New Energies, new possibilities

Hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles have a relatively limited lifespan due to the degradation of components like electrodes and membranes. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a method to study fuel cell aging by tracking a specific particle in the fuel cell during use.

The research team studied an entire fuel cell by disassembling it at regular intervals. Using advanced electron microscopes, they were able to track how the cathode electrode degrades in specific areas during cycles of use. Previous studies have been conducted on so-called half-cells, which are similar to (but not the same as) half of a fuel cell and are carried out under conditions that differ significantly from those in a real fuel cell.

“It has previously been assumed that the performance would be affected by the fuel cell being disassembled and studied in the way we have done, but it turned out that this assumption is not corrct, which is surprising,” says research leader Björn Wickman, Associate Professor at the Department of Physics at Chalmers.

The researchers at Chalmers have been able to explore how the material in the fuel cell degrades at both the nano and micro levels, pinpointing exactly when and where the degradation occurs. This provides valuable information for developing new and improved fuel cells with a longer lifespan.

“From previously only looking at how the fuel cell has aged after use, we have now been able to look into the middle stage,” says doctoral student Linnéa Strandberg at Chalmers. “Being able to follow a single, chosen particle within a specific area, provided a much better understanding of the degradation processes. Greater knowledge of these is an important step on the way to designing new materials for fuel cells or to adjust the control of the fuel cell.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has pointed out that improving the lifespan of fuel cells is one of the most important goals to achieve before fuel cell-powered hydrogen vehicles can become commercially successful. According to the industry, a truck needs to be able to withstand 20,000–30,000 hours of driving over its lifetime, which a fuel cell-powered hydrogen truck cannot currently achieve.

“We have now laid a foundation on which to build for the development of better fuel cells. Now we know more about the processes that take place in the fuel cell and at what point over the lifetime of the fuel cell they occur. In the future, the method will be used to develop and study new materials that can give the fuel cell a longer lifespan,” says Björn Wickman.

Source:Hydrogentechworld

Hydrogen Power – CFE the Largest Utility in North America Expands Deployment of GenCell’s Long-duration Substation Backup Solution.

GenCell® Energy, a leading provider of hydrogen-to-power solutions, announced today that Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), Mexico’s state-owned utility and the largest utility in North America, has demonstrated its strategic partnership with GenCell by ordering an additional tens of GenCell REX™ backup power units as part of the tender won in December 2023, alongside the multiple units already deployed.  The GenCell REX™ units, accompanied by GenCell GEMS™ proprietary AI-driven energy management software, provide climate-resilient, zero-emission, long-duration Tier One backup power to CFE’s substations that kicks in immediately during grid outages. CFE has partnered with GenCell to harden substations and – going forward – to leverage hydrogen to supply reliable stable clean energy for its new substations.

Based on the successful collaboration between CFE Distribucion, GenCell and Gncell Mexico to optimize substation operations and systems interoperability, in December 2023 CFE contracted an order of additional GenCell backup power units via its Mexican partner GnCell Energy de México to supply GenCell REX systems configured with triple load capacity (130, 48 and or 12 VDC in a single unit) for its substations. CFE has now decided to move ahead to exercise its option within the contract to order double the initial number of units purchased.

The project has enhanced resilience, digitization and automation, predictive maintenance, network modernization and compliance with cybersecurity and regulatory mandates to extend backup duration from 8 to 24 hours. Designed to withstand extreme environmental conditions, GenCell’s backup solutions operate in a temperature range from -20°C to +45°C without preheating and in humidity of up to 90%. Servicing, parts and fuel replacement are infrequent, requiring only annual maintenance.

GenCell’s GEMS software gives CFE full visibility into substation resilience. A systematized operation protocol was developed for coordination with CFE and national CCD-ZOT-CENACE monitoring centers. Complying with the strictest utility standards, the software helps CFE meet 2030 Smart Grid Maturity & Interoperability Goals.

Rami Reshef, co-founder and CEO, GenCell, said:

We are proud and grateful to reach this stage in our partnership with CFE, delivering climate-resilient auxiliary power critical to CFE’s ability to distribute uninterrupted power across Mexico.

“Working together with CFE to optimally leverage hydrogen in Mexico’s clean energy future, GenCell is realizing our vision of GreenFSG™ – an innovative approach incorporating broad distribution of independent, zero-emission circular economies delivering long-duration clean power anywhere.”

Continues Reshef, “When climate disruption causes outages to extend from 8 to 20+ hours, innovation that extends backup duration and reliability, enabling “always-on” substations to sustain distribution systems’ critical operations, is a utility game-changer. We are confident that our strategic partnership with CFE driving substation resilience will propel GenCell’s extended penetration of the power utility sector across North America.”

Source: Hydrogencentral

Autonomous – Decentralised – Green: “Ostermeier H2Ydrogen Solutions Gmbh” And “Proton Motor Fuel Cell Gmbh” Power Up In The New “Energy Park” Of Ulm University.

Since 2022, the new, now opened and unique in Germany “Energy Park” has been built on the campus of the University of Technology in the science city of Ulm. As part of the “Green Hydrogen Model

Region”, the project is intended to research the interaction of different sustainable energy systems

– the prerequisite for the success of the energy transition. As a component of the academic “real-world laboratory”, “ostermeier H2ydrogen Solutions GmbH” delivered a containerised electrolysis plant in spring 2024, into which the hydrogen fuel cell system “HyModule® S8” from “Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH” has been integrated.

Securing the green power supply with hydrogen from solar energy

The scientists of the research project primarily want to demonstrate how fluctuations in the green power grid can be compensated for with hydrogen in the future. For example, if too little electricity can be produced to cover the energy demand at times. The scenario exists if there is perhaps too little wind for wind turbines or too little sun for photovoltaic systems. In electrolysis, operated by the in-house photovoltaic system on the university roof, it is investigated how hydrogen can be used to

Source: Hydrogencentral

老朽インフラ点検や広域災害後の調査などで有用性が期待される飛行ロボット（ドローン）。ただ、国内で実用化されているドローンは空撮用などのマルチコプター型がほとんどで、数十分程度しか飛べない短距離タイプが多い。こうした中、日本鯨類研究所（東京都中央区、藤瀬良弘理事長）は、2019年から長距離自律飛行できる垂直離着陸機（VTOL）固定翼無人機「飛鳥」を開発。22年には飛行距離で日本新記録の104キロメートルを達成した。現在は水素燃料電池を搭載し、200キロメートル以上飛べる無人機を目指し、開発を続けている。

【写真】長距離自立飛行できるVTOL「飛鳥」

日本鯨類研究所は水産庁などから委託を受けて日本近海や北太平洋、南極海などでシロナガスクジラやミンククジラといった鯨類の資源調査を行っている。ドローン開発に乗り出した理由は目視調査を補完する新たな鯨類調査。調査船上から熟練観察員たちが双眼鏡で鯨類を発見、判定する方法では調査できる海域に限度がある。「南極海では調査船が入っていけないエリアが多く、収集データに欠落が生じてしまう」（松岡耕二理事）。ドローンなら洋上を広く飛ぶためこの課題をクリアでき、作業効率も大幅に改善できる。 そうは言っても南極海上空を飛ぶドローンは強風や低温、航行中の調査船の激しい揺れなどの悪条件をクリアする必要があるほか、極地や船体由来の磁気かく乱などの問題がある。「陸上なら全地球測位システム（GPS）と目立つ建物などで位置確認が容易だが、海上だとそもそも目印がない上、船の位置も刻々と変化するため、自律飛行が難しい」（同）。燃料油や排ガスで海洋を汚さぬ配慮から動力源はリチウムイオン電池（LiB）を採用。機体はグラスファイバーなどで極力、軽量化して航続距離を延ばし、上空風速26ノットの強風下でも飛行に問題なしとの性能データを得ている。 機体には直下の海面を撮影する下方向け静止画カメラ2台と、斜め前方向け動画カメラ1台を搭載した。飛行高度を80メートルに設定して鯨種を判定可能な解像度を確保。飛行は調査船船尾に設置した簡易飛行甲板から垂直離発着で行い、調査船上空で水平飛行に切り替えて鯨がいそうなポイントを経由して調査船上空に戻る仕組みだ。 水素燃料電池を搭載した場合、航続距離が約2倍に延びるため現在よりさらに遠い海域まで鯨を探したり、鯨のいそうなポイントを1カ所から2カ所、3カ所と増やして発見効率を上げることが可能になる。24年4月に完成した最新捕鯨母船「関鯨丸」はデッキに4機以上の「飛鳥」を収納できる格納庫を持ち、東西南北同時に飛鳥を飛ばして発見効率を格段に高められる。 水素燃料電池はLiBよりパワーが大きく、強風下でも飛行状態を安定できる効果も見込める。鯨類調査用に登場した飛鳥だが、最近はカツオの群れの捜索や国土地理院の海底火山観測、水産庁や警察庁の警備用など他方面からの引き合いも多い。市場拡大が期待される。

燃料電池で200km目指す…日本鯨類研究所が開発、長距離自立飛行できる「VTOL」の性能（ニュースイッチ） - Yahoo!ニュース

パナソニックは燃料電池の製造に必要な電力を自家発電による再生可能エネルギーで100％賄う実証施設「H2　KIBOU　FIELD」（滋賀県草津市）で、純水素型燃料電池の発電時に発生する熱を吸収式冷凍機に活用する実証実験を始めた。吸収式冷凍機で冷やした水は、同施設内の業務用エアコンの冷媒冷却用に利用する。これにより、空調機全体で消費電力の50％削減を目指す。

今回、純水素型燃料電池の発電時に回収できる熱と吸収式冷凍機に必要な熱源の温度差をなくすため、双方を改良して連携を可能にした。 同電池の実証機10台は、回収できる温度を従来に比べ10度C引き上げて70度Cとした。高温化による触媒の劣化に対応するため、加湿性能を向上させるなどした。熱回収率を高めるため、内部には熱交換器を加えた。発電時の熱も活用し、同電池のエネルギー効率は95％を実現する。 吸収式冷凍機は生成した冷水を活用できるように、業務用エアコンの凝縮器を水冷式に変更し、冷媒の凝縮温度を大幅に低減。空調機全体の消費電力を削減する。

空調機の消費電力50％削減へ…パナソニック、燃料電池の排熱活用（ニュースイッチ） - Yahoo!ニュース