中國儲能網訊：燃料電池微電網正在興起，這是兩個技術（燃料電池和微電網）的天然屬性和相輔相成的結果，這兩個技術互為彼此，唇齒相依。他們共同滿足當今能源發(fā)展的需求，這些能源具有成本競爭力，高度可靠，清潔，安靜，包容，模塊化，可擴展和社區(qū)友好。
燃料電池微電網
特別報告：“燃料電池微電網：降低成本，提高可靠性，更清潔能源的途徑”
在未來的某一天，兩種技術都會在合適的時機和適合的地點生根開花結果 ，因為北美電網越來越分散。美國過去幾十年來一直以微電網的思維來發(fā)展和調整美國全國電網。但微電網曾經主要在大學校園里。然后在2012年，“超級巨風”珊蒂，徹底改變了和顛覆了美國對國家傳統(tǒng)集中式電網的認識，集中電網的脆弱性和分布式能源的價值。
今天，廣泛的企業(yè)，機構和社區(qū)正在安裝微電網。根據燃料電池和氫能協(xié)會（FCHEA）的統(tǒng)計，燃料電池遵循了類似的軌跡，現在已經有40多個州在運行燃料電池發(fā)電。
Navigant Research預測，未來幾年燃料電池和微電網的需求將大幅增長。在全球范圍內，燃料電池裝置預計將增長10倍以上，從2016年安裝的262兆瓦到9年后的3,000兆瓦。根據研究公司的統(tǒng)計，2025年這一新的固定燃料電池市場將達到162億美元。
Navigant公布了其關于固定燃料電池的第三季度報告，說：“技術突破正在讓持續(xù)的成本下降，產品改進和商業(yè)模式創(chuàng)新，使得燃料電池在不斷增長的市場范圍內成為可行。與此同時，在Navigant另一個預測中微電網也正在增長，從2015年的1.4GW到2024年的7.6GW。此時，全球微電網市場年收入將達到200億美元。
燃料電池微電網的神經和大腦
這兩個日益流行的能源的結合使得電網的神經和大腦結合在一起。燃料電池提供可靠的一代;微電網提供先進的智能。
這種配對對于創(chuàng)造經濟可靠的能源至關重要。這就是為什么：微電網可能有幾個發(fā)電源，其中一些是間歇性或短壽命的，如太陽能或儲能。另一方面，燃料電池可以每天24小時，每周七天，每年365天不間斷運行（只要有燃料供應 - 通常是清潔的天然氣）。當其太陽能，電池或其他資源不可用時，微電網總能依靠燃料電池來提供連續(xù)的電力。
因此，燃料電池充當微電網可配置其各種能源資源 - 包括來自中心電網的電力的依靠的一種備份。
什么是燃料電池？燃料電池將化學能從含氫豐富的燃料轉化為電力，并且在幾乎不含污染物的電化學過程中，同時產生可用的高質量的熱能。類似于電池，燃料電池是由許多單個電池形成電堆。當諸如天然氣，沼氣甲醇乙醇等的富氫燃料進入燃料電池堆時，它與氧電化學反應產生電流，熱和水。典型的電池需要固定的電力充電補充能量供應，但燃料電池只要有燃料供應就連續(xù)發(fā)電。
由于燃料電池骨干備份的完美無缺，先進的微電網在多任務控制中，只要找出在任何給定的時刻使用哪些資源。它根據微電網控制器設定的目標做出這些決定。目標可能是成本效益，可靠性，環(huán)境績效或運營商優(yōu)先級的某一個參數。
微電網和燃料電池通常采用熱電聯(lián)產（CHP）來提高效率。該技術可以捕捉發(fā)電中產生的熱量，在傳統(tǒng)的集中式發(fā)電廠產生的熱量都浪費了。然后在分布式微電網中，利用這部分熱量成為可能，用熱量給建筑物供暖和制冷（帶吸收式制冷機），或創(chuàng)造有價值的蒸汽或熱水。
燃料電池也是：
?模塊化和可擴展。隨著時間的推移，微電網客戶的能源需求也在增長。
?易于安裝和環(huán)境友好，燃料電池可以安裝在內部或外部。他們是社區(qū)友好的，因為相比于太陽能或風力發(fā)電場可能只需要很少的空間，不要使用大量的土地。
?由于其清潔的排放情況，通常免受監(jiān)管繁瑣的復制和檢查。事實上，在許多國家，燃料電池不需要空氣許可證的。
?安靜，因為它們幾乎沒有移動部件。
誰是燃料電池微電網的受益者？一點兒也不奇怪，燃料電池和微電網有類似和相同的客戶群，你會發(fā)現通常彼此的客戶都歡迎對方的產品。這些包括尋求高度可靠的電力的人，如數據中心，研究設施，醫(yī)院，制造商，制藥公司和公共安全。公用事業(yè)公司還使用燃料電池和微電網作為s電網電力替代方案，以幫助加強其電網領域，代替和升級更昂貴的基礎設施
FCHEA總裁Morry Markowitz說：“燃料電池是微電網的可行和有效的技術，特別是在公用電網處于危險狀態(tài)的地區(qū)（州）。 “今天燃料電池可以確保持續(xù)發(fā)揮基礎服務的力量，如醫(yī)院，第一反應者，數據中心和其他關鍵設施，同時為他們所服務的社區(qū)提供經濟和環(huán)境效益?！?
燃料電池微電網市場興旺
雖然在美國的大部分地區(qū)都能找到燃料電池，但燃料電池基本上集中在三個州，加利福尼亞州，康涅狄格州和紐約州。有趣的是，這些州也是微電網的強勁的市場。
根據FCHEA，加州有超過480個燃料電池固定發(fā)電系統(tǒng)，總計超過210兆瓦的發(fā)電量。加州也是早期的微電網的倡導者，加利福尼亞州是幾個公用事業(yè)，軍事和商業(yè)微電網的所在地，隨著國家制定新的微電網戰(zhàn)略，它更有可能超前實現。
FCHEA報道，幾家燃料電池公司，其中包括FuelCell Energy，康涅狄格州至少有35兆瓦的燃料電池運行和20兆瓦的計劃安裝?？的腋裰菡陂_發(fā)的一個63.3兆瓦的燃料電池安裝將成為世界上最大的燃料電池系統(tǒng)?？的腋裰菔侨珖谝粋€開發(fā)補助計劃來推動微電網的州。
紐約有14兆瓦的燃料電池，更多的可能是隨著州展開其改革能源愿景，一項旨在創(chuàng)建更分散的電網的政策。為此，紐約正在向微電網撥款4000萬美元。
閱讀更多關于燃料電池微電網的興起，我們的報告“燃料電池微電網：降低成本，更高可靠性，更清潔能源的道路”，可免費下載，由FuelCell Energy提供。
The Rise of Fuel Cell Microgrids: Special Report
April 13, 2017 By Elisa Wood Leave a Comment
Fuel cell microgrids are on the rise, the result of a natural pairing of two technologies — fuel cells and microgrids — that serve a mutual mission. Together, they meet today’s demand for energy that is cost-competitive, highly reliable, clean, quiet, contained, modular, scalable and community-friendly.
Special Report: “Fuel Cell Microgrids: The Path to Lower Cost, Higher Reliability, Cleaner Energy“
Once futuristic, both technologies find themselves at the right time and place, as the North American grid becomes increasingly distributed. America flirted with the idea of microgrids for decades. But microgrids were largely confined to college campuses. Then in 2012 Superstorm Sandy jolted the nation into understanding the fragility of its centralized power grid and the value of distributed energy.
Today, a wide range of businesses, institutions and communities are installing microgrids. Fuel cells have followed a similar trajectory and now operate in more than 40 states, according to the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA).
Navigant Research forecasts strong, growing demand for both fuel cells and microgrids over the next several years. Worldwide, fuel cell installations are expected to increase more than 10-fold, from 262 MW installed in 2016 to over 3,000 MW nine years later. That should put the market for new stationary fuel cells at $16.2 billion in 2025, according to the research firm.
“Technology breakthroughs are giving way to persistent cost declines, product improvements, and business model innovations, making fuel cells viable in a growing range of markets,” said Navigant in releasing its 3rd quarter 2016 report on stationary fuel cells. At the same time, microgrids grow in a separate Navigant forecast from 1.4 GW in 2015 to 7.6 GW in 2024. At that point, the global microgrid market could reach $20 billion in annual revenue.
The brawn and the brain of fuel cell microgrids
The marriage of these two increasingly popular energy sources brings brawn and brain together. The fuel cell offers reliable generation; the microgrid offers advanced intelligence.
This pairing is crucial to create economic and reliable energy. Here’s why: A microgrid may have several sources of generation, some of them intermittent or short-lived, such as solar energy or energy storage. The fuel cell, on the other hand, can run continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year (as long it has a fuel supply—often clean, natural gas). When its solar, batteries or other resources are unavailable, the microgrid can always count on the fuel cell to supply continuous power.
Therefore, the fuel cell acts as a kind of back bone that the microgrid can rely on as it configures its various energy resources —including power from the central grid.
What is a fuel cell? Fuel cells convert chemical energy from hydrogen rich fuels into electrical power and usable high quality heat in an electrochemical process that is virtually absent of pollutants. Similar to a battery, a fuel cell has many individual cells that form a stack. When a hydrogen-rich fuel, such as clean natural gas or renewable biogas enters the fuel cell stack, it reacts electrochemically with oxygen to produce electric current, heat and water. While a typical battery has a fixed supply of energy, fuel cells continuously generate electricity as long as fuel is supplied. Source: FuelCell Energy
With this back bone intact, the advanced microgrid controller multi-tasks, figuring out which resources to use at any given moment. It makes these decisions based on the goals set by the microgrid controller. The goal may be cost-effectiveness, reliability, environmental performance or another parameter the operator prioritizes.
Microgrids and fuel cells often create further efficiencies by employing combined heat and power (CHP). This technology captures waste heat created in electric production. It then puts the heat to good use warming and cooling buildings (with absorption chillers), or creating valuable steam or hot water.
Fuel cells are also:
Modular and scalable. More can be added as the microgrid customer’s energy demand grows over time.
Easy to site. Fuel cells can be installed inside or outside. They are community-friendly because they require little space and do not use up large swaths of land, as solar or wind farms may.
Typically spared regulatory red tape and review due to their clean emissions profile. In fact, in many states no air permit is required for a fuel cell.
Quiet because they have few moving parts.
Who benefits from fuel cell microgrids? Not surprisingly, fuel cells and microgrids find themselves popular among similar kinds of customers. These include those who seek highly reliable power, such as data centers, research facilities, hospitals, manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and public safety. Utilities also use fuel cells and microgrids as non-wires alternatives to help bolster areas of their grid in lieu of more expensive infrastructure upgrades.
“Fuel cells are a viable and effective technology for microgrids, especially in states where the utility grid is at risk,” said Morry Markowitz, FCHEA president. “Today fuel cells ensure continuous power to essential services, such as hospitals, first responders, data centers, and other critical facilities, while providing economic and environmental benefits to the communities they serve.”
Strong markets for fuel cell microgrids
While fuel cells can be found through much of the U.S., three states lead the way—California, Connecticut and New York. Interestingly, these states are also strong markets for microgrids.
California has more than 480 fuel cell systems, totaling more than 210 MW of power generation, according to FCHEA. Also an early proponent of microgrids, California is home to several utility, military and commercial microgrids—with more likely to come as the state maps out a new microgrid strategy.
Home of several fuel cell companies, among them FuelCell Energy, Connecticut has at least 35 MW of fuel cells in operation and 20 MW planned, reports FCHEA. A 63.3-MW fuel cell installation, now under development in Connecticut, will be the world’s largest fuel cell when completed. The state was the first in the nation to develop a grant program to spur microgrids.
New York has 14 MW of fuel cells, and more are likely as the state unfolds its Reforming the Energy Vision, a policy designed to create a more distributed grid. To that end, New York is in the process of allotting $40 million in grants to microgrids.
Read more about the rise of fuel cell microgrids in our report, “Fuel Cell Microgrids: The Path to Lower Cost, Higher Reliability, Cleaner Energy,” downloadable at no cost, courtesy of FuelCell Energy.
