FuelCellsWorks

NREL’s Hydrogen Technologies and Systems Center spearheaded developing the Fuel Cell Power (FCPower) Model for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies Program.

The FCPower Model is a financial tool for analyzing high-temperature, fuel cell-based tri-generation (combined heat, hydrogen, and power) systems, which can play an important role in early fuel cell markets. Case study data for the FCPower Model include building energy load profiles and solar/wind resource profiles for U.S. cities in eight climate zones.

Learn more about fuel cell power analysis and how to download and use the Fuel Cell Power Model case study data.

staxera and EBZ have begun a joint SOFC system development program, focusing on high electrical efficiency and based on steam reforming of natural gas.  The commercial focus of this program is a 20 kW system with an electrical efficiency of between 50 and 60%.  The basic design will also be used to develop other products such as systems which operate on biogas or landfill gas.

The first phase of the program involves the construction and testing of a system demonstrator based on a peak stack power of 3 kW, using two of staxera’s integrated stack modules (ISMs).  The system demonstrator has been in operation since September 2009, and is at present using two of staxera’s 1.1 kW ISMs.  With this configuration the peak stack power has been measured at over 2 kW, which matches expectations.  The full design power of 3 kW will be demonstrated in 2010, when the 1.5 kW ISMs become available.

staxera will use this system demonstrator to analyze and characterize the performance and operation of the ISM when fuelled with steam-reformed natural gas.  Additionally, EBZ and staxera offer the system demonstrator as a commercial product, which provides customers with an ideal method of gaining SOFC experience in a system-relevant environment.

In order to accelerate the development and marketing of the system, staxera and EBZ welcome other partners to join their cooperation.

Bern Township-based industrial-battery firm EnerSys said it has made an investment in Altergy Systems, Folsom, Calif., a maker of advanced fuel-cell systems.

The amount of the investment was not disclosed.

It said EnerSys will be exclusive distributor of the Extended Run Time Solution standby power system – combining EnerSys’ PowerSafe batteries and Altergy’s Freedom Power hydrogen fuel cells – to certain markets and regions, including telecommunications and uninterruptable power supply markets.

“We expect that this investment will create a revenue stream for EnerSys, with the opportunity to supply the new hybrid markets, complement existing offerings and provide new opportunities for our service offerings,” said John D. Craig, EnerSys’ chairman, president and chief executive.

Revolve Technologies has demonstrated its hydrogen-powered Ford Transit at the Eco Summit in Copenhagen.

The company developed the zero emission Transit using a conventional internal combustion petrol engine, two of which are expected to begin operator trials with the Royal Mail via CENEX shortly.

Bill Waddell, Revolve’s business development manager, said: “We see the internal combustion engine as a stepping stone in the route to use hydrogen as an alternative fuel. The fact is that we can adapt proven technology to use hydrogen – the technology is here and available today.”

Also at the event was author of The Book of Rubbish Ideas, Tracey Smith.

She added: “The new vehicle technologies are incredibly exciting and there’s no doubt hydrogen will be part of the solution. What’s reassuring from a performance point of view is that there are no compromises in terms of performance, you really can’t tell the difference between the van running on unleaded or hydrogen, except you sit happily in the knowledge that you’ve not produced a droplet of carbon with the latter.