Intelligent Energy, the fuel cell and clean energy technology group, has announced it will expand its operations in the US with the announcement that Lee Arikara will join the company.

“We are very pleased to have Lee Arikara join us,” said Henri Winand, CEO of Intelligent Energy. “His technical background and experience as an entrepreneur, combined with his passion for clean energy, will be critical as we roll out our plans to expand our US operations.”

Prior to his appointment at IE, Arikara was a founder of Jadoo Power and served in various executive leadership roles, including CEO of the company.

IE has announced news of several strategic partnerships and technical achievements in recent months, building on its technological expertise and proving its ability to develop commercially-viable products:

In March 2008, Intelligent Energy and UK based utility Scottish and Southern Energy plc (LSE:SSE) announced a joint venture to address the UK & Eire Combined Heat and Power residential and light commercial markets, using IE clean power In March 2008, building on its widely recognized ENV motorcycle and after the successful unveiling of the Suzuki Crosscage motorcycle at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show, Intelligent Energy announced the strengthening of its relationship with The Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan with the execution of a Joint Development Agreement which envisages the progression to commercially viable fuel cell motorcycles. In April 2008, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Intelligent Energy unveiled the Peugeot H₂Origin light utility urban vehicle, a combined fuel vehicle powered by batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell range extender In April 2008, Boeing and Intelligent Energy announced the successful test flights of the world's first manned fuel cell powered aircraft, at a site in Spain In May 2008, Intelligent Energy led a consortium including Lotus, TRW Conekt and LTI, part-funded by the UK Technology Strategy Board, charged with bringing zero-emission black cabs to London in time for the 2012 Olympics

IE currently operates out of two locations in the US – Long Beach, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The two locations employ over 30 personnel conducting research and development on fuel cell power and clean fuel technologies.

“We are transforming IE from being technology focused to being product focused,” said Winand. “The US is a big area for growth and expansion and we will be looking to partner with leaders to take our technology to market in the motive, backup power, consumer electronics, combined heat and power, military and oil & gas segments”.

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