H2Tech - Q4 2021 - 6

TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT
The aim of the 3-yr project is
automated assembly of an SOEC stack
with low direct labor input, increased
cell throughput and a 100% quality
control check. Following successful
development, the automation concept
should enable over 100 MW of
electrolyzer production capacity.
SOECs operate at much higher
temperatures than PEM and alkaline
electrolyzers, giving this technology
the potential to become more efficient,
especially when coupled with industrial
processes that utilize steam or high-grade
heat. This makes SOECs a potentially
important tool in efforts to decarbonize
industrial sectors, such as steel
production and e-fuels like ammonia.
STORAGE
C-Crete Technologies
to develop H2
storage materials
C-Crete Technologies entered into
a cooperative agreement with the
U.S. Department of Energy to develop
and commercialize a new class of
nanoengineered materials for storing
H2
McPhy has been selected to equip the
onsite at industrial plants where it is
produced as a byproduct. The H2 could
later be used as energy at the same site
where it was produced and stored.
The new material would be low cost
and scalable, while exhibiting a desirable
balance among the storage capacity,
the charge and discharge speeds, and
the energy required to do those things,
otherwise known as the capacitykinetics-thermodynamics
relationship.
Not only will the new material be
capable of long-duration storage,
but also the subsequent use of the
H2
byproduct in the industrial plants
where it is produced. This means there
would be no transportation or shipment
required for the H2
. For example, utility
companies could store their H2 byproduct,
which would otherwise be vented out
as waste, in the sorbent material, and
then months later use it to generate
electricity when the grid demands more.
While H2
production and conversion
are mature, its large-scale utilization is
impeded by the lack of efficient storage.
At present, none of the storage options in
the market satisfy the needs of end users,
especially for long-duration storage.
The new, nanoengineered materials
would be an improvement over existing
technologies, such as liquid H2
and salt caverns, which are good on
capacity, kinetics or thermodynamics,
6 Q4 2021 | H2-Tech.com
, hydrides
Centrale Électrique de l'Ouest Guyanais
(CEOG, or the Western French Guiana
Power Plant), the world's largest power
plant project combining photovoltaic
energy and massive storage of 128
MWh, mainly in the form of H2
.
Combining a photovoltaic solar farm,
a high-power, 16-MW electrolyzer, an H2
storage unit and high-power fuel cells,
the CEOG plant will produce H2
be stored under pressure in tanks. This
H2
that will
will then be recombined with O2 from
the air in fuel cells to produce continuous,
non-polluting electricity and secure the
supply of competitively priced electricity
to 10,000 households in French Guiana.
The H2
to be commissioned in 2024, will be
equipped with McPhy's " Augmented
McLyzer " technology. The combination
of high-pressure alkaline electrolysis (30
bar) and high-current-density electrodes
will enable almost 860 tpy of green H2
Based on non-polluting energies,
.
CEOG will avoid the emission of 39,000
tpy of CO2
, compared to a fossil fuel
power plant. This project will also be
the first time that McPhy will offer an
outdoor version of its alkaline electrolysis
technology. In addition to being the
most suitable solution for an isolated
geographical area, containerization
ensures a high level of profitability for
the customer. The reduction in civil
engineering costs and the preassembly of
but not all three. For example, hydrides
have very high H2
uptake capacity, but
uptake,
their release kinetics are slow. The new
material would have high H2
fast kinetics and be scalable, with low
cost, as compared to present options.
C-Crete plans to offer its solution
as a modular storage system that
can be modified for specific types
of H2
streams in industrial processes,
providing a fresh path to low-cost and
efficient long-duration energy storage.
POWER GENERATION
McPhy to equip COEG plant
with alkaline electrolyzer
technology
the equipment directly in McPhy's plants
make it possible to optimize time and
total installation and assembly costs.
Panasonic launches
5-kW H2
and O2
fuel cell generator
Panasonic Corp. has developed a pure
H2 fuel cell generator, which generates
power through a chemical reaction
with high-purity H2
in the air.
The generator was launched in October
2021 for commercial use in Japan.
Technology from the development
of Panasonic's ENE-FARM fuel cell
cogeneration system was applied to the
pure H2
fuel cell generator. By adopting
production platform, scheduled
the common stack unit, a key device
of the fuel cell that is used in ENEFARM,
the new product offers stable
performance of power generation and
achieves electrical efficiency of 56%.
The power output can be scaled up
according to demand by connecting
and controlling multiple generator units.
In addition, by taking advantage of its
lightweight and compact housing, this
generator can be flexibly adapted to
various installation conditions, including
the rooftop and in narrow spaces.
Main features of the product include
the 5-kW unit, which is scalable to
increase power output by connecting
multiple units. A single unit is suitable to
meet the power demand of small-scale
commercial facilities. Moreover, connecting
and controlling multiple generator units
can increase the power output according
to demand. Furthermore, by connecting
the product to a dedicated PC application,
it allows the system to be remotely
controlled to display the power output and
conditions, turn the power generation on
and off, and send error notifications. One
PC allows the simultaneous connection
of up to 10 units (50 kW). Further, by
integrating 10 units into one level unit,
MW-class power output is also possible.
By connecting a hot water storage unit
with the product, heat generated from
the fuel cell can be converted into hot
water for use. The generator has achieved
a total energy efficiency of 95% including
the heat recovery, thereby allowing the
effective use of energy without waste.
The use with a resistor unit and
a startup power supply unit enables
the product to generate power even
during power outages. By connecting
these units with the product, which
is designed for power outages, users
can continue to generate power and
use up to 2.5 kW power for 120 hr,
even during a power outage.
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