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Fuel Cells
Potential Future Uses |
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Distributed Generation in developed countriesFuel cells could revolutionise the electricity industry, as they make ideal small-scale local generators because of their reliability, quietness and lack of emissions. In this context, waste heat can be utilized in district heating schemes, and transmission losses avoided. Energy can be stored as hydrogen from unpredictable renewable sources, such as wind and wave turbines or photovoltaic solar panels, and from conventional power stations during times of low demand. Fuel cells can then turn this energy back into electricity in times of peak demand. This would reduce the need for spare capacity in conventional power stations, allowing them to operate at their most efficient. Eventually large centralised electricity networks could be replaced by distributed generation from fuel cells. Hydrogen or hydrocarbon fuels could be piped to local power stations, which could also provide district heating. |
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The modular structure of fuel cells means that there is no drop in efficiency at a small scale and there is less danger of expensive overbuilding to cope with expected demand, as occasionally happens with large conventional power stations. Fuel cells could be easily moved, if usage patterns change. Distributed generation system would be flexible enough to make use of renewable electricity on a small scale, something that is hard to integrate into the existing electricity grid. |
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As an example of the potential gains, the UK DTI reports that the efficiency of Combined Cycle Gas (CCG) power stations in the UK is 46.8% Gross Calorific Value (GCV), and that they produced 156,103 Gwh of electrical power during 2004. CCG is currently accepted as the most efficient available technology, and so represents the target for fuel cells to beat. If these plants could be replaced with fuel cells with an efficiency of 60% it would provide an extra 44,000 GWh per year, roughly 10% of current UK electricity usage. The waste heat from the fuel cell would be used to reform the natural gas into hydrogen.  Energy Storage at Little BarfordA £2 million pound energy storage facility was to be built at Little Barford, capable of holding 100MWh of electrical power.
Unfortunately the project was cancelled, follow this link for further details. |
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