Fuel Cells and UPS
I read in the press that the South Gare lighthouse, at the mouth of the River Tees in North East England, is now being powered solely by a hydrogen fuel cell. The technology was developed by the Centre for Process Innovation at Wilton. The lighthouse is 120 years old and is regularly lashed by high winds and rough seas. The fuel cell has been developed to withstand such conditions. Another development comes from USA-based Protonex Technology who, in partnership with AeroVironment, have developed a fuel cell system that has kept an unmanned aerial vehicle in the air for several hours – a significant improvement on the two hours so far achieved by earlier technologies.
Fossil fuels are running low, we know that, so alternatives have to be sourced but are fuel cells really in the running? First invented by Sir William Robert Grove in 1839, in recent years their development has centred primarily on military applications, although the last few years has seen a rash of activity in the leisure industry with companies, such as Voller Energy, developing fuel cells that run on natural gas, which can then be used by caravan and boat enthusiasts. Replacing generators as an alternative source of back-up power still seems a long way off. Fuel cells are expensive to manufacture and run plus their environmental credentials are questionable. They run on hydrogen, hydrocarbons, alcohol and chlorine or chlorine dioxide, which are pretty potent chemicals that have to be sourced, stored and disposed of. Conversely, a fuel cell can be compact, lightweight and, as it has no major moving parts, extremely reliable.
Where the normal mains power supply is unreliable and there is a suitable supply of natural gas, fuel cells can be advantageous as an alternative source of ac power although a battery set will still be required. It will be a while before they enter the mainstream UPS market. For more information on fuel cells and alternative power sources, see The Power Protection Guide
