Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Challenges and Opportunities - An Industrial Perspective - Live Workshop - H2FC Supergen
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Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Challenges and Opportunities – An Industrial Perspective Live Workshop 26 February 2021 11:00-15:30 (GMT) Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter @H2FCSupergen and YouTube
CHAIR
Professor Nigel Brandon
Director, H2FC Supergen Hub
Dean of Engineering
Imperial College London
2
CO-CHAIR
Professor Anthony Kucernak
Professor of Physical Chemistry
Imperial College
London/Bramble Energy Ltd
3
Session 4 – Fuel Cells for Transport and Stationary Power 26 February 13:30-15:30 (GMT) http://www.h2fcsupergen.com/uncategorised/h2fc- workshop-hydrogen-fuel-cell-research-challenges- opportunities-industrial-perspective-25-26-february//
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Challenges and Opportunities – An Industrial Perspective Session 4 - Fuel Cells for Transport and Stationary Power 25/02/2020
Professor Anthony Kucernak H2FC Lead in polymer electrolyte fuel cells and electrolysers Professor of Chemical Physics, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
Lots of market interest in fuel cell companies due
to re-emergence of the “Hydrogen economy”
Plug power
Ballard
Bloom
Ceres
7
Fuel Cell Market
Compound annual
growth rate: ~48%
2020: ~ 1.35 GW
(E4Tech)
E4Tech: The Fuel Cell
Industry Review 2019
News Releases
Bosch Collaboration With Ceres Progresses To Mass Production Of SOFC Systems, Dec 2020
Bramble Energy secure £5m Series A investment. August 5, 2020
Cummins Inc. entered in agreement to acquire Hydrogenics Corp. June 28, 2019
- US$290M paid to Hydrogenics or US$15 per share
8 Bosch and Powercell will work together to develop mass production of PEM. April 29, 2018
Fuel Cell transportation
• Longer distances, higher
duty cycles
• Reduced cost will speed
uptake
• 50% of stack cost is
Platinum catalyst
Technical hindrances to rollout
• Manpower – scientists and engineers
• Reducing amount of platinum for PEMFCs
• Thrifting and higher activity materials
2017 2020 ULTIMATE
DOE TARGETS
• Improved systems efficiency and power Peak energy
STATUS TARGETS TARGETS
60 65 70
efficiency / %LHV
Power density / W/L 640 650 850
Specific power W/kg 659 650 650
• Improving ability to manufacture systems Cost $/kWnet 53 40 30
Pt Loading mg/cm-2
at large scale 0.4 0.17 0.05
• Reduced system costs
10Precious metal usage for low temperature fuel cells
• Majority of PGMs in South Africa
• Ultimate recoverable resource of PGMs
• 216 ktonne
• Current uses of PGMs in transport
• ~ 0.05 g/kW for a Euro VI engine
• 0.25 g/kW in Toyota Mirai FCV
• Continuing pressure on reduction in platinum
loading and improved catalysis
Securing Platinum-Group Metals for Transport Low-Carbon Transition, One Earth 1 , 11
117–125, September 20, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2019.08.01260wt% Pt/C
Growth in delivery of fuel cell systems 10mgPt cm-2
• PGMs are not likely to be a constraint for the mass
deployment of FCVs at the global levelBarriers to production of fuel cells – Rapid scale-
up of production
• Use ubiquitous already existing manufacturing approaches and
adjust chemistry
• PCB industry is $65B/year, and low cost
• Allows fuel cells with reduced part count
• BUT copper does not survive under fuel cell conditions
• Developed electrically conductive anti-corrosion layer
Number of fuel cell stack components
140
• Can be applied in PCB manufacturing line 120
100
• A single PCB factory can manufacture 5 GW of fuel cell 80
60
modules per year using Brambles patented technology 40
20
0
• Thousands of PCB factories in the world PCBFC™ 200 W Traditional 200 W Fuel cell
Type of Fuel Cell
Fuel Cell component Tie bolts
Tie bolts insulators PCB components
Seals Graphite plates
Brett, Kucernak, “Fuel cell comprising at least two stacked printed circuit boards with a plurality of interconnected
fuel cell units”, 1103590.4 GB 01 March 2011
Kucernak, “Fuel Cell”,1207759.0 GB 03 May 2012 13
Kucernak and Lapinski, “Corrosion Protection Coating for Electrochemical Devices ”, 1207759.0 GB 03 May 2012Improved manufacturability
• 2009-2013 EPSRC Project
• Imperial-UCL – Prof. Dan Brett
• Carbon Trust Project (2012)
• Supported through Innovate UK
and H2FC Supergen
• Fast design cycle
• https://www.brambleenergy.com
14Summary
• Fuel cell industry growing quickly, urgent need for more manpower
• Technology is “good to go” now, but future improvements will drive cost
down and increase market penetration
• Fundamental understanding of processes is leading to new
improvements in technology
• H2-PEM fuel cells for stationary power generation
• Session speakers
• Richard Cartwright, AFC Energy
• Ben Todd, Arcola Energy
• Chris Evans, Ceres Power
• Hugo Spowers, Riversimple Holding Ltd
• 14:45 - Interactive topic discussion in small break out room groups
15Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter @H2FCSupergen and YouTube www.h2fcsupergen.com
Speaker Introductions
Professor Anthony Kucernak Richard Cartwright Ben Todd Chris Evans Hugo Spowers
Professor of Physical Fuel Cell Team Leader Founder and CEO Director of Product Hydrogen & Heat Leader
Chemistry AFC Energy Arcola Energy Management Riversimple Holding Ltd
Imperial College Ceres Power
London/Bramble Energy Ltd
17SPEAKER
Richard Cartwright
Fuel Cell Team Leader
AFC Energy
18Solidifying progress to AEMFCs H2FC Supergen workshop 26.02.2021 Richard Cartwright www.afcenergy.com
Introduction to AFC Energy
Background to the company
• 30+ employees, expanding rapidly to accelerate
HydroX-Cell(L)® HydroX-Cell(S)® AlkaMem®
development of ALKAMEM®, HydroX-Cell(S)® and
deployment of HydroX-Cell(L)® systems. Alkaline Fuel Cell Alkaline Fuel Cell
• Historical focus on liquid electrolyte AFC for large Modular stack 10kW
scale industrial applications (FCHJU project Initially developed
Scalable to multi MW applications
POWERUP) for solid AEM-FC
Accepts low grade H2
• Recent focus on EV charging and temporary Low cost
power applications. Zero greenhouse emission
Liquid electrolyte Solid membrane Multiple additional
Stationary Stationary and applications
mobile including; alkaline
Available now Available 2022 water electrolysis,
(target) electrodialysis etc
20Key Addressable Markets
• Today - Stationary • Tomorrow – Stationary and Mobile
Rapid EV Charging Ports Maritime
Mining Rail
Construction
Data Centres
Temporary Power
Remote communities
21EV charging – Keeping up with the EV rollout
• Within cities, the grid cannot support the expected uptake of
EVs
• On long journeys, the cost of upgrading many remote
service stations to manage rapid charging is prohibitive –
especially when demand cycles are unknown.
• Portable emission free charging is key for expansion of rapid
charging across the country.
• AFC is contributing to the EV rollout in this manner, while in
the future targeting transport applications with our AEMFC.
AFC Energy’s Hpower-20 EV charging system
EV fleet data from ZAPMAP 22EV charging – Extreme – E
• 5 races in 2021 season
• 40kW fuel cell system to charge Odyssey 21 EVs.
• System en-route to Saudi Arabia for race 1.
• The event will act as a showcase for fuel cells and other
renewable tech.
• Hydrogen electrolysed and stored on site.
AFC Energy’s
• Data generated on hydrogen tech operated in extreme Hpower-40 EV
environments – hot, cold, dry, humid, high altitude. charging
system on the
St Helena
Location Date
Saudi Arabia – Desert 03/04/2021
H2 production Fuel cell
Senegal – Ocean 29/05/2021
Greenland – Arctic 28/08/2021
Brazil – Amazon 23/10/2021
H2 storage Battery / inverter Argentina – Glacier 11/12/2021
23Diesel genset displacement
• Makes commercial and logistical sense to be fueled on cracked
ammonia, rather than pressurised hydrogen cylinders.
• Ammonia is cheap and widely available – we are actively seeking
sources of green ammonia at scale.
• AFC is also involved in supporting and testing other methods of
hydrogen storage and we are keen to continue to do so.
Image of diesel generator
Render of 160kW system 24HydroX-Cell (L) CO2 and KOH – friend or enemy?
• AFC is developing a way of capturing the CO2 that is absorbed by
system. CO2 scrubber
• Alkaline fuel cells can remove up to 2-3% of the CO2 that would Fuel cell air exchange
chamber r
have been produced by a diesel generator and become CO2
negative at point of use.
• Historically, AFC Energy has employed an in-line CO2 scrubber,
which works well, but for certain temporary power applications, the
electrolyte itself can act as a scrubber.
• Electrolyte can be changed out or regenerated as required.
• We are open to alternative innovations for capturing CO2 and Atmospheric
air in
utilising CO2 containing material.
Layout of a typical air scrubbing system
HydroX-Cell (L)® stack
25HydroX-Cell(S)® AEM vs. PEM
Electron flow Electron flow
Humidified membrane
Load Load
Oxygen in (humid) Hydrogen in (humid) Oxygen in (humid)
Hydrogen in (humid)
ORR at cathode ORR at cathode
½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e- → H2O ½ O2 + H2O + 2e- → 2OH-
HOR at anode HOR at anode
H2 → 2H+ + 2e- H2 + 2OH- → 2H2O + 2e-
Oxygen and water out
Hydrogen and water out
Anode Cathode Anode Cathode Water molecule
H+ transport OH- transport
PEM AEM Hydroxide ion
Hydrogen ion
• AFC is committing staff and resource to facilitate deployment in 2022.
• Wide knowledge base from PEM research to be built upon. Hydrogen molecule
• Major differences include catalyst selection, membrane chemistry, water management.
Oxygen molecule
26Summary of opportunities for innovation
27Ammonia and other storage strategies
Collaboration opportunities
Ammonia
• Ammonia is easy to source, cheaply, with a mature
distribution network, green ammonia is not.
• Cracking technology – space in the market for a UK
based supplier
• Direct ammonia - academic support for catalyst/GDE
development required to pursue this, low commercial
priority currently.
• Avoiding ammonia emissions after the fuel cell
Other
Large scale ammonia storage • AFC always keen to work with academic and
industrial partners all the way along this supply chain.
28HydroX-Cell (L)®
Collaboration opportunities
Stack
• Separator material to reduce KOH gap – KOH
provides barrier to gas crossover so does not need to
be continuous structure.
System
• Refine method for regeneration of CO2 containing
KOH.
• Space for collaboration with carbon capture
technology.
• Analysis of data generated in extreme environments.
Supply chain
• Cleaner sources of materials – non petrochemical
carbon etc. recycled materials: plastics, metals.
Extreme – E 40kW system
29HydroX-Cell (S)®
Collaboration opportunities
GDE
• New catalyst materials to fully exploit alkaline nature
of reaction, that may not have found application in
PEM or other fuel cell types.
• Advanced analysis/diagnostics of MEAs (GDE and
catalysts) pre and post ageing, porosity, XPS, ICP-
MS
• Development of CCM methodology.
Stack
• Adapt PEM stack knowledge base to work for AEM
e.g. design, materials, supply chain.
• Full computational characterisation of fuel cell and
Use cases for HydroX-Cell (S)® stack, alongside advanced in situ analysis.
30ALKAMEM
Collaboration opportunities
Testing and development of membrane for other
applications:
• Electrolysers
ALKAMEM® film • Desalination
• Membrane separation
• Gas humidification
• Electrodialysis
• Flow batteries
Large scale alkaline electrolysis
31Thank you for your attention
• rcartwright@afcenergy.com
Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter
@H2FCSupergen and YouTube www.h2fcsupergen.comSPEAKER
Ben Todd
Founder and CEO
Arcola Energy
33Arcola Energy Technology Solutions H2FC Innovation Workshop for Industry February 26th 2021 Dr Ben Todd CEO at Arcola Energy
Arcola Energy
● Systems engineering company and
Tier 1 supplier in hydrogen, fuel cells
and batteries
● Strong project development
capabilities for deployment of
hydrogen and fuel cells in the UK
A leading UK specialist in
● Collaborative relationships with hydrogen and fuel cell
international network of suppliers, integration, focused on
partners and customers zero-emission heavy-
● Breadth & depth of knowledge - duty vehicles
catalyst to fleet, low & high
temperature
● Transport, stationary and portable
power - 1W to 1MW
● Focus on Quality, Safety &
Compliance
35Current Activities
● Off-road – machines for construction and mining
● Trains – regional and suburban applications
● Buses – first market is UK double-deck, next steps Single Deck and coach
● Trucks
○ Vehicles for urban/municipal duties, especially refuse collection - partnerships with city
authorities and waste companies
○ Evaluating urban distribution market and use cases
36Systems Integrator & Tier 1 Supplier
● Systems engineering company and Tier 1 supplier in
hydrogen, fuel cells and batteries
● Strong project development capabilities for deployment
of hydrogen and fuel cells in the UK
● Collaborative relationships with international network of
suppliers, partners and customers
● Breadth & depth of knowledge - catalyst to fleet, low and
high temperature
● Transport, stationary and portable power - 1W to 1MW
● Focus on quality, safety and compliance
Internationally recognised as a leader in delivering market-ready fuel cell and hydrogen solutions
37Arcola Energy
Technology Platform
38Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Powertrain
39Arcola Energy Full Vehicle Engineering Capabilities
40A-Drive Hydrogen Fuel Powertrain Platform
● Built around proprietary control system designed specifically for fuel cell
electric powertrains. System is responsible for sub-system control and
overall energy management to achieve efficiency, sub-system lifetime
and functional safety.
Arcola’s proprietary A-Drive hydrogen fuel cell
powertrain system replaces the conventional ● Deep knowledge of subsystems, including hydrogen storage, fuel cell
diesel engine and drivetrain, to deliver a
and battery systems, high voltage system and thermal management.
production-ready
solution
● Remote monitoring and diagnostics to continually improve model-based
control approaches and to predict maintenance requirements.
● Adaptable to multiple vehicle platforms
● Reducing cost and development time
Accelerating the deployment of H2FC zero-emission transport
41A-Drive Platform
42Powertrain Modelling
43Powertrain Modelling Process
44Remote Data Monitoring Platform
● Vehicle monitoring device
○ Physical connections and data layer
○ Local storage and buffering
● Message broker and bridge
● Web server
○ Visualisation
○ Technology stack and database
○ Accounts
● Vehicle data
45Engineering Approach
46Systems Engineering Approach
47Powertrain Design Considerations
● How much power and energy needed for a given
vehicle on a given route?
● What battery / fuel cell sizing options do we
have?
● What trade-offs can we make to fit available
space, budget, supplier constraints?
● What power management strategy should we use
for my hybrid powertrain controller?
● How do we optimise efficiency and heat
recovery?
● How do we optimise fuel cell and battery lifetime?
● How do we deliver traction?
48Arcola-OEM Integrated Design Approach
49Industry Challenges
● Hydrogen storage optimisation:
○ How to store more hydrogen onboard in less space and weight in order to increase the range?,
○ What is the optimum approach for hydrogen storage on different carriers? Some considerations:
■ Infrastructure upgrade
■ Operational change i.e., duty cycle optimisation
● Refuelling time vs range. Often the case for hydrogen (less and faster refuelling), competitiveness against diesel is still
a problem.
● System integration efficiency and power electronics.
50Thank you
Dr Ben Todd
CEO at Arcola Energy
ben@arcolaenergy.com
+44 7974 240 612
Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter
@H2FCSupergen and YouTube www.h2fcsupergen.comSPEAKER
Chris Evans
Director of Product
Management
Ceres Power
52• High growth UK technology licensing
company with global world-class partners
• World leading Solid Oxide fuel cell
technology – Imperial College
• Unique IP ~50 Patent families + know
howGlobal power system and engine customers
• Collaboration agreement
• Commercial buildings
• JV 2020 Electric Bus and
stationary power market
• Manufacturing scale up/ Data
centre and commercial/Mass
production
• Commercial Scale CHP
• Power systems for Data
Centres
• Stationary power applications
54Fuel Cell Technology – The Basics
1kW Stack
• A fuel cell is a power generation unit that produces an
electric current from a chemical reaction
• No combustion Air &
• Most efficient way to convert fuel to electrical power heat
out
• Results in clean air & less CO2
• no particulates and no SOx and NOx emissions
• Low to zero CO2 produced depending on fuel used
(between a 30% and 100% reduction)
Exhaust, water & heat out
DC power out
Fuel Air in
An SOEC is the same thing running backwards in
55Changing energy landscape (opportunities for SOFC / SOEC)
Today 2030 2050 Take-aways:
Better use of Gas Electrification & Transition Gases Net-Zero-Carbon
1. Deep decarbonisation
of industry and heavy
transport requires large
Demand solutions
amounts of clean H2
Better insulation District heating Electrified roads 2. Fuel-flexible (including
Smart appliances
H2) distributed
Level of Societal Change
Gas grid fully H2
High:
Distributed SOFC on H2 generation makes
Distributed Generation Electrified heating
SOFC (CHP option) Distribution grid support sense in all scenarios
Electric cars H2 planes
Distribution grid support SOEC
Electrified industrial processes other than full
electrification
H2 for HGVs & buses
H2 Range Extender
3. Shipping and aviation
Electric HGVs & buses H2 in industrial processes
will rely on a low-carbon
CNG Range Extender SOEC Ammonia for shipping on-board fuel
SOEC + Haber
4. Making better use of
Supply solutions
SOFC on Ammonia
High renewables penetration Biomethane in HGVs fossil fuels (esp. Nat
SOFC w/ Balancing services Biomethane Range Extender Bio-Energy + CCS Gas) is a short-to-mid
Low:
Biomethane blend in gas grid term driver only but
Fuel-flexible SOFC Electricity storage
SOEC/SOFC + H2 storage
remains a strong one
Coal to Nat Gas
H2 blend in gas grid
given the challenges of
Aviation e-fuel
CCUS Fuel-flexible SOFC SOEC + Fischer-Tropsch
deeper de-carbonisation
Marginal gains Net Zero
Depth of De-Carbonisation
56Support from academia
What are the big themes? How to work with Ceres
• Longer (life), stronger (robust), higher (power) • Partner, don’t compete
• Life prediction • Come and talk to us if you want a problem
• Evolution of materials through time • Be IP savvy – think before you publish
• Digitalisation in materials development
• Fuel diversity / flexibility
• Hydrogen in the gas grid (amount + variability)
• Ammonia / bio-gas / bio-methane
• Odorants, contaminants and removal
• Cheap gas composition sensing
• Other hydrogen carriers
• Industrial coupling
• E.g. SOEC + Haber-Bosch
57Thanks
ceres.tech
Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter
@H2FCSupergen and YouTube www.h2fcsupergen.comSPEAKER
Hugo Spowers
Hydrogen & Heat Leader
Riversimple Holding Ltd
59Riversimple Movement Influence of business model on fuel cell development 26th February 2021 Riversimple.com Twitter LinkedIn
Linear Powertrain
61Network Electric Powertrain
62The funnel of constraints
63The funnel of constraints
64Alignment of interests
2018
1948
65Alignment of interests
2018
1948
38mpg
66Alignment of interests
2018
38.6mpg
1948
38mpg
67Alignment of interests
2018
38.6mpg
1948
38mpg
We need to make efficiency profitable
68Making efficiency profitable
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model
that makes the existing model obsolete”
- Buckminster Fuller
69The sale of product
Selling a car:
£
Only 40% £
£
Of lifetime revenues to the
manufacturer
70The sale of product
Mobility as a Service:
££
100% ££
££
Of lifetime revenues to the £
manufacturer £
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
71The economic barrier
Selling service
Reward
of efficiency
Selling cars
Typical supply chain cost curve
72A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Fuel cell stack
73A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA)
74A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Platinum (Pt)
75A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Mining company
MEA supplier
Fuel cell manufacturer
76A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Mining company
MEA supplier
Fuel cell manufacturer
£ per month
p per km
77A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Mining company
MEA supplier
£ per month
£ per month per hour
Fuel cell manufacturer run time
£ for efficiency of H2
to electricity
£ per month
p per km
78A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Mining company
£ per month
£ per month per
MEA supplier hour run time
£ for efficiency of H2
to electricity
£ per month
£ per month per hour
Fuel cell manufacturer run time
£ for efficiency of H2
to electricity
£ per month
p per km
79A circular ‘Value network’ for fuel cells
Mining company
£ per month per g
£ per month
£ per month per
MEA supplier hour run time
£ for efficiency of H2
to electricity
£ per month
£ per month per hour
Fuel cell manufacturer run time
£ for efficiency of H2
to electricity
£ per month
p per km
80“We are called to be architects of the future –
not its victims” Buckminster Fuller
81Thank you Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter @H2FCSupergen and YouTube www.h2fcsupergen.com
Breakout group discussion - Fuel Cells for Transport and
Stationary Power
• Chair will assign someone to take NOTES - they can share the screen with others if useful.
• 45 minutes discussion, then we’ll return to the main room to wrap up.
• Use the CHAT function to capture more views
Group discussion guide
• Explore
• What are the specific technological challenges in your product/service or research?
• What would an ideal world look like? Which technologies do you think will be there in 10 years, 20 years?
• What are the opportunities? What are the risks?
• Reflect
• What could be done to improve the situation?
• How can Industry and Academia collaborate better?
• How can H2 demonstration projects feed back to academia and how can academia help to solve issues?
• How could a National Hydrogen Programme help to develop this field further?
83Discussion topic… Key observations from the discussion: (notes) Proposed next steps for Industry-Academia collaboration: Very important! Please send notes at the end of the discussion to h2fc@imperial.ac.uk 84
Thank you
• We will be putting together a report from this workshop which will be available on the H2FC
website in due course.
• We’re updating our capability document – please respond to the email about this so we can
ensure we have your uptodate details!
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• Please send any feedback to h2fc@imperial.ac.uk
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