Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: Hydrogen stores wind and solar energy: Innovative "Power-to-Gas" concepts at Hannover Messe

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NAS Batteries which store large scale energy

Abstract:
Storage of renewable energy in form of hydrogen is a central topic of the Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells. Over 130 companies and research institutions from 20 countries will join Europe's largest exhibition for this technology, 25 of them for the first time.

Hydrogen stores wind and solar energy: Innovative "Power-to-Gas" concepts at Hannover Messe

Berlin, Germany | Posted on March 7th, 2013

Entire technology spectrum - from gas generation and up to electricity supply

15 exhibitors will demonstrate how to convert the unsteady energy supply from the sun and wind in an easily transportable and storable fuel: Hydrogen. This environmentally friendly gas can be processed into synthetic natural gas or directly converted back to energy using for example a fuel cell, with heat as a by-product.

On the 5,000 m² area next to the wind energy sector in Hall 27 and on the additional 15,000 m² outdoor Ride & Drive area exhibitors will showcase the entire spectrum of the hydrogen technology: Starting from H2 generation and up to its usage in stationary and mobile fuel cell applications.

Fuel cell electric cars available for a test-drive

All trade fair visitors can test-drive electric cars of Daimler, GM/Opel, Toyota and Honda at the Ride & Drive area next to Hall 27. Unlike the battery-powered electric vehicles, in the hydrogen powered cars the traction current is generated directly in the fuel cells integrated into these cars.

Another highlight of the Ride & Drive will be refueling of the cars with hydrogen performed by Linde three times every day. ITM Power will show the same for commercial vehicles: It will refuel a hydrogen powered bus which will be used for transporting visitors around the exhibition grounds. The British company will generate the required hydrogen directly on the spot through the electrolysis process, when water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.

Home made electricity and heat coming from the basement

The "Initiative Brennstoffzelle (IBZ)", a consortium of utility companies and heating appliance manufacturers, will showcase the fuel cell heaters. These enable to supply one's own house with electricity, heating and hot water. The only prerequisite is a connection to the natural gas pipeline or a source of hydrogen.

How hydrogen becomes natural gas or gasoline

In the short and medium term particularly popular are fuels that fit into the existing infrastructure: Natural gas pipelines, heating boilers, gas power stations and motor vehicles. Natural gas, gasoline and diesel fuel are such fuels, however the question is how they can be synthetically manufactured using renewable energy sources, for example wind and solar.

The exhibitor ZSW (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoffforschung Baden-Württemberg) is involved in the world's largest power-to-gas project: A facility that will open in Lower Saxony this summer is expected to generate enough methan (i.e., synthetic natural gas) to operate 1,500 medium-sized cars. Methan will be produced using only electricity, water and carbon dioxide.

Microbenergy, a subsidiary of Viessmann Group, will demonstrate a cost-effective way to produce synthetic natural gas from hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a biological process: The microorganisms do the job at room temperature. The carbon dioxide can originate straight from a biogas facility and therefore doesn't even need to be particularly pure.

Sunfire is a company showing its "power-to-liquid" system that is used to produce the base substance for gasoline, diesel or kerosene out of carbon dioxide and water using electricity. The system fabricates hydrocarbons which can further be processed into the valuable fuels in a conventional refinery. In the foreseeable future, the conversion rate of the input energy into the end product will be increased to the staggering 70%.

Storing energy in large batteries

NGK Insulators succeeded in developing and commercializing NAS (Natrium-Sulfur) batteries which store large scale renewable energy of up to several megawatts. NAS system stores energy during off-peak periods and discharges at peak period. It can therefore smooth the solar and wind energy fluctuations. The NAS Batteries are currently in use at over 150 locations worldwide.

Live streaming and press photos
All presentations and interviews in both Forums will be streamed online live: www.h2fc-fair.com
Photos can be found here: www.h2fc-fair.com/media/photos.html

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Contacts:
Tobias Renz
Tobias Renz FAIR
Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 609 84 556
Mobile: +49 (0) 177 52 18 535

Website: www.h2fc-fair.com

Nadja Snegireva
Tobias Renz FAIR
Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 609 84 556
Mobile: +49 (0) 0176 6242 0958

Website: www.h2fc-fair.com