Natural Gas Fuel Cell

The economic case for fuel cells on a levelized cost basis for remote areas where natural gas supply is high and with low economic value like at gas drilling sites fuel cells are more cost effective than grid supplied power.

Natural gas fuel cell.

When a hydrogen rich fuel such as clean natural gas or renewable biogas enters the fuel cell stack it reacts electrochemically with oxygen i e. The residential system will be based on watt s current imperium tm system a 1kw hybrid sofc unit converted to operate on readily available natural gas. With a size of roughly one cubic meter and a weight under 450 kg the cube can be installed outdoors or indoors. The prototype hybrid system actually uses both fuel cells and a micro gas turbine.

What are the benefits of running your home on a natural gas fuel cell. This presents a powerful opportunity to provide reliable efficient and affordable site generated electricity without the limitations of other power production and distribution systems. Over the long term doe expects that hydrogen production from natural gas will be augmented with production from renewable nuclear coal with carbon capture and storage and other low carbon domestic energy resources. While a typical battery has a fixed supply of energy fuel cells continuously generate electricity as long as fuel is supplied.

This technology can make a world of difference to our customers so we re working on bringing it to you. A commercially working cell is called ene farm in japan and is supported by the regional government which uses natural gas to power up the fuel cell to produce electricity and heated water. Reforming low cost natural gas can provide hydrogen today for fuel cell electric vehicles fcevs as well as other applications. A fuel cell uses the chemical energy stored in fuels like natural gas and converts it into usable electricity.

The redox cube is a 25 kw natural gas fueled stationary fuel cell power system. The system splits natural gas into hydrogen and carbon monoxide which are then used to provide electrical power. The waste heat of bluegen produced by the process of generating electricity can optionally be used to heat water. Natural gas fuel cells 101 fuel cells might sound futuristic but they were invented in 1932 and put to commercial use by nasa in the 1950s.

They are now most common as a power source for buildings and remote areas but continual improvements in technology are quickly bringing them into wider use.