Hydrogen News

Wednesday 08 October 2008

Tom Sperrey, managing director at UPS Systems, with one of his firm's hydrogen fuel cells

Welsh Assembly First Minister Rhodri Morgan is to open a hydrogen energy research and demonstration centre in Port Talbot, south Wales tomorrow, which is to showcase the benefits of hydrogen fuel cells integrated with renewable sources such as solar
panels.

The Baglan Energy Park Hydrogen Demonstration project has been developed by the University of Glamorgan in partnership with Neath Port Talbot Council to demonstrate the viability and safety of producing hydrogen from indigenous renewable resources in Wales.

The £2.2 million centre has received £1.05 million in Welsh Assembly funding and is expected to become a world-leading research facility and demonstration project, integrating well-proven renewable energy technology, such as solar and wind power, with hydrogen production, energy storage and fuel cell technology.

First to be showcased will be solar panels, which will use the power of the sun to produce energy for the centre. Simultaneously, by a process of electrolysis, the solar panel will also produce hydrogen, which is then compressed and stored for use in a 10kW fuel cell, which will in turn supply the centre's power in place of the solar panel during periods of low solar radiation, such as at night.

It is expected that, should the solar project be successful, a second demonstration will be set up that integrates hydrogen fuel cells with wind turbines, operating on the same principle of electrolysis and storage.

The Welsh Assembly stated that the centre would "provide a number of opportunities for academic and industry research, as well as prospects for public demonstration and organisational training," as well as having the capacity to host conferencing, demonstration and education activities.

Business potential

Commenting on the possible business opportunities presented by the new centre, First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: "If hydrogen becomes widely used as a fuel, the potential for developing new industry associated with hydrogen energy is massive. This centre is also intended to be a platform for new business growth in this exciting new technology.

"The location of the centre has been specifically chosen for this purpose, enabling new and related businesses to collaborate with the University at the centre and to develop their businesses at the same time," he added.

London-based UPS Systems has already contributed to the project by providing and installing the fuel cell and inverters that are being used in the demonstration, as well as designing a controller unit, with supervisory software, that manages the system.

Tom Sperrey, managing director at UPS Systems, said: "The Renewable Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Centre will highlight the potential of hydrogen power and fuel cell technology. The new Centre will bring together technology and expertise, demonstrating hydrogen fuel cells as a reliable and effective medium of both prime and backup power."

Vehicle fuel

During the opening tomorrow, the First Minister will also drive a renewable hydrogen-powered vehicle, the Nissan HFC X Trail.

Speaking of the potential of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel, he said: "Now, global companies like Nissan are recognising the importance of this facility. Companies like Nissan play a vital role doing the research and development that moves on to the creation of every day vehicles that can use hydrogen fuel cell technology.

"That is how the world-class research that takes place here is turned into a reality," he concluded.