WHAT IS A FUEL CELL?
Fuel cells mean more efficient, cleaner electricity
Here's how:
A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity efficiently from hydrogen rich fuels, through a clean electrochemical reaction rather than dirty combustion.
It is similar to a battery in that it provides continuous DC electricity from a chemical reaction. Like a battery, it has an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte. Unlike batteries, fuel cells cannot store electrical energy, do not ‘run flat', or require electricity to charge them again. Fuel cells can continuously generate electricity as long as they have a supply of fuel and air.
Fuel cells are different from other electricity generators
Unlike internal combustion engines or coal/gas powered turbines, fuel cells do not burn fuel. This means there are no noisy high-pressure rotors or loud exhaust noise and vibration. Fuel cells produce electricity though a silent electrochemical reaction, generating it 2-3 times more efficiently than other, more traditional methods. They also convert the chemical energy in the fuel directly into electricity, heat and water.
How efficient are fuel cells in generating energy?
Very.
And because fuel cells don't burn the fuel through combustion, they don't produce large quantities of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrogen oxide (NOx). Fuel cell emissions amount to water in the form of steam and low levels of carbon dioxide (or no CO2 at all, if the cell uses pure hydrogen as a fuel).
FOR DISTRIBUTORS AND INSTALLERS
Customers want energy solutions that are efficient, straightforward, quiet, unobtrusive and cost-effective
With BlueGen, all this is possible
As building standards and materials improve, homes and businesses require less thermal energy. Which means co-generation technologies need to operate in an environment of lower thermal demand. BlueGen® provides this, along with high electrical efficiency, making it ideal for installations today and in the low-carbon future. Installing a BlueGen is straightforward and can be completed in less than a day with standard connections. You'll need access to natural gas, water, electricity and the internet, as well as a balanced flue. All services are located conveniently at the rear of the BlueGen unit for speedy, streamlined installation. Plus with optional heat recovery, BlueGen can deliver up to 200 litres of domestic hot water per day.
BlueGen can be installed in a number of configurations, with minimal change to the existing hot water system. It can be installed inside or outside and is not constrained to only one type of installation position. It also integrates easily with other renewable technologies such as solar thermal hot water.
BlueGen alerts you when maintenance in needed, allowing resources to be scheduled in advance. For routine maintenance such as changing air filters, service personnel monitor a number of BlueGen units remotely and decide if other units nearby require a service, thereby planning service calls for effective time on the road. If a fault develops, BlueGen tells you, rather than relying on customers to tell you when there's a problem
Like to know more?
Call 1300 363 386 or email info@hillssolar.com.au to request a BlueGEN® INFORMATION KIT to be emailed or a printed information kit mailed to your business or home address.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Electricity and the environment are on the agenda.
Worldwide, electricity generation is one of the major sources of carbon emissions. How can BlueGen® help reduce this?
Producing electricity more efficiently
BlueGen helps the environment by displacing electricity that would otherwise be generated from carbon intensive, inefficient sources. BlueGen converts widely available natural gas into low-emission electricity using fuel cells. Ceramic fuel cells are extremely efficient and use much less fuel to generate electricity. In the future, BlueGen can also operate on renewable fuels such as biogas and hydrogen, so not only is BlueGen part of the low-carbon future, it also has a place in the zero-carbon economy.
Producing electricity where it's needed
Today, most electricity is generated centrally, often at a location far from where it's consumed. It then needs to be transported long distances though inefficient transmission and distribution networks. With BlueGen, power is generated where it's consumed, avoiding transmission and distribution losses.
Minimising waste
With centralised electricity production, most of the energy input is lost in vented thermal energy. Co-generation or combined heat and power (CHP) improve energy efficiency by capturing thermal energy that would normally be wasted. BlueGen incorporates a heat recovery system that can capture most of the heat from the ceramic fuel cell into a hot water tank. This means over 85 per cent of the input energy is used i.e. 60 per cent electrical energy and 25 per cent thermal energy.
By recovering the heat from BlueGen, we don't need to burn gas or use carbon intensive electricity to heat water, thereby saving even more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions.
Like to know more?
Call 1300 363 386 for more information or email info@hillssolar.com.au to request a BlueGEN® INFORMATION KIT to be sent to you via EMAIL ADDRESS or AUSTRALIA POST.
Further Information?
To find out more about the environmental benefits of BlueGEN, learn about BlueGEN technology, ready case studies on BlueGEN and the environment or calculate possible carbon dioxide savings, visit www.bluegen.info/
