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Proton Motor wins Surf ‘n’ Turf fuel cell project in Orkney
NEWS MFC Mini 100 W with a compact methanol reformer [November 2015, p4]. Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, Singapore. Tel: +65 6250 3949, www.horizonfuelcell.com
Proton Motor wins Surf ’n’ Turf fuel cell project in Orkney
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erman-based Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH has received an order for a 75 kVA containerised PEM fuel cell stationary power system, to be deployed in the ‘Surf and Turf’ (or Surf ’n’ Turf) project in the Orkney Islands in Scotland. Surf ’n’ Turf refers to the combined use of electricity supplied from tidal turbines and a nearby onshore wind turbine. Proton will provide the containerised fuel cell power system for a total contract value of more than €0.5 million (US$560 000), to be delivered later this year. ‘The fuel cell system is based on our 25 kVA system, which is operated in a modular mode,’ says Dr Faiz Francoise Nahab, CEO of Proton Motor and its parent, UK-based Proton Power Systems Plc. ‘The container has all necessary components to be connected to the local grid. Proton is responsible for the turnkey delivery of the container.’ The project involves generating hydrogen from electricity produced by wind and tidal energy, which are very abundant around Orkney, and using it as an energy storage medium. The hydrogen is then converted back into electricity when required for the Orkney Islands harbour. This project will see Orkney take a small, but important step towards rising to the challenge of managing the limits of its energy infrastructure, and is a great demonstration of how hydrogen and fuel cell technology can help overcome the shortcomings of the local electricity grid. ‘We hope to see more applications in this market sector, and more islands like the Orkney Islands taking a proactive role,’ says Nahab. ‘Proton expects a fast growing demand worldwide for this type of application. Storing wind and solar energy is a big challenge, and we have the right solution to use such green energy in stationary or mobile applications.’ Proton Power Systems recently received a significant order for fuel cell emergency power units from a major German customer, for units rated at 6–8 kVA [FCB, May 2016, p4]. ITM Power recently won an order to supply a 1.5 MW electrolyser for the EU-funded BIG 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
HIT (Building Innovative Green Hydrogen systems in an Isolated Territory) project in Orkney, which is building on the Surf ’n’ Turf initiative [FCB, May 2016, p10]. Energy from community-owned wind turbines on Shapinsay and Eday will be utilised to produce ‘green’ hydrogen, which will be used to refuel a small fleet of electric vans with a hydrogen fuel cell range-extender. Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH, Puchheim, Germany. Tel: +49 89 1276 2650, www.proton-motor.com Surf ’n’ Turf project: www.surfnturf.org.uk
SOLIDpower links with Chinese partner to expand BlueGEN market, German deal
T
he Italian solid oxide fuel cell system developer SOLIDpower has signed a comprehensive licensing agreement with Chaozhou Three-Circle Group Ltd (CCTC) in China, which anticipates long-term cooperation to target the European and Chinese markets for the BlueGEN™ micro combined heat and power (mCHP) system. SOLIDpower is also cooperating with the Association of Municipalities for Sustainable Resource Management (ASEW) in Germany, on the distribution of fuel cells for municipal energy suppliers. The licensing agreement between SOLIDpower and CCTC covers a period of at least 10 years, and includes an option for SOLIDpower to extend the licensing as and when required by its product strategy. ‘With this agreement SOLIDpower now has a clear path to further establish the BlueGEN in compliance with the market and demand,’ says Guido Gummert, managing director of SOLIDpower Germany. Both partners expect that the deal will extend in future beyond a licensing agreement. CCTC – a leading Chinese producer of electrical and ceramic components – sees its core business and added value in the supply of components and sub-components for SOFC technology. The Chaozhou-based company has acquired parts of the intellectual property of the insolvent Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd (CFCL) in Australia [FCB, March 2015, p10]. The first fuel cells from CCTC have already been delivered to SOLIDpower’s production site in Heinsberg, Germany, whose ongoing operation is secured by the supply agreement. Quality assurance processes set up for CFCL
in Australia will now be re-established in Heinsberg. The site’s manufacturing capacity, in particular for stack production, will be intensified, which is expected to lead to additional jobs. ‘This supply agreement will allow SOLIDpower to ramp up the production volume for BlueGEN fuel cell stacks at a faster pace, while maintaining the high quality standard of cells and fuel cell components,’ says Gummert. ‘Not only cells, but also other fuel cell components will be supplied by CCTC in the future’. Meanwhile, SOLIDpower’s cooperation with ASEW (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsame Energie- und Wasserverwendung) will give prospective municipal energy companies and utilities in Germany privileged access to BlueGEN, the first commercially available, high-temperature fuel cell micro power plant for commercial and residential buildings. ‘The fuel cell technology constitutes an interesting approach for utilities to offer innovative energy services to their customers,’ says Daniela Wallikewitz, managing director of ASEW, Germany’s largest network of utility companies for energy efficiency and renewable energy, with more than 270 members. ‘Extensive practical tests have demonstrated that BlueGEN opens up an attractive perspective for the service portfolio of energy suppliers, as the BlueGEN fuel cell optimally fulfills the requirements of end customers.’ SOLIDpower SpA, Mezzolombardo (Trentino), Italy. Tel: +39 0461 1755 068, www.solidpower.com SOLIDpower GmbH, Heinsberg, Germany. Tel: +49 2452 153758. Chaozhou Three-Circle Co Ltd: www.cctc.cc/en ASEW: www.asew.de [in German]
LARGE STATIONARY
Dominovas launches first Rubicon SOFC project in South Africa
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S-based Dominovas Energy Corporation has launched its first Rubicon™ solid oxide fuel cell system in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company says that this 50 kW Rubicon ‘proof of concept’ unit will be the first SOFC system to serve baseload capacity anywhere on the African continent. The 50 kW Rubicon system, launched in partnership with the Edison Power Group (EPG) in South Africa, is set for delivery and
June 2016
Proton Motor wins Surf ’n’ Turf fuel cell project in Orkney
G
erman-based Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH has received an order for a 75 kVA containerised PEM fuel cell stationary power system, to be deployed in the ‘Surf and Turf’ (or Surf ’n’ Turf) project in the Orkney Islands in Scotland. Surf ’n’ Turf refers to the combined use of electricity supplied from tidal turbines and a nearby onshore wind turbine. Proton will provide the containerised fuel cell power system for a total contract value of more than €0.5 million (US$560 000), to be delivered later this year. ‘The fuel cell system is based on our 25 kVA system, which is operated in a modular mode,’ says Dr Faiz Francoise Nahab, CEO of Proton Motor and its parent, UK-based Proton Power Systems Plc. ‘The container has all necessary components to be connected to the local grid. Proton is responsible for the turnkey delivery of the container.’ The project involves generating hydrogen from electricity produced by wind and tidal energy, which are very abundant around Orkney, and using it as an energy storage medium. The hydrogen is then converted back into electricity when required for the Orkney Islands harbour. This project will see Orkney take a small, but important step towards rising to the challenge of managing the limits of its energy infrastructure, and is a great demonstration of how hydrogen and fuel cell technology can help overcome the shortcomings of the local electricity grid. ‘We hope to see more applications in this market sector, and more islands like the Orkney Islands taking a proactive role,’ says Nahab. ‘Proton expects a fast growing demand worldwide for this type of application. Storing wind and solar energy is a big challenge, and we have the right solution to use such green energy in stationary or mobile applications.’ Proton Power Systems recently received a significant order for fuel cell emergency power units from a major German customer, for units rated at 6–8 kVA [FCB, May 2016, p4]. ITM Power recently won an order to supply a 1.5 MW electrolyser for the EU-funded BIG 6
Fuel Cells Bulletin
HIT (Building Innovative Green Hydrogen systems in an Isolated Territory) project in Orkney, which is building on the Surf ’n’ Turf initiative [FCB, May 2016, p10]. Energy from community-owned wind turbines on Shapinsay and Eday will be utilised to produce ‘green’ hydrogen, which will be used to refuel a small fleet of electric vans with a hydrogen fuel cell range-extender. Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH, Puchheim, Germany. Tel: +49 89 1276 2650, www.proton-motor.com Surf ’n’ Turf project: www.surfnturf.org.uk
SOLIDpower links with Chinese partner to expand BlueGEN market, German deal
T
he Italian solid oxide fuel cell system developer SOLIDpower has signed a comprehensive licensing agreement with Chaozhou Three-Circle Group Ltd (CCTC) in China, which anticipates long-term cooperation to target the European and Chinese markets for the BlueGEN™ micro combined heat and power (mCHP) system. SOLIDpower is also cooperating with the Association of Municipalities for Sustainable Resource Management (ASEW) in Germany, on the distribution of fuel cells for municipal energy suppliers. The licensing agreement between SOLIDpower and CCTC covers a period of at least 10 years, and includes an option for SOLIDpower to extend the licensing as and when required by its product strategy. ‘With this agreement SOLIDpower now has a clear path to further establish the BlueGEN in compliance with the market and demand,’ says Guido Gummert, managing director of SOLIDpower Germany. Both partners expect that the deal will extend in future beyond a licensing agreement. CCTC – a leading Chinese producer of electrical and ceramic components – sees its core business and added value in the supply of components and sub-components for SOFC technology. The Chaozhou-based company has acquired parts of the intellectual property of the insolvent Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd (CFCL) in Australia [FCB, March 2015, p10]. The first fuel cells from CCTC have already been delivered to SOLIDpower’s production site in Heinsberg, Germany, whose ongoing operation is secured by the supply agreement. Quality assurance processes set up for CFCL
in Australia will now be re-established in Heinsberg. The site’s manufacturing capacity, in particular for stack production, will be intensified, which is expected to lead to additional jobs. ‘This supply agreement will allow SOLIDpower to ramp up the production volume for BlueGEN fuel cell stacks at a faster pace, while maintaining the high quality standard of cells and fuel cell components,’ says Gummert. ‘Not only cells, but also other fuel cell components will be supplied by CCTC in the future’. Meanwhile, SOLIDpower’s cooperation with ASEW (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsame Energie- und Wasserverwendung) will give prospective municipal energy companies and utilities in Germany privileged access to BlueGEN, the first commercially available, high-temperature fuel cell micro power plant for commercial and residential buildings. ‘The fuel cell technology constitutes an interesting approach for utilities to offer innovative energy services to their customers,’ says Daniela Wallikewitz, managing director of ASEW, Germany’s largest network of utility companies for energy efficiency and renewable energy, with more than 270 members. ‘Extensive practical tests have demonstrated that BlueGEN opens up an attractive perspective for the service portfolio of energy suppliers, as the BlueGEN fuel cell optimally fulfills the requirements of end customers.’ SOLIDpower SpA, Mezzolombardo (Trentino), Italy. Tel: +39 0461 1755 068, www.solidpower.com SOLIDpower GmbH, Heinsberg, Germany. Tel: +49 2452 153758. Chaozhou Three-Circle Co Ltd: www.cctc.cc/en ASEW: www.asew.de [in German]
LARGE STATIONARY
Dominovas launches first Rubicon SOFC project in South Africa
U
S-based Dominovas Energy Corporation has launched its first Rubicon™ solid oxide fuel cell system in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company says that this 50 kW Rubicon ‘proof of concept’ unit will be the first SOFC system to serve baseload capacity anywhere on the African continent. The 50 kW Rubicon system, launched in partnership with the Edison Power Group (EPG) in South Africa, is set for delivery and
June 2016