Fuel cell

EnBW is a pioneer in the field of fuel cells. We are one of the first German power companies to test fuel cells for the practical supply of power in buildings. In the meantime more than 20 plants have been installed for customers and partners of EnBW with an electrical output of 1 to 4.6 kW. This makes the practical test the most extensive of its kind, and it is still being extended.

Fuel cells in practical tests: energy from hydrogen and oxygen

In addition, EnBW is also testing fuel cells in the 250 kW output class for municipal and industrial use. EnBW could already claim successes with the pilot operations of the "Hot Module" fuel cell in the Michelin tyre works in Karlsruhe at the end of 2005. The fuel cell produced more than 4 million kWh of electricity in around 24,000 working hours and has set standards for plants of its type.

A successful combination of efficient fuel cell technology and energy production from renewable energies – especially biogas – is the fuel cell in the Leonberg composting plant. With the decisive support of EnBW, the rural district of Böblingen put this fuel cell into operation in October 2006 with a nominal output of 250 kW. The big challenge: since biogas contains constituents which could damage the fuel cell, a gas scrubber was installed upstream of the "Hot Module".

An old-familiar technology for the energy of the future

The first fuel cell was developed back in 1839. The mode of operation has remained the same to this day: chemical energy from hydrogen-rich gas and oxygen are converted directly into electricity and heat – without any conventional combustion process. The fuel cell thus works more efficiently and with much fewer pollutants than conventional systems. This technology is thus seen as the technology of the future.