Platinum mining major Anglo American Platinum’s (Amplats’) platinum-based fuel cell, 12-month mini-grid trial in the Naledi Trust community, in the Moqhaka municipality of the Free State, has successfully supplied low-cost electricity to the 34 participating households.

Amplats precious metals market development head Kleantha Pillay notes that the 15 kW system has made about 99% of its capacity available to the community since the inception of the project in July last year.

The system comprises three 5 kW fuel cells, which are manu- factured by Canada-based Ballard Power Systems and integrated into a power generation system that includes batteries, direct- to alternating-current inverters, controls and a methanol fuel supply tank.

Each fuel cell also has its own methanol reformer and about 6 g of platinum, which acts as a catalyst to generate electricity from the methanol fuel source.

Pillay states that, with the aid of batteries, the solution can generate up to 70 kW.

The fuel cell mini grid is a complete off-grid and automatic solution, the first of its kind in the world, Amplats says.

The technology employs a tele- metric data-logging and warehousing solution, which allows for near-real-time remote monitoring of system operations from three continents.

The telemetric system can also be programmed to schedule maintenance, detect faults and schedule fuel supply delivery.

Amplats states that the fuel cell mini grid provides the households forming part of the pilot project with sufficient electricity for lighting, cooking, refrigeration and charging laptops and cellphones, as well as using radios and television sets.

Pillay notes that fuel cell mini- grid systems offer several benefits to communities who have low- to medium-density energy requirements, with the systems specifically suited to communities comprising 50 to 200 households that are between 8 km and 22 km from existing power infrastructure.

“Despite government’s aggressive plans for expanding power capacity and extending transmission lines in South Africa, there are still about 1.3-million rural households without access to electricity.

“Extending an existing grid comes at significant costs, particularly in difficult terrain. Add to this the power capacity issues that the country is facing and it is clear that both grid and nongrid technologies will have to play a part in rural electrification,” she elaborates.

Platinum-based fuel cell mini grids have a more attractive levelised cost of electricity, compared with diesel-fuelled power generation, as the cost of diesel is about twice as much as the HydroPlus methanol fuel used at the Naledi Trust project.

Diesel generators also have a relatively short life, compared with an equivalent fuel cell system, as diesel generators require more frequent replacement. In addition, fuel cells are significantly cleaner and environment friendly.

Pillay points out that platinum-based fuel cell technology offers Amplats a means of developing a new market for the precious metal, which will help improve demand for platinum-group metals (PGMs).

“Ensuring that PGM producers have sustainable markets for the metals is key to ensuring a sustainable PGM mining industry. Developing markets helps ensure the future of PGM mining operations and secures tens of thousands of direct mining jobs that the industry supports.”

Amplats and its partner, Ballard, have invested $20-million in the development of mini-grid fuel cell technology.

Pillay highlights that the success of the Naledi Trust trial will go a long way towards helping government realise its objectives, particularly regarding beneficiation, local manufacturing and job creation.

“The window of opportunity to establish South Africa as a fuel cell manufacturing hub is open now,” she avers, pointing out that the fuel cell system operating in the Naledi Trust was designed and integrated by South African engineers, while the site work and the installation of the system were contracted out to local suppliers.

Further, the mini grid and reticulation work was also carried out in South Africa and the methanol tanks were locally sourced. Local companies will handle operations, maintenance and refuelling for the duration of the trial.

Pillay suggests that public procurement or government commitment to the use of fuel cell systems, as an alternative to electricity supplied from the national grid, is key to the successful deployment of the technology and the creation of a local fuel cell industry.

“The most important step now is for the country to develop a procurement strategy for fuel cell mini grids and to recognise how implementation can lead to the establishment of the desired outcomes,” she concludes.