Green Energy Rocks

The German company SFC Energy is producing fuel cell based gensets powered by green hydrogen for an environmentally friendly mobile energy supply for film sets, construction sites, festivals, and other such events. The mobile H2Genset, which has a continuous output of 10 kW, has already proven itself at various festivals. Many open-air festivals are starting to take
sustainable measures. It is a huge challenge to meet the gigantic power requirements of stage technology, lighting towers, and logistics on a greenfield site without burning up thousands of liters of diesel fuel a day.

 

At the heavy metal festival held in Wacken, two H2Gensets powered heating, IT systems, lighting, and other loads from accreditation centers with eco-friendly electrical energy sourced from hydrogen. The hydrogen was produced by wind and solar energy at eFarm in North Frisia, the largest green hydrogen mobility project in Germany.

 

 

The operator GP Joule supported the festival in Wacken with a mobile hydrogen trailer. “We converted green hydrogen in our H2Gensets to electrical energy on site”, explains Michael Weis, Business Development Manager Hydrogen at SFC Energy. With 300 kg hydrogen on board the trailer, about 4,800 kWh of real renewable energy can be produced. The conversion of hydrogen into electricity has to be implemented in the early planning stages inorder to have the required amounts of energy available and to establish security zones.

 

.“Transparent communication is important to address mutual reservations”, says Michael Weis, who explains gas sensors, leak tests, and other security mechanisms when showcasing the device. The H2Genset monitors display the operating status so that any required procedures are comprehensible. A qualified electrician must set the grounding wire just as for a diesel generator. The operation requires a brief instruction.

 

 

The H2Genset can either be operated by external H2 storage or by internal tanks. The tanks can be refilled at hydrogen stations at a compression of 700 bar with 240 kWh energy, which lasts for twenty-four hours of operation at a full load. A 12er or 16er bundle with 300 bar hydrogen in 50 l bottles serves in place of off-site hydrogen station infrastructure.

 

At the Nibirii festival in Düren, SFC Energy wired up eight bundles to convert green hydrogen into electricity for a telecom mast. The additional radio masts provide the bandwidth for mobile communications at festivals. “One radio mast has a power demand of about 4 kW, but it is often operated with 15 or 30 kVA generators”, says Michael Weis. “Diesel generators operating with low revs at low load level start blackening with soot. The fuel cell operates almost silently and emits no carbon, nitrous oxide, or fine particles.”

 

SFC Energy already has six more H2Gensets in the production pipeline. The 50 kW genset is designed for larger power demands and can be upscaled to 200 kW. The module is in the development stage; a prototype is being tested. “With fuel cell modules operating in this power class, we can also address film production”, emphasizes Michael Weis. „We are beta-testing the genset in the coming months in order to get feedback from our customers.“

 

 

Photos: © WOA Festival GmbbH, SFC Energy

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