Timtom2
As you know Plug Power,Hydrogenics, Proton Energy, Ballard and all the rest of the US fuel cell cos make their fcs using platinum and nafion
They typically cost in excess of $3000/Kw while ITMs latest cost projection is under $250/Kw independently verified
However its not really the cost that will enable ITM to collapse the US fuel cell and electrolyzer market
Its the reliability that their devices have over the competition
This is down to the technological breakthroughs which have enabled.......
1 Moulding of the cell stack in units of 25Kw ( my calculation so it could be wrong)
2 Replacement of nafion and platinum by low cost alternatives
3 Micro control of individual cells
To name but 3 advantages all of which improve reliability
To answer your question yes I do believe that the Yorkshire Forward mini grid investment will include both an electrlyzer and a fuel cell for the reasons below
All nafion fuel cells must be supplied with pure hydrogen and oxygen or they get contaminated and lose efficiency
So they are equipped with special gas purification widgets that cost 15% of the overall cost of an already expensive fuel cell
ITM have recognised that by re using electrolytic hydrogen and electrolytic oxygen in their domestic fuel cell they can bypass this problem
This enables ITMs lower cost fuel cell to be even more reliable since nowhere in the world (or more correctly nowhere on the net ) can i find any evidence of an electrolyser /fuel cell being sold or even developed for sale as a combination unit
This is where the ITM patented tubular cylinder within a cylinder gas storage system comes into the picture
Because one cylinder is inside the other the inner cylinder wall does not have to withstand 75 bar and can be made from any suitable lightweight material
So a 30kw electrolyser can simultaneously feed oxygen and hydrogen into this special storage vessel and charge it to 75 bar A fuel cell can then draw off 1 bar hydrogen and oxygen convert it back to power very efficiently and feed the mini grid
I would be very surprised if the Yorkshire Forward min grid does not use the above process as it would represent the prototype trial for all new domestic and commercial housing development in the region
Having got Al Gore to help launch their "Cooling the Planet" initiative Yorkshire Forward have nailed their colours to the mast in the drive to clean up the environment
So it looks very much like Yorkshire Forward have identified ITM Power as one of the Region`s leading edge cos they are determined to support
We wont have long to wait as there will no doubt be a comment in the results statement next week
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