- Email: [email protected]
Ballard to deploy extra fuel cells in Digicel network in Jamaica
NEWS / EDITORIAL and are planning to launch the fuel cell APU initially on the US market at the end of 2017.’ Last year Eberspächer participated in a German project with the OWI Oel-WaermeInstitut, which completed life-span testing of a diesel reformer and offgas burner for a 3 kW SOFC truck APU system [FCB, November 2013, p10]. Eberspächer Climate Control Systems GmbH, Esslingen, Germany. Tel: +49 711 93900, www.eberspaecher.com/en.html Espar Climate Control Systems, Canada: www.espar.com
Cella Energy, Safran to develop hydrogen storage for aerospace
U
K-based hydrogen storage developer Cella Energy has signed an exclusive partnership with French aerospace and security group Safran to develop hydrogen-based power systems for aerospace applications. Safran will provide funding to a joint development project with Cella, which will produce a prototype power system designed to be used onboard an aircraft. Cella Energy has developed a safe and lightweight material that stores hydrogen in solid form, and releases it quickly when heated to moderate temperatures. By combining Cella’s expertise in hydrogen storage materials and Safran’s aerospace engineering expertise, the companies will accelerate development of equipment that can exploit this material onboard aircraft. The new deal gives Safran access to Cella Energy’s hydrogen storage technology in the aerospace area, except for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Two years ago Cella Energy partnered with Florida-based L2 Aerospace to develop technology that will allow UAS to operate for longer durations [FCB, August 2012, p3]. The system that Cella and Safran will develop over the next year will match the performance of the latest carbon-fibre hydrogen storage tanks, and facilitate hydrogen logistics for aerospace onboard applications. Combination with a fuel cell will allow the two companies to produce a device that packs much more energy than a battery for the same weight. Cella Energy – a spin-out from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory – has a patented technology based on the encapsulation and nanostructuring of chemical hydrides in plastic. These low-cost materials can be stored safely at ambient temperatures and pressures.
October 2014
Three years ago Cella received investment led by Space Florida [FCB, October 2011, p9], and set up a second research facility at the Kennedy Space Center. Last autumn Cella and its consortium partners won funding from Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, to scale up a fuel cell/hydrogen storage system to 5 kW for powering a small electric vehicle [FCB, December 2013, p3]. Aerospace is an increasingly active area for hydrogen fuel cells: European aerospace giant Airbus has just announced a collaboration to fund research at the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Systems Competence Centre, to study the application of fuel cells in commercial airliners [FCB, September 2014, p1]. Cella Energy Ltd, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK. Tel: +44 1235 567502, www.cellaenergy.com Safran Group: www.safran-group.com/spip.php?lang=en
SMALL STATIONARY
Ballard to deploy extra fuel cells in Digicel network in Jamaica
C
anadian-based Ballard Power Systems has received an order from its Caribbean distributor, Precision Power & Air (PP&A), for 13 ElectraGen™-ME fuel cell backup power systems to be deployed in the Digicel mobile phone network in Jamaica. This is the second tranche of Ballard methanol-fueled systems ordered for Digicel, which will make it 25 systems deployed at critical sites around Jamaica. The original systems have been successfully operating in Digicel’s network for more than two years. PP&A is responsible for deployment as well as ongoing servicing and fueling of the fuel cell systems in Digicel’s Jamaica network. Most of the newly ordered backup power systems will be sited at rooftop base station locations. ElectraGen-ME systems are particularly well suited for rooftop deployment because of their small footprint, quiet operation, light weight, and very low emissions. ‘There are inherent challenges with incumbent backup power technologies on rooftops,’ says Larry Stapleton, VP of sales at Ballard. ‘Our methanol-fueled systems offer a practical solution to address those challenges and deliver meaningful value to telecom operators globally.’ When these 13 additional systems are deployed, Ballard will have 161 ElectraGen-
EDITORIAL
A
fter many years of grappling with the ‘chicken and egg’ question of which comes first – fuel cell electric vehicles, or the requisite hydrogen refueling infrastructure – it really now looks as though the answer is ‘both’. We have reported regularly on the imminent initial rollout of FCEVs, with cars from Hyundai, Honda, Toyota et al. starting to arrive in showrooms or in small numbers for real-world use. We report in this issue that the hydrogen infrastructure is getting serious in several locations where there will soon be sufficient refueling capacity to sustain these initial vehicle numbers. In Germany, a ‘Grand Coalition’ of major companies has agreed to implement 13 new hydrogen refueling locations over the next year [see page 1], which would see the number of stations reach 50 by the end of 2015. The German H2 Mobility initiative agreed last year to expand the network to around 400 stations by 2023. The UK is also investing to expand an initial network of up to 15 hydrogen stations by the end of 2015 [see page 6]. Government and industry are providing funding to upgrade 6–8 existing stations, taking them from demonstration projects to publicly accessible sites. Funding is also committed for 4–7 new stations, which will include mobile stations as well as those on stand-alone sites and integrated into conventional forecourts. Meanwhile in Japan, Honda and Iwatani have installed their first Smart Hydrogen Station in Saitama City [see page 7]. Honda intends to use the unit to establish a basic hydrogen refueling infrastructure, while Iwatani recently opened Japan’s first commercial hydrogen station, in partnership with Linde. Air Liquide is also busy in Japan, constructing new hydrogen stations in Nagoya and Toyota City [see page 7], as well as inaugurating its first hydrogen station in the Netherlands. And while China is lagging behind, it plans to build at least 100 hydrogen stations in 10 cities by 2020 [see page 11]. Currently the only two Chinese hydrogen stations are in Beijing and Shanghai, with a second on its way in Shanghai. The feature article in this issue reports on key trends in anion exchange membranes presented at the recent Workshop on Ion Exchange Membrane Applications in Germany. Dr Wiebke Germer of NEXT ENERGY has summarised four excerpts from the scientific talks, on present challenges in alkaline membrane fuel cell technology, novel anion exchange membrane-base-acid blends for application in electromembrane processes, radiation-grafted anion-exchange ionomers for alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes, and anion exchange membrane FCEVs running on hydrazine hydrate.
Steve Barrett
Fuel Cells Bulletin
3
NEWS ME methanol-fueled systems operating in the Caribbean – in Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, St Lucia, Turks & Caicos, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Montserrat, as well as Trinidad and Tobago [FCB, June 2013, p5]. This region is particularly susceptible to power disruptions due to extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes, which leaves networks vulnerable to frequent grid outages. Ballard’s ElectraGen-ME methanol-fueled systems provide extended runtime backup power with a high degree of reliability, long product life, and minimal preventive maintenance requirements. The system includes a reformer that converts the HydroPlus™ methanol-water liquid fuel mixture into hydrogen gas to power the fuel cell. Meanwhile, Ballard has released two case studies that demonstrate the benefits of ElectraGen telecom backup power solutions in very different geographies. The ElectraGen-ME methanol-fueled fuel cell system is providing extended duration backup power (and continuous power) as part of a new wireless communications network in East Timor. Challenges faced with this deployment include a hot tropical climate, jungle-covered terrain, and a lack of road infrastructure in many sites. The ElectraGen-H2 direct hydrogen fuel cell backup power systems have also been successfully operating at approximately 120 base station sites as part of the Danish Tetra (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) SINE emergency radio network. These systems have proven reliable for more than five years, with an estimated 4000 startups. Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com Digicel Group: www.digicelgroup.com East Timor case study (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/ballard-east-timor Danish SINE case study (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/ballard-denmark-sine
LARGE STATIONARY
Korea plans 360 MW fuel cell power facility with POSCO, Doosan
P
OSCO Energy and Doosan Corporation will provide fuel cell power generation systems for what will be (by far) the world’s largest fuel cell power plant, in South Korea. The 360 MW facility, which will cost some US$2 billion, is scheduled to enter operation in 2018 in Pyeongtaek City, south of Seoul. 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Gyeonggi Province announced in July that, together with Pyeongtaek City, Korea Gas Corporation, Korea South Power, POSCO Energy, GK Holdings, Darby Overseas Investments, Korea Investment and Securities, and Doosan, it would undertake construction of the 360 MW power generation facility by 2018, according to a Gyeonggi Small Business Center report. Construction of the 140 000 m2 fuel cell power plant will see a total investment of KRW2 trillion ($1.9 billion). In the first stage, KRW500 billion ($465 million) will give a power generation capacity of 100 MW, expanded to 360 MW in the second stage. First-stage construction will commence in 2015 and be completed in 2016, while secondstage construction will continue until 2018. The power plant project is expected to attract KRW30 billion ($28 million) in foreign investment and create 500 new jobs, and indirect employment of more than 3000 people. Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek City will provide the land, and support the required administrative procedures. Korea Gas will supply fuel, while POSCO Energy and Doosan will procure fuel cell power generation equipment. Korea Investment and Securities and Darby Overseas Investments will handle financial intermediation and financing, while GK Holdings will manage the project and undertake operational work. The world’s largest LNG production base and an electric power substation are situated near Weonjeong-ri in Pyeongtaek City, where the fuel cell power plant will be located. The heat produced by the power plant will be supplied to the Pyeongtaek LNG production facility, the Pyeongtaek Tourist Complex, and the nearby Poseung Industrial Complex. ‘It is structured to foster the development of the Pyeongtaek region as a new renewable energy cluster through the attraction to Pyeongtaek of companies related to fuel cells,’ explains Choi Hyeon-deok, assistant governor for economy and investment. POSCO Energy has a long established relationship with US-based FuelCell Energy for the latter’s molten carbonate fuel cell technology [FCB, June 2014, p8, and see next item]; earlier this year the partners completed the world’s largest fuel cell park in Hwaseong City, south of Seoul, comprising 59 MW of Direct FuelCell® power plants [FCB, March 2014, p6]. Doosan recently acquired ClearEdge Power [FCB, July 2014, p5], and plans to focus on the 400 kW phosphoric acid fuel cell products (PureCell Model 400) that ClearEdge acquired from UTC Power in early 2013 [FCB, January 2013, p8]. POSCO Energy: http://eng.poscoenergy.com Doosan Fuel Cell America: www.doosanfuelcellamerica.com
FuelCell Energy to sell university fuel cell project to NRG Energy
I
n Connecticut, FuelCell Energy has agreed to sell its previously announced 1.4 MW Direct FuelCell® power plant project at the University of Bridgeport to NRG Energy, which will acquire the long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) for clean and efficient distributed power generation with predictable cash flows. NRG’s Chris Sotos has also joined the FCE board of directors. FuelCell Energy developed the University of Bridgeport project, and is currently building the power plant [FCB, June 2014, p6]. The company will continue to perform operation and maintenance services for the project after the sale and over the life of NRG’s multi-year PPA with the University. Commercial operation is expected no later than early 2015. The ownership of the project will transfer to NRG Energy on substantial completion of construction, and is also subject to customary closing conditions. The University of Bridgeport will buy the electricity and heat produced by the molten carbonate fuel cell power plant under a multi-year PPA. ‘This transaction highlights our business model as we develop projects, install the power generation, operate and maintain the plants, and partner with NRG Energy to own the asset and sell the value streams,’ says Chip Bottone, CEO of FuelCell Energy. ‘This project investor approach is a market-enabling repeatable model, providing the benefits of affordable and clean onsite power to the end-user without the need for the end-user to invest directly in the power generation asset. And, we expect this structure to help accelerate transactions, particularly for nonprofit entities such as universities, hospitals, and municipal government agencies.’ FuelCell Energy has also announced that Christopher S. Sotos, senior VP of strategy and mergers & acquisitions at NRG Energy, has been appointed to the FCE board. Sotos was designated to the board following NRG’s recent $35 million investment in FCE stock [FCB, August 2014, p6], and brings extensive power generation experience. At NRG, he is responsible for the development, execution and implementation of business strategy across all platforms, leading acquisitions across all generation types, retail and wholesale business models, as well as smaller venture capital investments and strategic relationships.
October 2014
Cella Energy, Safran to develop hydrogen storage for aerospace
U
K-based hydrogen storage developer Cella Energy has signed an exclusive partnership with French aerospace and security group Safran to develop hydrogen-based power systems for aerospace applications. Safran will provide funding to a joint development project with Cella, which will produce a prototype power system designed to be used onboard an aircraft. Cella Energy has developed a safe and lightweight material that stores hydrogen in solid form, and releases it quickly when heated to moderate temperatures. By combining Cella’s expertise in hydrogen storage materials and Safran’s aerospace engineering expertise, the companies will accelerate development of equipment that can exploit this material onboard aircraft. The new deal gives Safran access to Cella Energy’s hydrogen storage technology in the aerospace area, except for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Two years ago Cella Energy partnered with Florida-based L2 Aerospace to develop technology that will allow UAS to operate for longer durations [FCB, August 2012, p3]. The system that Cella and Safran will develop over the next year will match the performance of the latest carbon-fibre hydrogen storage tanks, and facilitate hydrogen logistics for aerospace onboard applications. Combination with a fuel cell will allow the two companies to produce a device that packs much more energy than a battery for the same weight. Cella Energy – a spin-out from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory – has a patented technology based on the encapsulation and nanostructuring of chemical hydrides in plastic. These low-cost materials can be stored safely at ambient temperatures and pressures.
October 2014
Three years ago Cella received investment led by Space Florida [FCB, October 2011, p9], and set up a second research facility at the Kennedy Space Center. Last autumn Cella and its consortium partners won funding from Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, to scale up a fuel cell/hydrogen storage system to 5 kW for powering a small electric vehicle [FCB, December 2013, p3]. Aerospace is an increasingly active area for hydrogen fuel cells: European aerospace giant Airbus has just announced a collaboration to fund research at the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) Systems Competence Centre, to study the application of fuel cells in commercial airliners [FCB, September 2014, p1]. Cella Energy Ltd, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK. Tel: +44 1235 567502, www.cellaenergy.com Safran Group: www.safran-group.com/spip.php?lang=en
SMALL STATIONARY
Ballard to deploy extra fuel cells in Digicel network in Jamaica
C
anadian-based Ballard Power Systems has received an order from its Caribbean distributor, Precision Power & Air (PP&A), for 13 ElectraGen™-ME fuel cell backup power systems to be deployed in the Digicel mobile phone network in Jamaica. This is the second tranche of Ballard methanol-fueled systems ordered for Digicel, which will make it 25 systems deployed at critical sites around Jamaica. The original systems have been successfully operating in Digicel’s network for more than two years. PP&A is responsible for deployment as well as ongoing servicing and fueling of the fuel cell systems in Digicel’s Jamaica network. Most of the newly ordered backup power systems will be sited at rooftop base station locations. ElectraGen-ME systems are particularly well suited for rooftop deployment because of their small footprint, quiet operation, light weight, and very low emissions. ‘There are inherent challenges with incumbent backup power technologies on rooftops,’ says Larry Stapleton, VP of sales at Ballard. ‘Our methanol-fueled systems offer a practical solution to address those challenges and deliver meaningful value to telecom operators globally.’ When these 13 additional systems are deployed, Ballard will have 161 ElectraGen-
EDITORIAL
A
fter many years of grappling with the ‘chicken and egg’ question of which comes first – fuel cell electric vehicles, or the requisite hydrogen refueling infrastructure – it really now looks as though the answer is ‘both’. We have reported regularly on the imminent initial rollout of FCEVs, with cars from Hyundai, Honda, Toyota et al. starting to arrive in showrooms or in small numbers for real-world use. We report in this issue that the hydrogen infrastructure is getting serious in several locations where there will soon be sufficient refueling capacity to sustain these initial vehicle numbers. In Germany, a ‘Grand Coalition’ of major companies has agreed to implement 13 new hydrogen refueling locations over the next year [see page 1], which would see the number of stations reach 50 by the end of 2015. The German H2 Mobility initiative agreed last year to expand the network to around 400 stations by 2023. The UK is also investing to expand an initial network of up to 15 hydrogen stations by the end of 2015 [see page 6]. Government and industry are providing funding to upgrade 6–8 existing stations, taking them from demonstration projects to publicly accessible sites. Funding is also committed for 4–7 new stations, which will include mobile stations as well as those on stand-alone sites and integrated into conventional forecourts. Meanwhile in Japan, Honda and Iwatani have installed their first Smart Hydrogen Station in Saitama City [see page 7]. Honda intends to use the unit to establish a basic hydrogen refueling infrastructure, while Iwatani recently opened Japan’s first commercial hydrogen station, in partnership with Linde. Air Liquide is also busy in Japan, constructing new hydrogen stations in Nagoya and Toyota City [see page 7], as well as inaugurating its first hydrogen station in the Netherlands. And while China is lagging behind, it plans to build at least 100 hydrogen stations in 10 cities by 2020 [see page 11]. Currently the only two Chinese hydrogen stations are in Beijing and Shanghai, with a second on its way in Shanghai. The feature article in this issue reports on key trends in anion exchange membranes presented at the recent Workshop on Ion Exchange Membrane Applications in Germany. Dr Wiebke Germer of NEXT ENERGY has summarised four excerpts from the scientific talks, on present challenges in alkaline membrane fuel cell technology, novel anion exchange membrane-base-acid blends for application in electromembrane processes, radiation-grafted anion-exchange ionomers for alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes, and anion exchange membrane FCEVs running on hydrazine hydrate.
Steve Barrett
Fuel Cells Bulletin
3
NEWS ME methanol-fueled systems operating in the Caribbean – in Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, St Lucia, Turks & Caicos, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Montserrat, as well as Trinidad and Tobago [FCB, June 2013, p5]. This region is particularly susceptible to power disruptions due to extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes, which leaves networks vulnerable to frequent grid outages. Ballard’s ElectraGen-ME methanol-fueled systems provide extended runtime backup power with a high degree of reliability, long product life, and minimal preventive maintenance requirements. The system includes a reformer that converts the HydroPlus™ methanol-water liquid fuel mixture into hydrogen gas to power the fuel cell. Meanwhile, Ballard has released two case studies that demonstrate the benefits of ElectraGen telecom backup power solutions in very different geographies. The ElectraGen-ME methanol-fueled fuel cell system is providing extended duration backup power (and continuous power) as part of a new wireless communications network in East Timor. Challenges faced with this deployment include a hot tropical climate, jungle-covered terrain, and a lack of road infrastructure in many sites. The ElectraGen-H2 direct hydrogen fuel cell backup power systems have also been successfully operating at approximately 120 base station sites as part of the Danish Tetra (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) SINE emergency radio network. These systems have proven reliable for more than five years, with an estimated 4000 startups. Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com Digicel Group: www.digicelgroup.com East Timor case study (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/ballard-east-timor Danish SINE case study (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/ballard-denmark-sine
LARGE STATIONARY
Korea plans 360 MW fuel cell power facility with POSCO, Doosan
P
OSCO Energy and Doosan Corporation will provide fuel cell power generation systems for what will be (by far) the world’s largest fuel cell power plant, in South Korea. The 360 MW facility, which will cost some US$2 billion, is scheduled to enter operation in 2018 in Pyeongtaek City, south of Seoul. 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Gyeonggi Province announced in July that, together with Pyeongtaek City, Korea Gas Corporation, Korea South Power, POSCO Energy, GK Holdings, Darby Overseas Investments, Korea Investment and Securities, and Doosan, it would undertake construction of the 360 MW power generation facility by 2018, according to a Gyeonggi Small Business Center report. Construction of the 140 000 m2 fuel cell power plant will see a total investment of KRW2 trillion ($1.9 billion). In the first stage, KRW500 billion ($465 million) will give a power generation capacity of 100 MW, expanded to 360 MW in the second stage. First-stage construction will commence in 2015 and be completed in 2016, while secondstage construction will continue until 2018. The power plant project is expected to attract KRW30 billion ($28 million) in foreign investment and create 500 new jobs, and indirect employment of more than 3000 people. Gyeonggi Province and Pyeongtaek City will provide the land, and support the required administrative procedures. Korea Gas will supply fuel, while POSCO Energy and Doosan will procure fuel cell power generation equipment. Korea Investment and Securities and Darby Overseas Investments will handle financial intermediation and financing, while GK Holdings will manage the project and undertake operational work. The world’s largest LNG production base and an electric power substation are situated near Weonjeong-ri in Pyeongtaek City, where the fuel cell power plant will be located. The heat produced by the power plant will be supplied to the Pyeongtaek LNG production facility, the Pyeongtaek Tourist Complex, and the nearby Poseung Industrial Complex. ‘It is structured to foster the development of the Pyeongtaek region as a new renewable energy cluster through the attraction to Pyeongtaek of companies related to fuel cells,’ explains Choi Hyeon-deok, assistant governor for economy and investment. POSCO Energy has a long established relationship with US-based FuelCell Energy for the latter’s molten carbonate fuel cell technology [FCB, June 2014, p8, and see next item]; earlier this year the partners completed the world’s largest fuel cell park in Hwaseong City, south of Seoul, comprising 59 MW of Direct FuelCell® power plants [FCB, March 2014, p6]. Doosan recently acquired ClearEdge Power [FCB, July 2014, p5], and plans to focus on the 400 kW phosphoric acid fuel cell products (PureCell Model 400) that ClearEdge acquired from UTC Power in early 2013 [FCB, January 2013, p8]. POSCO Energy: http://eng.poscoenergy.com Doosan Fuel Cell America: www.doosanfuelcellamerica.com
FuelCell Energy to sell university fuel cell project to NRG Energy
I
n Connecticut, FuelCell Energy has agreed to sell its previously announced 1.4 MW Direct FuelCell® power plant project at the University of Bridgeport to NRG Energy, which will acquire the long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) for clean and efficient distributed power generation with predictable cash flows. NRG’s Chris Sotos has also joined the FCE board of directors. FuelCell Energy developed the University of Bridgeport project, and is currently building the power plant [FCB, June 2014, p6]. The company will continue to perform operation and maintenance services for the project after the sale and over the life of NRG’s multi-year PPA with the University. Commercial operation is expected no later than early 2015. The ownership of the project will transfer to NRG Energy on substantial completion of construction, and is also subject to customary closing conditions. The University of Bridgeport will buy the electricity and heat produced by the molten carbonate fuel cell power plant under a multi-year PPA. ‘This transaction highlights our business model as we develop projects, install the power generation, operate and maintain the plants, and partner with NRG Energy to own the asset and sell the value streams,’ says Chip Bottone, CEO of FuelCell Energy. ‘This project investor approach is a market-enabling repeatable model, providing the benefits of affordable and clean onsite power to the end-user without the need for the end-user to invest directly in the power generation asset. And, we expect this structure to help accelerate transactions, particularly for nonprofit entities such as universities, hospitals, and municipal government agencies.’ FuelCell Energy has also announced that Christopher S. Sotos, senior VP of strategy and mergers & acquisitions at NRG Energy, has been appointed to the FCE board. Sotos was designated to the board following NRG’s recent $35 million investment in FCE stock [FCB, August 2014, p6], and brings extensive power generation experience. At NRG, he is responsible for the development, execution and implementation of business strategy across all platforms, leading acquisitions across all generation types, retail and wholesale business models, as well as smaller venture capital investments and strategic relationships.
October 2014