An efficient, safe and economical energy supply is an increasing challenge for industrial and safety-critical applications in times of the energy transition and rising energy consumption. Ensuring an uninterruptible supply in both large and small applications and their loads is essential. Thus, a crisis-proof and thus self-sufficient power supply is also becoming increasingly important for authorities, for example, in order to be able to react appropriately to increasingly complex operational situations and factors such as networking, use of alternative/regenerative energies, reduction of the logistical supply effort and reduction of dependency (self-sufficiency).
For this purpose, AXSOL GmbH and SFC Energy AG have combined their competences in battery and fuel cell technology and integrated them into a highly efficient energy supply system. Thanks to the hybridisation of the technologies, the system is 100% self-sufficient, fail-safe and optimal for an uninterrupted power supply.
In further developing the possible applications of the systems, both parties combine their extensive knowledge and years of experience in their specific market areas to provide customers with a sustainable, secure and demand-oriented energy supply in the long term.
AXSOL & SFC Energy
SFC Energy is a leading global supplier of direct methanol and hydrogen fuel cells for stationary and mobile hybrid power solutions. AXSOL designs, develops and manufactures partially and fully autonomous energy storage systems for mobile as well as stationary use – from generation and storage to efficient consumption.
Thus, on both sides of the basic technologies, two dynamic, innovative companies meet whose product portfolios complement each other in an ideal way. While AXSOL’s electricity storage systems offer customers maximum flexibility, SFC’s fuel cells are used as an environmentally friendly, powerful and continuous energy source in a wide range of applications.
The central focus of the cooperation is to combine the advantages of both technologies in order to provide industrial and governmental users and customers with a wealth of new functionalities. In addition, the cooperation will serve the mutual development of know-how in the use of the basic technologies and contribute to the optimisation of all products, structures and processes. This will form the basis for future (large-scale) projects and technology integrations – such as the large-scale hybridisation of diesel engines, higher performance in backup power supply and numerous other innovative solutions. In addition to a direct increase in customer benefits, this also opens up greater competitiveness and new strategic opportunities for both sides.
The combination celebrated its first joint appearance before an international audience at the International Defence Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi at the end of February 2021.
Advantages of hybridisation: combining and complementing the technological advantages
If you combine the promising basic technologies of the two companies, you get the ultimate solution for securing base load and continuous power generation in off-grid applications and regions. Fuel cells are particularly well suited to replacing generators as a source of residual load due to their controllability and continuous energy input. Due to their high efficiency and independence from external influences such as solar radiation or wind input, battery-based energy supply units and systems can be charged for long periods without interruptions. In addition, fuel cells function almost without noise, waste and emissions – which increases comfort in use.
The battery storage serves to temporarily store the energy from the fuel cells and can be optimally tailored and expanded to meet personal application needs. By hybridising the fuel cells, the battery runtime is extended and a bypass allows the continuously generated energy from the fuel cells to cover part of the power demand on an ad-hoc basis. This protects the battery and extends its life cycle. In return, the power electronics of the storage systems increase the peak load that can be called up compared to a stand-alone fuel cell. This increases the independence of the power supply of the application in use and thus the self-sufficient supply periods. Flexibility and mobility in the use of the stored energy are also maximised through integration, providing the highest level of energy security and efficiency.
Compared to traditional diesel or emergency generators, the energy supply system reduces the integration effort and simplifies the control and switching processes. Last but not least, SFC Energy’s fuel cell technology is also a cost-efficient alternative to ordinary fuel sources. The low operating costs guarantee a high profitability of the hybrid system. In addition, fuel logistics can be differentiated with a view to modern concepts for population protection and disaster management.
By combining the two key technologies, off-grid applications can be made completely or partially self-sufficient and CO2 emissions can be drastically reduced compared to generators (diesel or petrol). By means of a completely environmentally friendly configuration of battery, PV power plant and fuel cells to secure the energy supply, any (partially) stationary application can be set up in a greenhouse gas-neutral way.
Mobile and stationary integration
For lighter, portable applications, AXSOL’s ARVEY A1 mobile energy storage system with 1 kW output and a modular capacity of up to 1,920 Wh is ideal. For more demanding, partially to fully stationary applications with larger capacities, integration of the fuel cells into the AXSOL Energy Container Solutions is possible (up to 3 MWh battery capacity). Here, depending on the requirements of the energy solution, a corresponding number of fuel cells can be integrated into a rack system, thus offering a scalable, self-sufficient and compactly relocatable all-in-one solution.
The combination celebrated its first joint appearance before an international audience at the International Defence Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi at the end of February 2021.
The investment pays off
With rising energy costs and growing energy consumption, technology integration of fuel cells and mobile battery storage systems offers a great opportunity. Take your energy generation, storage and consumption on military governmental and industrial missions to a new level and contact AXSOL for an individually tailored offer.
