World's First Tri-Generation Fuel Cell Commissioned in California - IBTimes

The world's first tri-generation fuel cell and hydrogen energy station had a commissioning ceremony yesterday in Fountain Valley, California.

(Video explains hydrogen fuel cells. However, it is not these same technology provider as in the article.)

The fuel cell is a combined heat, hydrogen, and electricity-generating system, making it a tri-generation system.

Here's how it works:

Biogas from the municipal wastewater treatment plant feeds the fuel cell, which then generates hydrogen. That hydrogen will be sent to a hydrogen fueling station that's open to the public and can support 25-50 fuel cell electric vehicle fill-ups each day. The fuel cell also produces 250 kW of electricity which will partially power the wastewater treatment plant.

Using hydrogen produced on-site solves infrastructure problems that are holding back the technology, and should accelerate its adoption as a renewable fuel.

The Fountain Valley fuel cell system could offer a pathway to low-cost hydrogen while demonstrating the versatility of fuel cells ability to use multiple feedstocks. Fuel cells can run on biogas or natural gas to produce electricity and fuel for light duty vehicles such as forklifts or as backup power in applications such as cell phone towers.

The project was developed as a partnership between the US Department of Energy, California Air Resources Board, the Orange County Sanitation District, and private industry. The project is managed by Air Products (NYSE: APD); additional partners include FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCEL) and the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine.

"Innovations like this demonstrate how American ingenuity and targeted investment can accelerate breakthroughs in the hydrogen and fuel cell industry while driving the clean energy economy forward," says DOE's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Energy Steve Chalk. "By providing the added value of electricity and heat, this approach provides a significant step in overcoming economic challenges with hydrogen refueling infrastructure."

Website: www.eere.energy.gov/topics/hydrogen_fuel_cells.html

Source: Sustainable Business

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Study reveals new solution in battle against emissions - IBTimes

A study published by the National Grid in the UK is suggesting that Bio-SNG (Synthetic Natural Gas) could achieve carbon dioxide (CO2) savings of up to 90 per cent compared with fossil fuel alternatives.




The report, prepared by Progressive Energy and CNG Services, shows that unlike biomethane produced by anaerobic digestion Bio-SNG is formed by the conversion of thermally derived syngas into methane. Feedstocks can also include more durable materials such as woody biomass and wastes that are not broken down in traditional anaerobic digester plants.

It states that biomethane retains all the attributes of natural gas with the advantage that the fuel is renewable, which means there are substantial carbon dioxide savings. However, in order to achieve a step change in production capacity alternative approaches such as thermal routes are necessary.

Among the conclusions of the report are that implementation of Bio-SNG will only occur with the appropriate tax, incentive and legislative environment; and that it is likely the development of Bio-SNG facilities would require the developer to go upstream into the supply chain for both grown and waste derived fuels.

A process and technology review found that the major process operations required to produce Bio-SNG can be identified and assembled from existing technology suppliers; while a full lifecycle analysis of Bio-SNG production found that for many types of feedstock the savings of Bio-SNG compared with fossil fuel alternatives are as high as 90 per cent.

Source: The Green Car Website

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