W
hile fuel cell technology is not new, it is being increasingly
recognised in the global alternative energy industry for
its many, compelling advantages. Significant strides have
been made in the past decade to develop the technology into a usable,
viable source of clean-burning energy generation, but there is still
much work to be done.
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is in its early stages and economies
of scale have not yet been fully developed. There are also certain
related challenges to be overcome. Commercialising the technology
is in a pilot phase and the question is exactly how to upscale the pilot
projects in order to create a fully viable solution.
First project:
Innovation in rural schools
One of the projects involves the use of hydrogen fuel cells at three
rural schools in the Cofimvaba region of the Eastern Cape. This forms
part of the TECH4RED (Technology for Rural Education and Develop-
ment) project, which was initiated by the Department of Science and
Technology (DST) in 2012. The Cofimvaba fuel cell project, launched in
July 2015, has been the result of a powerful Private-Public Partnership
(PPP), which aims to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in
remote, rural schools through science, technology and innovation.
In advancing the cause for hydrogen fuel cell technology through
the Cofimvaba project, Air Products South Africa partnered with Anglo
American Platinum, which sponsored three platinum-based fuel cell
systems, and Clean Energy Investments, a South African company co-
owned by the DST and Anglo American Platinum, which commissioned
the fuel cells. The fuel cells are now successfully providing back-up
power to the schools, specifically for the recharging of tablets that
have been supplied to learners and teachers in the region.
This project will go a long way towards our understanding of how
hydrogen fuel cell technology can work in a practical way, within the
South African context. At this stage, it is only viable as an alternative
source of back-up power, supplementing existing infrastructure, but
it will enable the learners to have access to the internet 24/7, which
is critical in the current power crisis.
Fuel cells were first used commercially by NASA (the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration) in the early 1960s to generate power
for probes, satellites and space capsules, and are now mainly used
for back-up power in certain industries, such as telecommunications,
and for powering fuel cell vehicles.
Ease and simplicity for the end-user
Fuel cells are devices that convert hydrogen and oxygen into electric-
ity, providing an emission-free alternative to conventional electricity.
Offering ease and simplicity for the end-user, fuel cells are extremely
effective and low-maintenance: while batteries have a limited lifespan,
fuel cells produce electricity on an ongoing basis, without having to
be recharged. As long as there is a continual supply of hydrogen, the
electrochemical conversion takes place simply and effortlessly, with
only heat and water as by-products.
A hydrogen fuel cell comprises Membrane Electrode Assemblies
(MEAs), placed between two flow field plates, and produces an
electric circuit with an efficiency of between 40 and 60%. The MEA
has an anode and a cathode, coated on one side with a catalyst layer
(platinum) and separated by a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM).
Hydrogen gas and ambient air are injected into channels in the flow
field plates, which then direct the hydrogen to pass over the anode,
and oxygen (from the ambient air) to pass over the cathode. When
the hydrogen reacts with the catalyst layer, it separates into protons
(H2 ions) and electrons. The H2 protons which migrate through the
PEM combine with the oxygen, forming pure water and heat. The free
electrons produce a useable electric current at the anode,
These fuel cells generate 0,7 volts, and 50 cells are configured in
a combination of series and parallel connections, to provide the spec-
ified regulated voltage/amperage output required. For the Cofimvaba
project, the fuel cell engine output is 5 kW. The system components
are managed and controlled by a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).
The PLC also monitors the power demand and can initiate anywhere
between a partial to full output of energy from the fuel cell engine
almost instantaneously, to meet the required set points. Each hydrogen
cylinder, provided for the project, contains enough hydrogen gas to
provide 10 kW of power for the fuel cell engine.
‘Fuelling the future’ – Developing the
hydrogen fuel cell market in South Africa
P Venn, Air Products South Africa
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is ‘green’, emission-free, non-
intrusive and virtually maintenance-free. Using the most abundant
element in the universe, this technology is proving to be an
effective source of back-up power in certain industries, and in
remote areas. Two pilot projects are being run by the company
the author represents, to ascertain just how this technology can
indeed help to ‘fuel the future’.
Fuel cells are ‘green’ technology, which
makes them relevant in a rural school
environment as well as in a wider industrial
context, which is increasingly focused on
reducing carbon emissions.
1
A variety of new technologies will become key ingredients of the future
energy mix – including fuel cell technology. Pilot sites are being
established and we need to watch these developments as they unfold.
In this way we will appreciate the value and opportunity that this
technology offers. What better site than a school?
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY MADE SIMPLE 2015