Doosan partners with British firm to develop fuel cell power system for commercial buildings

By Lim Chang-won Posted : July 16, 2019, 10:39 Updated : July 16, 2019, 13:50

[Courtesy of Ceres Power]

SEOUL -- Doosan Corp., the holding company of South Korea's Doosan Group, partnered with Ceres Power of Britain to develop a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power system for commercial buildings in South Korea, which is investing heavily to utilize hydrogen and fuels cells as a new power source.

Under a collaboration and licensing agreement in Seoul, Ceres will provide technology for the development of a low carbon SOFC power system of 5 to 20 ㎾. The two would initially target the South Korean commercial building market before expanding their cooperation abroad.

SOFC is an electrochemical conversion device that produces electricity directly from oxidizing a fuel. It ensures high combined heat and power efficiency, long-term stability, fuel flexibility, low emissions, and relatively low cost.

"We have secured an opportunity to expand Doosan's fuel cell portfolio by working with Ceres Power, which specializes in SOFC technology," Doosan's Vice Chairman Dong Hyun-soo said in a statement. "We will establish ourselves as a leading supplier of fuel cells through solid research and development and investment."

Doosan, which currently has PEMFC (polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell) and PAFC (phosphoric acid fuel cell) technologies, plans to secure SOFC technology for power generation.

PEMFC is a type of fuel cell being developed mainly for transport applications as well as for stationary and portable fuel-cell applications. It is a leading candidate to replace the aging alkaline fuel-cell technology used in the Space Shuttle.

PAFC, which uses liquid phosphoric acid as an electrolyte, has improved significantly in stability, performance, and cost, becoming a good candidate for stationary power generators with output in the 100 kW to 400 kW range. It is also finding application in large vehicles.

Because of its eco-friendly characteristics, fuel cells are considered the next-generation renewable power source. Fuel cells produce heat, electricity and water through a thermochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen.



 
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