Fuel Cells, Hydrogen and Reliable Power for Data CentresDr Rory Monaghan

ThermE Research Group, School of Engineering, NUI Galway

Ryan Institute for Marine, Environment and Energy Research, NUI Galway

MaREI, the SFI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine

DataCentres Ireland, Dublin, 18 November 2019

• Principles of fuel cell operation

• Fuel cell technologies

• Fuel cell deployment for data centres

• Hydrogen’s role in deep decarbonisation & sector coupling

• Some flagship hydrogen projects

• Outlook

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Electrolytic & Galvanic Cells (Sorry! But…)

Electrolytic cellElectric current passing

through aqueous electrolyte solution

generates H2 and O2 at electrodes

This is an Electrolyser

Galvanic cellConsumption of H2 and O2

in presence of aqueous electrolyte solution at electrodes generates electric currentThis is a Fuel Cell

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Current source

H2 & O2 sources

An Acid Electrolyte Fuel CellPEM, PAFC for example (Nearly there!)

• Cathode• Electrically positive

terminal

• Electron sink

• Positive ion sink

• Reaction

• Anode• Electrically

negative terminal

• Electron source

• Positive ion source

• Reaction

22 4 4H H e+ −→ +2 24 4 2O H e H O+ −+ + →

H+

e-

• Electrolyte• Allows passage of

positive ions from anode to cathode

• Circuit• Allows passage

of electrons from anode to cathode

Overall Reaction: 2 2 22 2H O H O+ →

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An Alkaline Electrolyte Fuel CellAFC, SOFC for example (Last one!)

• Cathode• Electrically positive

terminal

• Electron sink

• Negative ion source

• Reaction

• Anode• Electrically

negative terminal

• Electron source

• Negative ion sink

• Reaction

2 22 4 4 4H OH H O e− −+ → +2 24 2 4O e H O OH− −+ + →

OH-

e-

• Electrolyte• Allows passage of

negative ions from cathode to anode

• Circuit• Allows passage

of electrons from anode to cathode

Overall Reaction: 2 2 22 2H O H O+ →

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Membrane Electrode AssemblyIncreases Contact Area & CurrentSingle Fuel Cell

Areas available for reaction

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Fuel Cell Stack

Solid electrolytes work better in stacks

Fuel Cell Technologies Categorised by Electrolyte Type

Mekhilef S. “Comparative study of different fuel cell technologies”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2010) 981-989

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55-65%

55-65%

Fuel Cell DeploymentBy Application & Technology

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Fuel Cell Industry Review 2018, E4Tech, http://www.fuelcellindustryreview.com/

Fuel Cell Deployment for Stationary Power

• Up to ~5 MW for uninterruptible and back-up power

• Data centres, banks, hospitals

• SOFC is the dominant technology

• Quick, modular installation, monitoring & servicing

• Quiet operation

• No NOx emissions

• Use the natural gas grid

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Where does the hydrogen come from?

The high temperature inside the SOFC cracks or “reforms” natural gas to syngas (CO & H2), which

undergoes electrochemical reactions

Condensing water out of exhaust gives pure CO2

https://www.doitpoms.ac.uk/tlplib/fuel-cells/high_temp_sofc.php

Fuel Cell Deployment for Data Centres

Doosan PureCell 400

• 460-kW PAFC

• 44 units for 20 MW at Energy Innovation Park micro-grid in Connecticut, a $1-billion data centre development

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Fuel Cell Industry Review 2018, E4Tech, http://www.fuelcellindustryreview.com/

Fuel Cell Deployment for Data Centres

Bloom Energy Energy Server 5

• 200-kW SOFC

• Total 328 MW installed in USA, India, Japan, Korea

• Data centre projects underway• 1.8 MW for SUNY Medical Centre,

New York• 1.1 MW for JSR Micro, California

• $100 million from Key Equipment Financing (10-15 MW of Energy Servers)

• IPO on NYSE in July 2018

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Fuel Cell Industry Review 2018, E4Tech, http://www.fuelcellindustryreview.com/

Fuel Cell Deployment for Data Centres

SolidPower BlueGen

• 1.5 kW SOFC

• 1,000 units operational

• Deployed in Microsoft data centre in Seattle

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Fuel Cell Industry Review 2018, E4Tech, http://www.fuelcellindustryreview.com/

Fuel Cell Deployment for Data Centres

Ceres Power SteelCell

• 5-kW SOFC

• Partnering with Bosch and with Cummins for data centre activity

• In-field efficiency of 55% (60% in the lab)

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Fuel Cell Industry Review 2018, E4Tech, http://www.fuelcellindustryreview.com/

Where does the hydrogen come from?

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Source: Shell Hydrogen Study, 2017

Current hydrogen production routes

95% fossil fuels

Source: GenComm Smart H2 Position Paper, http://www.nweurope.eu/gencomm

Hydrogen Production

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Source: Shell Hydrogen Study, 2017* Paths are compatible with existing energy/chemical systems

H2 as an intermediate for renewable natural gas (Green Gas)*

H2 as an automotive fuel

H2 distribution in the gas grid as a direct replacement for NG

H2 as an intermediate for renewable liquid fuels & chemicals*

High pressure H2 for distribution

Renewable Hydrogen and Energy Systems Integration

Hydrogen End Use – Fuel Cell TRLs

16Source: Shell Hydrogen Study, 2017

Recent Hydrogen Developments 2020 Toyota Mirai

17https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/news/2020-toyota-mirai-revealed-fuel-cell-concept-previews-second/

Recent Hydrogen Developments Caetano H2.City Gold Bus

18https://www.h2-view.com/story/caetanobus-launches-first-hydrogen-bus-with-toyota-technology/

Recent Hydrogen Developments Netherlands Hydrogen Valleys

19https://www.eusew.eu/sites/default/files/programme-additional-docs/EUSEW_86_06%20Luuk%20Buit%20N-NL.pdf

Recent Hydrogen Developments Other News Stories

Northern Irish fuel cell bus maker WrightBus saved from bankruptcy

Engine maker Cummins buys hydrogen equipment provider Hydrogenics

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https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2019/1011/1082565-wrightbus-deal-agreed/

https://www.gasworld.com/cummins-completes-hydrogenics-acquisition/2017755.article

GenCommSector Coupling with H2

• €9.3 million project 60% backed by EU Interreg NWE

• 10 partners, 5 countries

• 3 pilot plants

• Focused on dispatch down (DD) and energy security in energy-remote communities

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Source: Eirgrid Constraint and Curtailment Report, 2017

DD by monthDD by time

DD by region

Scotland pilot

Germany pilot

N. Ireland pilot

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Wind Energy

Solar Energy

AD Plant

Industry

Mobility

Stationary Energy

O2

Electrolysis Handling

Renewable energy sources

Energy demands

N. Ireland pilot

Germany pilot

Scotland pilot

GenCommRenewable Hydrogen Pilots

https://vimeo.com/366993950/91cafb0bb6

Community and Industry Bodies

• Community Hydrogen Forum http://communityh2.eu/• A key output of GenComm• Platform to help communities understand the opportunities of hydrogen• More information in my panel talk

• Hydrogen Ireland http://hydrogenireland.org/• Established by GenComm partners, DCU others• Aims to promote the role of hydrogen in decarbonising Ireland’s economy

• Hydrogen Mobility Ireland• Cross-industry group to promote hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles for

transportation• Recent study foresees first H2 vehicles by 2023 with 35,000 within decade:

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/energy-and-resources/hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicles-could-be-a-feature-on-irish-roads-by-2023-1.4039351

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Outlook

• Growing deployment of fuel cells in data centres for uninterruptible and back-up power with a diverse range of suppliers

• Fuel cells provide resiliency by using gas grid as well as (or instead of) power grid

• H2 links electricity and gas systems through long term storage and power-to-gas

• GenComm County Antrim H2 pilot plant coming very soon

• H2 in the gas grid combined with fuel cells could provide zero emissions resilient data centre operation

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