Ballard Power Systems says that one of its proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells will soon be on its way to a site in Ohio, USA, for a five-year trial run.
The 1 MW utility-scale generator cell, known as CLEARgen, is the world’s largest hydrogen fuel cell and will be installed at FirstEnergy Generation Corp.’s Eastlake power plant. It will be the first ever deployment of its kind, says Ballard.
“It’s a huge leap forward and a significant first for Ballard,” said Michael Goldstein, Ballard’s Chief Commercial Officer. “More importantly, we believe this deal helps ensure that fuel cell technology will be an integral part of the clean energy solution identified as a priority by President Obama.”
FirstEnergy will activate the fuel cell generator during periods of high electricity demand, enabling it to reduce the strain on the power grid and help ensure uninterrupted power to customers during the summer months.
In July, Canada-based Ballard said that it had completed factory testing of the CLEARgen generator.
