Fuel cell Technology Arrives.

• Author: BAILEY, ALAN

Fuel cells, an offshoot of the U.S. space program, are starting to provide an interesting alternative I conventional generators for the production of electricity. Last year, Chugach Electric installed the world's largest commercial fuel cell system at the post office at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

A fuel cell converts a flow of hydrogen and oxygen into a continuous supply of electricity. A device called a reformer extracts the hydrogen from a hydrocarbon fuel, such as methane.

The cells convert fuel to electrical energy much more efficiently than combustion-driven generators. In addition, because no combustion is involved, the emissions are relatively benign: The post office system uses natural gas as fuel and only emits water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Alaska Business Monthly recently asked Tom Lovas, from the finance and energy supply division of Chugach Electric, and Steve Gilbert, Chugach Electric energy projects development manager, about the post office fuel cell project, and about other potential uses for fuel cells in Alaska.

ABM: Could you explain about the use of the fuel cells at the airport post office? When were the fuel cells installed, when did they get running, how and why are they being used?

Lovas: We had been involved in a couple of applications of these types of units out at Fort Richardson. At that time the postal service was looking at replacing some of its standby generation equipment.

In association with several major funding agencies for (a post office fuel cell) research project, we conceived an (electricity) generation application on site that would meet the normal routine load requirements of the post office, and then be able to make a switch from grid (power) to grid independent (operation) in a short period of time.

The installation was dedicated on Aug. 9, 2000. It became commercial from a contractual standpoint with the customer in November. So it has been operating for a relatively short period of time in its fully tested and operational configuration.

ABM: One of the prime objectives, I understand, was to provide the post office with an ultrareliable electricity source?

Lovas: Absolutely. As opposed to having a traditional standby generation facility, what this provides is a continuous source (of electricity) whether or not there's a firm connection with the (power) distribution grid. So it provides a much higher level of reliability than would, for example, a standalone backup facility...