The Russian market could see the world's first laptop fuel-cell recharger.

Moscow-based Aspect Association, an organization working with a network of Russian technology companies, announced plans to mass produce fuel-cell chargers for laptop computers by the end of 2009.

Aspect, the main state contractor for the development of portable fuel cells, intends to co-develop the units with US strategic partner Medis Technologies and by the end of next year manufacture 10,000 units per month in Russia.

Medis, a fuel-cell developer based in New York, last month launched the 24/7 Power Pack, an alkaline-based fuel-cell recharger for handheld devices such as iPods and Blackberries. Medis also runs a mass production line through Celestica in Galway, Ireland that can turn out 1.5 million Power Paks per month.

Laptops are next. Robert Lifton, Medis' CEO, said his company has already demonstrated the platform for making a fuel-cell charger for laptops, though hasn't commercially produced it.

Aspect, which has been importing the Power Pack, aims to get Russian state funding to do so.

"We're discussing the possibility of joint efforts to make the product for laptops, which depends on the Russian partner's ability to join in with financing," said Lifton.

The fuel cell units are chargers that replenish lithium ion batteries, not replacements for them.

If Russian funding doesn't come through, Medis still intends to produce a laptop fuel-cell charger. The company will move away from liquid-based fuel cells by using a stable solid fuel that can be converted to hydrogen, Lifton said.