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Fuel cells used at Eastern Cape schools

21st August 2015

  

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Hydrogen fuel cell technology has been used successfully to provide standby power at three schools in Cofimvaba, in the Eastern Cape, since September 2014, mining major Anglo American announced in June.

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that use hydrogen as a fuel that is converted into electricity. Fuel cells emit only water, making them an extremely green technology.

Fuel cell technology has matured over the last few years and is now found in a diverse range of applications, including as backup power to local telecommunication towers and in powering space shuttles.

The power generated by the fuel cells is used to support basic energy requirements at the Arthur Mfebe Senior Secondary School, St Marks Junior Secondary School and Mvuzo Junior Secondary School, such as powering charging stations for tablets, fax machines and computers.

This use of hydrogen fuel cell technology is part of a pilot project led by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) sponsored three platinum-based fuel cell systems, including installation and ongoing maintenance and operations. Industrial and speciality gas products manufacturer, supplier and distributor Air Products is supplying the hydrogen fuel requirements, while National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Research Clean Energy Investments – co-owned by the DST and Amplats – commissioned the fuel cells to bring standby power to the schools.

Air Products also conducted feasibility assessments and erected hydrogen storage facilities according to international standards to supply the fuel cells at the three schools.

Speaking at the launch of the pilot project, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor noted that the Cofimvaba initiative demonstrated that collaboration between the public and private sectors was essential in improving living conditions in society.

“Success stories from other countries, such as Japan, indicate that active public–private partnerships are critical in supporting the uptake of emerging technologies. The knowledge and experience gained from the Cofimvaba pilot project and others taking place throughout the country will not only promote awareness of the technology, but will assist in creating a market for technologies that are being developed through the Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) programme,” said Pandor.

University of Cape Town-based HySA focuses on the development of high-value hydrogen fuel cell technology products that promote the beneficiation of the platinum-group metals (PGMs) and has three centres of competence focusing on catalysis, infrastructure and systems integration.

Amplats, together with the Young Engineers and Scientists of Africa group and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, has developed an educational programme that has been rolled out to schools in the area, teaching learners about the science of fuel cells. To date, 3 500 learners from grade R to grade 12 at 26 schools in the region have benefited from this programme.

Electric Vehicle Application
Meanwhile, Anglo American states that the most promising application for fuel cells is, however, fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

“FCEVs would allow us to build our future in a truly sustainable way through zero tailpipe emissions and the use of an endless fuel source, hydrogen,” the miner says.

Both Toyota and Hyundai have already launched FCEVs that are currently commercially available in numerous countries including the US, Japan, Germany, South Korea and the UK.

The countries where FCEVs are available have, over many years, put in the early infrastructure required and worked hard at changing the needed permits and regulations to allow FCEVs to be on the road just like any conventional car.

For example, California is targeting 100 hydro- gen-refueling stations to be operational by 2017 while Japan is aiming to have 1 000 stations in place by 2025. However, to make FCEVs a global success, continued support is needed from governments and the private sector to roll out the infrastructure required, states Amplats.

In South Africa, fuel cells are being used, and demonstrated, through fuel cell mini-grid technology. This is a competitive alternative to extending grid transmission lines for rural communities far away from an existing grid – particularly applicable for low to medium density and medium-sized communities.

In addition, costs are competitive compared with photovoltaic solar and diesel mini-grid solutions for communities of the same size. This technology provides lighting, as well as sufficient power for refrigeration and cooking.

Moreover, the fuel cell mini-grid technology provides an opportunity to electrify rural communities at a faster pace than through extending the grid and is already being used for residential application in countries such as Japan.

The use of fuel cell’s as a power source is being taken to another step forward through the testing of fuel cell powertrains on an underground locomotive and ultralow profile dozer used for mining. Despite the programme still being in development phase, with final results as yet not available, this highlights the ways in which fuel cell technology can be used even further in ‘greening’ the mining process.

Amplats states that PGMs play a significant role in ‘greening’ the world in which we live, including in fuel cells and catalytic converters in automobiles.

In addition to these two major contributors to a greener environment, PGMs are used in a multitude of industrial and other applications. For example, palladium is used to extend the shelf life of food and is proving to be a very promising catalyst in purifying groundwater contaminated by certain toxic substances that have previously been difficult to remove. Other uses of platinum and rhodium are manufacturing glass fibre and wind turbines, while it is also used extensively for insulation.

“Platinum and its group metals are a key com- ponent to our future,” concludes Amplats.

Edited by Leandi Kolver
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

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