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The agreements reached in Copenhagen will signify a complete change in the way that energy is produced and consumed around the world. New energy technologies are ready to be deployed which will cut global warming gases and at the same time ensure future energy security and help developing countries to achieve sustainable economic growth. This will entail the diversion of substantial investment to clean, efficient and renewable technologies. Action will also be needed to ensure that the public is provided with comprehensive information about the potential of innovative technologies such as fuel cells.
Efficient energy generation
Fuel cells could contribute to reducing global warming gases in all energy sectors and they are already competitive if life cycle costs are taken into account rather than short term payback. As energy prices increase, there will be even higher returns on investment. Fuel cells have higher availability and higher electrical efficiency than any other distributed generation option.
Fuel cells can be powered by a variety of fuels including natural gas/methane (CH4) LPG (C3H8) and ammonia (NH4), which all contain hydrogen. The International Energy Agency points out that methane is a powerful global warming gas but remains in the atmosphere for a short time, so cutting emissions would be a quick way to reduce the global warming impact of human activities. Fuel cells powered by methane from municipal and agricultural wastes are already providing electricity, heat and cooling around the world. Fuel cells can also be powered by hydrogen produced by electrolysis with electricity obtained from wind and solar power. This enables the storage of intermittent energy and will help to balance electricity loads as energy is increasingly obtained from renewable sources.
In the coming decades heat production in cities will be based on co-generation and fuel cells are the only environmentally sound option for CHP in low emission zones. The public will welcome such a clean and quiet energy source near their home!
Coal is a major contributor to global warming gases and efforts are underway to separate the carbon dioxide and store it. However, in conventional coal power stations this process will utilise additional energy, whereas fuel cells already separate carbon dioxide streams and their use in future power stations could nearly double the efficiency of this process.
Fuel cell manufacturers are also ensuring that materials are utilised efficiently in their manufacturing processes. The aim is to ensure maximum lifetime for their products, with local facilities to update them and eventually to achieve 100% recyclability.
Comprehensive information and deployment programmes
Several scientific organisations in the UK have called for more backing for the scientists and engineers bringing to market the energy technologies of the future. The Rector of Imperial College of Science and Technology said recently that if there were a publicly directed venture capital fund, one could very quickly generate a lot of small high technology companies. The Copenhagen Consensus Centre believes that Government support is directed at making incremental improvements to existing energy technologies rather than to bringing new technologies to market. At the recent Eleventh Grove Fuel Cell Symposium in London, it was proposed that a European Trust Fund for Future Generations should be set up.
Fuel Cell Power
December 2009 |