Sustainable Energy Tests Power-Management Module
Sustainable Energy (Alberta, Canada) has successfully field-tested its power-management module for residential stationary fuel cell systems. The power-management module was designed to meet a need in the fuel cell industry for a power-conditioning system that would integrate variable voltage outputs of fuel cells with a transient power source, such as batteries or flywheels, to meet instantaneous changes in demand.
"The ability of fuel cell systems to adjust power output to meet instantaneous changes in electricity demand, often referred to as load-following, has been a significant challenge for stationary fuel cell developers," commented Dr. Matt Donnelly, CTO of Sustainable Energy. "By combining a bi-directional converter with our proprietary inverter technology, our power-management module meets this challenge, as well as providing a full range of power-management and power-conditioning functions in a very compact, integrated unit. We believe that our innovative approach to power management and conditioning will substantially enhance total system efficiencies and reduce the overall cost of stationary fuel cells."
Donnelly continued, "The successful demonstration of the power-management module also provides the needed validation of the value of our approach to the fuel cell industry that is anxious to demonstrate its technologies in the field. Off-the-shelf solutions to power conditioning are proving to be difficult to integrate. Many developers now recognize that a comprehensive approach is necessary to meet industry cost and efficiency targets. Our platform provides that capability."
