Fuel Cells And Hydrogen For Smart Grid

Abstract

Fuel cells and hydrogen can play an important role in the rapidly emerging smart grid. The "soft" wind power can be converted to "hard", reliable utility power by using high temperature stationary fuel cells to co-produce baseload power plus hydrogen, and use of lower temperature fuel cells operating on hydrogen for the load following/peak power (DFC-H2® Peaker). If the stationary fuel cell operates on biogas, the hydrogen will be considered renewable and the overall system will be truly renewable power system. Demonstration of some of the major components of such as system is ongoing. A DFC-H2® plant in California has co-produced 125 kg/day of hydrogen and 250 kW of power, with a combined hydrogen, power and heat efficiency of 80-85% and ultra-low emissions. The DFC power plants currently installed or on order can support hardening of 500 MW of wind power.