Author Archives: Alex Barton

Electrochemical technologies will play a vital role in developing sustainable processes and infrastructure for energy storage, transportation, and manufacturing. Hydrogen, produced by electrolysis, can serve as a vehicle fuel, is a chemical feedstock for ammonia generation and other industrial processes, and is required for conversion of carbon dioxide to higher value chemicals. In addition, hydrogen for advanced energy storage can play a key role in modernizing our nation’s electricity grid to enable the integration of renewable energy, improve operating capabilities, enhance reliability, allow deferral of infrastructure investments, and provide backup power during emergencies. 

Government support and investment in research and development efforts have been critical to the advancement of electrochemical technologies in the marketplace. Proton OnSite has been involved in several US DOE FCTO and ARPA-E-supported programs that have yielded several advancements in hydrogen technology, including electrolysis, flow batteries, and carbon dioxide capture and conversion to ammonia generation. 

This presentation provided an overview of investments made by the Federal government through the US DOE’s FCTO and ARPA-E that have led to hydrogen solutions for advanced energy storage, with an emphasis on hydrogen-iron flow batteries. 

Presenting Organizations:

• Dr. Kathy Ayers, Vice President of Research and Development, Proton OnSite
• Dr. Madhav Acharya, Technology-to-Market Advisor, Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA - E) 

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A community microgrid is a coordinated local grid area served by one or more distributed energy resources (DER), including energy storage, renewable and conventional generation, and demand response. Microgrids are able to island and stand alone in supplying power to a community, university campus, military base or critical facilities. Community microgrids increase reliability, reduce emissions, and create a more sustainable and secure grid.

Fuel cells have many characteristics that make them excellent candidates for microgrids, including baseload power, low emissions, competitive pricing, and interconnection with the grid for backup.

This presentation provided an overview of fuel cell solutions for stationary power in a microgrid configuration and possible grant funding and financing available for Class I renewable energy sources from Connecticut’s Microgrid Program.

Presenters:

• Carl Cottuli, Architect, Mission Critical Systems,  Bloom Energy
• George Berntsen, Director, Electrical & Control Engineering, FuelCell Energy, Inc.
• Christopher Bleuher, Business Development Manager, Schneider Electric
• Veronic Szczerkowski, Bureau of Energy and Technology, Connecticut DEEP

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NEESC supported the participation of seven (7) hydrogen and fuel cell supply chain companies from the Northeast US to exhibit at Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial technology trade show from April 24-28, 2017 in Hannover, Germany.

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On-site batteries and power control systems, cost trends, and the rise of a robust electric vehicle and infrastructure market will impact how Northeast developers, utilities, and customers develop and operate energy storage systems and microgrids for variable generation. Many types of emerging technologies are already being developed and deployed to meet the demand for energy storage, smart grid, and microgrid solutions. 

E2Tech, the Hydrogen Energy Center (HEC), and the Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster (NEESC) teamed up to examine the innovative design, operational planning, and market implications of these technologies and how the Northeast should be accelerating their adoption and deployment to improve energy security and reliability while protecting the environment.

Speakers working everyday on the leading edge of energy innovation in energy storage and microgrids, included:

Melissa Chan, Ph.D., Modern Grid Partners - Dr. Chan is the Senior Consultant of Energy Technology Innovation and has over 10 years’ experience working on clean tech strategy for utilities, municipalities, and regulators. She advises smart grid, microgrid, and energy of internet of things (EIoT) projects that increase system efficiency while offering more options for end-user energy management and renewable resource adoption. 

Steve Strong, Solar Design Associates - Solar Design Associates, founded at the dawn of the solar age in 1977, offers engineering and design services that creatively integrate renewable energy systems into buildings and utility infrastructure in New England, nationwide, and around the world. Steve will be presenting SDA’s work on solar/storage microgrids, including their recently completed solar/storage microgrid on Cuttyhunk Island in Massachusetts, integrating a 321 solar system with a lithium-ion battery system.

Stephen Szymanski, Proton OnSite - Proton OnSite designs and manufactures PEM electrolyzers for customers in 67 countries on 7 continents, for applications including hydrogen fueling, energy storage, turbine cooling, the laboratory market, the semi-conductor market, metal fabricating, military applications, and meteorological applications. Steve will be speaking about power-to-gas applications including the first power-to-gas installation in North America at the University of California Irvine.

Fuel cells using renewable hydrogen provide power solutions for material handling equipment that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints in a reliable, cost-effective way.  A variety of industry warehouses and distribution centers are already powering forklift fleets with fuel cells, including manufacturing, food sales, retailers, and cold storage.  Fuel cell-powered industrial equipment provide many benefits:

• Increased productivity
• Lower operational costs
• More usable commercial space for product flow
• Zero emissions

This presentation provided an overview of fuel cell power solutions for material handling and other warehouse lift equipment, with an emphasis on the extended benefits for cold storage facilities. 

Guest Speakers:

• Chris Tully, VP Sales Eastern Region, Plug Power 
• David Saoud, co-President, FreezPak

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