Modular On Demand Hydrogen-Electrical Generators will Reduce Infrastructure Needs

Airports and business aviation have the stated goal to minimize or eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050 and this has stimulated numerous avenues of R&D in alternatives to hydrocarbon fuels and technologies for power generation including solar, electric, and hydrogen fuel cells.

One company has just revealed its solution for providing on-site, on-demand, grid-independent hydrogen fuel (H2) for fuel cell use or to generate electricity for recharging electric aircraft and vehicles.

e1 Air, based in Bend, Oregon, has developed a portable, modular unit it calls the Containerized Power Generation (CPG) unit. As a standalone it provides H2 for fuel cell powered airport ground vehicles such as buses and ground support equipment. It can also be integrated with a hydrogen-powered electricity generator to recharge electric aircraft, airport vehicles, passenger and rental EVs, and provide emergency backup power for the airport micro-grid.

Technology developed by parent company Element 1 to generate H2 uses a proprietary  methane transformation and ultra-high purity filtration process developed in partnership with M-Reformer. The feedstock is a safe methanol-water mixture that is low cost, scalable, and is more easily and safely transportable than liquid H2. On-site production yields fuel-cell grade, ISO 9001 compliant H2 that is 75% less expensive than bulk hydrogen. There are zero emissions of any nitrogen, sulfur or carbon compounds.

The portable units can be placed at any location and in any number required for sufficient capacity, with scalable power available from 150kW to multiple MW. On-airport the CPGs obviate the need for extensive and expensive infrastructure for H2 transport or storage, or additional connections to the local power grid. Siting units for electric automobile or truck recharging is similarly easy and inexpensive.

FMI: www.e1air.com, www.e1na.com, www.methanolreformer.com