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 The electricity market has been characterized by large-scale power production and distribution through a centralized grid. However, market and regulatory forces have recently created demand for the generation of power at, or near, the point of use (referred to as "distributed generation"). As a result, a number of high efficiency technologies - including fuel cells - have emerged to offer alternatives that better suit distributed generation.
Fuel cells provide for low emissions, greater efficiency, high quality power and low noise. Molten carbonate fuel cell ("MCFC") technologies are the best suited to large, continuous "base-load" applications, due to their higher efficiency and higher capacity when compared to other types of fuel cell systems. Potential markets for these fuel cell power plants include power generation for hospitals, hotels, universities, and commercial and manufacturing facilities.
QuestAir Technology
QuestAir is collaborating with FuelCell Energy, a leading developer of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell systems, to develop a 'hydrogen export' system for producing purified hydrogen from the exhaust of an MCFC power plant. QuestAir intends to market this product as an optional addition to a conventional MCFC system to customers who wish to produce by-product hydrogen as well as electrical power from the fuel cell. An example would be a so-called hydrogen energy station, where the fuel cell is used to produce both electrical power and hydrogen fuel for fuel cell vehicles, or a circumstance where local demand exists for both electrical power and pure hydrogen gas, such as in an industrial manufacturing facility or a warehouse.
QuestAir is also working on the development of a system to recover and recycle hydrogen internally within an MCFC system, increasing the electrical efficiency, and reducing the operating costs, of a Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell power plant. This system is expected to have the greatest economic benefit to MCFC customers such as electric utilities that are primarily focused on efficient power generation and minimizing the production of waste heat.
QuestAir C-7100 |
