The application of fuel-cell systems is an exciting emerging trend that may offer future solutions to the world’s energy problems, a conference heard on Tuesday.
This is according to Vladimir Linkov of the University of the Western Cape, who addressed the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers’ power-generation conference.
In light of South Africa’s current power crisis, which has resulted in planned power cuts, the conference was a forum for discussing various aspects of power generation.
Linkov, in his presentation on emerging trends in power generation, said fuel cells could play a pivotal role in changing the energy landscape in the future.
Fuel-cell technology converts chemical energy directly into electrical energy and is also more environmentally friendly — it reduces noise and air pollution — than other power-generation methods. It generates power from an electrochemical process using fuels such as hydrogen and methanol.
This can be used to power hospitals, nursing homes, schools and office buildings.
Linkov said almost all major car manufacturers are working on prototypes for vehicles powered by fuel cells.
The Department of Science and Technology has placed hydrogen- and fuel-cell technology at the frontier of its science and technology initiatives.
However, Linkov said he personally believed the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) and nuclear energy are the future of power generation.
Gert Claasen from the PBMR project told the conference the project is preparing for its first unit to be built at Koeberg.
According to its website, the PBMR is a high temperature reactor (HTR) with a closed-cycle, gas turbine power-conversion system.
Wind generated energy, used successfully in Denmark, was also mooted as a future method of power generation.
But, said engineer Ian Smit, it required wind and a lot of land.
South Africa’s wind intense areas are limited largely to its West Coast, he said.
The one-day conference concluded with a discussion on gas turbines and hydro power. — Sapa