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AFC are looking for partners in the industries with waste hydrogen streams to test and demonstrate our alkaline fuel cell technology.
Technology
An alkaline fuel cell is a device that converts oxygen (from the air) and hydrogen (from a supply) into electrical energy and low grade heat. It’s chemically comparable to a battery that will provide electric power continuously, as long as you feed it with hydrogen and air.
There is only one by-product – deionised water.
Excluding water, an alkaline fuel cell is a zero emission device.
AFC Energy has developed a 3.5 kW system at a cost of below £2,600 (based upon a production rate of 1,000 kW per annum). Due to the modular design of the AFC Energy solution a system can be designed to match any waste gas stream. The modular design also enables the possibility of generating power at separate sights around the plant irrespective of how large or small the gas stream may be, thus reducing the impact of power generating technologies on the industrial site layout, and reducing the need to distribute the hydrogen to a central point for use, reducing flaring and increasing the potential beneficial use of onsite waste hydrogen.
Advantages
- No combustion
- Increased safety – eliminates need to flare waste hydrogen
- No harmful NOx or SOx emissions
- No Particulates
- No danger of igniting other gas streams
- Highly efficient conversion of hydrogen to electricity
- Quiet operation (Near silent operation)
- Design
- Simple – reducing maintenance
- Few moving parts
- Small footprint – efficient use of space
- Modular and scalable
- Energy security
- On site generation of power
- Reduced dependence on additional power imports
Applications
The chlor-alkali industry was our initial market. These large consumers of energy can reclaim energy and reduce their dependence on the grid, increasing security of supply and –to an extent - adding predictability to energy costs.
AFC Energy is providing a new, sizeable revenue stream to an industry that:
- Consumes 1% of the world’s energy
- Is involved in 50% of chemical processing
The amounts of available waste hydrogen in the global chlor-alkali industry could support in excess of 3,000 MW per annum of generating capacity, representing a potential market of £1 billion.
AFC Energy has partnered with Akzo Nobel, a major international chemicals giant, and the fourth largest chlor-alkali producer in Europe.
Within 2 years, Akzo Nobel is expected to make large sums of money from the conversion of waste hydrogen into electrical power which is to be sold into the national grid.
Knut Schwalenberg, General Manager Chlor-Alkali of Akzo Nobel stated: “The Chlor-Alkali industry is energy intensive, so improving energy efficiency is a top priority to keep the processes sustainable. Huge amounts of hydrogen are produced in the electrolysis process as by-product of chlorine and caustic lye. The immediate conversion of this hydrogen into electricity, based on locally installed fuel cells, and the use of this electricity back in the electrolysis process would create an ideal loop. Akzo Nobel regards the technology of AFC Energy as promising and we are looking forward to the results of the cooperation.”
About AFC Energy
AFC Energy PLC is a commercially focussed, very low-cost fuel cell company, and we’re entering the market place by targeting waste hydrogen applications.
- Experienced management team
- £6 million (approx.) invested in AFC Energy’s technology to date
- Unique, low-cost electrode
- Low-cost system
- 3 corroborating reports from independent experts, confirming our competitive advantage
- 15 patent applications + 3 in course of preparation
- Alkaline fuel cells are proven technology (spacecraft, submarine applications)
- Cost engineering-focussed alkaline fuel cell technology
- Clear route to commercialisation – take the fuel cell to the hydrogen
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