-owned company, wherein Government of India is holding 63.17% of its equity. BHEL is an integrated power plant equipment manufacturer and one of the largest engineering and manufacturing organization in India, catering to the core infrastructure sectors of Indian economy viz. energy, transportation, industry, defence, renewable and non-conventional energy.
- The energy sector covers generation, transmission and distribution equipment for hydro, thermal, nuclear and solar photovoltaic based power plants. BHEL has been in this business for more than 55 years and BHEL supplied power equipment account for more than 57% of the total thermal generating capacity in India. BHEL is also listed in stock exchanges of India.
- The company has 16 manufacturing units, 4 power sector regions, 8 service centers, 1 overseas office and 15 regional offices besides host of project sites spread all over India and abroad.
- BHEL has a dedicated research establishment at Hyderabad, wherein research and indigenous development of state-of-the-art technologies, products & systems in varied engineering fields including emerging & futuristic applications are taken up. In the field of fuel cell systems, BHEL is working in the area of Low-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (LTPEMFC) and High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (HTPEMFC) technologies.
- BHEL has a capability and an experience in the design and manufacture of up to 5 kW liquid cooled LT PEM Fuel Cell System. Its production units are equipped with latest and state-of-art manufacturing facilities. The in-house facilities are equipped to integrate and package complete fuel cell system up to 5kW. Also, it has facilities to scale up components for modular 25 kW stack. BHEL has developed capabilities in fuel cell stack components like bipolar plates, cooling plates, current collector, edge seals, tie rods, clamping plates etc. and in fuel cells sub-systems like C&I, Cooling System, Humidifiers etc.
- BHEL is now focusing on development of high power density fuel cell stack. The modular system is very suitable for different applications like railways, long-range buses and heavy trucks etc.
Scope of cooperation:
BHEL intends to shortlist the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) based on this EoI and to subsequently select a suitable partner for a long term Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA) for complete Fuel Cell Stack and System as per indicative scope of technology transfer at Annexure-1.
- BHEL shall receive applications pursuant to this EoI in accordance with the terms set forth herein, as modified, altered, amended and clarified from time to time by BHEL, and all applications shall be submitted in accordance with such terms on or before the date specified in this EoI for submission of applications.
- Upon receipt of responses against this EoI, BHEL will review the responses to ascertain suitability of the offer and shortlist Prospective Collaborators for further discussions. Detailed discussions on commercial and other terms and conditions to finalize the Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA) shall be held with shortlisted Prospective Collaborators. The detailed terms and conditions for such a paid-up license agreement shall be mutually agreed upon. Prospective collaborators shall be responsible for transferring necessary know-how & know-why to BHEL for Fuel Cell Stack and System.
Prequalification requirements (PQR):
- The Prospective Collaborator should have at least 3 years of experience of designing manufacturing, assembling, testing & integration and supply of fuel cell stacks and systems, as on the closing date of this EoI. (Suitable/relevant documentary evidence to substantiate the fulfilment of this PQR is to be submitted along with EoI).
- Prospective Collaborator should have designed, engineered, manufactured, assembled, integrated and supplied at least one (01) no. fuel cell stack and system in last 3 years for use in either traction or road transportation or stationary application with single stack capacity of 50 kW or more and the system should have been in successful operation for at least 2000 hours in a year as on the closing date of this EoI. (Requisite performance certificate from the end client/customer as documentary evidence to substantiate the fulfilment of this PQR is to be submitted along with EoI).
In case any amendment/ corrigendum is issued to this EoI, it shall be notified only at http://www.bhel.com.
Source: BHEL-EOI | Image Credit(representational): BHEL
