[Lifestyle] Science A Green Game-changer By Anne Kvist
With a worldwide focus on finding alternatives to fossil fuels, the methanol fuel cell technology plays a vital part in the green transition.
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ack in October 2018, Blue World Technologies was founded with the purpose of developing and manufacturing methanol fuel cell systems for a variety of industries including the transportation sector. Blue World Technologies is located in Aalborg, Denmark which is a hotspot for green energy technology such as Power-to-X technologies. Aalborg University is also located in the same city and is ranked as the best university in Europe within the field of engineering. The idea of working with liquid methanol instead of gaseous fuel for the Blue World fuel cells originated from the challenges there would be by having to introduce a gaseous fuel into a fuelling infrastructure that has been producing, storing, distributing, and selling liquid fuel for more than a century. Methanol is a high-density energy carrier which is liquid at atmospheric pressure, making it simple and cost-effective to refuel and store in large volumes, and it is already widely available around the world. Compared to hydrogenpowered fuel cells, a methanol fuel cell system eliminates some of the
Methanol fuel cell production. Photo: Blue World Technologies, www.blue.world
difficult challenges linked to handling and distribution, infrastructure investments, and low volumetric energy density. Methanol, on the other hand, is an easy-to-use e-fuel, as it is a liquid fuel providing the same convenient refuelling experience we have today with gasoline and diesel vehicles. At the same time, methanol is a fuel that allows integration and reuse in the existing world-wide infrastructure. Also, methanol is a fuel that can be produced from green sources, and if that is the case the fuel will be CO2 neutral from a wellto-wheel perspective. Therefore, it is a safe and sound alternative to fossil fuel and can contribute to the green transition in multiple industries around the world.
Retiring the combustion engine
With the aim to make a significant difference in the world when it comes to climate change and air pollution, Blue World Technologies is set out to commercialise the fuel cell technology so it can benefit the climate and environment around the globe. The methanol fuel cell technology has great potential in several markets such as maritime, heavy-duty, stationary, and passenger
vehicles when direct electrification is not possible or feasible. As a green and clean alternative to combustion engines and diesel generators, the methanol fuel cell technology provides multiple benefits such as cost-savings and CO2 reduction – or even a CO2 neutral operation when running on green methanol. At the same time, the technology eliminates the emission of nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, and particle matter. This is an important factor alongside the climate challenges, as 91 percent of the world’s population lives in areas where the air pollution exceeds WHO guidelines. One of the biggest offenders for this is the transportation sector. A methanol fuel cell system is equipped with an onboard reformer converting the liquid methanol into a hydrogen-rich gas. The fuel cell converts the reformate gas into electricity feeding an electric motor that could, for example, be powering a passenger car. The combination of onboard reforming and the high-temperature proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology results in a system with high electrical efficiency and many other benefits which will push the global green transition in the right direction.
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Swedish Press | Dec 2020/Jan 2021 21
