The Energy Blog

Duke Researchers Develop Ceramic Membrane that Permits Fuel Cells to Operate at Low Humidity and Higher Temperatures

Researchers at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering have developed a membrane that allows fuel cells to operate at low humidity and theoretically at higher temperatures.

“The current gold standard membrane is a polymer that needs to be in a humid environment in order to function efficiently. If the polymer membrane dries out, its efficiency drops. We developed a ceramic membrane made of iron nanoparticles that works at much lower humidities. And because it is a ceramic, it should also tolerate higher temperatures.

“The efficiency of current membranes drops significantly at temperatures over 190 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the chemical reactions that create the electricity are more efficient at high temperatures, so it would be a big improvement for fuel cell technology to make this advance.”

Mark Wiesner, Ph.D., a Duke civil engineering professor

The membrane most commonly used today, known as Nafion, was discovered in the 1960s. As the temperature rises, the polymer becomes unstable and the membranes dehydrate, leading to a loss of performance.

In addition to its temperature and heat limitations, Nafion is also much more expensive to produce than the new membrane, Wiesner said, adding that membranes make up as much as 40 percent of the overall cost of fuel cells.

While I am not a big fan of fuel cells, especially for automotive applications, It is well to keep abreast of technological innovations, such as this one, which may make them more viable.

Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell Breakthrough?

Biopact also reported:

Scientists at the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) propose using ethanol as a direct fuel in next-generation fuel cells. This would have multiple advantages over fuels more commonly associated with efficient fuels cells, like hydrogen or methanol.

The KIT researchers have found a way to boost the fuel cell performance while operating at room temperature by using oxidized nanoparticles as the anode catalyst in combination with a composite catalyst used for the cathode.

The researchers mixed the nanoparticles and the carbon-supported PtRu (PtRu/C) merely at the ratio of 1:1.

First applications will be to use the DEFC as a device to power cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices.  . . . more

This would offer the advantage of using our relatively small supplies of ethanol in a fuel cell that has two to three times the efficiency of the ICE. If this discovery would make possible the production of larger low cost fuel cells, my position on fuel cells would have to change, but don't hold your breath.

Microbial Fuel Cells

Based on a Biopact report:

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) took a step closer to commercial reality recently when MIT students showed off a MFC that efficiently converts cellulosic biomass into electricity and biological engineers at Oregon State University reported that they have designed an MFC that is capable of generating about 10 times more electricity than previously possible from an air cathode microbial fuel cell of the same size.

These and other breakthroughs have taken microbial fuel cells out of their experimental status and closer to beeing ready to be used in real world applications.

A MFC converts chemical energy, available in an organic substrate, directly into electricity. To achieve this, bacteria are used as a catalyst to convert substrate into electrons. In principle they can be fed virtually any type of biomass, from rotten fruit and cellulose to algae and mosquitos.

(above) Schematic of a MFC - Microbes in the anode compartment metabolize organic fuel (in this case glucose) and release electrons, ions and C02. In the cathode compartment electrons combine with ions and oxygen to form water and close the circuit. Credit: IntAct Labs

Ford to Use Fuel Cell to Reduce Exhast from Paint Fumes and Produce Electricity

In a rather unique application of fuel cells, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) will use a Fuel Cell Energy(NasdaqGM: FCEL) fuel cell to reduce the paint fumes emanating from automotive painting operations at its Oakville, Ontario facility by converting the fumes into 300 kilowatts (kW) of green electricity.

The PRIME NEWSWIRE release goes on to say:

The Direct FuelCell(r) (DFC(r)) unit can transform the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that emanate from enamel base paints and clear coat finishes used in manufacturing into fuel used by the fuel cells.

"By using the end-products of enamel and clear coat operations, we are eliminating the exhaust of thousands of tons of nitrous and sulfur oxides as well as CO2 -- a major greenhouse gas,'' said Andrew Skok, Executive Director, Strategic Marketing for FuelCell Energy. ``As this application shows, the fuel flexibility of our DFC300MA opens up an entirely new, very large market for us.''

The DFC300MA unit is expected to be started up early in 2008 and over time, Ford and Detroit Edison, which jointly own the rights to the paint fume clean up and separation technology, could roll the system out to Ford's other plants, or license it to other manufacturers whose operations include similar uses of paint compounds.

The DFC power plant is being funded by Industry Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to assist in deploying alternative energy sources. The unit deployment in Oakville will be supported through the combined efforts of FuelCell Energy and its distribution partner, Enbridge, Inc. (NYSE:ENB ). Installation and integration of the power plant with Ford's manufacturing facility will be managed by Arencibia Associates of Coopersburg, PA.

Ships Becoming Largest Source of Emissions

According to Europa, in the EU ships are fast becoming the biggest source of air pollution.  Unless more action is taken they are set to emit more than all land sources combined by 2020.

A 2003 study found that large ships generate 30 percent of global nitrogen emissions and 16 percent of sulfur emissions from all petroleum sources. Despite the fact that ships are more energy efficient than other forms of commercial transportation, marine engines operate on extremely dirty fuels. Most large ships use the dirtiest and least expensive diesel available, bunker oil.

Shipping is a small contributor to the world total CO2 emissions (1.8% of world total CO2 emissions in 1996)

Greek Navy Launches Fuel Cell Powered Submarine

Air Products, in partnership with Hellas Air Pro Ltd., recently supplied a new state of the art submarine of the Hellenic Navy with hydrogen.

The HDW Class 214 submarine has a fuel cell-generated power supply, allowing it to operate entirely on hydrogen. The fuel cell, which produces electrical energy from oxygen and hydrogen, allows the new submarine to cruise under water for up to three weeks without resurfacing. Conventional diesel-electric submarines typically deplete their battery power after a few days cruising under water. In addition, the fuel cell makes no noise and produces no detectable exhaust heat, in turn making the submarine virtually undetectable.

This is the most advanced conventional submarine in the world and the Greek State was the first in the world to order it. The contract award provided for the building of the first submarine at HDW’s Kiel yard and for the building of the other three (3) submarines in Greece at HSY premises

Advances in SOFC Fuel Cell Sealing Technology

Dr. Ian Birkby, AZojomo, via Eureka Alert - Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) have attracted major interest from research and development communities as an alternative source of power, with commercial trials already under way. In these fuel cells electricity is generated via electro-chemical reactions using hydrogen based gas (? more often hydrocarbon gases such as natural gas) and oxygen as a fuel and oxidant, respectively.

Sealing these units is a critical technical issue that needs further work before they can be put into widespread commercial use. In particular the system chosen must exhibit good gas tightness, adhesion with adjoining components (electrolyte and connector), chemical compatibility, matching coefficient of thermal expansion and electrical insulation. . . . continued

Chevron, Fuel Cell Energy to Turn Wasetewater Sludge and Kitchen Grease into Renewable Power

Chevron Energy Solutions, a Chevron (NYSE: CVX) subsidiary, today announced that it has begun engineering and construction of a system at the City of Rialto’s (California) wastewater treatment facility that will transform wastewater sludge and kitchen grease from local restaurants into clean, renewable power.

The new system will provide a beneficial use for the thousands of gallons of fats, oils and grease (FOG) that are washed daily from restaurant grills and pans, which is collected by grease hauling companies. At the Rialto facility, a FOG-receiving station will provide an effective disposal alternative to landfills, where FOG is often disposed, creating methane - a greenhouse gas - as it decomposes, releasing it directly into the atmosphere. It also will provide a revenue stream to the city through “tipping fees” paid by grease haulers for each disposal.

Energy and Water from Beer Waste

On a somewhat lighter note, from Physorg.com, Australian beer maker Foster's is going to generate clean energy and clean water from brewery waste water by using a fuel cell in which bacteria consume the sugar, starch and alcohol in the waste. 

The fuel cell is expected to produce 2 kilowatts of power — enough to power a household — and the technology would eventually be applied in other breweries and wineries owned by Foster's. The cell should be operating at the brewery by September."Brewery waste water is a particularly good source because it is very biodegradable ... and is highly concentrated, which does help in improving the performance of the cell," said Prof. Jurg Keller, the university's wastewater expert.  .

The 660-gallon fuel cell will be 250 times bigger than a prototype that has been operating at Australia's University of Queensland laboratory for three months.

The experimental technology was unveiled Wednesday by scientists at the university, which was given a $115,000 state government grant to install the microbial fuel cell at the brewery.

Power Air Zinc Air Fuel Cells

Power Air Corporation's Zinc Air Fuel Cell technology offers an alternative to batteries, generators, and hydrogen fuel cells as it creates residual zinc oxide that, through electrolysis, can be recycled back into reusable zinc fuel.

Power Air Corporation (OTC: PWAC) (PAC), a clean energy company, Is developing a commercially viable Zinc-Air Fuel Cell (ZAFC) technology that generates reliable, environmentally sustainable, zero emission energy for portable, stationary, light mobility, and transportation applications.

Power Air’s better way replaces batteries and engines with fuel cells that can be quickly recharged by a simple exchange of electrolyte. PAC’s ZAFC technology is made using low cost materials and conventional manufacturing techniques. Products powered by PAC’s ZAFC have all the advantages of batteries and engines, without the disadvantages.

The ZAFC is a metal oxide fuel cell using relatively simple physical chemistry. It uses a combination of atmospheric oxygen and zinc pellets in a liquid alkaline electrolyte to generate electricity with by products of zinc oxide and potassium zincates.

World's Larges Fuel Cell Power Plant to be Built in S Korea

As reported in the Korean Times, POSCO, the worlds 3rd largest steelmaker, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pohang City and North Kyongsang Province to build a 100 megawatt (MW) per year fuel cell power plant by 2010 in Pohang. The project is part of Kyongsang Province's efforts to make the region an "energy cluster"along the eastern coast, and POSCO to become the adopter of cleaner technology.

In its first phase, POSCO Power, the companies electric power business affiliate, plans to run a 50MW plant by the second half of 2008, and fully operate the 100MW plant in three years.

POSCO Power will be investing a total of 225 billion won by 2011, which includes a 65 billion won ($69 million) investment in the construction of the plant and 120 billion won ($127 million) in research and development.

In February, POSCO signed a license and distribution agreement with FuelCell Energy (Nasdaq:FCEL) to sell DFC® power plants in South Korea. The company will eventually manufacture non-fuel cell stack equipment (the "balance of plant" portion) for plants sold around the globe. Fuel cell stack modules manufactured by FuelCell Energy in Connecticut will be shipped to customers in Asia for installation with POSCO Power balance of plants.

Air Products and Fuel Cell Energy Building Efficient Hydrogen Generating Station

Air Products (NYSE: APD), and FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM: FCEL), have commenced construction on an advanced hydrogen energy demonstration station designed to address industrial and transportation applications.  The station, funded in part by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), is to demonstrate a tri-generating green energy system capable of providing low-cost hydrogen, electric power and heat from one integrated unit.

The new system will combine FuelCell Energy’s Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plants with Air Products’ advanced gas separation technologies.  The DFC system produces electric power and heat for cogeneration, as well as hydrogen for industrial applications and fuel cell vehicles.  The system is designed to produce more than 250 kilowatts (kW) of green power and over 135 kilograms (about 300 pounds) of hydrogen per day. The system could provide hydrogen for smaller industrial users who routinely purchase liquid or gaseous hydrogen that currently must be delivered by truck.  The DFC system could also be equipped to provide daily hydrogen fueling for approximately 35 fuel cell vehicles. 

The tri-generation system is designed to operate on renewable fuel sources, such as anaerobic digester gas from industrial or municipal wastewater treatment facilities, as well as readily available fuels, including natural gas and propane. The overall cost of on-site generation of hydrogen via this process has the potential to be significantly lower than other currently available production options, and thus could provide hydrogen and energy at decreased costs.

New Platiinum-Nickel Alloy Catalyst for Fuel Cells?

A Boost for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Research

Lawernce Livermore Labs, Berkley, CA — The development of hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles, the ultimate green dream in transportation energy, is another step closer.  Researchers, led by Vojislav Stamenkovic, in the Materials Sciences Division with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have identified a new variation of a familiar platinum-nickel alloy that is far and away the most active oxygen-reducing catalyst ever reported.

The researchers identified the platinum-nickel alloy configuration Pt₃Ni(111) as displaying the highest ORR activity that has ever been detected on a cathode catalyst – 10 times better than a single crystal surface of pure platinum(111), and 90 times better than platinum-carbon.   

“This surface sets a new bar for catalytic activity in PEM fuel cells and makes it feasible to meet U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) targets for platinum-specific power densities without a loss in cell voltage,” Stamenkovic said. ...

Long Island Utility Seeks to Build a 5-Megawatt Fuel Cell Power Plant

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has issued a request for proposals to construct and operate a 5-megawatt fuel cell power plant in Long Beach, New York. The fuel cell system will have a symbiotic relationship with a natural gas distribution hub located on the site, drawing its fuel from the distribution pipeline while warming the natural gas in the pipeline with the heat generated by the fuel cells. This cogeneration approach—using both the heat and electricity generated by the fuel cell—makes the most efficient use of the natural gas fuel. This project would be the first of its kind in the nation and may, when completed, be the largest commercial fuel cell system in the world. Proposals are due February 16, 2007, selection of the winning proposal is scheduled for June 30, and commercial operation scheduled for one year from the effective date of the authorization. See press release for more details.

Hydrogenics Signs Distribution Agreement With LiftOne

Hydrogenics Corporation (NASDAQ:HYGS - News), a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen and fuel cell systems, announced it has entered into a distribution agreement with LiftOne, a division of Carolina Tractor.

A full-service material handling dealership, LiftOne is Hydrogenics' first distributor for the company's HyPX(TM) Fuel Cell Power Pack product for lift trucks. Under the agreement, LiftOne will market, sell, and service the HyPX fuel cell solution to potential end-users in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell Partnership Needed

AlgoDyne Ethanol Energy Inc. (OTCBB:ADYN) announced that it is currently negotiating partnerships in the Direct-Alcohol-Fuel-Cell (DAFC) field to provide a cutting-edge system.

In order to produce electricity from ethanol directly, AlgoDyne has devoted substantial development resources to DAFC research. DAFCs generate power through the direct oxidation of alcohol in conjunction with the reduction of oxygen. AlgoDyne’s dedicated team of scientists have achieved significant efficiency compared to existing DAFC designs and anticipate completing a prototype very soon.

AlgoDyne’s proprietary mico-algae-based (phytoplankton) technology provides a powerful means to produce clean, renewable energy from the continual harvest of bio-mass from Photo-Bioreactors. The end result is the production of ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, electricity, coal and animal feed – all in a carbon dioxide neutral way.

Fuel Cell Industry Growing, but Still Relatively Small

According to the 2006 Fuel Cell Industry Survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, for the publicly traded companies in the global fuel cell sector:

●  Revenues were up 20% to $266 million in 2005
●  There was a 6% decrease in R&D expenditures to $206 million
●  Continuing a trend started in 2003, revenues exceeded spending on R&D
●  Net losses in 2005 decreased by 19% to $365 million
●  None of the individual companies surveyed reported profits
●  Total full time employment increased 8% to 3,022
●  The total market capitalization remained nearly constant at $3.2 billion

The survey report focuses on the 2005 year-over-year financial results of the world's 23 publicly traded companies whose primary business is in the areas of fuel cell production, system integration, and/or related fueling infrastructure.  While publicly traded companies represent only a portion of the industry, the reporting requirements of these businesses allow insight into the operational, financial and strategic realities facing the industry as a whole.

Ford to unveil two new environmentally-friendly SUVs at this year's L.A. Auto Show
(Daily TECH)

At this year's L.A. Auto Show, Ford is expected to show two eco-friendly SUVs -- one of which will be soon available for the public to purchase. Later this week, Ford will unveil a second generation Escape Hybrid, shown left, and a fuel cell-powered Explorer, shown below. ....

Ford to Showcase Fuel Cell Powered Explorer
(Ford press release)

Ford will unveil an all-new fuel cell powered Explorer that features a center-mounted hydrogen tank that delivers more miles on a single fill-up than any other fuel cell vehicle today, while maintaining ample space for six passengers and cargo. It can travel 350 miles on a single fill-up, more than any fuel cell vehicle on the road. ....

DuPont Announces Stronger, More Durable Nafion Membrane

Recently DuPont Fuel Cells introduced DuPont™ Nafion® XL, a new extended life membrane that combines the advantages of mechanical reinforcement with enhanced chemical stability, enabling improved membrane durability. DuPont Fuel Cells is also developing new, highly durable electrodes, that, when coupled with use of the new Nafion® XL membrane, should yield up to ten times longer lifetime over current membrane electrode assemblies.

DuPont™ Nafion® XL offers significantly enhanced membrane durability and mechanical strength. Comparison data shows a greater than 1.5 times increase in tensile strength and over 50 percent reduction in swell over the DuPont™ Nafion® NRE211 membrane. In addition, DuPont™ Nafion® XL demonstrates 30 times lower fluorine emission rates (FER) in open circuit voltage (OCV) and lifetime improvement of greater than 25 percent in the load and relative humidity cycling test. Significant lifetime improvement, coupled with lower FER was observed in the automotive drive cycle test with over 3,500 hours demonstrated in this accelerated lifetime test. These improvements are achieved while maintaining the voltage performance of DuPont™ Nafion® NRE211 membrane.

Also noted on the DuPont Fuel Cell website was the following:

Within the next two years, DuPont, working with their partners, expects to make commercial inroads in the consumer electronics and stationary power markets.  Since transportation applications still require fundamental advances in materials, as well as system technologies, the timeline for automotives remains a longer-term prospect.

Siemens SOFC Test Results Exceed SECA Requirements

Siemens Power Generation, a division of Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) announced the successful testing of a prototype 5 kW-class solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) that incorporates its high power density technology being developed under the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA). A complete system using the SECA technology has operated for 2,800 hours and continues to operate at the Siemens facility near Pittsburgh, PA. It has met or exceeded all of the DOE technical and economic objectives for Phase 1 of the SECA program.

There has been absolutely no degradation of cell or system performance during the period of operation. With lifetime a key factor in the commercialization of fuel cells, Siemens' program is the only SECA program believed to have achieved no cell degradation during extended operation. While the test duration required by the DOE was 1,500 hours, the system continues to be operated to determine lifetime, peak power and efficiency potential as the performance of the cells improve.

Fuel Cells in a Hydrocarbon Economy

Cleantech blog has got it right in Richard T. Stuebi's post on fuel cells on Nov. 13.

His main points are 1) (the hydrogen economy) to say the least, is not very likely, at least not anytime soon and 2)  in stationary application the fuel cell market continues to show improving vital signs.

A good short read.

GM: Fuel Cell Vehicles Viable at 1 Million Units

According to The Korea Hearld, Larry Burns, GM's R&D and strategic planning director, speaking during the company's 'Tech Tour 2006' in Shanghai, said:

the cost of building hydrogen fuel cell cars will not exceed that of making conventional fuel powertrain vehicles once volumes reach 1 million units. "Lack of scale is the primary reason for the high costs of fuel cell vehicles."

GM has announced plans to build 100 fuel celled Cheverlot Equinoxes, shown right,  in 2007. (previous post)

The Korea Hearld article said that GM aims to design and validate a fuel cell system that is competitive in terms of performance, durability and cost at volume of $50 per kilowatt (of power generated) by 2010.

VW Researchers Unveil New High-Temperature Fuel Cell

Volkswagen Research has developed a new and innovative type of high temperature fuel cell (HTFC) that means an affordable fuel cell-powered vehicle suitable for everyday use could be available as early as 2020.

This breakthrough is made possible thanks to a new, high temperature membrane and electrodes, which enable significantly more compact, cheaper and more efficient fuel cell systems. In the HTFC protons are exchanged via phosphoric acid. The acid has good electrolyte prperties, similar to water, but has a higher boiling point permitting higher temperature operation and simplifies the water management and humidification required in most PEM cells. On a special screen printing machine, the new electrodes, made of carbon fiber cloth are coated with a new type of paste, which makes the electrode impermeable to water and preventing dilution of the phosphoric acid.

GE to Head Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus Development

GE (NYSE: GE) has announced a $13 million research partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, Ballard Power Systems and A123 Systems to develop a lightweight, battery dominant zero emissions hybrid fuel cell bus. The research will be led by GE’s Global Research Center in Niskayuna, NY.

"Advancements in hybrid propulsion systems and battery chemistry offer tremendous promise for enabling cleaner, more affordable transportation alternatives that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote a cleaner, healthier environment," said Mark Little, Senior Vice President and Director of GE Global Research. "At Global Research, we will be leveraging nearly three decades of experience in hybrid systems and battery chemistry research to help pave the way to commercialization."

FuelCell Energy Receives Award for Coal-Based Multi-Megawatt SOFC

FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM:FCEL), has finalized terms with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a $36.2 million Phase I award to develop a coal-based, multi-megawatt solid oxide fuel cell-based hybrid system.

The program’s overall objective is to develop solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, fueled by coal synthesis gas (coal gas) that will be used in highly-efficient central generation power plant facilities. The system is to have an overall efficiency of at least 50 % in converting energy contained in coal to grid electrical power, in contrast to the approximately 35 % efficiency of today’s average U.S. coal-based power plant.

The envisioned SOFC-hybrid system is expected to capture 90 percent or more of the system’s carbon dioxide emissions for environmentally safe disposal while being cost-competitive with other base load power generating technologies. The project will culminate with the fabrication and operation of a multi-MW proof-of-concept SOFC-hybrid power plant at a suitable location, using coal-derived synthesis gas as fuel. FuelCell Energy may consider submitting the project to the FutureGen Alliance Inc. for possible inclusion in the FutureGen Power Plant.

British Fuel Cell Said to Slash Electric Bills

Ceres Power is product development company founded in 2001 to commercially exploit revolutionary fuel cell technology originally developed within Imperial College during the preceding 10 years.

Ceres Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) fuel cell stacks are comprised of multiple fuel cells layered on top of one another, each made from stainless steel with tiny amounts of ceramic coating. The Company has successfully designed, built and tested a 1kW fuel cell stack (the “Ceres Stack”), which is the fundamental building block of Ceres’ micropower generation products, generating sufficient power for the average home (maybe in the UK, but not in the U.S.). The fuel cell stack, is invisioned to be a fundamental building block of micro-power generation products aimed at a variety of uses ranging from domestic Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to off-grid applications and auxiliary power units (APU) in the transport sector, capable of generating between 1kWe and 25kWe.

The production-engineered Ceres Stack is extremely compact, both smaller and lighter than a typical car battery. It is designed to be reliable, robust and economical, lending itself to rapid mass market uptake. And unlike many fuel cells, the Ceres cell can run on widely available fuels like natural gas, LPG and biofuels as well as on hydrogen.

According to fuelcellworks, electricity bills could be slashed up to 40% with this technology and "conversion of domestic boilers is said to be straight-foreword and cost about GBP 2,500, the same as a conventional premium boiler."

Hybrid Energy System

Fuel Cell Works reports that researchers from the University of Minnesota-Rochester and Rochester Public Utilities are developing a Hybrid Energy System combining a fuel cell and a geothermal heating/cooling system to find out how much better they are in tandem. The hybrid system captures the heat from the fuel cell exhaust and can either circulate it through the geothermal system or stores it in an antifreeze-like solution in underground tanks. Testing is scheduled to start next month.

GE Delivers 6 kW SOFC to DOE

GE today announced it has successfully developed and delivered a 6 kW prototype of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) for testing as part of a multi-year research program under the Department’s Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Coal-Based Systems program.

The delivered prototype exceeds DOE’s key performance specifications for both efficiency and potential for low cost and represents a major step forward in providing the SOFC technology required for large scale, commercially viable SOFC products for power generation. The prototype achieved an efficiency of 49%, which is well above the minimum requirement of 35% set forth in the program. The development of this prototype is part of a 10-year, three-phase program with DOE/NETL to build a highly efficient, multi-megawatt SOFC-based power system operating on coal. This system has the potential to achieve dramatically reduced emissions and close to 50% efficiency from coal. This would far surpass the 35% efficiency that can be achieved in a typical conventional pulverized coal-fired power plant today.

Assessing GM's Fuel Cell Strategy

A recent article in the MIT Technology Review "Assessing GM's Fuel Cell Strategy" supports The Energy Blog's view that GM's plans to introduce a test fleet of 100 fuel cell vehicles is a mistake. Plug-in hybrids are suggested as a more viable alternative. The most critical was Joseph Romm, executive director of the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions, and formerly in charge of energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of Energy:

Hydrogen fuel must be extracted from fossil fuels or water--both energy-consuming processes. Once produced, the gas must be compressed or liquefied for distribution, and this process and the distribution itself take yet more energy. By the time the hydrogen has been delivered to the fuel cell for conversion to electricity, then, a significant amount of energy has been lost to these processes.

"Along the way, you've thrown away nearly three-quarters of the electricity. No one in their right mind would do that--if your alternative is to just string a power line from zero-carbon electricity and charge a battery onboard a car,"

Romm goes on to say: "Money for research and development of fuel-cell vehicles and their related infrastructure is going to waste and the GM approach is "insane." He adds: "Hydrogen is the last thing you would do, only if everything else has failed."

Efficient Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Plant to be Built

Energie Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW) and Siemens Power Generation (PG) are joining forces to build a highly efficient fuel cell hybrid power plant. Plans call for the construction of a megawatt-class demonstration plant. The goal of this research project is to convert up to 70% of the fuel energy into electricity.

The efficiency of this hybrid process is significantly greater than that of modern gas and steam turbine power plants, which can reach an efficiency approroaching 60 percent. This hybrid power plant combines a high-temperature fuel cell with a gas turbine in order to make more efficient use of the fuel and minimize emissions.

In solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), an electrochemical reaction, directly and very efficiently, converts fuel energy into electricity and heat. In this hybrid power plant, the hot exhaust gases exiting the fuel cell are fed into the gas turbine, thereby reducing or totally eliminating the fuel consumption of the turbine. The gas turbine makes it possible to operate the fuel cell at increased gas pressure, which makes it more efficient.

Was it Necessary for GM to Annouces Plans for a Home Hydrogen Fueling Station?

General Motors is following the lead made by Honda (previous post) by developing a home hydrogen refueling unit.  GM's unit would use either electricity or sunlight to make the hydrogen.  Developing an infrastructure to supply hydrogen for their fuel cell vehicles, besides making economical fuel cells, is the most pressing task that fuel cell automakers have.  GM and several other auto companies would like to introduce, at least a limited number of vehicles, most likely for lease in the 2007-2011 time period. Wide scale production of fuel cell vehicles is thought by most to be at least 10-15 years away.

Just one week ago GM announced that they would build 100 fuel cell vehicles that would be deployed in California, New York and Washington, D.C. in 2007.  It is highly probable they they would be use in those areas, at least in part, because there are some hydrogen fueling stations located in those areas.

Hydra Fuel Cell Begins Production

American Security Resources Corporation (OTCBB:ARSC - News) today announced that it has begun commercial production of its HydraStax(TM) fuel cells.

The HydraStax(TM) fuel cell is a proprietary technology developed by ARSC's wholly-owned subsidiary, Hydra Fuel Cell Corp, that increases both the efficiency and useful life of electric generating hydrogen fuel cells. The HydraStax(TM) unit is designed to be commercially mass produced.

Management projects that in volume production a 6KW system will sell in the $4500-$5000 range which will result in a cost/KW of roughly $650. This cost is expected to come down into the $400/ KW range with mass production efficiencies. This product has a capability to allow an owner to generate power during off-hours at a cost of around $0.06/KW/hr to $0.08/KW/hr. The Unit is housed in a computer-like housing or HVAC unit, which will support 10 individual fuel cells, each generating 1KW. The fuel cell is designed to be completely interchangeable and each module will be hot-swappable

See previous post for further description of technology and company.

FuelCell Energy Boost Power Output by 20%

FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM:FCEL - News), manufacturer of molten carbonate fuel cells, has announced an advanced cell stack design that boosts the power output of its Direct FuelCell® (DFC®) power plants by 20 percent. The company is incorporating the enhancement across its entire line of power plants.

The efficiency improvement was achieved by improving the thermal management of electrochemical activity within the stack. The company has increased the power output from each cell and can produce more electricity from the same basic power plant components. The 20 percent increase in electric power output, combined with the company's progress in its value engineering and ongoing cost-reduction programs, are integral to achieving FuelCell Energy's $3,200-3,500/kilowatt (kW) cost target at the end of this calendar year for its DFC3000 power plant.

Franklin Fuels Direct Oxidation SOFC's

Franklin Fuel Cells Inc. (FFC) is an early stage company that is commercializing a unique solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) technology operates directly on today's hydrocarbon fossil fuels as well as future fuels such as, biofuels and hydrogen. This technology will enable (SOFCs) to become price-competitive with existing generation products while having higher energy efficiency and fuel flexibility. The company is a privately held Delaware corporation founded in November 2001 and capitalized in April 2002. FFC intends to address both the stationary and mobile markets.

Fuel cell advocates promise the world cleaner, more efficient and more reliable power, but widespread adoption of existing fuel cell technologies depend on the establishment of a "hydrogen economy." Without the infrastructure to support hydrogen distribution and storage, current fuel cell systems are too inefficient, too large and too expensive for most applications. Franklin Fuel Cell technology, acquired from the University of Pennsylvania through an exclusive licensing agreement, overcomes most of these issues. This technology is designed to:

1. Accelerate the rate of fuel cell commercialization by using conventional fuels and the existing energy infrastructure (such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc).
2. Be competitive now with conventional modular power generating systems in terms of manufacturing cost.
3. Provide a product that can be fuel flexible to facilitate the transition to the hydrogen economy.

Fuel Cell Energy's Hydrogen Separation Process

FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM:FCEL), has developed a cost-efficient system to separate pure hydrogen from a gas mixture that then can be sold as fuel for hydrogen vehicles or industrial uses. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded FuelCell Energy $1.36 Million to advance this Electrochemical Hydrogen Separator (EHS) project for use with the company's Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plants.

Unlike other means of separating hydrogen, which rely on compression, the company's proprietary EHS technology has no moving parts. FCEL anticipates that their process to be significantly more reliable and efficient than conventional methods and to save up to one-half of the energy required when compared to conventional compression based-methods of hydrogen separation.

A subscale prototype EHS unit is currently operating at the University of Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center. The subscale EHS system currently produces 1200 liters per hour of pure hydrogen. With the DoD award, the unit will be scaled up by a factor of 25 and will operate in conjunction with a sub-megawatt DFC power plant in Danbury for testing.

RE: The False Hope of Biofuels

The Sunday, July 2, edition of the Washington Post had a column titled "The False Hope of Biofuels" which had the basic premise that biofuels could only supply half of our transportation fuel needs by 2025 and that food supplies would be compromised if it did so.  I don't think that any responsible person has argued that we could supply more than 30% of our current transportation fuel requirements, rather a diversity of fuels and conservation methods, featuring plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, will be required to provide relief from our increasingly expensive oil supplies.

In the most authoritative report on this subject "Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply", an ORNL study determined that enough fuel could be produced from biomass to meet more than one-third of our current demand for transportation fuels in the U.S. by 2030. As far as the arguments about land usage, the land necessary for producing the biofuels includes currently unused marginal land on which switchgrass or similar crops could be grown, land that is currently idle, and cellulose products produced from forestry wastes and the like, that do not require any additional land usage, as well as a fraction of the land currently devoted to the production of food, which is currently used to produce food for export or to produce food that is bought by the government to subsidise farmers. This study did not include the very significant amount of fuel that could be made from municiple solid waste, or methane from landfills and animal wastes (manure).

The answer to our increasingly expensive fuels is a diversified utilization of several technologies, not just biofuels.  The combination of biofuels; vehicles that use less fuels, such as energy efficient hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs): those made by Toyota, the Honda Insight and Civic and the Ford Escape Escalade; more importantly plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs); all electric vehicles (EVs); fuels made by coal liquefaction; vehicles running on CNG; our remaining domestic supplies of oil; and gains in efficiency made possible by more widespread use of mass transportation are more than sufficient to supply our transportation needs for the foreseeable future, even after allowing for population growth and land needed for growing food crops.

Sulfur Contaimination Problem in SOFC Fuel Cells Solved

Sulfur degradation of SOFC fuel cell anodes has been solved by researchers at Tufts University led by Maria Flytzani-Stephanopoulos who has developed "sorbent" materials that reversibly adsorb hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) from the flow of gas that passes over a fuel cell’s anode.  These cerium and lanthanum oxide sorbent surfaces can work at temperatures up to 800 °C. The work, published in the June 9 issue of Science (abstract), could be a significant step in making high-temperature fuel cells practical.

Removing sulfur from SOFC fuel cells has been a problem because they operate at temperatures that are too high for sorbents used in PEM fuel cells.  Stephanopoulos's technology frees SOFC cells from having to work with natural gas or other sulfur-free fuels. 

Research is being funded by the Army Research Laboratory, which wants to use SOFCs as backup power for tanks and trucks. Since these vehicles run on fuel oil, such as JP8, that's rich in sulfur, they need effective sulfur removal.

Hydrogen from Coal Technologies

This post is being made to 1) explain the technology that is being proposed to produce and distribute hydrogen and 2) to help both my readers and myself understand whether the hydrogen economy is the right choice for our future energy requirements or whether some alternative technologies would make a better choice.  The material has been taken from the two resources noted at the end of the post, with very little editing, except to use only the pertinent excerpts.  The Program Plan is a very long document and I have tried to use only the portions that will help us understand the technology. Please also see my comments at the end of the post.

There are many long-term options for providing hydrogen as a fuel of the future, but coal is the leading contender to provide a hydrogen source in the near term. In his remarks on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) hydrogen research activities at the National Hydrogen Association Annual Conference in March 2005, Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman stated “The progress that DOE and the automotive and energy industries have made so far has us on the path to an industry commercialization decision in 2015. If our research program is successful, it is not unreasonable to think we could see the beginning of mass market penetration by 2020.”

"While someday we may be able to produce hydrogen by breaking up water molecules in association with the high-temperature heat from nuclear power reactors, or through renewable energy technologies," said Chris Shaddix, principal investigator for clean coal combustion at Sandia, "right now the most cost-effective way to produce hydrogen is with coal."

Two approaches to burning coal now are under study. The first, oxy-combustion, combines coal with pure oxygen. The second, gasification, burns coal only partially to create a fuel gas.

Oxy-combustion is driven by concern over emissions of CO2 and other pollutants. Burning coal in oxygen is a near-term solution that can produce exhaust streams that are close to pure CO2, Shaddix said. Harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides, sulfur compounds and mercury are virtually eliminated.

Companies in Japan, Canada, Germany and elsewhere favor oxy-combustion and are building pilot plants.  U.S. companies tend to favor gasification technologies, which offer higher efficiency and low pollution formation. Gasification technologies are the only ones described in this post.

Biological Fuel Cell Development

A team of researchers at the University of Oxford have developed an enzyme based biological fuel cell that takes oxygen and hydrogen from an atmosphere to power electrical devices. The enzymes used were isolated from bacteria that evolved naturally to use hydrogen in their metabolic process.  The enzymes are highly selective and tolerant of gases that poison traditional fuel cell catalysts.  The advantage is that the enzymes are a cheap and renewable alternative to expensive platinum catalysts normally used in fuel cells.

Professor Fraser Armstrong and his colleagues built a fuel cell consisting of two electrodes coated with the enzymes in a small gas tank containing air with a few percent added hydrogen. The fuel cell was used to power a digital watch and the researchers believe that this development marks a milestone in the development process to improve the power density and lifetime of the enzymes.

According to a NREL website, other researchers are attempting to develop microbes to produce hydrogen from water, but as they produce oxygen as well as hydrogen and the hydrogen-evolving microbes are oxygen sensitive, this limitation must be overcome before a biological fuel cell that is fed by nothing but water could be developed.

Resources:

Milestone Achieved in the Development of Biological Fuel Cells, Newswise via Fuel Cell Today, April, 1, 2006
Hydrogen Production and Delivery, NREL R&D, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research website

Technorati tags: fuel cells, hydrogen, energy, technology

PEM Fuel Cells

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells—also called proton exchange membrane fuel cells—deliver high power density and offer the advantages of low weight and volume, compared to other fuel cells. PEM fuel cells use a solid polymer as an electrolyte and porous carbon electrodes containing a platinum catalyst. They need only hydrogen, oxygen from the air, and water to operate and do not require corrosive fluids like some fuel cells. They are typically fueled with pure hydrogen supplied from storage tanks or on board reformers. 

PEM fuel cells are the leading type of fuel cell being developed for transportation applications.  Their development time table is critical for timely deployment of fuel cell vehicles to enable the major element of the hydrogen economy.

Due to their fast startup time, low sensitivity to orientation, and favorable power-to-weight ratio, PEM fuel cells would be particularly suited for use in passenger vehicles.

However the cost of these fuel cells is currently prohibitive for vehicular use.  Additionally their lifetime, especially of the membranes has not been demonstrated to a satisfactory degree.  The membranes, catalysts and bipolar plates in particular need significant improvement before PEMFC are economically viable for light vehicle use.  One bright spot appears to be the fuel cells developed by Honda.  Competitors could emulate and even improve on this technology, if it is as good as I interpret it.  In addition to the fuel cell, economical hydrogen storage systems capable of storing enough hydrogen to give a range comparable to that of typical gasoline fueled cars have yet to be developed.

PEM Fuel Cell Membranes

The hydrogen fuel cell electrolyte or more commonly the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) is a material that looks something like ordinary kitchen plastic wrap.  It conducts only positively charged ions and blocks the electrons. The PEM is the key to the fuel cell technology; it must permit only the necessary ions to pass between the anode and cathode. Other substances passing through the electrolyte would disrupt the chemical reaction.

Three major characteristics of membranes are not totally satisfied by today's membranes when applied to a hydrogen automotive fuel cell.

1. The demand for continuous peak power in hot ambient environments,
2. Cold start capability
3. Stable performance at low relative humidity

DOE has set 2010 technical goals of conductivity of 0.1 Ohms-cm² @ 160 C, oxygen and hydrogen crossover of 2 mA/cm² or less, cost of $5.00/kW and durability of greater than 5,000 hours for transportation applications and 40,000 hours for stationary applications.

FuelCell Energies First Quarter Report

FuelCell Energy reported Results and Accomplishments for their first quarter of 2006, the period ending January 31, 2006.  Highlights were:

• Selected, with PPL, for 4 megawatt project in Connecticut
• Sited first 1 megawatt DFC installation in Japan for Sharp Corp.
• Targeted design cost for 2 MW plant approaches market clearing price
• Increased manufacturing production to 9 megawatts
• Selected by Department of Energy for $85 million coal-based multi-megawatt solid oxide fuel cell project

Commenting on the third item the report said:

Top priorities are continued reduction of the initial and life-cycle costs of the Company's products, and extending stack life from the current three years (24,000 hours) to five years (40,000 hours). To achieve profitability, product costs need to be in a range of $2,000 to $4,000 per kilowatt, depending on local electricity rates and fuel prices. Current design costs are now approximately $4,300 per kilowatt for the 1 megawatt product and $4,600 per kilowatt for the sub-megawatt product.

Extending FuelCell Energy's value engineering initiatives to the multi-megawatt DFC3000 power plant, the Company anticipates reducing the cost of this product to between $3,200 and $3,500 per kilowatt by the end of 2006, and below $3,000 per kilowatt with increased volume. This should be the Company's first product to show positive margins.

Further commentary can be found in the complete report which can be found here.

Technorati tags: fuel cells, energy, technology

The Energy Blog: FuelCell Energies First Quarter Report

Additional Hydrogen Storage Information

While researching the previous post on the Honda micro CHP system I came across this information on hydrogen storage in their fuel cell vehicle.  I have added this paragraph to the recent hydrogen storage post, but I am posting it here for those of you that have already read that post. This is the first storage system that I have seen that appears to be near what will be required in a commercial fuel cell vehicle (FCV).  Honda said in January that they would begin production of a FCV that would be very close to their FCX in 3 or 4 years.

Honda had this phrase in their announcement of their newest model of their fuel cell car, the 2006 FCX: Honda has now developed a new approach to expanding storage capacity, a newly developed hydrogen absorption material in the tank doubles capacity to 5 kg of hydrogen at 5000 PSI, extending cruising range to 350 miles, equivalent to that of a gasoline-engine car. The tank is located behind the rear seat. No other details were given, but I presume that by increasing the tank pressure to 5,000 PSI they were able to increase the capacity of absorbent material to an acceptable value. This is the same pressure as is used in most cars using a simple pressure vessel and has the accompanying disadvantages of the high pressure, but requires much less volume than a simple tank.

Honda Annnounces First Installation of Micro-CHP System

American Honda Motor Company and Massachusetts-based Climate Energy, LLC have collaborated in the first test installation of a micro-sized combined heat and power system (Micro-CHP system).  At the Braintree, Mass., residence of Mr. Bernard Malin, the Climate Energy system is now using cogeneration technology with natural gas to provide residential heat more efficiently than ever before, given the added benefit of producing electric power.

Honda supplies its compact home-use cogeneration unit to Climate Energy, which in turn, combines it with a furnace or boiler as a supplemental system to conventional space heating and electric power in new and existing homes, while delivering ultra-quiet operation.

The complete Climate Energy Micro-CHP system, powered by the Honda MCHP unit, results in more than 85 percent efficiency in converting fuel energy into useful heat and electric power.  The system also is expected to yield a 30 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions as compared with conventional heating appliances and grid supplied electricity.

DOE Awards FuelCell Energy Contract to Develop 100 MW Fuel Cell Power Plants

The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the third project selected under its new Fuel Cell Coal-Based Systems program. FuelCell Energy, Inc., of Danbury, Conn., will conduct research ultimately leading to the development of near-zero emission fuel cell power plants that efficiently convert coal to electricity.

Under the project FuelCell Energy is to develop an affordable fuel-cell-based technology that will operate on synthesis gas from a coal gasifier. The key objectives of the project are:

• Development of fuel cell technologies, fabrication processes, and manufacturing infrastructure and capabilities for scale-up of solid oxide fuel cell stacks for large, multi-megawatt base-load power generation plants.
• The implementation of an innovative system concept for the design of a power plant larger than 100 megawatts,
• The power plant is expected to achieve greater than 50 percent overall efficiency, approaching 60% of the higher heating value of coal.
• Near-zero levels of emissions of sulfur dioxide and NOx, to the environment.
• Capture of 90 percent or more of the system's CO2 emissions
• Cost of $400 per kilowatt, exclusive of the coal gasification unit and CO2-separation subsystems.

Fuel Cell Generator Sets Record Efficiency

The following press release indicates the continuing progress that fuel cell systems are making in the stationary power sector. This sector, along with the specialty vehicle, ie fork lifts, etc, is going to remain the mainstay of the fuel cell industry for quite some time.

DANBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 23, 2006-- FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NasdaqNM:FCEL), a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean and efficient electric power generation plants for commercial and industrial customers, today announced that its patented Direct FuelCell/Turbine(R) (DFC/T(R)) achieved a record-setting performance -- establishing a mark of 56 percent electrical efficiency in the sub-megawatt (sub-MW) class for 800 continuous hours during initial testing.

This significantly exceeds the electrical efficiency of other distributed generation technologies of similar size. For example, gas engines have an electrical efficiency of 30 to 42 percent, low temperature fuel cells have an electrical efficiency of 30 to 35 percent and microturbines have an electrical efficiency of 25 to 30 percent. ....

The DFC/T system is based on FuelCell Energy's 250 kilowatt (kW) Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plant and an integrated 60 kW microturbine from Capstone Turbine Corporation. Heat generated by the fuel cell is used to drive a modified unfired microturbine to generate additional electricity. The supplemental microturbine power increases the electrical efficiency and reduces the cost of power generated without using additional fuel. The combined-cycle DFC/T system has the same ultra-clean emissions profile of FuelCell Energy's Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plants.

Technorati tags: fuel cells, electric generation, energy, technology

DOD Funds Advanced PEM Fuel Cell Development

Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) and Ballard Power Systems (BLDP) announced they have been awarded a $2M program by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop an advanced prototype PEM fuel cell system to support Defense Continuity of Operations (COOP).

Under this program, Plug Power and Ballard will jointly develop a next-generation prototype PEM fuel cell power solution to be used in backup power applications. Plug Power will act as the systems integrator, using a Ballard® fuel cell stack for evaluation and potential use in COOP programs for the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.

See entire press release for more details.

PEM fuel cells have held promise for small, under 100kW, applications, such as vehicle power, battery replacement, and UPS service. This effort has only met with limited sucess and this program may help to bring the technology into more practical use.

Technorati tags: fuel cells, energy, technology

FuelCell Energy Sells 1 MW Unit in Japan

FuelCell Energy announced that it has sold a one megawatt (MW) Direct FuelCell(R) (DFC(R)) power plant to provide electric power and high-quality heat for a Sharp Corp. production facility in Japan that manufactures advanced flat-screen TVs.  The DFC power plant will provide Sharp's Kameyama manufacturing facility with a portion of its base load electricity needs and supply heat byproduct for air conditioning by means of absorption chilling.

"This is our first international megawatt-class installation, showing growing acceptance in Japan of our larger ultra-clean DFC power plants," said R. Daniel Brdar, President and CEO of FuelCell Energy.

Installation of the DFC power plant is expected to be complete by second calendar quarter of 2006. The unit will operate on liquefied natural gas -- supplied via a newly installed 17-kilometer pipeline from Toho Gas.

For further details see FuelCell Energy press release, January 24, 2005

FuelCell Energy based in Danbury, CT is the leading producer of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), which were the subject of a previous post.  MCFC's are produced in sizes above 250 kW and obtain extremely high efficiencies, as high as 85%, when the waste heat is captured and used as is the case in this application.

This is an example how high effiency fuel cells can provide distributed power to help reduce consumption of fossil fuels.  Not only is electricity produced at a higher efficiency than in any conventional power plant and the waste heat recovered and used, but the not insignificant distribution losses are eliminated

Technorati tags: fuel cells, energy, technology

Hydra Fuel Cell Corporation

Hydra Fuel Corporation, a fuel cell company that is a (the only) wholly owned subsidiary of American Security Resources Corporation (OTCBB: ARSC.OB), an "acquisition vehicle" in Houston, TX, announced in December that  it plans to ship beta units of its proprietary hydrogen fuel cells to select customers in January, 2006. On January 19 ARSC announced:

Hydra fuel will demonstrate beta units of its proprietary hydrogen fuel cells to a select group of potential customers which includes the Department of Defense -- Army Corps of Engineers, Qwest Communications, Verizon Communications, Foxconn, the Oregon Institute of Technology and a major regional utility, among others.  The demonstration took place at Hydra's facilities in Beaverton, Oregon, on Friday, January 20, 2006.

Ed Davis, Chairman of Hydra, explained, "The HydraStax® hydrogen fuel cell is designed to be the first commercially mass producible hydrogen fuel cell. Our beta units are performing much better than expected. The applications for this type of fixed power with the military and commercial customers number in the hundreds of thousands."

The ARSC website gives this description, in part, of Hydra:

The emerging need for stationary Fuel Cell technology for the industrial/ commercial sector for standby and remote power, and for high-end residential users, is evident. The Freedonia Group projects that the Fuel Cell Opportunity is currently a $5 billion segment of a Trillion dollar industry for reliable power and distributed generation for the digital economy.

About Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) uses a ceramic, solid-phase electrolyte which reduces corrosion considerations and eliminates the electrolyte management problems associated with liquid electrolyte fuel cells. To achieve adequate ionic conductivity in such a ceramic, however, the system must operate at temperatures between 650 and 1000°C (1200 and 1830°F). High temperature operation removes the need for precious-metal catalyst, thereby reducing cost. At these temperatures, internal reforming of carbonaceous fuels is possible, and the waste heat from such a device can be utilized by conventional thermal electricity generating plants to yield excellent fuel efficiency. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) are currently being demonstrated in sizes from 1kW up to 250-kW plants, with plans to reach the multi-MW range.  Commercial SOFCs are expected to have around 50-60 percent efficiency. In co-generationapplications overall efficiencies should be in the 80-85 percent range.

In operation, hydrogen or carbon monoxide (CO) in the fuel stream reacts with oxide ions (O=) from the electrolyte to produce water or CO2 and to deposit electrons into the anode. The electrons pass outside the fuel cell, through the load, and back to the cathode where oxygen from air receives the electrons and is converted into oxide ions which are injected into the electrolyte. It is significant that the SOFC can use CO as well as hydrogen as its direct fuel. This allows SOFCs to use gases made from coal.