Contact

Alkaline Fuel Cell Solutions by AFC Energy and GenCell

By

December 1, 2017

Image titel:

Sources:

Alkaline Fuel Cell Solutions by AFC Energy and GenCell

Kore

KORE fuel cell module, © AFC Energy

For a long time, it seemed as if alkaline fuel cells, or AFCs for short, no longer had a chance on the market. But now, some developers are set on reviving this “old” technology. GenCell, a cash-rich business from Israel, has optimized these cells to a point where they can be offered as part of a commercially available backup power system. And a successful trial run in Stade has encouraged AFC Energy to push onto the German market with its own solutions. Currently, it is planning to set up a 1-megawatt system in the Covestro Industrial Park in Brunsbüttel.

AFC Energy, which was founded in the UK in 2006, started getting involved in alkaline fuel cell development in Germany in April 2013. As part of the EU’s Power-Up support program, it set up two stationary KORE fuel cell modules with a total nominal capacity of 500 kilowatts at DowDuPont in Stade (see fig. 1). The first one of these modules, a 240-kilowatt installation, began producing electricity in July 2015. Its three tiers comprised of 8 fuel cell cartridges were up and running by the end of January 2016, a bit later than expected. Together, they have since been feeding power into the public grid of the municipality’s energy utility. Each of the 24 cartridges in this installation consists of 101 individual cells and initially showed 7.5 kilowatts of output, a value close to the lower performance threshold.

Advertisements

British business builds in Brunsbüttel

Advertisements

Now, AFC Energy is reported to be planning another installation, a 1-megawatt system in Brunsbüttel. The new system is said to receive hydrogen from the pipeline network of Covestro Germany, the management company of the Covestro Industrial Park in the city. One of the business divisions of the pipeline operator, which was known until 2015 as Bayer MaterialScience, is chloralkali electrolysis. The hydrogen produced by this industrial method and distributed through the company’s H2 network is planned to be utilized for an alkaline fuel cell in the foreseeable future. According to AFC Energy, construction at the river Elbe had begun in May 2017. The manufacturer, which is headquartered south of London, hopes that the project will provide it with easier access to the German market. It is the reason why it also intensified the partnership with plantIng, a German engineering company, in early 2016.

e-journal

GenCell

At the same time, GenCell based in Petach Tikva, Israel, has been trying to improve the fuel cell’s image from the ground up. This June, it published a white paper titled “The Big Deal With Fuel Cells,” which describes fuel cell operation, hydrogen properties and the differences between several types of cells. The authors of the paper also give a detailed explanation of the advantages of AFC technology, since GenCell manufactures alkaline fuel cells for backup power solutions.

Rami Reshef, CEO of GenCell, explained, “Thanks to patented AFC technology, we’ve achieved cost breakthroughs that make our solutions affordable for mainstream consumers. Our 5-kilowatt backup power systems overcome the significant weaknesses of other clean technologies, such as solar and wind, and they’re the perfect option to replace outdated technologies, such as batteries and diesel generators.”

The Israeli company offers two products, GenCell G5 for uninterruptible power supply, for example, in the telecommunications industry, and GenCell G5rx, which comes with a special encasing, e.g., to complement battery-based backup power systems. Their overall efficiency is said to be 55 percent, while operating temperatures are said to range from minus 40 °C to plus 45 °C.

Alkaline fuel cells

Alkaline fuel cells had been employed as early as the 1960s, during NASA’s mission to the moon, and were likewise used in Europe’s Ariane spaceflight program. They were regarded as comparatively durable and could produce both power and heat as well as water.

Kategorien: Europe | Germany
:Schlagworte

Here are interesting and current articles on the topic of hydrogen – stocks and the stock market!

Economic prospects for companies in the hydrogen sector | Future, stocks & hydrogen companies on the stock exchange and more…

Which hydrogen companies will prevail in the competitive market in the long term? Get tips and cartwheels and learn more about risks or opportunities. Our stock market specialist and expert author Sven Jösting reports critically, independently and competently.

Mar 18 2024

Search for the ideal hydrogen storage

Interview with Thomas Korn, CEO of water stuff & sun Startup company water stuff & sun has...
Mar 15 2024

Is exponential growth slowing down?

Fuel Cell Industry Review 2022 Year 2022 saw fuel cell shipments creep up over 2021 numbers,...
Mar 11 2024

On the way to becoming a green hydrogen partner

Oman aims to score points with H2 infrastructure Wind, sun and loads of expertise – these...
Mar 07 2024

We can master a scale-up for green hydrogen

Interview with Dr. Kai Fischer, Director at RWTH Aachen The efficient scaling of green hydrogen...
Mar 07 2024

Frustration over continuing uncertainties

Interview with Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe There is a lot that needs sorting out...
Mar 05 2024

“If ever there was momentum for hydrogen, it is now”

Interview with Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of Deutsche Messe “We’re bringing people together.”...
Feb 28 2024

H2Direkt: Blueprint for heating with pure H2

The energy providers Thüga und Energie Südbayern (ESB) as well as Energienetze Bayern have...
Feb 26 2024

Just switch over?

Hydrogen in the existing natural gas network Whether hydrogen contributes to the clean heating...
Feb 26 2024

Pilot plant for coating bipolar plates

At Fraunhofer FEP (Fraunhofer-Institut für Organische Elektronik, Elektronenstrahl- und...
Feb 20 2024

55 MW electrolyzer to decarbonize Saarland

Hydrogen Regions series: HydroHub Fenne living lab The power plant site in Fenne, Völklingen, a...
Feb 20 2024

Chicken feathers as FC membrane material

Feathers from chickens or other poultry could in the future help make fuel cells more effective...
Feb 15 2024

SMEs demand more security

Guest article by André Steinau, CEO of GP Joule Hydrogen After all, the Ampel Coalition leading...
Feb 15 2024

Accelerated expansion of renewable energies

RED III is here – Elsewhere, the wait continues Progress is being made at EU level – albeit...
Feb 12 2024

Picea 2 relies on lithium instead of lead

HPS presents new product generation The company HPS Home Power Solutions has unveiled a new...
Feb 12 2024

H2 production by photocatalysis

The direct generation of hydrogen from sunlight has long been considered the most elegant solution...
Feb 05 2024

Regional instead of international

Hy-Fcell has it difficult asserting itself The aspiration of Landesmesse Stuttgart with Hy-Fcell...
Feb 01 2024

Hydrogeit Verlag turns 20 years old

Hydrogeit Verlag is proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary as a renowned specialist publisher in...
Jan 26 2024

Stracke other H2Now managing director

BMV Energy GmbH is entering the market as another player in hydrogen refueling stations. The...
Jan 26 2024

Starting points for a comprehensive hydrogen ramp-up

Industry congress GAT 2023 in Cologne To establish a functioning hydrogen economy, the entire...
Jan 26 2024

The industry highpoint in autumn

Hydrogen Technology Expo total success In autumn 2023 as well, the Hydrogen Technology Expo was...

4 Comments

  1. GAURANG JARIWALA

    need to know if you can use these cell to run vans and trucks in usa

    Reply
  2. Hydrogeit

    As far as I know these cells are for stationary application.

    Reply
    • Gaurang Jariwala

      Yes it is but can it be used for hotel lobby and residence

  3. Hydrogeit

    I think so

    Reply

Leave a Reply