U.S. Department of Transportation Rule Allows Passengers to Carry Methanol Fuel Cells...

U.S. Department of Transportation Rule Allows Passengers to Carry Methanol
Fuel Cells and Cartridges Onboard Aircraft

PASADENA, Calif., May 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VIASPACE Inc.
(OTC Bulletin Board: VSPC) announced that a key US federal regulatory ruling
now fully enables the business strategy for its Direct Methanol Fuel Cell
Corporation (DMFCC) subsidiary. On April 30, 2008, the Federal Register
published the final rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA), US Department of Transportation. PHMSA is amending the
Hazardous Materials Regulations to permit certain fuel cell cartridges and
fuel cell systems designed for portable electronic devices to be transported
by passengers and crew in carry-on baggage on board passenger-carrying
aircraft. Methanol fuel cells and cartridges are explicitly approved. DMFCC
is an active member of the US and international committees that developed the
safety standards that led to this approval, and is a member of the US Fuel
Cell Council which played a pivotal role in adoption of this rule in the US.
Fuel cell cartridges and fuel cell systems are an emerging energy
technology developed to provide a more efficient, longer-lasting and renewable
power source for electrically operated equipment. This final rule prescribes
regulations for transporting fuel cells containing liquids, including methanol
and formic acid, which meet certain performance and consumer use standards.
PHMSA issued this final rule in cooperation with the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA). The effective date of these amendments is October 1,
2008, and voluntary compliance is authorized as of May 30, 2008.
Micro fuel cells are expected to power portable electronic devices such as
notebook computers and mobile phones. Disposable fuel cartridges provide the
fuel for these fuel cells which could power a notebook computer for up to 10
hours, and a mobile phone for up to three weeks. DMFCC is a leader in the
liquid fuel cell cartridge design, manufacturing and distribution business.
The fuel cartridges are disposable like AA batteries and represent a recurring
revenue stream for DMFCC. In contrast to batteries, cartridges are made of
recyclable materials.
VIASPACE and DMFCC CEO, Dr. Carl Kukkonen, states, "Major electronics OEMs
are pursuing methanol fuel cells for their electronic devices, and fuel cell
powered notebook computers have been demonstrated by companies such as Samsung
and Toshiba. These companies are developing their own fuel cells. DMFCC has
developed the disposable fuel cartridges that consumers would purchase in the
aftermarket to power these devices. This ruling by the Department of
Transportation now allows passengers to bring fuel cell powered electronic
devices and spare fuel cell cartridges on board commercial aircraft in their
hand checked baggage."
In a separate press release, VIASPACE recently announced the successful
collaboration of DMFCC and its manufacturing partner, the SATO Group, in
delivering sample methanol fuel cell cartridges and valves to Samsung SDI.
DMFCC used its expertise in cartridge design and safety qualification, and the
SATO Group manufactured the cartridges and valves that were successfully
integrated with Samsung SDI fuel cells in a portable electronics application.
DMFCC and SATO Group are positioning themselves to capture a significant
portion of the estimated multibillion-dollar fuel cell cartridge market that
has now been approved by this final rule from Department of Transportation.
About VIASPACE: Originally founded in 1998 with the objective of
transforming proven space and defense technologies from NASA and the
Department of Defense into hardware and software solutions that solve today's
complex problems, VIASPACE benefits from important patent and software
licenses from Caltech, which manages NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For
more information, please visit our website at http://www.VIASPACE.com, or
contact for Investor Relations, Dr. Jan Vandersande, Director of
Communications at 800-517-8050, or IR@VIASPACE.com.
This news release includes forward-looking statements. These forward-
looking statements relate to future events or our future performance and
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may
cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to
be materially different from any future results, levels of activity,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Such factors include the risks outlined in our periodic filings
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report
on Form 10-KSB, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, as well as
general economic and business conditions, the ability to acquire and develop
specific projects and technologies, the ability to fund operations, changes in
consumer and business consumption habits, and other factors over which
VIASPACE has little or no control.
SOURCE VIASPACE Inc.

Carl Kukkonen of VIASPACE Inc., +1-626-768-3360; or Investor Relations, Dr.
Jan Vandersande, Director of Communications, 1-800-517-8050, or
IR@VIASPACE.com