Slovenian start-up wants to make fuel cells cheaper

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Slovenian start-up wants to make fuel cells cheaper-fuel

The Slovenian Startup Mebius has developed a technology that should become more efficient, inexpensive and more competitive with the fuel cells. For his ideas, the company has won the pitching contest in the context of the Roadshow “CEE Unlimited” organized by the AAIA in Ljubljana. “We have shown the potential for a successful solution in our pitch,” says Jernej Hočevar, CMO of Mebius, according to a report of the Austrian start-up platform breed box.

The technologies of Mebius can not only be used in hydrogen fuel cell cars, but also in stationary applications, such as emergency generators or as a buffer. As a partner, the start-up can show various scientific institutions as well as established business enterprises. For example, the Slovenian National Institute of Chemistry, the University of Ljubljana or industrial companies inEA and Domel, a manufacturer of electric motors.

As a cost driver in fuel cell drives platinum, one of the most expensive raw materials applies at all. The Magazine Reset explained project manager Hočevar, Mebius had “developed a new method and patented, with which you can use 75 percent less platinum.”Nanoparticles on anodes and cathodes should ensure that less of the sinfully expensive raw material is needed. “Even with our small production volumes of about 1000 fuel cells a year, we can reduce costs by up to 40 percent,” says Mebius.

“90 percent of the universe consist of hydrogen”

The biggest advantage of the fuel cell, so Hočevar, lying in the sheer infinite availability of the fuel: “90 percent of the universe consist of hydrogen”. One of the main problems currently lies in the production of hydrogen, for which, such as in the reforming method, tons of natural gas are consumed – with correspondingly high CO2 emissions.

The electrolysis, where water is set under voltage and thereby split the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, is very energy intensive. Although the required energy can also be sustainably produced by wind power or solar systems. In a pure battery electric car, however, the efficiency is significantly higher. With the energy that requires a hydrogen car for 100 kilometers, an electric car comes three times that far.

Germany has lost electricity in Q1 2019 for two billion E-car kilometers

Hočevar therefore emphasizes Reset that fuel cells under this obstacle would also make sense for storage for electricity from renewable energies. If more wind blows than needs or does the sun seem more intense, this excess energy can be used directly to produce hydrogen. Currently it is so that renewable energies are simply controlled with a surplus. The energy is so irretrievably lost.

In the first quarter of 2019 alone, Germany has given away 3.3 terawatt hours in this way – about half a percent of the annual energy needs of good 600 TWh. That would be enough electricity for almost two billion kilometers with battery electric cars or otherwise expressed differently: energy for 15.000 kilometers annual flow rate for good 130.000 electric cars. However, one would have used the lost surplus for the production of hydrogen, one could use it if necessary to produce electricity of fuel cells and feed back into the power grid. For example, to load electric cars.

Sources: The breed box – Slovenian startup develops technology for better fuel cells // reset – a Slovenian startup wants to make fuel cells cheaper

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6 thoughts on “Slovenian start-up wants to make fuel cells cheaper”

  1. Quote from text:
    However, one would have used the lost surplus for the production of hydrogen, one could use it if necessary to produce electricity of fuel cells and feed back into the power grid. For example, to load electric cars.

    Right. And the procedure is absolutely dedicated the aspects of the effectiveness.

    Hydrogen production and after storage back into electricity is exactly the right procedure.

    Just not in a schnOdes hydrogen car …… Since transport and compression occurs several times the effectiveness.

    Dear in electric cars that have better effectiveness, load. And the power supply of Germany supports in wind and sunbathe periods

    Reply

  2. The Lord Surgary Theorist writes simply nonsense. There has never been a surplus of renewable energy in Germany. There was only little line capacity and insufficient flexibility of fossil power plants. Due to this inability, the wind and solar systems had to be controlled.
    AND .. If surplus renewable energy was already available, then somewhere and not where the H2 producers are. Lines are still missing anyway. If you installed -ige thousands of H2 generation systems on each WEA, the 98% of your time would rum useless in the area because the generated electricity was needed for the network.
    Furthermore, the fuel cell is the conceivable way to exploit H2. Through transport and conversion losses, almost nothing in the vehicle comes. In addition, this is too expensive to a burner or BEV.

    If there is already hydrogen .. Please admire the natural gas and feed into the net. This is memory capable and the overall process Incl burning takes place because transport at low pressure is hardly needed.

    Reply

  3. Another advantage would be that no compensation costs to the operators need to be paid for the reply from renewable energies and thus decreases the electricity price.
    Something has to be developed as quickly as the energy transition has even more support from the population and low earners do not have to carry the high electricity prices.

    Reply

  4. To all those say Mimimi but H² is so much worse than cars with 600kg lithium battery?
    Water would have to have vanes? 2000kg and
    Truck 10T batteries to have an acceptable range.
    Therefore, H² plus small battery would be much better.
    On short distances via battery and recuperation
    and on long-distance max. 7-8min H² Add to Properties Anft hours to stand on charging columns.

    H² In the natural gas grid feeding is already done and you do not need powertrasses.

    Power to gas is also an option.

    Come past as many wind farms and regularly whole parks are still quietly at a certain time or if a lot of sun is there.
    Instead of storing the current in H² they are standing because you do not get the 27ct.

    Our complete energy requirement could come from renewable, in the long term, the electricity could be totally cheap ..
    For example, a wind turbine has been amortized in a good location after one and a half years of age and producing even many years of electricity until times the gearbox and the rotor blades must be exchanged.

    And then Jammetn all Ehh yes cars with battery are so much more environmentally friendly

    Reply

  5. Quote: “The energy is irretrievably lost”
    … I know what the author wants to say, but according to the so-called “energy resistance rate” energy is not lost, but is only converted into another form.
    Nevertheless, I hold the fuel cell in its entirety with the required storage and retrieval infrastructure for a great thing.

    Reply

  6. As Thomas DObler already mentioned, energy can not be lost, but only transformed into another by a form. In this context, the generation of hydrogen from “excess energy” is again to produce drive energy for cars for creating a very inefficient way. For efficient caching of energy from solar or wind power plants, there are much better means and means, such as Z. B. the good old pumped storage works, stationary batteries or the ingenious approach to sink weights in deep shafts.

    Reply

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