In my opinion all fuel cells are a greener energy source than any diesel generator. They are quieter and use earth friendly fuel. There are several types of fuel cells on the market and the most popular are the PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cells that use Hydrogen as a fuel.
On the market at present there is a fuel cell that is particularly earth friendly. It is the ElectraGen™ ME fuel cell produced by Ballard a Canadian based company. This fuel cell’s primary fuel is Hydroplus™.
Hydroplus™ is a mixture of 62% Methanol and 38% de-ionized water. The ElectraGen™ ME has a fuel cell component and a reformer component. The differentiation is the reformer that creates Hydrogen on the fly as the fuel cell needs it. Hydroplus™ as a liquid fuel has a huge advantage when it comes to transportation to a site versus using only a Hydrogen fuel cell that would require Hydrogen gas bottles to be transported to site. Hydroplus™ is environmentally friendly when there is an accidental spill it biodegrades rapidly in air, soil and water. Methanol the key component of Hydroplus™ is available in most countries as it is used in a other consumer products. Other big advantages of Hydroplus™ is that it can be stored for years with no effect on the quality of the fuel. Its major component Methanol comes in at a very competitive price compared to diesel.
Fuel cells are reliable, can run for extended hours and has low life cycle and operating costs. They are also ideal on sites that are exposed to severe weather, natural disasters and/or poor electric grid availability.
Diesel generators on the other hand are generally unreliable, maintenance intensive, noisy and diesel is hazardous to the environment when spilt. Diesel as a fuel is also in high demand by consumers which means theft in certain regions is a real problem, whereas Hydroplus is of no use to consumers.
If you would like to know more, contact me
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