Sub-MW demonstration of stationary fuel cells fuelled with biogas from biowaste treatment

This innovation activity will focus on demonstrating the technical and commercial feasibility of sub-MW stationary FC’s directly fuelled by biogas produced from bio-waste treatment processes, aiming at full process integration of heat use in the digester process or the digestate treatment. In this way confidence shall be established for the further application of FC systems for the exploitation of this resource, which could radically leverage the deployment of stationary FC across Europe, allowing the achievement of further reductions in product cost and development of the value chain.

Core features of the FC such as efficiency, cost, emissions, durability and lifetime must comply with relevant MAWP targets and the global competition; these values have been compiled on the expected impact chapter.

The projects will target primarily demonstration of a sub-MW FC solution in the biogas/-waste market segment addressing the following:

• Between 100 kW and 1 MW capacity product

  It is a key goal to have the same drivers as those for FCH technologies (reduction of GHG emissions, energy security, distributed generation, local emissions reduction) generated a firm foothold in the societal landscape as well as in the portfolio of investors. Commercial success of FC’s and increasing numbers in the field of distributed generation is needed in order to leverage the awareness and deployment of stationary fuel cell systems. Organic waste processing plants producing methane-rich biogas are highly successful examples of enterprise in the renewable energy sector. Furthermore, of the worldwide biogas plants operational in 2012 (just over 13,000 excluding landfill sites), more than 12,500 are situated in Europe[IEA Bioenergy: “Biomethane – status and factors affecting market development and trade” (2014), http://www.iea-biogas.net[. On the contrary, stationary FC power exploiting this resource coming from wastewater is currently situated almost e

  This demonstration must not only raise public awareness; it should be used to establish confidence in technology, business models and market readiness with key customers in the food, waste management or other industry accessing biogas from biowaste. The project could be advanced with market enablers (such as utilities, leading project developers in construction and energy business) to achieve volume contracts and with financiers to assure access to project financing.

  The project should focus on the following impacts:

  • Supplier and user experience of installation/commissioning, operation and use of power generation in the bio-waste sector, also relative to tailored biogas cleaning
  • Clear awareness among the current investors in biogas producing plants of the added value of FC integration
  • Demonstrate a viable solution and a replicable business case

  and possibly address in addition to that also:

  • Validated references to build tr