(Friedrichshafen) - The engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has completed testing of a fuel cell system at its location in Friedrichshafen that can provide an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in the event of a blackout. The 250-kilowatt system from the MTU subsidiary was tested for a year and “absolutely met expectations,” says Philippe Gorse from the Power Systems division.
The construction of test benches for hydrogen use in Friedrichshafen is being funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy with 4,25 million euros. Photo: Handover of the funding decision with Baden-Württemberg's Energy Minister Thekla Walker, "H2 Infrastructure" project manager Norbert Markert and Daniel Chatterjee, Director Sustainability, Technology Strategy & Regulatory Affairs at Rolls-Royce Power Systems (from left to right). © Rolls-Royce plc
The focus of the investigation was “the interaction of fuel cells, batteries and the power grid” in order to demonstrate the capability of a UPS for data centers. “During the blackout simulation, the system immediately and consistently provided the required performance,” says Gorse. It is black-start capable, meaning it can go into operation without being connected to a power grid, and also covers any grid-parallel demand for peak load current for a certain period of time.
Fuel cell system for the port of Duisport
As part of the “Enerport II” project, Duisburg will put a new terminal with a hydrogen-based supply network into operation in the course of 2024. In the future, most of the electrical and thermal energy required in the port will be generated directly on site using two MTU fuel cell systems and two combined heat and power plants with MTU hydrogen engines. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.
As reported, Duisburger Hafen AG (Duisport) is converting the former “coal island”, once a transshipment point for bulk goods, into a climate-neutral terminal using hydrogen. Duisport is building it there together with Cosco Shipping Logistics, Hupac SA and the HTS Group “trimodal Duisburg Gateway Terminal” (DGT). An intelligent local energy network couples and controls renewable energies such as photovoltaic and hydrogen-based combined heat and power systems with electrical thermal energy storage as well as hydrogen storage and consumers such as shore power, charging stations and crane systems. In the future, hydrogen-powered shunting locomotives will be used on the DGT. Completion was originally scheduled for 2023.
Rolls-Royce wants to produce green hydrogen
In addition, Rolls-Royce plans to produce green hydrogen itself in Friedrichshafen “within the next few years” in order to test its hydrogen engines and fuel cell systems on the test benches.
Rolls-Royce plans to produce green hydrogen at the headquarters of its Power Systems division in Friedrichshafen in the next few years in order to test hydrogen engines and fuel cell systems on test benches. The company also develops energy and propulsion systems that use hydrogen as fuel, either directly or in processed form as e-fuels. © Rolls-Royce plc
“Our new plants will cover a large part of the hydrogen value chain – from infrastructure through production and distribution to use,” says Norbert Markert, head of the “H2Infrastructure” project at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. In the long term, the company plans to gradually expand its green hydrogen generation capacity to ten megawatts. “H2Infrastructure” is supported by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy Sector with 4,25 million euros.
Photos
Rolls-Royce has completed testing of an MTU fuel cell system that can provide uninterrupted power in the event of a power outage, but can also cover peak loads, for example for data centers. © Rolls-Royce plc
