TERI’s Experience in Fuel Cells Technology

1. TERI’s Experience in Fuel Cells Technology Dr Y P Abbi, Senior Fellow Mr Shirish Garud, Fellow TERI, New Delhi Presentation at National Seminar on “Creating Infrastructure for Adoption of Fuel Cell Technology in India”, by National Thermal Power Corporation April 15, 2004 at NTPC/EOC, NOIDA

2. TERI’s Mission To develop and promote technologies, policies, and institutions for efficient and sustainable use of natural resources

3. TERI’s structure • Six divisions and an educational trust, each headed by a director • Regulatory Studies and Governance • Policy Analysis • Energy–Environment Technology • Bioresources and Biotechnology • Information Technology and Services • Administrative Services • TERI School of Advanced Studies,an educational trust

4. Division of Energy–Environment Technology Promoting technological solutions to meet the challenge of ensuring adequate supplies of energy through conservation, innovation, and management Areas • Biomass Energy Technology Applications • Centre for Research on Environmentally Sound Technology Applications • Industrial Energy • Renewable Energy Technology Applications • Resource Efficient Process Technology Applications

5. Hydrogen Energy Activities Focus Fuel cells & hydrogen as alternate energy source • Core activities • Information dissemination • Market identification & feasibility studies • Field demonstrations/ adaptation of FCT in the Indian context • Policy matters related to penetration of hydrogen & FC technology • R & D in the areas of molten carbonate fuel cell technology

6. Development/demonstration activities • Onsite integrated energy system: fuel cell coupling with biogas (Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources) 1987-92 • Improved gas diffusion electrodes for phosphoric acid fuel cell (Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources) 1990-95 • components & stack for molten carbonate fuel cell (Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources) 1994-2002

7. Onsite integrated energy system: fuel cell coupling with biogas Biogas Source  Okhla Sewage Treatment Plant, New Delhi Biogas fuel processor  Designed and fabricated by TERI Fuel processor stages  Desulfurizer, Steam reformer, Shift converters (HT & LT), Boiler & heat exchangers Fuel cell stack  2.5 kW PAFC stack (ERC, USA)

8. Onsite integrated energy system: fuel cell coupling with bio-gas Hydrogen Biogas 2.5 kW PAFC stack ( ERC, USA) Fuel processor (TERI)

9. Biogas - PAFC Demonstration (TERI) • Fuel cells (except AFC) can accept reformed gas as a fuel • CH4 can be ‘steam reformed’ to produce hydrogen • Biogas (digester gas) contains CH4 (50-60%) • Produced by biomethanation (anaerobic digestion) of cattle waste, sewage, etc. • Potential for use as small-scale, decentralized power sources in rural areas

10. MCFC component development at TERI Achievements • Single cells of 38, 64, 100,512, 1000 cm2 • Current density achieved 80-100 mA/cm2 • Gas flow and control systems, inverters etc. • Inhouse fabrication of components Matrix Electrode End plate Cell sandwich

11. Facilities for fuel cell research • Fuel cell testing laboratory • Pore sizer • Surface area analyzer • Tape casting machine • Potentioscan • Gas Chromatograph • Equipments for fabricating fuel cell components • Mini- workshop

12. Other projects • Potential market survey for PC25C fuel cell power plants in India (Toshiba Corporation, Japan) 1995 • Assessment of hydrogen fuel supply options for operating commercial fleet of fuel cell buses in New Delhi (UNDP - GEF, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) 2000 • Market assessment for fuel cells : stationary and transport applications (DG-TREN, European Commission) 2001 • Report on “Hydrogen Energy- Safety, Standards, Security, & Policy” for the Planning Commission, Govt. of India 2003

13. Outreach activities • Industrial meet on fuel cell technology 1994 • Interactive workshop for stakeholders in the fuel cell commercialization 2001 • Short term project on fuel cell research for school/ university students • Relevant discussion papers

14. TERI prepared report of sub-group IV on “Hydrogen Energy- Safety, Standards, Security, & Policy” in October 2003 for the Planning Commission, Govt. of India. • Report Covered: • Experience of Indian Industry in handling hydrogen • Hydrogen codes and standards- the need for safety in the hydrogen energy chain covering Production, Delivery, Storage, Conversion, & Applications • International work- ISO/TC 197 (for hydrogen technologies), and IEC/TC 105 (for Fuel Cells) • Building codes and standards for Indian Hydrogen energy road map • Proposal work for Indian organisations for hydrogen standards and codes (...more on next slide)

15. (continued from last slide) • Hydrogen energy policy of India • National energy security and hydrogen • R, D & D projects in different areas • Involvement of difference stakeholders in India • International cooperation • Regulatory functions • National plan development

16. Experience of Indian industries in handling hydrogen

17. Fuel cell applications in India: issues and concerns • High capital cost of the fuel cell technology • No hydrogen fuel infrastructure facility • Appropriate fuel reformation technology for hydrocarbon fuels • Integration as per local needs • Sufficient operational data under Indian conditions • Safety issue pertaining to usage of hydrogen/gas as fuel

18. Potential near term fuel cell applications in India

19. Demonstration of fuel cells for decentralized power generation in hotels • High end customer • FCPP electricity cheaper than grid • Natural gas connection available • Projecting attractive payback period • Financing option & risk sharing Piped natural gas 200 kW FCPP CHP Generation Hotels Performance monitoring

20. Demonstration of fuel cells for rural electrification Solar PV Fuel cell power plant ( 5 - 50 kW) Electrolyser Wind Integration issues Hydrogen Biomass Gasifier Rural electrification & pumping Gas cleaning/reforming Bio - digestor

21. Demonstration of fuel cells for residential applications Pipe NG 0.5 - 10 kW PEMFC Bottled LPG Residential power/ backup power • Frequent power cuts in urban areas • Pipe NG in select cities for residential users • Distribution infrastructure for LPG • Pollution from existing back-up units • Economic competition from existing back-up units Integration & performance evaluation

22. TERI’s areas of interest • Development of ‘National Policy on Hydrogen’ • Development of national plan for production of hydrogen from renewables (Biomass, PV, Wind, etc.) • Demonstrations projects on Hydrogen from Renewable. • Market potential forecast for ‘Fuel cell applications’ for transport, industry, & distributed generation. • Demonstration of Fuel Cell system (with part funding from Govt. of India and part from other countries). • Development & testing of integrated biomass gasifier- fuel cell system.