- Email: [email protected]
Mercedes-Benz adds more Plug Power units at Tuscaloosa plant
NEWS / EDITORIAL UÊ Fuel Cell Bus Fleet Extended Operation and Support ($1.8 million): CTE will work with AC Transit in California for the continuing operation of existing fuel cell buses in revenue service at AC Transit, the largest and most successful fuel cell bus fleet in the US. This project will provide critical information on long-term operation, performance, and maintenance of fuel cell buses against technical targets. UÊ National Fuel Cell Bus Program Education & Transit Outreach ($0.7 million): CTE will conduct targeted education and outreach on the current state of the fuel cell bus technology and industry, and help to develop necessary guidelines for fuel cell-specific procurements. UÊ Birmingham Fuel Cell Bus Program Operational Support ($0.24 million): CTE will also work with Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit in Alabama to support the existing Birmingham fuel cell bus development and demonstration project, and enable full demonstration of the bus and evaluation of its operation at a small transit agency [FCB, April 2012, p6]. The Calstart-led projects are: UÊ Battery Dominant Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus ($4.3 million): Calstart will work with SunLine Transit Agency in California, ElDorado National, and BAE Systems to develop and demonstrate a battery-dominant fuel cell bus based on a commercial hybrid platform, as well as smaller, less expensive fuel cells. The bus will operate in similar service to the American Fuel Cell Bus, allowing direct comparison. UÊ American Fuel Cell Bus ($2.7 million): Calstart will work with Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority in Ohio, ElDorado National, BAE Systems, and Ballard Power Systems to build a nextgeneration fuel cell bus with the latest fuel cell technology, and demonstrate it in transit service in the greater Cleveland area for two years. This project builds on the success of the American Fuel Cell Bus project, funded under the National Fuel Cell Bus Program, with a less expensive, more reliable system. UÊ Fuel Cell Bus Altoona Testing ($0.55 million): Calstart and the National Bus Testing Facility in Altoona, Pennsylvania will run comprehensive testing of an existing fuel cell bus, to help develop consistent procedures and guidelines for testing all fuel cell buses. UÊ Best Practices in Hydrogen Fueling and Maintenance Facilities ($0.19 million): Calstart will develop a best practices guide for transit agencies in hydrogen fueling and maintenance facilities. The Central NY and Greater Cleveland bus deployments will feature Ballard’s nextgeneration FCvelocity®-HD7 PEM fuel cell
September 2013
power module. This features a number of enhancements, including reduced parts count, fewer moving parts, integrated air compressor and coolant pump, and lower parasitic load. The module will also utilise stacks manufactured through a high-volume, low-cost process. National Fuel Cell Bus Program: www.fta.dot.gov/about/14617.html Map of NFCBP projects: www.fta.dot.gov/14617_15531.html Center for Transportation and the Environment: www.cte.tv Calstart: www.calstart.org Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com
MOBILE APPLICATIONS
Mercedes-Benz adds more Plug Power units at Tuscaloosa plant
M
ercedes-Benz US International (MBUSI) has ordered 123 additional GenDrive® hydrogen PEM fuel cell units from Plug Power, to power new forklift trucks for its materials handling fleet at a logistics hub now under construction in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Last summer, Mercedes purchased 72 GenDrive fuel cells for the lift truck fleet at its Tuscaloosa vehicle assembly plant [FCB, August 2012, p2]. Earlier this year, construction began on a brand new $70 million, 900 000 sq ft (84 000 m2) state-of-the-art warehouse. This new facility is designed to streamline logistics operations and support the receiving, handling, and sequencing of parts for M-Class and GL-Class SUVs and R-Class crossover vehicles currently in production, as well as for the successor generation of the current C-Class for the North American market beginning in 2014. It is expected that the new GenDrive-powered forklift fleet will be operational by the fourth quarter of 2013. Plug Power’s GenDrive fuel cell is designed as a drop-in replacement for lead-acid batteries [see the Plug Power feature in FCB, December 2011]. It is a more efficient, cost-effective method of providing clean energy for warehouse and distribution operations, and also eliminates the need for battery storage and recharging rooms in the new logistics hub. Compact refueling stations will be available in several locations within the new facility, with hydrogen provided by Air Products. The
EDITORIAL
H
ydrogen energy storage represents an excellent, near-term opportunity for the grid integration of frequently intermittent renewable energy sources, as we have repeatedly highlighted over the past year or more. The feature article in this issue – by Mark Schiller at Proton OnSite in Connecticut – addresses this in some detail [see pages 12–15]. He reports on the company’s large-scale PEM electrolyser technology, which will be a ‘building block’ for multi-MW hydrogen energy storage systems. Its 2 MW system will be integrated into a 40 ft (12 m) long shipping container for easy shipment and installation; the company anticipates launching an economically viable, large-scale M-Series PEM electrolyser in 2014. And our news coverage continues this theme. E.ON has now inaugurated its first Power-toGas (P2G) unit in Falkenhagen in eastern Germany, which is injecting hydrogen into the existing regional natural gas transmission system on an industrial scale for the first time [see page 9]. The P2G unit uses wind power to run Hydrogenics electrolysis equipment, producing 360 m3/h of hydrogen that simply becomes part of the natural gas mix. There is even a new European consortium that aims to demonstrate energy-efficient technologies and energy storage solutions for shopping malls [see page 9]. The European Commission-supported CommONEnergy project is focused on refurbishing existing shopping malls and creating them from other buildings. The consortium includes ITM Power, which will demonstrate the potential of hydrogen energy storage as an effective means of integrating renewable energy sources in the built environment. Specifically, an energy storage system will be installed in a shopping mall, to match the supply and demand profiles required to integrate a renewable power system. Meanwhile in California, Hydrogen Frontier Inc is building a new, 100% renewable hydrogen fueling station for FCEVS at Hyundai's hydrogen energy generation and fueling station in Chino [see page 8]. All of the energy consumed in generation and operation of the station – and all of the hydrogen dispensed – will be purchased from a renewable energy provider. The station will also have the capability to produce hydrogen from water electrolysis onsite. And biomass is getting into the picture: we also report on the collaboration between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Chemergy Inc, to demonstrate bioenergy technology that converts wastewater treatment plant byproducts (i.e. wet biosolids) into hydrogen to produce electricity [see page 1]. The $1.75 million project will be demonstrated on a limited industrial scale at the Delta Diablo Sanitation District facility in Antioch, California.
Steve Barrett
Fuel Cells Bulletin
3
NEWS existing fuel cell powered forklift fleet is served by Air Products’ hydrogen fueling technology and infrastructure, including an outdoor liquid hydrogen storage and compression system, along with piping to multiple indoor fueling dispensers [FCB, November 2012, p7]. It is anticipated that the new logistics centre, which will be as large as the current vehicle assembly plant, will receive about 240 semitrailer truck deliveries daily, and the fuel cellpowered lift trucks will handle nearly 3 million automotive parts per day. Plug Power, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.com/h2energy Mercedes-Benz US International: www.mbusi.com
PNNL project with Nuvera, Plug Power for refrigerated trucks
A
new project led by the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will demonstrate tractor trailers whose transport refrigeration units (TRUs) are powered by hydrogen PEM fuel cells supplied by Nuvera and Plug Power. The four trucks will be deployed to transport perishable and frozen foods to grocery merchants in Texas, California, and New York. The fuel cells will do the work normally done by a small diesel engine, which keeps the cargo at the proper temperature while the trucks are making deliveries. Quiet operation and zero emissions from the TRU will mean that trucks can make deliveries at any time of day. Each truck will still be equipped with a main diesel engine for propulsion. ‘This is a great application for a fuel cell. A fuel cell can potentially provide a clean, quiet, and efficient alternative by powering the electric motor,’ says Kriston Brooks, the PNNL researcher leading a team to oversee and evaluate the two-year programme. Massachusetts-based Nuvera Fuel Cells and Plug Power in Albany, New York will each receive $650 000 from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; the companies will provide matching funds and labour. Each fuel cell powered refrigerated trailer will run for at least 400 h at each demonstration site, delivering goods from the distribution centres to stores or other outlets. In one project, Nuvera will work with Thermo King, a manufacturer of transport temperature 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
control systems for a variety of mobile applications, to develop the refrigeration unit to keep the truck cool using Nuvera’s Orion™ PEM fuel cell stack. That truck will make deliveries for a Sysco food distribution facility in Riverside, California and for a San Antonio, Texas food distribution centre for the H-E-B grocery store chain [FCB, August 2009, p4]. In the other project, Plug Power will work with Carrier Transicold and Air Products to equip trucks making deliveries for a Sysco food distribution facility on Long Island, New York. The trucks will be equipped with Plug Power’s GenDrive® PEM fuel cell product [see the Plug Power feature in FCB, December 2011]. Both the Sysco and H-E-B facilities already use forklifts powered by hydrogen fuel cells, part of a trend fostered by DOE to increase industrial use of the technology. At both companies, the infrastructure to provide hydrogen for the fuel cells is already in place; the hydrogen is generated onsite from natural gas and water using Nuvera’s PowerTap™ hydrogen generator and refueling system. For the site using Plug Power technology, the hydrogen will be supplied by Air Products using an outdoor hydrogen dispenser. Contact: Mr Kriston Brooks, Applied Materials Science Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 509 372 4343, Email: [email protected], Web: http://mcsr.pnnl.gov Nuvera Fuel Cells, Billerica, Massachusetts, USA. Tel: +1 617 245 7500, www.nuvera.com Plug Power, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Thermo King: www.thermoking.com Sysco: www.sysco.com H-E-B: www.heb.com Carrier Transicold: www.transicold.carrier.com Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.com/h2energy
SMALL STATIONARY
Latest telecom backup power trial for Acta, Chinese distribution
I
talian-based Acta SpA has signed a contract with a new customer for a trial of its Acta Power backup power system, for a second major mobile telecoms company at a base station in the Philippines. Acta has also signed a distribution deal with Shanghai Sunwise Energy Systems to target the
Chinese backup power and energy storage markets. The Acta Power self-recharging backup power system incorporates a hydrogen PEM fuel cell from FutureE Fuel Cell Solutions (based on a Ballard stack) and Acta’s low-cost onboard hydrogen generation technology [FCB, May 2013, p4]. The modular system is available with a 2 kW or 4 kW power output and with a 500 or 1000 L/h alkaline hydrogen generator. It includes a wireless GSM communication module for remote management, control, alarm and assistance. The system uses filtered rainwater for its water supply, and avoids the cost and logistical barriers of hydrogen delivery to remote base stations. It competes on cost against diesel and battery solutions, and avoids the theft risk associated with diesel, battery, and methanol fuel cell systems. The first Acta Power trial in the Philippines was announced in July [FCB, July 2013, p1], building on trials in Africa [FCB, June 2013, p6] and Australia, all with major mobile telecom operators, and a separate renewable energy storage trial in the UK [FCB, August 2013, p7]. The new Philippines trial is in partnership with Lead Core Technology Systems Inc (LCTSI), which specialises in battery systems and engineering support services for telecoms and other industries. LCTSI will be Acta’s engineering and client services partner, responsible for installation and technical management of the trial, as well as promotion of the installed system within the client’s organisation. The trial unit will be shipped in October, and undergo initial testing onsite for one month prior to a two-month live trial at a grid-connected telecom base station. ‘We have seen a strong level of interest in the capabilities of the Acta Power among the major mobile phone operators in the Philippines, and we are delighted to be entering our second trial agreement there,’ says Acta’s chief executive Paolo Bert [see the Acta feature in FCB, September 2012]. ‘We believe there is an outstanding business opportunity in the region for our unique backup power system.’ Meanwhile, Acta has signed a non-exclusive distribution agreement for the Chinese backup power and energy storage markets, with Shanghai Sunwise Energy Systems. ‘We have received many enquiries for our products in China, and we look forward to being able to exploit commercially this enormous and difficult market thanks to the great experience Sunwise has gained in the Chinese hydrogen market,’ says Paolo Bert. The new partnership aims to strengthen distribution of Acta’s electrolysers and the Acta Power backup power system in the Chinese
September 2013
September 2013
power module. This features a number of enhancements, including reduced parts count, fewer moving parts, integrated air compressor and coolant pump, and lower parasitic load. The module will also utilise stacks manufactured through a high-volume, low-cost process. National Fuel Cell Bus Program: www.fta.dot.gov/about/14617.html Map of NFCBP projects: www.fta.dot.gov/14617_15531.html Center for Transportation and the Environment: www.cte.tv Calstart: www.calstart.org Ballard Power Systems: www.ballard.com
MOBILE APPLICATIONS
Mercedes-Benz adds more Plug Power units at Tuscaloosa plant
M
ercedes-Benz US International (MBUSI) has ordered 123 additional GenDrive® hydrogen PEM fuel cell units from Plug Power, to power new forklift trucks for its materials handling fleet at a logistics hub now under construction in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Last summer, Mercedes purchased 72 GenDrive fuel cells for the lift truck fleet at its Tuscaloosa vehicle assembly plant [FCB, August 2012, p2]. Earlier this year, construction began on a brand new $70 million, 900 000 sq ft (84 000 m2) state-of-the-art warehouse. This new facility is designed to streamline logistics operations and support the receiving, handling, and sequencing of parts for M-Class and GL-Class SUVs and R-Class crossover vehicles currently in production, as well as for the successor generation of the current C-Class for the North American market beginning in 2014. It is expected that the new GenDrive-powered forklift fleet will be operational by the fourth quarter of 2013. Plug Power’s GenDrive fuel cell is designed as a drop-in replacement for lead-acid batteries [see the Plug Power feature in FCB, December 2011]. It is a more efficient, cost-effective method of providing clean energy for warehouse and distribution operations, and also eliminates the need for battery storage and recharging rooms in the new logistics hub. Compact refueling stations will be available in several locations within the new facility, with hydrogen provided by Air Products. The
EDITORIAL
H
ydrogen energy storage represents an excellent, near-term opportunity for the grid integration of frequently intermittent renewable energy sources, as we have repeatedly highlighted over the past year or more. The feature article in this issue – by Mark Schiller at Proton OnSite in Connecticut – addresses this in some detail [see pages 12–15]. He reports on the company’s large-scale PEM electrolyser technology, which will be a ‘building block’ for multi-MW hydrogen energy storage systems. Its 2 MW system will be integrated into a 40 ft (12 m) long shipping container for easy shipment and installation; the company anticipates launching an economically viable, large-scale M-Series PEM electrolyser in 2014. And our news coverage continues this theme. E.ON has now inaugurated its first Power-toGas (P2G) unit in Falkenhagen in eastern Germany, which is injecting hydrogen into the existing regional natural gas transmission system on an industrial scale for the first time [see page 9]. The P2G unit uses wind power to run Hydrogenics electrolysis equipment, producing 360 m3/h of hydrogen that simply becomes part of the natural gas mix. There is even a new European consortium that aims to demonstrate energy-efficient technologies and energy storage solutions for shopping malls [see page 9]. The European Commission-supported CommONEnergy project is focused on refurbishing existing shopping malls and creating them from other buildings. The consortium includes ITM Power, which will demonstrate the potential of hydrogen energy storage as an effective means of integrating renewable energy sources in the built environment. Specifically, an energy storage system will be installed in a shopping mall, to match the supply and demand profiles required to integrate a renewable power system. Meanwhile in California, Hydrogen Frontier Inc is building a new, 100% renewable hydrogen fueling station for FCEVS at Hyundai's hydrogen energy generation and fueling station in Chino [see page 8]. All of the energy consumed in generation and operation of the station – and all of the hydrogen dispensed – will be purchased from a renewable energy provider. The station will also have the capability to produce hydrogen from water electrolysis onsite. And biomass is getting into the picture: we also report on the collaboration between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Chemergy Inc, to demonstrate bioenergy technology that converts wastewater treatment plant byproducts (i.e. wet biosolids) into hydrogen to produce electricity [see page 1]. The $1.75 million project will be demonstrated on a limited industrial scale at the Delta Diablo Sanitation District facility in Antioch, California.
Steve Barrett
Fuel Cells Bulletin
3
NEWS existing fuel cell powered forklift fleet is served by Air Products’ hydrogen fueling technology and infrastructure, including an outdoor liquid hydrogen storage and compression system, along with piping to multiple indoor fueling dispensers [FCB, November 2012, p7]. It is anticipated that the new logistics centre, which will be as large as the current vehicle assembly plant, will receive about 240 semitrailer truck deliveries daily, and the fuel cellpowered lift trucks will handle nearly 3 million automotive parts per day. Plug Power, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.com/h2energy Mercedes-Benz US International: www.mbusi.com
PNNL project with Nuvera, Plug Power for refrigerated trucks
A
new project led by the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will demonstrate tractor trailers whose transport refrigeration units (TRUs) are powered by hydrogen PEM fuel cells supplied by Nuvera and Plug Power. The four trucks will be deployed to transport perishable and frozen foods to grocery merchants in Texas, California, and New York. The fuel cells will do the work normally done by a small diesel engine, which keeps the cargo at the proper temperature while the trucks are making deliveries. Quiet operation and zero emissions from the TRU will mean that trucks can make deliveries at any time of day. Each truck will still be equipped with a main diesel engine for propulsion. ‘This is a great application for a fuel cell. A fuel cell can potentially provide a clean, quiet, and efficient alternative by powering the electric motor,’ says Kriston Brooks, the PNNL researcher leading a team to oversee and evaluate the two-year programme. Massachusetts-based Nuvera Fuel Cells and Plug Power in Albany, New York will each receive $650 000 from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; the companies will provide matching funds and labour. Each fuel cell powered refrigerated trailer will run for at least 400 h at each demonstration site, delivering goods from the distribution centres to stores or other outlets. In one project, Nuvera will work with Thermo King, a manufacturer of transport temperature 4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
control systems for a variety of mobile applications, to develop the refrigeration unit to keep the truck cool using Nuvera’s Orion™ PEM fuel cell stack. That truck will make deliveries for a Sysco food distribution facility in Riverside, California and for a San Antonio, Texas food distribution centre for the H-E-B grocery store chain [FCB, August 2009, p4]. In the other project, Plug Power will work with Carrier Transicold and Air Products to equip trucks making deliveries for a Sysco food distribution facility on Long Island, New York. The trucks will be equipped with Plug Power’s GenDrive® PEM fuel cell product [see the Plug Power feature in FCB, December 2011]. Both the Sysco and H-E-B facilities already use forklifts powered by hydrogen fuel cells, part of a trend fostered by DOE to increase industrial use of the technology. At both companies, the infrastructure to provide hydrogen for the fuel cells is already in place; the hydrogen is generated onsite from natural gas and water using Nuvera’s PowerTap™ hydrogen generator and refueling system. For the site using Plug Power technology, the hydrogen will be supplied by Air Products using an outdoor hydrogen dispenser. Contact: Mr Kriston Brooks, Applied Materials Science Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA. Tel: +1 509 372 4343, Email: [email protected], Web: http://mcsr.pnnl.gov Nuvera Fuel Cells, Billerica, Massachusetts, USA. Tel: +1 617 245 7500, www.nuvera.com Plug Power, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com Thermo King: www.thermoking.com Sysco: www.sysco.com H-E-B: www.heb.com Carrier Transicold: www.transicold.carrier.com Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.com/h2energy
SMALL STATIONARY
Latest telecom backup power trial for Acta, Chinese distribution
I
talian-based Acta SpA has signed a contract with a new customer for a trial of its Acta Power backup power system, for a second major mobile telecoms company at a base station in the Philippines. Acta has also signed a distribution deal with Shanghai Sunwise Energy Systems to target the
Chinese backup power and energy storage markets. The Acta Power self-recharging backup power system incorporates a hydrogen PEM fuel cell from FutureE Fuel Cell Solutions (based on a Ballard stack) and Acta’s low-cost onboard hydrogen generation technology [FCB, May 2013, p4]. The modular system is available with a 2 kW or 4 kW power output and with a 500 or 1000 L/h alkaline hydrogen generator. It includes a wireless GSM communication module for remote management, control, alarm and assistance. The system uses filtered rainwater for its water supply, and avoids the cost and logistical barriers of hydrogen delivery to remote base stations. It competes on cost against diesel and battery solutions, and avoids the theft risk associated with diesel, battery, and methanol fuel cell systems. The first Acta Power trial in the Philippines was announced in July [FCB, July 2013, p1], building on trials in Africa [FCB, June 2013, p6] and Australia, all with major mobile telecom operators, and a separate renewable energy storage trial in the UK [FCB, August 2013, p7]. The new Philippines trial is in partnership with Lead Core Technology Systems Inc (LCTSI), which specialises in battery systems and engineering support services for telecoms and other industries. LCTSI will be Acta’s engineering and client services partner, responsible for installation and technical management of the trial, as well as promotion of the installed system within the client’s organisation. The trial unit will be shipped in October, and undergo initial testing onsite for one month prior to a two-month live trial at a grid-connected telecom base station. ‘We have seen a strong level of interest in the capabilities of the Acta Power among the major mobile phone operators in the Philippines, and we are delighted to be entering our second trial agreement there,’ says Acta’s chief executive Paolo Bert [see the Acta feature in FCB, September 2012]. ‘We believe there is an outstanding business opportunity in the region for our unique backup power system.’ Meanwhile, Acta has signed a non-exclusive distribution agreement for the Chinese backup power and energy storage markets, with Shanghai Sunwise Energy Systems. ‘We have received many enquiries for our products in China, and we look forward to being able to exploit commercially this enormous and difficult market thanks to the great experience Sunwise has gained in the Chinese hydrogen market,’ says Paolo Bert. The new partnership aims to strengthen distribution of Acta’s electrolysers and the Acta Power backup power system in the Chinese
September 2013