Hydrogen power systems H2

On the basis of fuel cells, it is possible to build energy storage systems that can become independent from the irregular supply of energy from renewable sources. DACPOL supports its clients throughout the process of acquiring such a system. We help to define needs of the future user and determine the power demand in order to start designing and then executing the installation on this basis. Using fuel cells, a solution is created that is tailored to the customer's requirements, both electrically and mechanically. Hydrogen cells are installed together with the heat exchanger and accompanying elements inside the housing, then properly configured and delivered as a ready product. One of many applications of this type of solutions are applications related to photovoltaic installations.

Fuel cel cooperation with PV installations

When deciding on a photovoltaic installation, there are two options: on-grid and off-grid. The main difference between them is the possibility of integrating the PV system with the general energy grid: an on-grid system allows this, and an off-grid system cannot be connected to the grid and cannot store electricity obtained from photovoltaic sources.

On-grid system
The on-grid system is integrated with the electric network. This means that a user of a photovoltaic installation who obtains electricity from the sun, using it on an ongoing basis, may transfer any surplus energy to the energy company and store it there. This is especially important in the case of an extended period without adequate insolation, when the PV installation cannot operate at full energy profit. Then, the previously produced electricity, which was transferred to the general power grid, can be reused by us. The energy released in this way can be obtained from the power plant in 80%.

Due to the possibility of storing electricity produced by PV modules, on-grid systems are most often used in houses or plants that use the power of PV installations and are connected to the power grid. The advantage of this system is not only the efficiency in producing surplus energy and storing it with the possibility of later collection, but also enabling the sale of surplus energy to the energy company. Unfortunately, in the case of an on-grid photovoltaic system, difficulties must be taken into account during temporary failures of the power grid to which the PV installation is connected. In the event of even short-term problems with the operation of the utility company, the inverter connected to the PV modules automatically disconnects the panels from the photovoltaics. This results in a temporary loss of power to electrical devices.

Off-grid system
The off-grid system allows for the storage of electricity obtained from the photovoltaic installation, but on different principles than in the case of an on-grid system. The off-grid installation is usually not connected to the general grid, so in this case it is not possible to send the surplus electricity back to the utility company. Thanks to this, a system of this type allows the user of PV panels to become completely independent from electricity suppliers and is eagerly chosen in situations when it is about isolated, difficultly located objects or with large power outages.

The off-grid installation works on the same principles as on-grid photovoltaic panels, with the difference, however, that modules not connected to the power grid are additionally equipped with batteries and charging regulators to improve their operation. The advantage of this type of installation is therefore not only independence, but also full freedom in using the electricity stored in the batteries. The disadvantage of off-grid PV modules, however, is both the high price and the inability to sell surplus energy to the external grid.

The most important advantage of hydrogen energy storage is the possibility of its storage in situations where the production of energy from RES is so high that the electricity cannot be fully fed into the grid and consumed. Strong fluctuations in energy production from RES may be caused by natural conditions, such as different wind strength and insolation that changes with the seasons. In practice, there are also problems with the efficiency and capacity of transmission networks. Their expansion often does not keep up with the growing production of electricity from RES. This is especially true in situations where electricity has to travel hundreds of kilometers to travel, for example, from a region with strong winds to a place with high energy demand. In such cases, an energy bank in the form of a system based on hydrogen cells will work.