FuelCell introduces on-site hydrogen generation

Danbury-based FuelCell Energy recently introduced a fuel cell system capable of producing hydrogen that can be used on site for transportation and industrial purposes. The unit, which is fueled by natural gas, also converts fuel into electricity and heat while emitting little to no pollution. The system above has been installed at the companyâÄôs Torrington manufacturing facility. less Danbury-based FuelCell Energy recently introduced a fuel cell system capable of producing hydrogen that can be used on site for transportation and industrial purposes. The unit, which is fueled by natural gas, ... more Photo: Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close FuelCell introduces on-site hydrogen generation 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

DANBURY -- FuelCell Energy has introduced a tri-generation system that can produce hydrogen on site for a variety of purposes including for transportation and industrial use.

Company officials said Wednesday the system can save customers money and transportation costs by providing a reliable source of pure hydrogen that's created with the use of either natural gas or biogas emitted from waste treatment plants. The system also produces both electricity and heat that can be used on site as well.

"Our commercial distributed-power-generation solutions are configurable to provide multiple value streams including high-purity hydrogen along with ultra-clean electricity and usable heat," Chip Bottone, president and CEO of Danbury-based FuelCell Energy, said in a statement on Wednesday. "Resiliency of supply is enhanced with our affordable on-site delivery system, delivering power and hydrogen independent of external events that can interrupt the electric grid or surface transportation network."

While company officials admit the need for fueling stations for hydrogen vehicles is still limited to certain areas, including California, Japan and western Europe, the industrial uses for hydrogen produced on site provide a variety of market opportunities for the company.

Besides the need for hydrogen in manufacturing processes, some companies are using hydrogen-fueled forklifts rather than propane or electrically powered lifts.

"The advantage of fuel-cell- powered cars versus electric is that they can be recharged much more quickly," Kurt Goddard, FuelCell Energy's vice president of investor relations, said in an interview. "When it comes to forklifts, that means a valuable asset for a big industrial warehouse that is often sitting idle. With a hydrogen-powered forklift, there is no down time."

Industrial companies experiencing an expensive supply of hydrogen or high transportation costs to get the gas to their facility could benefit from the system, he said.

"Depending on the value of the hydrogen that's produced, it could open up a lot more markets for us," Goddard said.

Because the system uses the company's existing technology, he added FuelCell Energy doesn't need to maintain multiple lines of inventory to offer the new product. That's the case with a system the company recently introduced that captures carbon emissions from existing coal or gas-fired power plants, destroys approximately 70 percent of the plant's smog-producing pollutants and produces additional power in an environmentally friendly manner.

The tri-generation system that produces hydrogen was developed in part with assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy. The department awarded FuelCell a $900,000 grant last year to help fund the development of the technology.

"The operation of this tri-gen fuel cell system creates a manufacturing platform for more cost-effective production of future fuel cell systems," Mark Johnson, director of the energy department's Advanced Manufacturing Office, said in a recent statement. "The tri-gen technology demonstrates efficient power and heat production combined with on-site hydrogen production and has the potential to find applications in many process industries that use a reducing atmosphere for manufacturing."

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