Energy storage: the advantages of the fuel cell and hydrogen solution

11Jan
2012
Dinner debate in Brussels

Speakers: 
Dr. Oliver Weinmann, Head of Innovation Management, Vattenfall Europe AG (FuelCellEurope Member – Introduction)
Filip Smeets, OnSite Generation General Manager, Hydrogenics (FuelCellEurope Member)

The future energy system will see a large increase of the share of intermittent or variable electricity production, mainly through wind and solar. Among other things, renewable electricity storage will become a key issue to address potential grid stability problems and to bridge the gap between production and consumption times. Renewable electricity storage is expected to have substantial economic value.

The renewable energy production exceeding demand can be converted into hydrogen and stored. This green hydrogen can then be used to supply fuel cells in industry, transport and residential applications. Alternatively, the green hydrogen can be supplied to current hydrogen application areas or mixed into the natural gas supply. Using hydrogen to produce electricity for further grid distribution is possible but not always a favorable option.

Dr. Weinmann, Head of Innovation Management at Vattenfall, will present the view of one of Europe’s leading energy producers on the needs and benefits of storage and the role for hydrogen in this context.

Filip Smeets, General Manager of Hydrogenics Belgium OnSite Generation, will complement the presentation by sharing the company’s 60-year expertise in decentralized hydrogen production and storage systems.

The debate following this introduction will allow participants to discuss the current developments in the fields of clean energy solutions and gain insights on demonstration and commercial applications areas.