New Trends and Prospects for Developing Local Power Sources Based on Fuel Cells and Power Storage Units for Critical Infrastructure Customers

Abstract

A reliable and efficient power supply for critical infrastructure customers is key to ensuring energy security. Critical infrastructure requires local power sources. Currently, performance requirements for such sources have significantly increased. Apart from high energy efficiency, important requirements include quick start-up time, small size, environmental friendliness, low noise, etc. These may be provided by fuel cells, which are considered the most prospective sources of electric power. However, it is necessary to overcome a number of obstacles limiting fuel cell efficiency in power supply systems for critical infrastructure customers. This paper presents the results of design analysis in the field of fuel cell, hydrogen conversion and power storage technologies. An assessment is given of promising studies aimed at combining the abovementioned technologies to create local power sources to ensure reliable power supply to critical infrastructure objects.

Keywords

• critical infrastructure customers
• proton-exchange membrane fuel cells
• solid oxide fuel cells
• hydrogen conversion
• electrochemical power storage
• redox flow batteries