As a multi-megawatt baseload system, HDF Energy’s Renewstable ® power plant enables large-scale storage of intermittent renewable wind or solar energy in the form of hydrogen as well as electricity generation using that hydrogen feedstock together with a fuel cell system.

“Under the development agreement, we are planning for two phases of work. This first phase involves the design, build and supply of two next-generation megawatt-scale containerised stationary PEM fuel cell systems totalling three-megawatts, based on our new high-durability LCS fuel cell stack,” said Kevin Colbow, Ballard’s Chief Technology Officer.

“Second, after HDF Energy incorporates these systems into their Renewstable® power plant in an initial project, we plan to proceed with a technology transfer programme to eneable HDF Energy to assemble these fuel cell systems for global market sales of their Renewstable® power plants.”

In the initial HDF Energy project an installation is planned in French Guiana under the Centrale Electricité de l’Ouest Guyanais (CEOG) project which involves 90 megawatts of energy storage from hydrogen, representing a first for the fuel cell industry.

“This development agreement and collaboration is reflective of the expected market interest in a solution where HDF Energy combines its experience and capabilities and an independent power producer focused on renewable power generation, together with Ballard’s leading technology in heavy duty PEM fuel cells and experience in the design and integration of megawatt-scale stationary PEM systems,” said Rob Campbell, Ballard’s Chief Commercial Officer.

“The integrated architecture of renewables-electrolysis-hydrogen storage fuel cell systems can deliver reduced energy costs, improved grid stability and resiliency, increased penetration of renewables and greater energy independence.”