Ascend Energy and Atrex Energy Demonstrate Natural Gas-Based Ceramic Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle Breakthrough

Today the Ascend Energy team in the Sacramento area in collaboration
with fuel cell manufacturer Atrex Energy released the results of their
joint project to demonstrate the benefits of using an oxygen-based
ceramic fuel cell as part of a hybrid electric vehicle to save money,
reduce fuel use, and eliminate air pollution. With funding from the
California Energy Commission Energy Innovations Small Grants Program,
the companies undertook the demonstration to dispel many of the myths
about the use of this type of fuel cell in a vehicle. Almost all
attention has been directed to using hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles.
Ceramic fuel cells in contrast do not require hydrogen, and can operate
on conventional CNG or propane, a significant advantage in cost and
simplicity. But ceramic fuel cells are thought to be too fragile to use
this way. After putting the vehicle through its paces multiple times on
a rugged off-road vehicle course, this myth was shattered. The fuel cell
showed no damage, primarily because the unique Atrex fuel cell design is
based on inherently strong tubes rather than thin sheets of ceramics.

The demonstration also showed the vehicle could be the most economical
form of a fuel cell hybrid in terms of fuel cost. A conventional vehicle
with a gasoline engine would use $9 of fuel to go 100 miles. A hybrid
electric-type vehicle would require $7.50 worth of fuel. A hydrogen fuel
cell car at today's prices of hydrogen would use $20 of fuel for the
same trip. An equivalent ceramic fuel cell vehicle would use only $6
worth of fuel.

Finally, the demonstration vehicle when tested by an independent lab had
no detectable NOx or SOx emissions, the same as for a hydrogen car.

“The project clearly provided a proof of concept that a ceramic fuel
cell, integrated into an electric vehicle would be beneficial to the
public," said Ken Pearson, President of Ascend Energy Systems. “Using
CNG, the SOFC more than tripled the run time of the electric vehicle and
did so with 100 percent reliability.”

"This could be a viable supplement to a Hydrogen Highway to get the
benefits of fuel cell vehicles", added Cary Bullock, CEO of Atrex
Energy. "We already have an extensive statewide CNG fueling station
network. Since most hydrogen comes from natural gas anyway, using the
fuel directly could avoid the cost of extracting and delivering the
hydrogen. It is an idea to be looked at more closely after our
demonstration."

The ATV was chosen for a number of reasons: First, over 200,000 of them
are used by farmers and ranchers in the Central Valley and contribute to
air pollution when powered with small gasoline or diesel engines which
are significantly dirtier than those in cars. An attempt to replace
these gas and diesel fueled ATV’s with battery-electric versions was
unsuccessful due to severe limitations on range. With an on-board fuel
cell recharger, the range was increased 350%. Second, the power
requirements of the small ATV were a good match for the available
commercial fuel cell.

FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION: http://bit.ly/2nQgi2g

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170328005066/en/

News by QuoteMedia

www.quotemedia.com