H24All. Hydrogen technology for a CO2 neutral future

This project aims to bring together all recently available knowledge and innovative technology regarding the fuel cell system in a low-power test installation/experimental garden. This living lab will consist of an experimental and demonstration environment in which companies will be informed and guided to enable the conversion to an application with fuel cells in their company in the future. Every replacement from a fossil combustion to a fuel cell application is one CO2 molecule less to limit global warming. In this way, this project aims to contribute to the social challenge of making Flanders CO2 neutral. This project focuses on a very broad target group with very diverse application areas. A transition to a low-carbon society will have to take place at all levels of all sectors. The construction sector, machine builders, vehicle builders, wholesalers and retailers, consultancy firms, cities and municipalities, etc. These include more than 400,000 companies and together have more than a million employees (Statbel, 2019), including many SMEs that rely on the support of knowledge institutions and projects such as these to be able to innovate. Even though this project only reaches a percentage of this after 2 years, we can say that the potential target group is very large.

During the project, the technical requirements regarding the construction of a fuel cell system working with hydrogen were bundled. The result is a practical guide for companies to accelerate and implement the transition from fossil fuel drives to zero-emission drives. The project mapped out the various aspects of hydrogen. Chemical, physical, regulatory, materials, suppliers and structure of the control system were examined. The fuel cell used is a HyPM 8 from hydrogenics, now Cummins. Various sensors were built in to map all secondary flows, which provide insight into the operation of fuel cell systems via data capture and visualization. The system is connected to a programmable load bank so that power profiles of the user group could be tested. An EMC study was also carried out to identify possible interferences.

In addition, the results of this project were also published in various ways, through doctoral, master, and bachelor theses. To spread the knowledge, an event was organized, namely the Hydrogen technology event where various key notes, workshops and demonstrations were shown.