Fuel cells – the energy technology for the future

The step from catalysis to fuel cells was a natural one for Haldor Topsoe since the two technologies have much in common. From the start in 1990 the research on fuel cells was carried out within Haldor Topsoe, but in 2004 the company Topsoe Fuel Cell was spun off. The type of fuel cells produced is high temperature SOFC cells (solid oxide fuel cell) based on ceramic materials, similar to the materials used in catalysts.

Fuel cells are considered to be one of the most exciting energy technologies for the future, because of its high efficiency and cleanness. A fuel cell functions like a battery but needs an external fuel. The electricity is produced by oxidizing the fuel.

Power for vessels and houses SOFC fuel cells are most suited as auxiliary power units in heavy trucks and vessels or as stationary power generation units for residential power as well as for decentralized power stations, for example to power a large shopping complex or a factory. Fuel cells are already on the market, but the break-through is yet to come. The fuel cells of Topsoe Fuel Cell have proven to be the best in the world with a high energy efficiency and mechanical strength. Today 120 persons work in the company. – Our production unit is still on a demonstration level and has a capacity to produce 5MW per year, says Mr Andreas Benedict Richter, Manager at Business Development department at Topsoe Fuel Cell. In 2014 we are aiming for commercial production on an assembly line. Now we are mainly delivering fuel cells for demonstration projects.

Power and heat generation for 80 houses
For stationary power, fuels cells are especially suited for countries with natural gas systems, since the gas can be used as fuel.

		In 2006 the Danish Micro Combined Heat and Power demonstration project was launched in which fuel cell heat and power units will be installed in 80 households. If a natural gas boiler in a house is replaced with a micro combined heat and power unit, a home owner will make an annual saving of CO2 emissions corresponding to driving 6000 kilometres. – The results from the demonstration project are very good, says Mr Richter. The efficiency rate of the unit is 50% electrical efficiency and more than 80% total efficiency today. We are aiming for 55-60% of electrical efficiency. This can be compared to 35% which is a normal efficiency rate in standard electricity supply systems. For an average household a fuel cell stack of 1 kW is enough to supply both heat and electricity.
1 kW Fuel cell unit for households

Vessel powered by methanol fuel cell

In Finland a 20 kW fuel cell has been installed on a Wallenius car carrier vessel in a demonstration project together with diesel engine company Wärtsilä. The project is supported by EU and aims to demonstrate new sustainable technologies for global shipping. The vessel sails around the world and the fuel cell runs on methanol.

 
Market break-through

– The whole energy sector will change in the future, says Mr Richter with confidence, it is all very exciting to be a part of! I believe that fuels cells will make a break-through in the market in 20 years, but we will see a real change already in 10 years. Fuel cells will compete with the conventional technologies such as engines. And I believe our company will have moved from demonstration to commercial business already within 5 years.

90% lower production costs

Fuel cells have been criticized for the high production costs. Today a fuel cell power system of 1 kW costs 100.000 euros, including the fuel cell stack, the heat exchanger, the fuel system and the power production system. Topsoe Fuel Cell only produces the fuel cell stack; the rest is produced by external partners. But who can afford a 100.000 euro power system?

– The commercialised product will cost around 2.500 euros, explains Mr Richter. We have some challenges in front of us to reach that.

The spraying and tapecasting production units.

Topsoe Fuel Cell’s production method is supposed to lower the present production costs with 90%. The key to the lower costs lies in the type of fuel cell, the thickness of the cell layers and the production process. SOFC fuel cells do not need precious metals as catalysts, as in the case of for example PEM fuel cells. The high temperature of the SOFC makes the chemical process highly active by itself. Topsoe Fuel Cell’s SOFC cells are extremely thin and demands for 5-6 times less material than the competitors’ SOFC cells. Another reason for the lower production costs is that Topsoe Fuel Cell is using screen printing equipment that is already available in the market, used in other industries.

10 years lifetime

Apart from lowering the production costs the research is focussed on increasing the lifetime of the fuel cell stack. The present generation of stacks has a lifetime of 15.000 hours, next generation will last for 40.000 hours. The aim is 80.000 which equals 10 years. Mr Richter believes they will reach that goal in 2 years.

– The challenge is to keep the fuel cellsurface stable and clean, Richter explains. There can be traces of carbon formed in the gas which get stuck on the surface and makes it less active over time. Another issue is the corrosion of the interconnect, the metal layer creating the electrical contact between the cells. It is surrounded by corrosive gases and gets rusty just like a car.

R&D consortium with Risoe DTU

For the past 20 years Haldor Topsoe and Topsoe Fuel Cell have carried out research and development in close collaboration with the Risoe Technical University of Denmark. 50 persons at Risoe DTU are working full time on the next generations of SOFC fuel cells. Currently the research and development focuses on developing improved electrodes, testing new materials for the anodes, cathodes and electrolytes as well as for the interconnect materials, coatings and seals. 

Electrolysis – reversing the SOFC, storing energy

Storage of electrical energy is a generic challenge. Three years ago Topsoe Fuel Cell started research on using the fuel cells to create hydrogen from surplus electrical energy. Hydrogen can be stored under pressure and when needed re-converted to electricity using SOFC technology. The hydrogen is produced by reversing the function of the fuel cell in a so called electrolysis process. Instead of generating electricity from fuel with the by-products water and heat, the unit can be fed electricity, heat and steam to produce the hydrogen. This electrolysis is still in mere research phase and expected to move into commercialization soon after the break through of fuel cells.

The next Danish energy adventure 

– Fuel cell technology is our next Danish energy adventure, concludes Mr Richter. We are already world-famous for our wind power. Now we are the country in the world investing the most money per capita in the research on fuel cells and hydrogen.