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Using biogas in a fuel cell is the most efficient way to extract the energy stored within it. Although carbon dioxide is emitted, biogas is a renewable energy source and therefore any electricity produced by the fuel cell would be considered carbon dioxide neutral. Waste treatment facilities are by nature usually located close to population centres, and using them for the distributed production of electricity avoids transmission losses. Fuel cells operate very quietly and cleanly, and are an ideal means for generating power close to where people live. Biogas can be either directly converted into electricity using high temperature fuel cells or processed further into hydrogen, which is a universal fuel cell fuel. Certain fuel cell types can in fact produce excess hydrogen when running on biogas and this hydrogen could be diverted for sale to fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) owners. In other words, a fuel cell plant generating heat and power from biogas would also produce a saleable by-product that would enhance the commercial viability of the project (more details are in the case study overleaf). Distributed, small-scale production and supply of hydrogen would support local clusters of FCEV, and is widely believed to be the most effective way to establish fuelling infrastructure for these vehicles.
Images: The Sanitation District (ASCE); sanitation plant (Register); fuelling a Hyundai ix35 at OCSD (Air Products); OCSD fuel cell system (Air Products)
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MAY 2012
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