Ontario's first fuel cell to produce ultraclean energy

Satcon Technology Corp. has collaborated with FuelCell Energy Inc. and Enbridge Inc. in the development of a new, multimegawatt hybrid fuel-cell energy system for natural gas pipeline operations in Ontario, Canada.

Direct Fuel Cell-Energy Recovery Generation (DFC-ERG) system, the new product, seeks to generate ultraclean electricity, while recovering energy usually lost during natural gas pipeline production. The system integrates a 1.2mW DFC power plant from FuelCell Energy with a 1mW unfired gas expansion turbine.

The company's 1.2mW fuel cell power conditioning system serves as the link between the fuel cell and utility grid. Working at natural gas pipeline let-down stations, the system can produce 2.2mW of electricity, or sufficient power for about 1,700 residences. The system is believed to be the first multimegawatt commercial fuel cell in Ontario.

-Gina Roos
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