Element 1 Corp. and Ballard Power Systems have joined forces to accelerate the adoption of sustainable hydrogen energy solutions. This collaboration aims to revolutionize the way it generate and utilize hydrogen for various applications.

Specifically, the joint effort successfully paired Ballard?s FCwave? 200-kW fuel cell module with Element 1?s M/L18 hydrogen generator (235 kg hydrogen per day), producing high-purity hydrogen in the range of 0.7 to 2.2 barg. This is a major breakthrough, since the typical FCwave?

hydrogen supply pressure range is 3.5 to 6.5 barg. This low-pressure result was achieved with Ballard-developed software modifications to the operation of the FCwave?; no hardware modifications were implemented. Element 1?s generators produce hydrogen that meets ISO 14687-2019 standards for PEM fuel cells.

Using a feedstock comprising methanol mixed with water, the M/L18 hydrogen generator produces hydrogen on demand and at the point of use for a fraction of the cost of compressed or liquid hydrogen. Additionally, the infrastructure and transportation challenges associated with handling compressed and liquid hydrogen are eliminated with methanol/water mix that may be handled, shipped, and stored using the same infrastructure developed over decades for handling other liquid fuels.