India has inaugurated its first solar-powered hydrogen fueling station, featuring a SmartFuel station supplied by Air Products. The station, located at the Solar Energy Centre near Delhi, generates 100% green hydrogen from solar energy via an electrolyser.

The station is part of a public transport bus fueling and vehicle demonstration programme, managed by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE). The project implementation is being executed by the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), and is entirely funded by the ministry of new and renewable energy.

This project is an important, progressive step towards unlocking the potential of hydrogen as sustainable transportation fuel and alternative energy source, not just for India but the rest of the world, says Ravi Subramanian, Asia business development manager for hydrogen energy systems at Air Products.

Air Products now has three hydrogen stations operating in India. In 2012 Air Products India

commissioned a hydrogen dispenser in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi to serve a fleet of hydrogen-powered auto rickshaws [FCB, December 2012, p7]. These three-wheeled, hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles transport visitors at the Pragati Maidan exhibition site. Air Products was also a key player in the earlier opening of Indias first fueling station offering hydrogen and HCNG (a hydrogen/compressed natural gas blend), at an R&D centre in Faridabad, south of New Delhi.

Air Products has formed alliances in Japan with Suzuki Shokan to serve the materials handling market [FCB, March 2015, p7] and with Nippon Steel & Sumikin Pipeline & Engineering to serve automotive customers [FCB, March 2014, p8]. Other recent installations include the UKs first supermarket hosted hydrogen station [FCB, April 2015, p10], and a hydrogen station sold to Hyundai Motor Company Australia [FCB, January 2015, p6].

Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.com/h2energy

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ISSN 1464-2859/15 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reservedThis journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use:PhotocopyingSingle photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit edu-cational classroom use.

ISSN 1464-2859 June 2015

NEWSAir Products for Indias first green hydrogen site 1Kalibrate hydrogen infrastructure planning data 1

ROAD VEHICLESBallard extra next-gen bus module for Solaris 2TU Delft hydrogen race car in Nrburgring test 2

MOBILE APPLICATIONSPlug Power GenKey deals with two new clients 3OWI success in testing fuel cell APU with diesel 3Hydrogenics, Alstom for Europe fuel cell trains 4Horizon has Hycopter fuel cell multirotor UAV 4

SMALL STATIONARYPowerCell at energy-efficient Gothenburg house 4Acumentrics SOFC units for remote power users 5Horizon 3 kW methanol reformer fuel cell in Asia 5

LARGE STATIONARYAFC Energy on track for KORE startup in July 6Equinix installs 1 MW Bloom unit at data centre 6Doosan PureCells in use at South Korea utility 6FCE unit at CA water facility, CT fuel cell park 7

FUELINGCEP first hydrogen station on German autobahn 7Air Liquide hydrogen station for HyWay project 8H2 Logic acquired by NEL Hydrogen 8Don Quichote adds green hydrogen at warehouse 8Linde, OMV open Innsbruck transalpine station 9FCE renewable hydrogen for transport, industry 9

ENERGY STORAGEHydrogenics tests 1.5 MW PEM electrolyser 9

COMMERCIALISATIONBallard in PEMFC catalyst project with Nisshinbo 10Trenergi 1 kW fuel-flexible HTPEM prototype 10

RESEARCHUlsan researchers for low-cost, stable DMFCs 10DOE funds hybrid truck, fuel cell QC projects 11

NEWS FEATURESNIST process to synthesise platinum nano-raspberries

for improved DMFC catalysts 12McPhy wins major contract to supply

Wind-to-Hydrogen unit for Hebei province in China 13Toyota, JFCC breakthrough in real-time

observation of fuel cell catalyst degradation 1415

REGULARSEditorial 3News In Brief 5, 11Research Trends 15Patents 1619Events Calendar 20

Contents

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Air Products for Indias first green hydrogen site

Kalibrate hydrogen infrastructure planning data

In the US, Kalibrate has released the results of its California hydrogen refueling infrastructure analysis to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Because the availability and proper placement of retail hydrogen fueling outlets is critical to successful consumer adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles, Kalibrate was asked to employ its fueling network planning expertise to identify the best locations for establishing a network of stations [FCB, April 2014, p8].

More than 30 000 locations were identified in California, and ranked on their viability for introducing a hydrogen refueling station. Kalibrate collaborated with NREL hydrogen experts to identify the key drivers for ranking the locations. Initially, 22 variables were

identified, which through statistical analysis were reduced to the 11 most important.

At the top of this list were the number of households with annual income above $100 000, the number of existing fuel stations within the trade area, and the projected number of FCEV purchases. The existing fuel stations are important to infrastructure development, as they offer a more economical means to introduce hydrogen refueling than a stand-alone, ground-up facility.

As of April, there were 11 hydrogen refueling stations in California, with plans under way for 38 more stations [FCB, June 2014, p6]. Kalibrates study recommends the best locations to fill in the gaps not covered by the existing and planned station network.

Kalibrate Technologies: www.kalibrate.com

NREL, Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Research: www.nrel.gov/hydrogen

NEWS

2

Ballard to supply additional next-gen bus module for Solaris

Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems has received a follow-on order from Solaris Bus & Coach in Poland, for a fuel cell power module to be used in a zero-emission bus planned for deployment in Europe.

Ballards next-generation FCvelocity-HD7 power module, which is scheduled for delivery to Solaris later this year, will be incorporated into a new 24 m (80 ft) fuel cell bus design that is bi-articulated, i.e. a very long bus that bends in two places.

The first two Solaris buses powered by Ballards FCvelocity-HD7 fuel cell power module were presented to Hamburger Hochbahn transit operator for the German city of Hamburg as part of an operational trial that began last December [FCB, January 2015, p2].

Solaris manufactures intracity, intercity and special-purpose buses as well as low-floor trams, and is a leading player in the European bus industry. Last November it participated with a number of European bus OEMs in signing a Letter of Understanding which signaled their anticipation of 5001000 fuel cell buses being put into service in urban centres across Europe between 2017 and 2020 [FCB, February 2014, p2 and December 2014, p3]. Each of the participating manufacturers intends to independently develop, demonstrate, and offer products in accordance with this timeframe.

Ballards next-generation FCvelocity-HD7 fuel cell power module features a reduced parts count including fewer moving parts an integrated air compressor and coolantpump, along with reduced parasitic load. The company is supplying this advanced module to a number of international customers, including for eight buses to be deployed in several Chinese cities [FCB, May 2015, p2], for koda Electric trolley buses for Riga in Latvia [FCB, November 2014, p2], to Canadian bus manufacturer New Flyer Industries [FCB, August 2014, p2], and for Van Hool in Belgium [FCB, January 2014, p2].

Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com

Solaris Bus & Coach: www.solarisbus.com

Solaris bi-articulated fuel cell bus: www.solarisbus.com/busmania/news/#3011

TU Delft team test hydrogen race car on Nrburgring circuit

Students at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have given their hydrogen fuel cell powered race car the ultimate test, with a flying lap of the legendary Nrburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany. Former F1 driver Jan Lammers achieved a lap time of 10m 42.48s in the Forze VI car, even overtaking other cars.

The Forze VI raced through 73 challenging corners, completing the 21 km (13 miles) of world-class racing track in under 11 minutes, and thereby setting a new record for a racing car with a hydrogen fuel cell.

The successful lap is an enormous motivator for the team, says team leader Menno Dalmijn. The circuit is not dubbed The Green Hell for nothing, as it pushes all race cars to their absolute limits. With the lap data gathered, the analysis will aid the team in reaching the higher power limits of their racer, which so far has only driven on half power.

The Forze VI reached a top speed of 170 km/h (105 mph) on the track, but the students believe that it can do much more. With some optimisations and tweaks, the car will theoretically reach a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph), along with 0100 km/h (062 mph) acceleration in a blistering 4 s.

The Forze VI was designed by a group of more than 50 students from TU Delft, who dedicated two-and-a-half years to making a hydrogen-electric racing car, the first of its kind. The car is powered by a 100 kW PEM fuel cell developed by the students, in combination with an energy management system and several supercapacitors. Formula Zero Team Delft has been developing hydrogen technologies since 2008 [FCB, October 2008, p4]. In the coming years, they will go head to head with combustion engines in various races, with the ultimate goal being the 24 Hours of Le Mans, using nothing but hydrogen.

Swiss-based GreenGT Technologies had been lined up to enter its GreenGT H2 race car, the first racing hydrogen fuel cell prototype, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013, but the team withdrew because of insufficient preparation [FCB, July 2012, p11 and June 2013, p5]. But that year did see the Aston Martin Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S race car, featuring a hybrid hydrogen internal combustion engine system, become the first hydrogen-powered car to compete in an international motor race,

Fuel Cells Bulletin June 2015

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ROAD VEHICLES

NEWS / EDITORIAL

June 2015 Fuel Cells Bulletin3

E D I T O R I A L

Multiple-value streams are increas-ingly being used to enhance the proven economic benefits of fuel cell systems, by adding to their provision of combined heat and power (CHP, also called cogeneration).

FuelCell Energy has been working on this enhanced value proposition for some time. In this issue we report that the companys commercial molten carbonate fuel cell power plants now also offer affordable onsite generation of high-purity hydrogen for transportation and industrial applications [see pages 7 and 9], which is referred to as trigeneration (heat, power, hydrogen). The company recently completed an industrial-scale trigeneration project at its manufacturing plant in Torrington, Connecticut [FCB, May 2015, p1]. FCE has also been operating a 250 kW DFC-H2 project at the Orange County Sanitation District in Fountain Valley, California, converting renewable biogas into hydrogen for vehicle fueling [FCB, August 2011, p1]. And it is participating in the first renewable energy quad-generation installation, which in addition produces food-grade CO2 for greenhouses in BritishColumbia [FCB, April 2014, p5].

Last month we had an item on the deal between AFC Energy and Dubai Carbon to assess the deployment of 300 MW of alkaline fuel cell generation capacity in Dubai by 2020 [FCB, May 2015, p6]. The deployment offers a significant economic opportunity to monetise not only energy generated by the fuel cell power plants, but uniquely also from the sale of water by-product from the catalytic process.

We have three news features in this issue. In the first, we report on a new process developed at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology to synthesise platinum nano-raspberries for improved DMFC catalysts [page 12]. These microscopic clusters of nanoscale Pt particles, 100 nm in diameter, could help make direct methanol fuel cells more practical.

In the second, France-based McPhy Energy has signed a contract to supply a Wind to Hydrogen (i.e. Power-to-Gas) system to recover surplus energy generated by a 200 MW wind farm site currently under construction in the Chinese province of Hebei [page 13]. The system will combine McPhys advanced electrolysis and hydrogen storage products.

And in the third one, Toyota and the Japan Fine Ceramics Center have developed a new observation technique that allows researchers to monitor the behaviour of nm-sized particles of platinum during chemical reactions in PEM fuel cells [pages 1415]. This will allow observation of the processes leading to reduced catalytic reactivity.

Steve Barrett

taking part in the ADAC Zurich Nrburgring 24-Hour race [FCB, June 2013, p5].

Forze Hydrogen Electric Racing Team: www.forze-delft.nl

Video of the lap: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZjbfZvXm2c

Plug Power announces GenKey deals with two new customers

In the US, premium food distributor Dietz & Watson will deploy Plug Powers GenDrive fuel cells in the entire fleet of Class 2 and Class 3 lift trucks for its new warehouse building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under a full-service GenKey agreement. Plug Power has also signed a deal with a large but unnamed North American footwear manufacturer, which outlines purchase terms and defines site-specific agreements for deployment of the GenKey hydrogen and fuel cell solution.

Dietz & Watson is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of premium delicatessen meats, artisan cheeses, and related products in North America. The company will utilise the GenDrive, GenFuel, and GenCare solutions provided through the GenKey package in its newly constructed facility in Philadelphia. The 200 000 ft2 (18 600 m2) warehouse and distribution centre is located next to the companys existing headquarters and manufacturing plant.

Previously, Plug Power customers typically saw positive economic value with large-scale lift truck fleets, upwards of 50 trucks. Now, however, through technology improvements and streamlined supply chain management within the GenDrive and GenFuel product lines, Plug Power customers with as few as 20 lift and reach trucks are able to achieve positive payback.

Plug Powers investment in the GenFuel business is showing great progress in the materials handling market, and were now able to provide economically viable solutions to a diverse customer base in the materials handling market, says CEO Andy Marsh [see the Plug Power feature in FCB, December 2011].

Plug Power has also announced a Master Sales Agreement (MSA) with a large footwear manufacturer in North America, following a successful demonstration at one of its distribution centres. The customer has defined the first three sites where the GenKey hydrogen and fuel cell solution will be implemented, and is analysing wider adoption of the technology

in its 30 sites globally. GenKey enables seamless implementation of hydrogen fuel cells by materials handling customers, combining GenDrive fuel cells, GenCare aftermarket service, and GenFuel hydrogen storage and dispensing infrastructure.

Plug Power recently announced that Wisconsin-based Uline will deploy more than 130 GenDrive-powered lift trucks at two facilities [FCB, May 2015, p1], and won a GenKey contract for the FreezPak Logistics cold storage distribution centre under construction in Carteret, New Jersey [FCB, April 2015, p4].

Plug Power, Latham, New York, USA. Tel: +1 518 782 7700, www.plugpower.com

OWI project reports success in testing fuel cell APU using diesel

AGerman project has achieved an important milestone in the development of a modular, diesel-driven fuel cell system for use in an auxiliary power unit (APU), with successful demonstration of system functionality in isolated operation of the fuel cell stack and the electronics module.

The Mwe III (Seagull) project aimed to prove the technical maturity of a modular, diesel-driven 3 kW fuel cell system by developing a self-sufficient prototype. The three-year project, which recently concluded, was coordinated by the OWI Oel-Waerme-Institut GmbH part of RWTH Aachen research university working with research partners Inhouse Engineering GmbH, Enasys GmbH, and Mahle Behr GmbH. It was funded by the federal ministry for economic affairs and energy (BMWi).

The system consists of diesel and water tanks, a steam reformer module, and a fuel cell module featuring a low-temperature PEM fuel cell with 90 cells, as well as a battery and power electronics. The system is intended for use in caravans and yachts, and creates 34 kW of electric power, which is sufficient to power air-conditioning or a refrigerator on a boat or in a caravan. Diesel from the regular fuel tank is converted into a hydrogen-rich fuel gas (reformate) by steam reforming, and then turned into electric power by the fuel cell. The system is started using the energy stored in the battery, which is automatically recharged after the system is started up.

OWI has previously worked on developing a compact system comprising a methanol steam reformer coupled with a high-temperature PEM fuel cell stack, and completed life-span

MOBILE APPLICATIONS

NEWS

4Fuel Cells Bulletin June 2015

testing of a reformer and offgas burner for a truck APU fuel cell system [FCB, November 2013, p10].

OWI Oel-Waerme-Institut GmbH, Fuel Cell Systems: http://tinyurl.com/owi-fuelcells

Mwe III project: http://tinyurl.com/owi-moewe3

Hydrogenics, Alstom to commercialise fuel cell trains in Europe

In Germany, Hydrogenics GmbH has signed a 10-year exclusive agreement to supply Alstom Transport with hydrogen PEM fuel cell systems for regional commuter trains in Europe. Alstom Transport is a unit of France-based Alstom, a global leader in power generation, transmission, and rail infrastructure.

The agreement, valued at over E50 million (US$56 million), includes the supply of at least 200 engine systems, along with service and maintenance as necessary over the 10-year period. Hydrogenics was selected by Alstom following a rigorous technical review process. The fuel cell systems, based on the companys HD series heavy-duty PEM fuel cells, will be developed to meet European train compliance regulations. The first units are expected to be delivered in 2016, following prototype work planned for late 2015.

Alstom recently signed a Letter of Intent with the Calw district in southwestern Germany, for the planned use of new fuel cell powered trains on the Hermann Hesse scenic railway line in the Black Forest [FCB, April 2015, p5]. The company has done likewise with the German states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Baden-Wrttemberg, and the Hesse public transport authority, for the use of its new generation of zero-emission trains [FCB, October 2014, p11].

Last autumn Hydrogenics introduced its Celerity heavy-duty fuel cell system for buses and trucks [FCB, November 2014, p3], and will demonstrate the CelerityPlus fuel cell drive system in a drayage truck and a SunLine Transit bus in California [FCB, April 2015, p3]. Hydrogenics also manufactures electrolysers it has just built a 1.5 MW PEM electrolyser system for E.ONs Reitbrook site in Hamburg, as part of a Power-to-Gas hydrogen injection plant that utilises excess renewable energy [see page 9].

Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com

Hydrogenics Europe Fuel Cell Power Systems, Hydrogenics GmbH, Gladbeck, Germany. Tel: +49 2043 944133.

Alstom Rail Systems: www.alstom.com/transport

Horizon launches Hycopter fuel cell multirotor UAV

Singaporean company Horizon Energy Systems (HES) unveiled its Hycopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the recent AUVSI 2015 event in Atlanta, USA. The Hycopter is a hydrogen PEM fuel cell powered multirotor UAV, and is being readied for a record flight endurance of 4 h, which is 810 times the average flight duration of current equivalent systems.

Hycopter uniquely makes use of its frame structure to store hydrogen gas, eliminating energy storage weight. This platform stores the equivalent energy of 3 kg of lithium batteries as 120 g of hydrogen. Requiring less lift power, Hycopters ultralight fuel cell converts the 120 g of hydrogen stored inside its structural frame into 4 h of electric power for its rotors.

HES a subsidiary of Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies says that this breakthrough technology will extend todays 2030 minute multirotor UAV missions to flights lasting several hours. Aerial surveys will become significantly cheaper and quicker, and drone delivery more feasible over longer distances.

The special fuel cell powering the Hycopter was designed by HES, which also recently announced a new solid chemical hydrogen-on-demand fuel cell that achieves up to 700 Wh/kg at system level [FCB, April 2015, p1].

By removing the design silos that typically separate the energy storage component from the UAV frame design teams, we opened up a whole new category in the drone market, between battery power and combustion power drones, says Taras Wankewycz, CEO of the Horizon Group.

This has led to the creation of a new sister company, Horizon Unmanned Systems (HUS), which will apply lightweight fuel cells in optimised platforms and vehicles. HUS brings together experience in energy storage optimisation and carbon composite expertise to design a new breed of high-performance, mini-electric UAVs. HUS will also embed proprietary GPS-independent, precision navigation and collision avoidance technologies, to match the need for power-autonomous UAVs in off-grid and remote areas.

Multirotor applications are attracting wider interest Canadian-based EnergyOr Technologies recently demonstrated its PEM fuel cell powered multirotor vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAV [FCB, April 2015, p5].

Parent company Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has recently launched the MFC 3000, a 3 kW PEM fuel cell system combined with a methanol reformer, for use as a high-capacity uninterruptible power supply for telecom sites [see page 5].

Horizon Energy Systems, Singapore. Tel: +65 6872 9588, www.hes.sg

Horizon Unmanned Systems, Hycopter: www.hus.sg

PowerCell fuel cell for energy-efficient house in Gothenburg

Nordic fuel cell developer PowerCell Sweden has received an order from H-O Enterprise AB, to deliver a fuel cell system for a low-energy house in Gothenburg, Sweden with the project being implemented in the autumn.

The Gothenburg facility is a self off-grid low-energy house, which includes 23 kWp of solar photovoltaic cells on the roof and facades, energy storage in batteries and hot water tanks, a 2 Nm3/h electrolyser, hydrogen tanks (storing 4 m3 at 700 bar), and a 1 kW fuel cell. The solar cells will generate electricity during daylight hours, and the electricity will be used both to run the house and recharge the batteries, and to produce hydrogen from water using an electrolyser.

This is a breakthrough order for this type of energy-smart house, a use that we see that our fuel cell system has great potential to operate within, as increasing electricity prices, climate change, and the desire for more energy independence means that the interest in energy-efficient houses is growing, says PowerCell CEO Magnus Henell.

In the evenings, at night, and during the winter the electric power will come from the 144 kWh of batteries and the 1 kW PowerCell S1 hydrogen fuel cell. The fuel cell also produces heat that is channeled to the houses 3800 litre hot water tanks, and used for heating and hot water. The stored hydrogen will also be used as a refueling station for the households planned hydrogen car.

In other news, PowerCell is one of four Swedish companies displaying innovative environmental technology in a special full-scale facility in Qatars capital, Doha. This

SMALL STATIONARY

NEWS / IN BRIEF

June 2015 Fuel Cells Bulletin5

I N B R I E F

Hydrogen storage potential in salt cavernsStoring hydrogen deep underground in abundant salt caverns and converting it into power could help meet the UKs future peak energy and load-following demands, according to a new report published by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI, www.eti.co.uk).

The report (http://tinyurl.com/eti-peakenergy) argues that using salt caverns to store hydrogen for power generation would reduce the investment needed in new clean power station capacity. Today, salt caverns are already used for storing oil and natural gas, and there are around 30 large caverns in the UK.

One of the main benefits is cost, as hydrogen storage could provide low-cost and clean power, explains report author Dennis Gammer, the ETIs carbon capture and storage strategy manager. Large amounts of energy can be stored, with one cavern providing enough storage capacity to satisfy the peak demands of a single UK city. By storing hydrogen produced continuously by modestly sized hydrogen plants in salt caverns, we could generate electricity only when its needed.

Proton OnSite awards $100k scholarshipThree exceptional US high school senior students shared the $100 000 scholarship from the Proton OnSite Scholarship and Innovation Program and its entrepreneur benefactor Tom Sullivan, chairman of Proton OnSite (www.ProtonOnSite.com). Each student wins a scholarship prize of $36 000 to help them through four years of college.

An independent panel of judges chose the winners Ashish Vankara (Westerville, Ohio), Farita Tasnim (Columbus, Georgia), and Mayia Vranas (Danville, California) from more than 1400 applications from students across 47 states.

Sullivan has awarded more than $2 million to 25 high school students over the past six years through the programme. This looks for the brightest high school seniors, to offer them the financial support they need to gain an undergraduate degree in science and technology.

Nuvera utilises manure for FCEV fuelingMassachusetts-based Nuvera Fuel Cells (www.nuvera.com) used its PowerTap steam methane reforming onsite hydrogen generation and dispensing equipment in support of Toyotas Fueled by Everything video campaign, which debuted in April (http://tinyurl.com/kl9nch8). The first film in the campaigns series, directed by no-nonsense filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me), explains how cow manure can be used as a source for renewable natural gas in the production of hydrogen. Nuvera was selected by Toyota for its ability to reform biogas into hydrogen, which is used to fuel its Mirai fuel cell sedan [FCB, November 2014, p1].

opportunity may lead to a number of Gulf States choosing Swedish technology in a major investment in sustainable development. The demonstration facility, in Qatar Science & Technology Park, will contain a number of functions, from living quarters and workplaces to greenhouses. The idea is that visitors will be able to see all these different technologies together in one place, from late summer.

PowerCell has combined its PEM fuel cell and autothermal reactor (ATR) reforming technology to develop a fuel cell system that efficiently and cleanly converts diesel to electricity. The company is collaborating in a Norwegian project to reduce diesel consumption for electricity generation during vehicle loading and unloading [FCB, April 2015, p3]. PowerCell recently launched its S2 next-generation stack, which will allow the company to target additional applications and expand its market potential [FCB, May 2015, p10].

PowerCell Sweden AB, Gothenburg, Sweden. Tel: +46 31 720 3620, www.powercell.se

Acumentrics delivers 250+ SOFC units to remote power users

Massachusetts-based Acumentrics SOFC Corporation reports that it has now delivered more than 250 of its high-efficiency RP remote power solid oxide fuel cell generators to more than three dozen customers in the field.

Customers across the US, Canada, and Mexico are benefiting from SOFC technology that utilises natural gas and propane to produce electricity for off-grid locations at dramatically lower costs than the alternatives. These power generators are being used in many applications where there is no grid power available, including telecoms, cathodic protection, equipment monitoring and control, and data gathering and relay.

Acumentrics has been developing highly efficient and reliable tubular SOFC technology for more than 15 years, and is now entering full-scale commercialisation in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The companys tubular (rather than planar) design provides for a highly manufacturable, durable SOFC that is proven with more than 2 million operating hours accumulated from units in the field.

Our fuel cells do not require hydrogen, and are very simple and durable, says Gary Simon, president and CEO of Acumentrics. Using conventional fuels is a huge advantage for us. We do not need to wait for an entirely new fuel delivery system in order to bring big benefits to our customers.

Acumentrics SOFC is developing and providing remote power generators for applications requiring from 250 W to 10 kW of clean, efficient, and reliable off-grid power. The company is also working with the military and government agencies to develop larger systems for off-grid and hybrid power, including operation on diesel and military jet fuel.

Last year Acumentrics teamed up with the US Department Energy and stock car race organiser NASCAR to test four SOFC units as replacements for gasoline-powered power generators at the Daytona 500 race [FCB, March 2014, p6]. And in 2012 it installed a propane-fueled SOFC unit at the Exit Glacier Nature Center in Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, to provide 1 kW for all of the centres electrical needs including lights, power outlets, and basic appliances [FCB, July 2012, p4].

Acumentrics SOFC Corporation, Westwood, Massachusetts, USA. Tel: 1 800 332 0277 (tollfree in US) or +1 781 461 8251, www.acumentrics.com

Horizon unveils 3 kW methanol reformer fuel cell in South East Asia

Singapore-based Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has launched the MFC 3000, a 3 kW PEM fuel cell system combined with a methanol reformer. Horizon has appointed Singaporean green solutions provider Innoverde as distributor and system integrator for industrial solution applications of the MFC 3000 across South East Asia.

The MFC 3000 is designed as a high-capacity uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that provides an eco-friendly, quiet alternative to battery-based or genset UPS for telecom sites. It can be supplied in an IP54-rated outdoor cabinet, and offers remote monitoring and control functionality. The light and compact system is ideal for rooftop locations.

The integrated reformer/fuel cell system runs on a low-volatility, low-cost methanol/water blend. Fuel consumption is 0.9 litres per kWh of output, across a wide range of loads. A 200 litre drum of fuel would provide 222 kWh of electric power, or a runtime of up to 74 h at an average 3 kW load and even longer with a larger fuel tank.

Horizons new system can be combined with a solar PV system (or wind turbine) to reduce fuel consumption and provide an even longer-lasting power source. If the solar modules produce sufficient electric power for the application, the solar system takes over and the MFC 3000 goes into standby mode.

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6Fuel Cells Bulletin June 2015

Horizon is partnering with Innoverde, which will act as the distributor and system integrator for industrial applications of the MFC 3000 across South East Asia. Innoverde will offer the MFC 3000 as a continuous power supply or as a UPS for backup power.

Our strategic partnership allows us to continue our focus on technology enhancement and R&D, while Innoverde takes the product to the right end-users, explains Craig Knight, Horizons director of industrial solutions.

Last year Innoverde placed a major order with German-based SFC Energy for its integrated hybrid power solution, comprising EFOY Pro direct methanol fuel cell generators and solar modules [FCB, May 2014, p3]. The systems will mainly be used for powering CCTV in applications such as safety monitoring of construction sites.

Horizons subsidiary Horizon Energy Systems recently unveiled the Hycopter, a hydrogen PEM fuel cell powered multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), designed to offer flight durations 810 times longer than current equivalent systems [see page 4].

Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, Singapore. Tel: +65 6872 9588, www.horizonfuelcell.com

Innoverde Pte Ltd, Singapore. Tel: +65 6694 1814, www.innoverde.com.sg

AFC Energy on track for KORE unit startup at Stade site in July

UK-based alkaline fuel cell developer AFC Energy has reported continuing progress towards delivery of the companys first 240 kW KORE system at Air Products facility in Stade, near Hamburg in northern Germany. The Power-Up project remains on track for initial power production in July.

Following a process hazard assessment of the KORE fuel cell module design using the Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) methodology, in March KORE passed a further independent and rigorous examination of its design safety functions. This builds on the previous HAZOP study in 2013 [FCB, January 2014, p6]. The recent HAZOP review was organised and moderated by German process engineering consultancy plantIng GmbH, with the support of AFC, consultancy firm Efficientics, and industrial gas partner Air Products.

AFC then commissioned an explosion protection report drafted by Efficientics

according to German industrial health & safety regulations and relevant technical standards. A further HAZOP assessment of the structure and facilities designed to house the KORE system in Stade has been undertaken, led by plantIng GmbH. This is the first time a HAZOP has been undertaken on the facilities set to house the KORE, and further validates the robust design being adopted by AFC across the integrated hydrogen supply, facilities, structures, and KORE system within an industrial setting.

A HAZOP has also been completed for the Air Products hydrogen letdown station and supply pipeline to the AFC facility. Orders have been placed for all key hydrogen supply components required for connection to the KORE plant.

AFC, Artelia, and plantIng continue to work with local regulatory authorities on the final building permit for the Stade facility. Work has been completed on the deep foundations to house the KORE system, and final activities are being concluded on the shallower plant foundations. The KORE module itself continues to be developed and constructed in Coventry, UK and is on target for completion in time to allow commencement of operations at Stade in July.

The Power-Up project will demonstrate the worlds largest alkaline fuel cell system [see the AFC Energy feature in FCB, November 2011]. The 240 kW KORE system demonstration has been fast-tracked to December 2015, representing the final phase of AFCs pre-commercialisation technical development programme [FCB, January 2015, p6 and February 2015, p6]. AFC has also recently announced large-scale projects in Asia and the Middle East [FCB, March 2015, p1 and May 2015, p6].

AFC Energy, Cranleigh, Surrey, UK. Tel: +44 1483 276726, www.afcenergy.com

Power-Up project: www.project-power-up.eu

Equinix installs 1 MW Bloom unit at Silicon Valley data centre

In California, data centre operator Equinix is installing a 1 MW solid oxide fuel cell power plant from Bloom Energy, in a biogas fuel cell project at its SV5 International Business Exchange data centre in Silicon Valley.

The 1 MW Bloom Energy SOFC will provide an estimated 8.3 GWh per annum of clean, reliable electricity to power part of the SV5 data centre. The installation will result in a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions over the

local PG&E grid, even before the use of biogas. Biogas is methane captured from decomposing organic matter such as from landfills or animal waste, and it avoids the use of fossil fuel natural gas [see the waste-to-energy features in FCB, June and July 2014].

The project also includes uninterruptible power modules that are configured to protect part of the data centres energy load from electrical outages, reducing reliance on traditional backup equipment. The deployment supports Equinixs long-term sustainability goal of using 100% clean and renewable energy across its global platform of more than 100 data centres.

Companies are increasingly turning to data centre co-location services in order to interconnect with other businesses, and they want to do this in an environmentally responsible way, says Peter Gross, VP of mission critical systems at Bloom Energy. The clean and modular nature of Blooms technology makes us uniquely suited to meet the growing demand for renewable power to support cutting-edge IT infrastructure. Bloom provides grid-independent power for critical loads in data centres and manufacturing through its Mission Critical Systems practice.

Bloom Energy Servers produce more than 150 MW for major companies and organisations in the US and Japan [FCB, April 2015, p7], including a 6 MW deployment at an eBay data centre in Utah [FCB, October 2013, p3], and installations in Japan through its joint venture with SoftBank [FCB, July 2014, p6]. The company recently installed systems to power the Western New England regional headquarters of broadcasting giant Comcast, and the Irvine, California data centre of telecoms company CenturyLink [FCB, May 2015, p6].

Bloom Energy Corporation, Sunnyvale, California, USA. Tel: +1 408 543 1500, www.bloomenergy.com

Equinix: www.equinix.com

Doosan PureCell fuel cells enter service at South Korea utility

Six power plants from US-based Doosan Fuel Cell have gone live at the Korean South East Power Co (KOSEP) facility in Ansan, a suburb of the capital, Seoul. The 400 kW Doosan PureCell Model 400 phosphoric acid fuel cell systems are together providing 2.6 MW of clean energy and heat to the local electric grid and KOSEP customers.

Ansan is the second Doosan-KOSEP partnership, following the installation in 2013

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of seven PureCell systems at the KOSEP plant in Bundang, another Seoul suburb [FCB, December 2012, p4]. Doosan, with its strategic focus on fuel cell growth in the US and Korea, now has 35 units supplying clean energy in and around Seoul.

Doosan FC came into existence last summer [FCB, August 2014, p1], as a new subsidiary of Korean-based industrial conglomerate Doosan Corporation following its acquisition of ClearEdge Power [FCB, July 2014, p5]. The company is focusing primarily on the PureCell Model 400 stationary products that ClearEdge Power acquired from UTC Power in early 2013 [FCB, January 2013, p8, and see the PureCell feature in FCB, February 2012].

Overall, Doosan has six projects in South Korea totaling 35 active fuel cell power plants, which equates to more than 15 MW of electricity generation. They include 12 units producing a total of 4.8 MW at GS Power [FCB, January 2009, p6], two systems for the Lotte World Tower skyscraper in Seoul [FCB, February 2013, p7], and one at the Busan International Finance Centers Landmark Tower in Busan [FCB, July 2013, p6]. There is a growing demand for electric power throughout South Korea, and all utility companies must adhere to Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), which establish regulations for clean energy integration throughout the country.

Doosan Fuel Cell America, South Windsor, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 860 727 2200, www.doosanfuelcell.com

KOSEP: www.kosep.co.kr/kosep/en/main.do

FCE unit at California water facility, fuel cell park proposed in CT

Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy has signed a deal to install a 1.4 MW combined heat and power (CHP) fuel cell system at the Regional Water Quality Control Plant in Riverside, California. The company is also part of a project that is proposing a 63 MW fuel cell park in Beacon Falls, Connecticut.

FuelCell Energy is executing a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the City of Riverside, California to install a 1.4 MW Direct FuelCell power plant at the Riverside Regional Water Quality Control Plant. The city is forecasting cost savings under the PPA, paying only for power produced. FuelCell Energy will install, operate, and maintain the plant under a long-term service agreement for a term of 20 years, with the plant expected to enter operation in 2016.

The molten carbonate fuel cell power plant will convert biogas from the wastewater treatment process into a continuous supply of ultra-clean electricity to power the facility and two electric vehicle charging stations [see also page 9], as well as provide thermal energy for the water treatment process. The Riverside wastewater treatment facility processes approximately 40 million gallons of wastewater per day in round-the-clock operations. The continuous power profile of the fuel cells will support the treatment process, utilising approximately half of the biogas generated to provide about half of the power needs for the facility.

FuelCell Energy is also partnering with O&G Industries, a leading construction company in the northeastern US, and project developer CT Energy & Technology LLC, on a proposed 63.3 MW fuel cell park in Beacon Falls, Connecticut. The Beacon Falls Energy Park will be the worlds largest, if built as designed.

The project was recently presented to Beacon Falls officials during a special meeting by O&G Industries and CT Energy & Technology. Under a Letter of Intent, FuelCell Energy has been identified as the fuel cell supplier, and if the park becomes operational, is expected to be retained to operate and maintain the plants under a long-term service agreement. O&G Industries owns the property, while CT Energy & Technology is developing and will own the project. The electric grid interconnection study is in process with ISO New England, and site engineering is at an advanced stage. The next steps are to finalise the off-taker of the power and prepare contracts.

FuelCell Energy, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 825 6000, www.fuelcellenergy.com

O&G Industries: www.ogind.com

CEP opens first hydrogen station on German autobahn

Daimler, Linde, and Total have jointly taken an important step towards expansion of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure in Germany, with the inauguration of the countrys first motorway hydrogen station, as part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP).

The new hydrogen pump at the Total motorway service area in Geiselwind, on the A3 between Wrzburg and Nuremberg, links the existing hydrogen refueling facilities in the metropolitan regions of Frankfurt/Main,

Stuttgart and Munich, forming the first hub for fuel cell electric vehicles in southern Germany.

Total has invested more than E250 000 (US$280 000) in the Geiselwind installation, covering all construction and approval costs, as well as project management for installing the hydrogen technology, including service and maintenance components. Geiselwind is the seventh hydrogen station that Total operates in Germany, with four in Berlin, and one each in Munich and Hamburg. The project is supported by the federal ministry of transport and digital infrastructure (BMVI) as part of its National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP), which is managed by the National Organisation for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) in Berlin.

Linde has installed around 90 hydrogen stations in 15 countries, and is contributing refueling technology and sustainably produced hydrogen to the Geiselwind facility. The company operates the worlds first small-series production facility for hydrogen fueling stations in Vienna, Austria [FCB, July 2014, p1], featuring its IC90 ionic compressor [see the Linde feature in FCB, September 2014]. Linde recently opened a hydrogen refueling station in Innsbruck, Austria with OMV, to make the journey across the Alps from Germany to Italy feasible for FCEVs [see page 9].

The Geiselwind site is part of the expansion plan, launched in 2012, that will initially expand the German hydrogen refueling network from its current 18 locations to 50 stations by 2015 [FCB, June 2012, p1]. Reaching 50 hydrogen stations will allow nationwide mobility between metropolitan areas along the main roads throughout Germany. Within this expansion programme, the Daimler-Linde initiative is participating in a total of 20 new hydrogen stations with a total investment of approximately E20 million ($22.5 million) [FCB, October 2014, p1]. The Clean Energy Partnership recently announced a new Shell hydrogen station in Hamburg [FCB, April 2015, p10], and additional stations for the states of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Baden-Wrttemberg [FCB, December 2014, p9, and see the CEP feature in FCB, June 2011].

Clean Energy Partnership: www.cleanenergypartnership.de/en

The Linde Group, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/linde-hydrogen-energy

Daimler, Fuel Cell Drive Technology: http://tinyurl.com/daimler-fcevs

Total, Germany: www.de.total.com/en-us

Total, Electro- and Hydrogen Mobility: http://tinyurl.com/total-electro-h2-mobility [in German]

NOW GmbH: www.now-gmbh.de/en

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Air Liquide installs its own hydrogen station to fuel HyWay project

Industrial gases giant Air Liquide has installed a hydrogen fueling station at its Sassenage site in Isre, in the Rhne-Alpes region of France, which will allow the first users of the French HyWay project to refuel their vehicles with hydrogen. A second, higher-capacity hydrogen station will be installed in nearby Grenoble in the autumn.

The HyWay project, coordinated by the Tenerrdis new energy technologies cluster, is the first French project that aims to deploy fleets of hydrogen-powered electric vehicles. It is jointly supported by the French government (through the DREAL vehicle testing agency and the ADEME Agency for Environment and Energy Management) and the Rhne-Alpes regional council.

A major project milestone was reached on 10 June, with the delivery of the first 21 Renault Kangoo ZE-H2 utility vehicles to Grenoble. These vehicles constitute the largest electric vehicle fleet currently deployed in Europe that is equipped with a hydrogen-powered range-extender, utilising a 5 kW PEM fuel cell supplied by Symbio FCell [FCB, April 2015, p2].

Air Liquide is supporting the HyWay project by investing in the development of the first station in Sassenage, at its own site, which will serve users such as the French postal service La Poste. It will also acquire three Kangoo ZE-H2 vehicles.

Air Liquide has hydrogen fueling stations in operation around the world, including in Saint-L in northwestern France [FCB, February 2015, p7], Rotterdam in the Netherlands [FCB, October 2014, p7] and Dsseldorf in Germany, part of the national hydrogen network in Denmark [FCB, July 2014, p8], in Nagoya and Toyota City in Japan [FCB, February 2015, p7], and plans for a network in the northeastern US in collaboration with Toyota Motor Sales USA [FCB, December 2014, p8]. The company is also providing hydrogen fueling for fuel cell powered forklifts at FM Logistics logistics platform near Orlans in central France [FCB, April 2015, p10].

Air Liquide, Hydrogen Filling Station: http://tinyurl.com/airliquide-h2filling

Tenerrdis energy cluster, HyWay project: www.tenerrdis.fr/en/News/hyway-project.html

Symbio FCell: www.symbiofcell.com

H2 Logic acquired by NEL, to create global leader in hydrogen

Denmark-based H2 Logic, a leading manufacturer of hydrogen fueling stations, has agreed to become part of Norwegian company NEL ASA, a major electrolyser manufacturer which operates as NEL Hydrogen. The combined business will be a global leader in hydrogen production and fueling for fuel cell electric vehicles.

NEL and H2 Logic together represent a world-leading commercial technology and product portfolio, that addresses the mature and profitable market in hydrogen production for industrial applications. Furthermore, the combination of sustainable hydrogen production from NEL and fueling systems from H2 Logic will serve the growing hydrogen demand resulting from the accelerating market introduction of FCEVs by the major automakers, as well as the substantial global growth potential for hydrogen in renewable energy storage.

The terms of the H2 Logic acquisition include cash payment and new NEL shares totaling NOK300 million (E35 million, US$39 million) to the shareholders and founders of H2 Logic. H2 Logic will become a subsidiary in the NEL Group, with the existing management and employees continuing operations.

NEL originally as Norsk Hydro was split off from the Norwegian oil & gas giant Statoil in 2011, and is the first dedicated hydrogen company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company has manufactured hydrogen production plants based on electrolysis technology for 88 years, and has delivered more than 500 large-scale electrolysers to customers in more than 50 countries for various industrial and fueling applications.

H2 Logic has developed and manufactured H2Station hydrogen fueling stations since it was founded in 2003 [see the H2 Logic feature in FCB, May 2013]. The company has delivered more than 20 fueling solutions to customers in seven European countries, operating in daily use for refueling of hydrogen vehicles. H2 Logic is also the first in the world to operate a countrywide network of hydrogen fueling stations in a single country Denmark in collaboration with leading oil & gas companies [FCB, July 2014, p8 and March 2015, p8]. The network has demonstrated very high availability and performance for vehicle users.

Last summer H2 Logic made a strategic decision to concentrate on commercialising its H2Station hydrogen refueling station products. To this end, it sold its H2Drive fuel cell activities, including its materials handling intellectual property portfolio, to Dantherm Power, the Danish subsidiary of Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems [FCB, July 2014, p3].

NEL Hydrogen, Notodden, Norway. Tel: +47 3509 3838, www.nel-hydrogen.com

H2 Logic, Herning, Denmark. Tel: +45 9627 5600, www.h2logic.com

Don Quichote project adds green hydrogen at Belgium warehouse

The EU-funded Don Quichote project has installed a renewable energy powered hydrogen generation system at a large logistics centre operated by Belgian supermarket chain Colruyt. The project aims to demonstrate improved efficiency and operating costs of a large logistics facility, evaluating and validating the market readiness of the components needed for storing renewable energy in the form of hydrogen.

The Don Quichote system will be connected to an existing hydrogen refueling facility that supplies hydrogen to a fleet of materials handling vehicles, to form an integrated energy storage and dispensing system in a smart grid setting [FCB, December 2012, p1]. The integrated system receives its energy from a 1 MW wind turbine and solar PV panels producing 1.05 MW. The existing hydrogen refueling facility consists of a 30 Nm3/h alkaline electrolyser system with diaphragm compressor, steel hydrogen storage vessels, and a 350 bar (5000 psi) dispenser system.

The system comprises a PEM electrolyser supplied by Hydrogenics, which offers a wider operating range, higher efficiency, and faster response time than alkaline electrolysers; an electrochemical compressor from HyET BV Hydrogen Efficiency Technologies in the Netherlands, which offers scalability, higher efficiency, and contamination-free operation compared to traditional compressors; composite storage vessels; and a Hydrogenics 90 kW PEM fuel cell system.

HyET is continuing development of its Electrochemical Hydrogen Compressor, a 2.5 kg/day stand-alone test system, referred to as the MoHyTO (Mobile Hydrogen Test Object) [see the HyET feature in FCB, May 2014]. This system can be expanded to 5 kg/day by adding

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a second compressor stack. Development of a 60 kg/day compressor system is continuing for the Don Quichote system.

The first operation of the Don Quichote project, expected this month, is being supported by the Italian Federation of the Scientific and Technical Associations in cooperation with the European Hydrogen Association. The other partners include inspection service TV Rheinland and sustainability software specialist PE International in Germany, and Icelandic New Energy. The five-year project scheduled for completion in September 2017 is funded through the New Energy World Industry Grouping (NEW-IG), one of the constituent members of the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU).

Don Quichote project: www.don-quichote.eu

New Energy World Industry Grouping: www.new-ig.eu

Hydrogenics Europe Electrolysers, Oevel, Belgium. Tel: +32 14 462110, www.hydrogenics.com

WaterstofNet: www.waterstofnet.eu/english.html

HyET BV, Hydrogen Efficiency Technologies: www.hyet.nl

Linde, OMV open transalpine hydrogen station in Innsbruck

The Linde Group and Austrian oil & gas company OMV have inaugurated a hydrogen refueling station in Innsbruck. The new facility in Tyrol, which can refuel six vehicles per hour, is located on one of Europes key transit routes, and will make the journey across the Alps from Germany to Italy feasible for fuel cell electric vehicles.

This is Austrias second public hydrogen fueling station, and bridges the existing hydrogen hubs in Munich, Germany and Bolzano, Italy. It was built as part of the EU-funded HyFIVE (Hydrogen for Innovative Vehicles) project, which aims to equip a number of cities across Europe London, Copenhagen, Stuttgart, Munich, Innsbruck, and Bolzano for the ongoing initial commercialisation of FCEVs [FCB, April 2014, p1]. The hydrogen station in Tyrol is part of the Hydrogen Cluster South in HyFIVE, which runs from Stuttgart via Munich to Verona. Four hydrogen stations have already been built in these cities.

The Innsbruck fueling station is equipped with Lindes 700 bar (10 000 psi) IC90 ionic compressor [see the Linde feature in FCB, September 2014]. In order to meet rising

demand for hydrogen infrastructure, Linde has been running the worlds first small-series production facility for hydrogen fueling stations at its R&D centre in Vienna since last summer [FCB, July 2014, p1].

OMV has been operating Austrias first public hydrogen fueling station in Vienna since 2012 [FCB, November 2012, p5]. Further stations are being planned in partnership with Linde for the greater urban areas of Linz in Austria, and in Munich, Nuremberg and Stuttgart in southern Germany [FCB, December 2014, p9, and see page 7]. Its subsidiary OMV Deutschland GmbH recently joined the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) in Germany [FCB, April 2015, p10].

Linde has also launched its new Hydroprime line of compact, cost-effective hydrogen generators, based on proven steam methane reforming technology. Hydro-Chem, a division of Linde Engineering North America, has tested and proven the reliability and suitability of these units in various applications, as a competitive local production alternative to trucked-in bulk gases, including for hydrogen refueling stations.

The Linde Group, Hydrogen Energy: http://tinyurl.com/linde-hydrogen-energy

OMV, Hydrogen Mobility: http://tinyurl.com/omv-hydrogen

Hydro-Chem: www.hydro-chem.com

FCE offers renewable, affordable hydrogen for transport, industry

Connecticut-based FuelCell Energy says that its commercial fuel cell power plants can now also offer affordable onsite generation of high-purity hydrogen for transportation and industrial applications. Renewable hydrogen is produced for transportation by converting biogas, with the companys onsite hydrogen generation model structured to attract private investment.

A MW-scale FuelCell Energy hydrogen delivery system can generate more than 1200 kg/day of hydrogen, suitable for larger industrial applications or sufficient to power a fleet of more than 1500 fuel cell electric vehicles, while also producing 2 MW of ultra-clean electricity. The hydrogen and power are generated in a low-carbon manner when operating on natural gas, or this is carbon-neutral when utilising renewable biogas as the fuel source [see also page 7].

Our commercial distributed power generation solutions are configurable to provide multiple value streams, including high-purity hydrogen along with ultra-clean electricity and usable heat, says Chip Bottone, president and CEO of FuelCell Energy. Resiliency of supply is enhanced with our affordable onsite delivery system, delivering power and hydrogen independent of external events that can interrupt the electric grid or surface transportation network.

FuelCell Energy power plants support hydrogen fueling for FCEVs, illustrated by a three-year demonstration project for the Orange County Sanitation District in California to convert renewable biogas from wastewater into high-purity, 100% renewable hydrogen for transportation [FCB, August 2011, p1]. The ability of the FuelCell Energy solution to utilise onsite renewable biogas also offers an attractive opportunity to affordably and cleanly provide green hydrogen fueling for materials handling vehicles.

In addition, industrial users of hydrogen including metal processors, glass makers,and petrochemical applications can benefit from affordable onsite hydrogen generation. FuelCell Energy is demonstrating this at its own Danbury manufacturing facility, with a Direct FuelCell power plant that converts clean natural gas into power and heat for the manufacturing process, and hydrogen that will be used as an oxidation preventative in the manufacturing ovens, replacing purchased hydrogen [FCB, May 2015, p1]. The fuel cells also power an electric vehicle charging station located onsite.

The financial profile including the multiple value streams of our onsite power and hydrogen generation systems, can attract private capital, minimising the need for the site owner to directly invest in the hydrogen delivery system, as we source the private capital to own the asset, explains Bottone.

FuelCell Energy, Danbury, Connecticut, USA. Tel: +1 203 825 6000, www.fuelcellenergy.com

Hydrogenics wraps up factory test of 1.5 MW PEM electrolyser

Canadian-based Hydrogenics reports that its 1.5 MW PEM electrolyser system has passed factory acceptance testing at its German facility in Gladbeck, witnessed by representatives from customer E.ON. The system will

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be delivered to E.ONs Reitbrook site in Hamburg, as part of a Power-to-Gas (P2G) hydrogen injection plant that utilises excess renewable energy.

The P2G plant, backed by a consortium of German companies and scientific organisations, is expected to begin operation this summer. Funding has been provided by the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP), under the auspices of the German federal ministry of transport, buildings and urban affairs (BMVBS) in coordination with the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH).

At the core of this application is a single 1500E PEM electrolyser stack rated for 1.5 MW of continuous power, which is believed to be the worlds most powerful PEM electrolyser. This single 1.5 MW stack delivers a power density of 4000 W/litre.

Hydrogenics has already supplied large-scale electrolyser systems to German P2G projects, i.e. for RH2-WKA at a 140 MW wind farmat Grapzow [FCB, October 2013, p8] and for E.ON in Falkenhagen [FCB, September 2013, p9]. The company is also supplying a 1 MW electrolyser for the MefCO2 project in Germany, which will generate hydrogen and then create methanol using CO2 emissions from a coal-fired power plant [FCB, February 2015, p9]. Hydrogenics has also signed a 10-year deal to supply Alstom Transport with PEM fuel cell systems for regional commuter trains in Europe [see page 4].

Germany is a key energy storage player in Europe, because of its huge installed capacity of intermittent renewables. In 2014, power from renewables in Germany accounted for 28% of total electricity generation, with the ambitious goal of getting one-third of the nations electricity from renewables by 2020 known as the Energiewende, or energy transition so it must find a way to integrate and store many GWh of energy. The German Energy Agency (DENA) says that significant investments in energy storage will be required to meet these renewable energy commitments. Power-to-Gas is considered to be a key energy storage solution for providing the capacity needed for large-scale renewable power generation [see the feature on the commercialisation of energy storage in Europe in FCB, April 2015].

Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com

Hydrogenics Europe Electrolysers, Oevel, Belgium. Tel: +32 14 462110.

NOW GmbH: www.now-gmbh.de

Ballard wins order for PEM fuel cell catalyst project with Nisshinbo

Canadian-based Ballard Power Systems has received a purchase order from Nisshinbo Holdings Inc in Japan, for the next phase of work to develop a breakthrough catalyst technology to reduce the manufacturing cost of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The Technology Solutions project has now been under way for approximately two years.

Environmental and energy company Nisshinbo provides low-carbon, optimised products across a range of business lines, including chemicals, precision instruments, electronics, automotive brakes, textiles and paper. The company has supplied Ballard with compression moulded bipolar flow-field plates for more than 10 years, for use in the manufacture of PEM fuel cell membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) for a variety of applications.

The volume of platinum catalyst coating material used in a fuel cell has been successfully reduced over time, so that today it represents 1015% of total fuel cell cost. The next phase of project work to be conducted jointly by Ballard and Nisshinbo will focus on a new PEM fuel cell catalyst technology that is intended to further reduce the cost of Ballards air-cooled fuel cell stacks. These stacks are used in various market applications, such as telecom backup power [FCB, May 2015, p4] and materials handling (with Plug Power) [FCB, November 2014, p5].

We are pleased with progress made in our joint work with Ballard, and look forward to completing development of this new commercial technology in the foreseeable future, says Toshihiro Kijima, director and managing officer of Nisshinbo. This will position Nisshinbo even more strongly in the marketplace, with a unique capability.

Ballards Technology Solutions group works to help customers solve difficult technical and business challenges in their PEM fuel cell programmes [FCB, March 2015, p2 and p10]. This is delivered through customised, bundled technology solutions that include specialised engineering services, access to the companys substantial intellectual property (IP) portfolio and know-how, as well as the supply of technology components.

Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com

Nisshinbo Holdings: www.nisshinbo.co.jp/english

Trenergi unveils 1 kW fuel-flexible HTPEM fuel cell prototype

Massachusetts-based fuel cell developer Trenergi has demonstrated its 1 kW fuel cell prototype to a group of investors. The company says that its high-temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cell, based on a radically different design to conventional fuel cells, is capable of efficiently and cleanly generating onsite electricity, heat and hot water from most existing fuels, including hydrocarbons.

Trenergi utilises a patented High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane-Plus (HTPEM+) design, which it says represents a major advance on previous HTPEM designs that utilised BASF material for the membrane. CTO Dr Mohammad Enayetullah has achieved significant progress in the membrane/electrode technology, which allows for higher power density and lower manufacturing cost than previously achievable. It also has greater impurity tolerance, allowing the fuel cell to operate using readily available fuels, such as propane, natural gas, and even jet fuel, instead of the pure hydrogen required by conventional PEM fuel cell technologies.

The high-temperature operation of the Trenergi system means that it can operate at up to 90% energy efficiency, and the company says that the system is also three times more durable than competitor solid oxide and low-temperature PEM fuel cells.

Trenergi also has developed a 3 kW fuel cell prototype, which has been sold to a major defence contractor for testing as part of distributed energy systems or in mobile defence applications.

Trenergi Corporation, Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA. Tel: +1 508 497 2355, www.trenergi.com

Ulsan researchers find noble way to low-cost, high-stability DMFCs

Ateam of engineers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea have

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GEI sells 5 kW fuel cell for Mexico demoMichigan-based GEI Global Energy (www.geiglobal.com) has received a purchase order for a complete 5 kW biofuel demonstration fuel cell system from its strategic alliance partner, Golden Age Resources (GDAR, www.gdarinc.com), an energy provider for large-scale green power plants in Latin America and the Caribbean. The GEI X5 fuel cell will be an integral part of the 100 kW cogeneration pilot project that GDAR is planning for construction in Mexico.

This unit allows us to produce and store electricity from produced methane biogas as biofuel, and to show its effectiveness to both private and public entities, says Thomas Wolff, VP of Golden Age Resources Mexico.

The 5 kW high-temperature PEM fuel cell with energy storage can be interfaced with solar panels, to give 120/220 Vac and 48 Vdc outputs,and will also include a heat-exchanger for heating water. The 100 kW cogeneration pilot project is being built as part of a 2 MW scalable Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant using organic municipal and/or sisal waste. Construction is set to begin in Q4 of 2015, with the plant scheduled to begin operation by Q2 of 2016.

Last summer GEI Global announced the deployment of its 5 kW fuel cell system in the Italian city of Due Carrare, near Padua, in a joint venture with the Italian Association for Economic Development [FCB, September 2014, p4].

Mantra highlights fuel cell scooter demoBC-based Mantra Venture Group (www.mantraventuregroup.com) has demonstrated its novel Mixed-Reactant Fuel Cell (MRFC) powering a small scooter, the Mantra Spark. The MRFC produces power from a mixture of fuel and oxidant, eliminating the requirement for a membrane and simplifying the system balance-of-plant. Mantar says that this leads to reduced size, weight, and cost compared to conventional systems. Utilising liquid fuels, the MRFC does not face the challenges associated with the storage and distribution of gaseous hydrogen.

While the MRFC can produce power from many different fuels, the Spark is powered by formate salts, explains CTO Dr Sona Kazemi. This fits well into Mantras business, as our other technology, ERC, produces formates from waste carbon dioxide.

By utilising formate salts, the Spark represents part of an energy storage cycle created by two innovative electrochemical technologies that Mantra is developing through its subsidiary, Mantra Energy Alternatives. The ERC (Electro-Reduction of CO2) technologyuses electricity to convert CO2 into a range of high-value chemicals, including formate salts.

developed a low-cost and reusable material for fuel cell cathodes, by selectively plating antimony with graphene through a mechanochemical process. They suggest that direct methanol fuel cells using these cathodes would suffer no loss of electrocatalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) even after 100 000 cycles.

Most low-temperature fuel cells utilise platinum catalysts, but the recent surge of interest in renewable energy has triggered a corresponding increase in the need for developing new fuel cell catalysts that are renewable, energy-efficient, and low-cost at the same time. As a result, graphene is regarded as a possible alternative to replace expensive platinum [see the two graphene News Features in FCB, December 2014]. However, its low electrochemical performance means that use of this non-metallic element has resulted in damage to the graphene crystals.

Now a team of UNIST scientists, led by Professor Jong-Beom Baek in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, have reported in Nature Communications that they have successfully developed a low-cost and reusable fuel cell electrode material, by selectively plating antimony with graphene through a mechanochemical process.

The researchers plated the edges of graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) with semimetal antimony (Sb), using the low-cost and scalable ball-milling technique to overcome the limitations of the non-metal materials.

According to Professor Baek, these Sb-doped GnPs may be a significant breakthrough in fuel cell technology, as they display zero loss of electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction even after 100 000 cycles. We expect that this unique material will provide new insights and practical methods for designing stable carbon-based electrocatalysts, and accelerate the commercialisation of graphene, says Baek.

UNIST scientists are busy in fuel cell electrode research. Last December they reported on a new material for direct hydrocarbon solid oxide fuel cells running on natural gas, with an anode featuring a new multilayer oxygen-deficient double perovskite material [FCB, January 2015, p11]. And in 2013 they collaborated with researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research as well as Brookhaven National Laboratory in the US, to discover a new family of low-cost, non-precious metal catalysts that exhibit better performance than platinum in the oxygen reduction reaction [FCB, October 2013, p9].

Contact: Professor Jong-Beom Baek, School of Energy

& Chemical Engineering and Low-Dimensional Carbon

Materials Center, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Banyeon, Ulsan, South Korea. Tel: +82 52 217 2510, Email: jbbaek@unist.ac.kr, Web: http://eche-eng.unist.ac.kr/index.sko

Research paper (Open Access): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8123

DOE project funding for hybrid truck, fuel cell manufacturing QC

The US Department of Energy has announced funding for two projects to demonstrate fuel cell-battery electric hybrid trucks, and develop a real-time, in-line optical detector for the measurement of fuel cell membrane thickness for manufacturing quality control. The awards are made under the 2015 Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I Release 2.U US Hybrid Corporation (www.ushybrid.

com) in Torrance, California [FCB, June 2014, p10] will develop and demonstrate PEM fuel cell-battery electric hybrid tech-nology for medium- or heavy-duty bucket trucks with drivetrain-integrated electric power take-off systems. The company will help establish a business case, mitigate the cost of hydrogen fueling infrastructure, sup-plement utility industry evaluations of intro-ducing hydrogen generation on their grids, and demonstrate fuel cell-battery electric hybrid truck technologies.

U Mainstream Engineering Corporation (www.mainstream-engr.com) in Rockledge, Florida will develop a real-time, in-line opti-cal detector for the measurement of fuel cell membrane thickness. Previously, the DOE Fuel Cell Technologies Office funded the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop non-destructive in-line quality control techniques for production of membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) components. This Mainstream Engineering project involves technical transfer of NREL intellectual property on optical techniques. Mainstream will now design and fabricate a QC device that is readily implementable in a roll-to-roll production line for the produc-tion of one or more MEA component mate-rials. The QC device will help to drive down the costs of fuel cells, by reducing waste and improving the process efficiency of roll-to-roll manufacturing of PEMs.

DOE Fuel Cell Technologies Office:

http://energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/fuel-cell-technologies-office

NEWS FEATURE

Fuel Cells Bulletin June 201512

NIST process to synthesise platinum nano-raspberries for improved DMFC catalysts

Fast synthesis protocolResearchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed a fast, robust synthesis protocol for making platinum nano-raspberries, i.e. microscopic clusters of nanoscale particles of the precious metal. The berry-like shape is significant because it has a high surface area, which is helpful in the design of catalysts. The researchers have also figured out when and why the berry clusters clump into larger bunches of nano-grapes.

Nanoparticles can act as catalysts to help convert methanol to electricity in direct methanol fuel cells. NISTs 40-minute process for making nano-raspberries, described in a recent paper in the Journal of Nanoparticle Research, has several advantages. The high surface area of the berries encourages efficient reactions. In addition, the NIST process uses water, rather than a toxic solvent. The bunches catalyse methanol reactions consistently, and dynamic light scattering shows that they are stable at room temperature for at least eight weeks.

Pt demo shows promise for alternative catalysts

Although the berries were made of platinum, the metal is expensive, and was used in this demonstration only as a model. The study will help guide the search for alternative catalyst materials, and clumping behaviour in solvents is a key issue. For fuel cells, nanoparticles are often mixed with solvents to bind them to an electrode. To learn how such formulas affect particle properties, the NIST team measured particle clumping in four different solvents for the first time. For applications such as liquid methanol fuel cells, catalyst particles should remain separated and dispersed in the liquid, not clumped.

Our innovation has little to do with the platinum, and everything to do with how new materials are tested in the laboratory, says project leader Dr Kavita Jeerage, a materials research engineer in the Cell & Tissue Mechanics Group. Our critical contribution is that after you make a new material, you need to make choices. Our paper is about one choice: what solvent to

use. We made the particles in water, and tested whether you could put them in other solvents. We found out that this choice is a big deal.

The NIST team measured conditions under which platinum particles, ranging in size from 3 to 4 nm in diameter, agglomerated into bunches 100 nm wide or larger. They found that clumping depends on the electrical properties of the solvent. The raspberries form bigger bunches of grapes in solvents that are less polar, i.e. where solvent molecules lack regions with strongly positive or negative charges. (Water is a strongly polar molecule.)

The researchers expected this. What they didnt expect is that the trend does not scale in a predictable way: particles are found to agglomerate abruptly as solvent polarity decreases. The four solvents studied were water, methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol, ordered by decreasing polarity. There wasnt much agglomeration in methanol; the bunches were about 30% larger than they were in water. But in ethanol and isopropanol, the clumps were 400% and 600% larger, respectively. This is a very poor suspension quality for catalytic purposes.

Because the nanoparticles clumped up slowly and not too much in methanol, the researchers concluded that the particles could be transferred to that solvent, assuming they were to be used within a few days effectively putting an expiration date on the catalyst.

ReferenceIndira Sriram, Alexandra E. Curtin, Ann N. Chiaramonti, J. Hunter Cuchiaro, Andrew R. Weidner, Tegan M. Tingley, Lauren F. Greenlee, and Kavita M. Jeerage: Stability and phase transfer of catalytically active platinum nanoparticle suspensions, Journal of Nanoparticle Research 17:230 (22 May 2015). Full paper available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-3034-1

For more information, contact: Dr Kavita Jeerage, Applied Chemicals and Materials Division, National Instrument of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305, USA. Tel: +1 303 497 4968, Email: jeerage@boulder.nist.gov, Web: www.nist.gov/mml/acmd

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US have developed a process for making platinum nano-raspberries, i.e. microscopic clusters of nanoscale Pt particles approximately 100 nm in diameter. The research could help make direct methanol fuel cells more practical.

Figure 1. Colourised micrographs of platinum nanoparticles made at NIST. The raspberry colour suggests the corrugated shape of the particles, which offers high surface area for catalysing reactions in fuel cells. Individual particles are 34 nm in diameter, but can clump into bunches of 100 nm or more under specific conditions discovered in a NIST study. [Image: Curtin/NIST]

NEWS FEATURE

June 201513

Fuel Cells Bulletin

McPhy wins major contract to supply Wind-to-Hydrogen unit for Hebei province in China

McPhy Energy, which specialises in hydrogen-based solutions for industrial and energy storage, has signed this substantial contract with Jiantou Yanshan (Guyuan) Wind Energy. The customer is a member of state-owned Hebei Construction and Investment Group in Hebei province, with which McPhy Energy has previously signed a long-term partnership agreement. This supply agreement represents the first concrete outcome of this partnership.

The new contract is subject to administrative authorisations that must be granted to the construction company before the end of July. Delivery is scheduled for July 2016, with the equipment to be commissioned in January 2017.

Hebei province is a pioneer in China, investigating technologies related to clean energy generation based on renewable energy technologies, and their integration into both the existing and future energy networks. In October 2013, a Chinese delegation was led by the Secretary of the province, Mr Zhou Benshun, to explore examples of the best practice with new and clean technologies being developed in Brandenburg, Germany.

The State of Brandenburg and Hebei Province have a joint development agreement for renewable energy, environmental protection, and other fields of technology. Within this framework, Hebei intends to build a hydrogen hybrid power plant, similar to the one in Prenzlau, to demonstrate the economic viability of hydrogen on the path to renewable energy integration [see the News Feature on the Prenzlau hybrid power plant in FCB, May 2012, p14]. A Letter of Intent (LOI) between Hebei Construction and Investment Group, the German subsidiary of McPhy Energy, and the environmental consultancy company Encon Europe has now been signed.

This province is a model in China for renewable energy development. This Wind-to-Hydrogen project is by far the most important ever carried out to date in China, with installed renewable energy production capacity exceeding 200 GW, says Pascal Mauberger, chairman and CEO of McPhy. Entering this market at the very time Chinese authorities are seeking to optimise their solar and wind power generation sites represents an enormous opportunity for McPhy Energy.

The heart of the Prenzlau hybrid power plant technology is a 500 kW alkaline electrolyser, which was built by an Enertrag division, Enertrag HyTec GmbH, which was subsequently acquired by McPhy Energy in September 2013 [FCB, October 2013, p7]. McPhy applied its expertise in electrolysis technology, in combination with its know-how on integrating electrolysers into energy infrastructures such as electrical or natural gas networks. The company subsequently modified and adapted the existing Prenzlau hybrid power plant, and built the interface to the networks gas injection system [FCB, March 2015, p9].

As the first concrete deliverable for this partnership, McPhy Energy will provide two production lines and hydrogen storage, each consisting of:

U 7ViiiVi]i>iaddition to the McPhy Energy range, delivering hydrogen at pressure of 30 bar (435 psi).U >>Li]`>i`}i>}i

unit used in conjunction with traditional tanks to store and transport hydrogen.

The companys German subsidiary, McPhy Energy Deutschland GmbH, produces McLyzer large-scale hydrogen production units, manufactured to CE and TV standards. These production modules generate between 100 and 400 Nm3/h at 30 bar, and are integrated into reliable, complete hydrogen-production systems that are easy-to-use, with long lifetimes. Modular equipment technology allows the parallel implementation of multiple modules, to achieve the production of the required amounts of hydrogen (several thousand Nm3/h or several MW of power consumption).

McPhy has also developed a proprietary metal hydride-based technique for storing hydrogen in solid form [FCB, May 2010, p9]. The company is involved in the German H2BER project, which features a wind-hydrogen production plant and a hydrogen vehicle fueling station at the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport [FCB, May 2014, p1], and is participating in the French Power-to-Gas GRHYD programme [FCB, February 2014, p9].

McPhy Energy has three production sites in France, Germany and Italy, and an R&D laboratory in France. The companys assembly site for large-scale hydrogen production units is in Wildau, near Berlin, and its Italian manufacturing operations are now in an ultra-modern 5000 m2 plant in San Miniato, near Florence.

The Group also has sales subsidiaries covering North America (based in Newton, Massachusetts), the Asia-Pacific (based in Singapore), and the Russia-Eastern Europe-Central Asia region (based in Moscow).

McPhy Energy, La Motte-Fanjas, France. Tel: +33 4 7571 1505, www.mcphy.com

Large-scale electrolysers: www.mcphy.com/en/products/electrolyzers/large-units

France-based McPhy Energy has just signed a E6.4 million (US$7.2 million) contract to supply a Wind to Hydrogen (i.e. Power-to-Gas) system for the recovery of surplus energy generated by a 200 MW wind farm site currently under construction in the Chinese province of Hebei. The 4 MW Wind-to-Hydrogen system will combine the McPhy groups most advanced electrolysis and storage products.

McPhy Energys 2 MW alkaline electrolyser stack is a modular technology, allowing it to be integrated into multi-stack systems for larger applications.

Fuel Cells Bulletin June 201514

NEWS FEATURE

Toyota, JFCC breakthrough in real-time observation of fuel cell catalyst degradation

Observation of Pt nanoparticle coarseningPlatinum is an essential catalyst for the electrochemical reactions occurring between oxygen and hydrogen in fuel cell stacks. But a key problem is reduced reactivity, the result of coarsening of the platinum nanoparticles, whereby the nanoparti