PLUG POWER DEMONSTRATES FUEL CELL USING GASOLINE
Date: 24-May-99
Country: USA
Fuel use during the test met interim targets on the way to achieving an overall 40 percent system efficiency, the company said, pointing out this is "significantly better than that of today's internal combustion engine."
An integrated system which used a Plug Power fuel cell stack and Epyx multi-fuel processor was demonstrated as part of a programme sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Plug Power said in a statement.
"This is an impressive accomplishment," stated Dan Reicher, DOE's Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, "because obtaining high efficiency while operating on gasoline and other alternative fuels is our biggest challenge."
In addition to improved efficiency, Plug Power said, its system produced greatly reduced emission levels, well below the Ultra Low Emission Vehicle classification given to automobiles that generate nearly immeasurable amounts of pollutants and other particulate matter which cause smog.
Because fuel cells generate energy through an electrochemical process, the company explained, pollutants such as nitrogen or sulphur oxides are nearly eliminated, and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by more than 50 percent.
Noting gasoline is considered the most technically challenging fuel to work with, Plug Power said its current testing was performed using low sulphur gasoline.
Over the next few weeks, the team will also demonstrate operation on California Phase II reformulated gasoline, ethanol, methanol, M-85, and natural gas.
Plug Power was originally formed as a joint venture between DTE Energy Co , which owns the electric utility serving the Detroit area, and Mechanical Technology Inc , an early developer of fuel cell technologies.
Earlier this year, General Electric Co and Sempra Energy acquired equity in the venture.
