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Evaluating the Performance of Fuel Cells in European Energy Supply Grids

Periodic Report Summary - FC-EUROGRID (Evaluating the performance of fuel cells in European energy supply grids)

Project context and objectives:

Challenges addressed

Fuel cells offer the advantages of high efficiency operation coupled with low emissions, low noise and modular design to stationary applications. But they operate under a variety of constraints which are defined by the energy supply grid they are integrated into and the exact application they serve.

It must be acknowledged that the greenhouse gas (GHG) savings from a fuel cell operated on the German grid will very much differ from those of a fuel cell producing electricity in France - due to the difference in carbon footprint of the French electricity supply system.

Different fuel cell types, i.e. polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC), high-temperature PEFC (HT-PEFC), molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) display different efficiencies in electricity production from natural gas.

As a result of this complex situation there is no simple means of predicting the advantages a stationary fuel cell system will offer in any given energy supply environment. The task of setting minimum benchmark targets for projects to be awarded funding under the fuel cells and hydrogen joint undertaking (FCH JU) scheme was therefore abandoned since there was no sensible way of setting general conditions that would apply independently of technology and electric system integration and be valid across the whole of Europe.

Key objectives

The main objective of the project FC-EUROGRID is to establish technical and economic targets and benchmarks that allow the assessment of fuel cells in stationary power generation. The fuel savings and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions will for instance be a function of the electricity grid structure and the fuels employed.

Using such indicators it will be possible to determine, whether a fuel cell installation effectively improves fuel use and the CO2 footprint at the location of installation and within the electricity grid, amongst other criteria.

This approach can support a more focussed allocation of research funding, identification of research and development (R&D) gaps and an objective comparison of fuel cells with competing technologies.

The project will discuss the methodology adopted with European Union (EU) and worldwide stakeholders in order to established a recognised assessment and benchmarking frame of reference.

Project approach

The project will establish pertinent application categories, among them micro-combined heat and power (µCHP), CHP, decentralised electricity production, trigeneration etc., establish benchmarks from the performance of competing power generating technology (in the different EU countries), identify the technical and economic targets for the key applications and review the potential of the different fuel cell technologies to fulfil them. The goal is to collect all data necessary in evaluating the performance of stationary fuel cells in the European energy markets (predominately heat and electricity) and pave the way to objective criteria of best practice and minimum standards, as well as an appraisal of the type of applications that actually lead to reductions in gross energy consumption, emissions and depletion of fossil energy resources.

Project results:

The first phase of the project served to collect data, develop the methodology of analysis and generate some of the more involved background data. Information was collected on 'typical' European electricity supply grids as represented by the countries Germany, Italy, France, Denmark, Finland, Poland and United Kingdom (UK). Data from utilities and Eurostat were used in the data collection into an 'Atlas of European electricity grids'. A set of 'indicators' was established from these data, for instance in the form of CO2 emissions / kWh of electricity delivered to customers, shares of fuels used in the electricity generation system etc. Fuel cell systems were simulated in a variety of different installation environments in order to determine average efficiencies in specific operating regimes. Finally, data of competing technology was compiled in order to start establishing benchmarks and good practice criteria. This now leads to the implementation of the methodology and the establishment of assessment procedures in the second half of the project.

Potential impact:

The project will supply:

1. a quantifiable technical understanding of the interaction of stationary fuel cell technology with various European electricity supply grids with respect to GHG abatement and improved economy of fuel
2. associated benchmarks and indicators suitable to describe the superiority (or inferiority) of specific fuel cell concepts vis à vis competing technologies with respect to efficiency, emissions, economic and operational data etc.
3. targets for fuel cell development and criteria for the selection of best performing project proposals and
4. status reports on the development status of stationary fuel cells and the technology gaps that remain to be shut, along with indications for the focus of future development work.