Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Technology Report 2023 - 21

FEATURE ARTICLE
consume a great amount of fuel. Fuel cells, on the other hand
require significantly less fuel, although the energy density of diesel
is higher.
In addition, diesel gensets and methanol fuel cells also differ
significantly in terms of emissions: Approximately 2.6 kilograms of
carbon dioxide are emitted per liter of diesel consumed. Fossilgenerated
methanol releases about 60 percent - with green
methanol, operation is climate-neutral. By design, fuel cells do not
emit any pollutants such as particulate matter or nitrogen oxides.
At the same time, methanol is particularly suitable as a fuel in
off-grid plants - although the liquid alcohol is still mainly produced
from fossil sources, the switch to renewable methanol has already
begun. Compared to hydrogen, for example, methanol is very
easy to transport in small tanks or canisters. As a result, it can
be stored easily and is readily available for purchase in chemical
stores.
All these advantages show: While diesel gensets are still the norm
in disaster relief and for supplying critical infrastructures, more
and more users are opting for eco-friendly alternatives. So that
critical infrastructures remain protected in the future and the vital
energy supply is quickly available in the event of a disaster.
The disaster communication network of the state of Tyrol
A prime example of a fuel cell application in extreme environmental
conditions in this blog by Siqens, which is available on its
website: The disaster communication network of the state of Tyrol.
For the mostly alpine
locations, a combination
of photovoltaics
and battery is ideal for
self-sufficient power
generation. The fully
charged battery ensures
operation for at least 48
hours. However, for a
weather-independent
and year-round power
supply of critical sites,
additional measures are
necessary.
For this reason, the SIQENS Ecoport 800 is used at the redirection
point on the Messelingkogel - at an altitude of just under 2,700
meters. The energy from the fuel cell is fully sufficient to operate
the connected directional antennas, as well as a small electric
heater which is used to de-ice the antennas in winter. The connected
tank with 200 liters of methanol provides sufficient energy
to operate the site self-sufficiently for several months.
About SIQENS
State of Tyrol: Securing the power supply of critical networks
During natural disasters, rapid response and coordination
between emergency responders and government agencies are
critical. But how do you establish this connection when the power,
and thus the public telecommunications network fails?
In the State of Tyrol, a radio relay network ensures the connection
of the various municipal districts and the transmission of
alerts in the event of disaster: This ensures that communication
can continue between valleys cut-off by avalanches - an essential
component of coordinating help. The disaster microwave network
serves as the backbone of the digital radio warning and alerting
system network in Tyrol.
During planning of the network, special attention was paid to
reliability, fail-safety and redundancy: There are currently 128
lines in operation, which enable resilient data transmission over a
distance of up to 50 km. The use of underground lines was deliberately
avoided to prevent any damage caused by landslides.
SIQENS, founded 2012 in Munich, is a leading provider of
methanol fuel cells and technology for electrochemical hydrogen
separation (EHS). The Company's methanol fuel cell product line
(Ecoport) supplies clean energy in remote areas or backup power
to critical applications.
Built on its patented high-temperature polymer electrolyte
membrane (HT-PEM) technology portfolio for power generation,
SIQENS offers solutions to separate and purify hydrogen at the
point of use from several feed gases - as from hydrogen-blends in
natural gas pipelines or reformate gases from methanol or biogas.
The SIQENS technology portfolio addresses the challenge of lastmile
hydrogen distribution: Driving the decarbonization of power
generation, transportation, and industry by reducing the cost of
hydrogen delivery.
For more information, see www.siqens.de
2023 * Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Technology Report 21
http://www.siqens.de
Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Technology Report 2023

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