Fuel cells powered with biogas
There is an increasing demand for clean, alternate baseload power solutions throughout Europe. Pollution in the form of NOx, SOx, and particulate matter generated from traditional combustion-based solutions is a growing concern, especially in highly populated areas. Giving reply to the current needs, FuelCell Energy, headquartered in the US and Germany, provides fuel cell solutions for non-combustion based supply of base-load energy.
Energy generated by FuelCell Energy plants is delivered with negligible criteria pollutants (PM, NOx, SOx) and low CO2 due to the high efficiency of the system. Using the fuel in a fuel cell avoids the criteria pollutants emitted by flaring the gas or by combustion-based power plants. This technology can run on biogas, without the need of upgrading it, and delivers zero CO2 energy.
The electric power and waste heat signature of a fuel cell lends itself particularly well for applications in wastewater treatment plants (WWTFs) using anaerobic digestion, especially for the more common mesophilic-type digesters. In those applications, fuel cell solutions can run on a 100% renewable fuel. FuelCell Energy systems range from 250 kW to 1.4 MW of net electric power output. Apart for WWTPs, fuel cell technologies can be used in breweries, biomass plants and landfills, producing baseload renewable and clean power at higher efficiencies than those provided by combined heat and power (CHP) systems, a common valorisation route for biogas in Europe.
The industry is showing great interest in fuel cell solutions to make the power and heat supply not only more climate friendly, but even almost zero nitrogen oxide and fine dust free. Europe is currently one of the fastest growing regions in the fuel cell technology market and FuelCell Energy has recently joined the EBA looking for synergies to further explore the potential of fuel cell solutions powered with biogas.
More information
Dr. Pere Margalef, Vice President Business Development Europe at FuelCell Energy
Email: pmargalef@fce.com
Phone: +34 645.178.771
