Distributed Power Generation

Fuel Cell Benefits

Documents

Utilizing By-Product Hydrogen and Fuel Cells for Distributed Power Generation in the USA 
Utilizing By-Product Hydrogen and Fuel Cells for Distributed Power Generation in Europe 


Summary

With a fuel cell system, by-product hydrogen can be used to produce clean, zero-emission electricity that is either sold back to the grid through the electricity utility, or used to offset power demand on site. Power production through fuel cells is the highest efficiency, most environmentally responsible way for chemical companies to utilize the by-product hydrogen created from the production of sodium chlorate or chlorine. The customer benefits of this use of the excess hydrogen are both strategic and operational:

Incremental revenue and profit 
At a chemical production plant, the hydrogen will be used as a low-cost, high-value input to electricity production, rather than being vented into the atmosphere or burned. By taking advantage of existing government-sponsored feed-in tariff programs chemical producers will gain an additional revenue stream, adding value to their bottom line.

Utilities site the units strategically to provide extra electricity during times of high demand. The scalable, high responsive units are an efficient means of meeting peak load demands, avoiding the cost of permanent grid and transmission infrastructure development.

Supports corporate environmental objectives
Producing electricity from hydrogen is a clean, high-efficiency, electro-chemical process, with no combustion or emissions, contributing to a company’s corporate sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives.

Produce a substantial amount of clean, reliable power
Excess hydrogen becomes a source of zero-emission electricity, effectively improving the efficiency of a chemical production plant and extending the up-time of a wind or PV installation.

Scalable solution matches hydrogen availability
Ballard’s modular fuel cell product has been designed in one-megawatt building blocks, resulting in a system that can be customized to meet individual site requirements.

Turn-key solution simplifies deployment & siting
Ballard’s system is a complete power generator, ready for siting and integration at the chemical production plant with minimal interfaces.