Rehlko Fuel Cell System Provides Sustainable Power to U.S. Hospital
Kohler, Wis-- Rehlko, formerly known as Kohler Energy, has collaborated with Toyota Motor North America to develop and install a hydrogen-powered fuel cell system at a hospital in Goldendale, Washington, U.S.
The 100 kW Solid Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cell will be used by Klickitat Valley Health (KVH), a leading non-profit care provider, for emergency backup, peak shaving, and demand response.
This new initiative supports Rehlko’s sustainability strategy that focuses on reducing environmental impact across operations and helping customers reduce their environmental footprints. Fuel cells help reduce carbon dioxide emissions as they combine hydrogen with oxygen in the air to produce electricity and heat, with water vapor as the only byproduct.
Rehlko supplied the fuel cell as a fully optimized solution, taking one-source responsibility for manufacturing and integrating the generating system and accessories, including electrical architecture, exhaust, cooling and fuel inlet system. It also worked with a local energy service company to oversee installation and commissioning and will provide a full range of after-services.
“The fuel cell will provide KVH with a sustainable supply of zero-emissions power,” says Ben Rapp, Manager – Business Development, Rehlko. “Our one-source responsibility means it has been designed for widespread component interoperability to provide resilient power on demand, while offering low-maintenance operation and reduced through-life costs.”
KVH said it partnered with Rehlko to reap the benefits of working with an experienced technology provider that could offer an end-to-end solution. “Rehlko has a long history of power systems innovation and has been intensely researching fuel cell technologies for several years,” says Jonathan Lewis, Director of Support Services at the hospital. “That knowledge and experience meant Rehlko was perfectly positioned to meet our sustainable power requirements.”
The fuel cell system is suitable for a broad range of mission-critical power users, including hospitals, data centers and water treatment plants, or any application requiring sustainable and resilient prime or backup power such as shore power, microgrids, and remote electric vehicle charging.
“Ultimately, the fuel cell is a new and exciting technology that will allow the customer to emit zero emissions at the point of use,” says Charles Hunsucker, President of Power Systems, at Rehlko. “This capability represents a huge step toward decarbonization for our customers and a significant advance to build a more environmentally conscious future.”
About Rehlko
A global leader in energy resilience, Rehlko delivers innovative energy solutions critical to sustain and improve life across home energy, industrial energy systems, and powertrain technologies, by delivering control, resilience and innovation. Leveraging the strength of its portfolio of businesses – Power Systems, Home Energy, Kohler Uninterruptible Power, Clarke Energy, Heila Technologies, Curtis Instruments, and Engines, and more than a century of industry leadership, Rehlko builds resilience where and when the grid cannot, and goes beyond functional, individual recovery to create better lives and communities, and a more durable and reliable energy future. For more details, learn more at Rehlko.com.
Rehlko's Fuel Cell System Powers U.S. Hospital Sustainably (fuelcellsworks.com)