Metacon - Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technology
Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH) technologies are considered among the key innovations that the entire world will have to rely on in order to reach its target for a low carbon economy.
Fuel Cells
Fuel cells can generate electricity from various feed-stocks and can be used in connection with an electricity grid but also as a stand-alone power generator. They have broader applications than any other power source currently available. The power produced can be used in many portable, stationary and transport applications, while heat, a by-product, can be used for heating or cooling. Coupled with hydrogen, they can provide a complete zero-emission, decentralized power generation pathway. It is expected that such new clean technology systems will shift the energy management system from a purely demand-driven one to a more complex demand and supply driven, with storage capacities and smart grids as key enablers for energy network management. However, the challenge facing fuel cells and hydrogen technologies is of great complexity, requiring substantial investments and a high level of scientific, technological and industrial expertise. At the same time, their potential contribution to European policies in energy, climate change, environment, transport and industrial competitiveness is of great importance.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is an energy carrier like electricity but with the unequalled advantage of being storable in various forms and transportable in various modes. It is a non-toxic gas with high energy mass and is one of the most abundant elements in the biosphere. It can be easily produced from water, biomass, biogas, natural gas or from other fossil fuels, with mature production technologies in place, in centralized or distributed production sites. Furthermore, hydrogen is an efficient way to store electricity generated from renewable intermittent energy sources like wind and sun. Then it can be converted back to the grid by stationary fuel cells with high efficiency and quick response times. Combined with other devices can be used as an alternative fuel for clean mobility (e.g. forklifts, urban buses). Hydrogen can also contribute significantly to the reduction of greenhouse emissions (hydrogen oxidation produces water at the point of use – as well as in air pollution and noise. In case renewable energy is used for its production, the whole process is carbon free.