Together with the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry for the Environment, the project partners RWE Fuel Cells and the City of Ahlen have today officially commissioned a high-temperature fuel cell that generates electricity and heat from sewage gas and is unprecedented in Europe.

The HotModule, a molten-carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) with an electrical output of 250 kW and a thermal output of 180 kW, uses the sewage gas produced in the municipal wastewater treatment works in Ahlen in a particularly environmentally friendly way. "This project proves the innovation potential in North Rhine-Westphalia which arises when industry, municipalities and the state act in concert. North Rhine-Westphalia is a high-tech state in terms of environmental protection. More than 200,000 people are working in this industry. New technologies enhance its export opportunities ", said Dr. Alexander Schink, State Secretary
at the Ministry for the Environment. Apart from the Ministry for the Environment of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, DaimlerChrysler AG has also provided financial support to the fuel cell project in Ahlen.

Commissioned by the City of Ahlen, RWE Fuel Cells delivered the overall fuel cell plant and provided the necessary technical support to the project. "The sewage gas-operated MCFC project we have realized in Ahlen is the first of its kind in Europe and proves the HotModule's flexibility in terms of fuel utilization. The experience we have gathered during the planning, operation and engineering of this project is substantial for the further technical development of the HotModule", said Dr. Michael Fübi, Chief Executive Officer of RWE Fuel Cells GmbH.

In contrast to other fuel cells, the HotModule does not only require hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen for its chemical reaction but also carbon dioxide, i.e. it does not only work on natural gas but also on special gases such as sewage gas. The electricity generated is used to supply the wastewater treatment works or is fed into the public grid. The heat is primarily used to operate the digestion tower in the wastewater works which produces sewage gas from sewage sludge. The remaining heat serves to heat office and plant buildings. "The HotModule is a key future technology which uses sewage gas in the most efficient way," said Benedikt Ruhmöller, Mayor of the City of Ahlen.

With its high electrical efficiency of up to 50%, the HotModule is particularly environmentally friendly. Electricity generation is particularly benign on the climate due to the use of sewage gases and the fuel cell’s high electrical efficiency. Thus, the City of Ahlen and RWE Fuel Cells make an active contribution to climate protection. The HotModule is manufactured by the company MTU CFC Solutions GmbH which is based in Ottobrunn. The company, in which RWE Fuel Cells holds a stake, is the No. 1 manufacturer of high-temperature fuel cells in Europe. At the Ahlen wastewater treatment works, the highly-promising fuel cell technology has replaced an engine-driven decentralized cogeneration unit.