Fuel cell applications and demonstrations

Electricity is generated from wind power and the energy created is then converted by an electrolyser into hydrogen, which is piped to where it is used. This hydrogen is stored in the pipeline until needed (much like a battery). At present it is used for electrical power, which is created on demand with a fuel cell. Eventually some of the hydrogen will also be used directly in heating, because this is a more efficient process.

The storage provided by the 2km-long pipeline ensures there is a sufficient buffer to smooth out the fluctuations that occur in wind energy flows. There is also sufficient storage to continue using renewable hydrogen when the wind abates.
 
Overall the project covers three farm houses, and several grid-connected energy technologies have been installed in the past, including three solar photo-voltaic systems, a solar hot water system, a heat pump hot water system, a micro-hydro generator and a bio-diesel generator.

The Totara Valley hydrogen energy project (HyLink) is part of an International Energy Agency Hydrogen Implementation Agreement set up in 1977 to encourage research into hydrogen as an energy carrier. The New Zealand data supplements information from demonstration projects using hydrogen technologies in 15 other countries which contribute to the research activities. These include hydrogen filling stations, a desalination plant using renewable hydrogen and hydrogen energy systems derived from natural gas and solar energy.

The Totara Valley HyLink scheme – using the hydrogen pipeline as both transmission means and a storage system – is a unique approach in serving small isolated communities. IRL is now focusing on improving the performance of the electrolyser and hydrogen heater technologies, both of which are essential to a commercially viable system.