US: New fuel cell achieves 60% electrical efficiency with 100% hydrogen

US-based Bloom Energy has achieved a major milestone in fuel cell technology.

The green energy company announced that its Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) platform can now generate electricity with an incredible 60% efficiency when using 100% hydrogen. This fuel cell power solution is known as Bloom Energy Server.

The company states that the fuel cells can run on natural gas, hydrogen, or a combination of the two, making them extremely adaptable and future-proof. Moreover, these new fuel cells produce negligible air pollutants like nitrogen oxides —  unlike traditional engines or turbines.

“With our world-leading efficiency electrolyzer and the Bloom Energy fuel cell technology capable of running on natural gas and hydrogen blends, this achievement builds on our leadership position in the hydrogen industry,” said Ravi Prasher, chief technology officer for Bloom Energy.

Bloom Energy researchers successfully attained this new electrical efficiency benchmark at the company’s research and development facility in Fremont, California.

Cost-effective hydrogen

A few years back, the company first announced this project. They collaborated with Caltech to develop technology to fuel the hydrogen economy through gas mixing.

As compared to batteries, which have limited energy storage, fuel cells continuously generate electricity as long as there is a fuel supply.

The hydrogen burns cleanly, but it is currently more expensive to generate than conventional fuels such as natural gas. To make hydrogen a viable and cost-competitive energy source, it is critical to enhance the efficiency of its conversion into electricity.

This new cell’s high efficiency helps to balance the greater cost of hydrogen, making it a more economically viable choice.

Unlike conventional power sources that rely on combustion, SOFCs offer a direct electrochemical process for generating electricity. This results in higher efficiency and reduced emissions.

Through this tech, the company provides a clean and effective solution for industries such as data centers and manufacturing that require large quantities of power. By generating power on-site, these sectors may lessen their dependency on the grid, reducing congestion and carbon emissions.

Generating heat

But that’s not all. Bloom’s SOFC technology is also highly efficient in generating heat. The fuel cell tech has the feature of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) that enables customers to utilize high-temperature heat.

This means businesses can harness the waste heat to power heating systems for buildings, industrial processes, or even cooling systems. As per the press release, most of the other fuel cell technologies offer only low-temperature heat.

“When fully utilized, this allows for a combined 90% efficiency, creating an additional value stream for the customer and accelerating the adoption of hydrogen,” the press release noted.

Bloom’s breakthrough in efficiency is a crucial step in making hydrogen a practical and affordable energy source. Moreover, blending hydrogen with natural gas offers an immediate emissions reduction and a flexible pathway to a full hydrogen economy.

This could pave the way for a hydrogen economy that’s both clean and economically viable. It can also provide localized power generation for communities, enhancing grid resiliency.