Experience with zero emission hybrid systems – solar, wind, batteries and fuel cells – for off-grid base stations

Abstract:
In a number of industries, businesses require reliable electricity to protect business-critical systems and processes. Normally, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) with led-acid batteries and diesel generators are used to provide emergency power. These solutions, however, involve considerable disadvantages with respect to cost, suitable applications, and environmental impact. Consequently, an increasing number of businesses are switching to fuel cells to provide electricity in the event of an emergency. Fuel cell technology is also especially well-suited as a subsystem for renewable off-grid applications such as remote base stations. In combination with an electrolyzer, a wind turbine, and/or a photovoltaic system and batteries, these solutions can be fully autonomous while providing grid-like power with zero emissions — a considerable advantage particularly in rural areas where there are gaps in utility coverage. FutureE Fuel Cell Solutions GmbH is a Germany-based company specializing in advanced fuel cell (FC) systems and energy solutions. With its Jupiter product family, FutureE offers FC-systems providing up to 100kW of power for backup, interim and off-grid applications. With its latest addition to the product family, Jupiter Independence, FutureE has put an integrated fuel cell and electrolyser system on the market that offers the ability to produce and store electrical energy in the form of hydrogen on-site and re-electrify whenever required. The system allows for energy harvesting, storage and supply and is designed to be integral part of decentralized smart grid and off-grid energy solutions as well as for backup and UPS applications with extended autonomy requirements. Complementing its product offerings FutureE also offers turnkey solutions. For renewable off-grid sites these hybrid solutions are called GRIPS (Grid independent power supply) and GFIPS (Grid and fuel independent power supply). The later one also includes an electrolyser for onsite hydrogen generation and storage in addition to solar panels and a wind turbine for the prime energy supply and batteries and fuel cells for backup and interim power. All together these solutions provide grid–like power with zero emissions and without any connection to the power grid.