GM repurposes vehicle hydrogen tech for power supply

GM is expanding its Hydrotec fuel cell cube technology for electric vehicle charging and other power delivery applications.

Hydrotec is a hydrogen fuel cell power solution that GM has been advancing for more than fifty years for land, air and sea transport applications.

Now the company is planning a range of power generation solutions utilising its generation 2 fuel cell power cubes.

These include a mobile power generator to provide fast-charge capability for electric vehicles without installing permanent charge points, the Empower rapid charger to enable retail fuel stations add affordable DC fast charging without expanding the grid and a palletised mobile generator to power locations such as military camps and infrastructure installations.

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“Our vision of an all-electric future is broader than just passenger vehicles or even transportation,” said Charlie Freese, GM executive director of the global Hydrotec business.

“Our energy platform expertise with Ultium vehicle architectures and propulsion components and Hydrotec fuel cells can expand access to energy across many different industries and users, while helping to reduce emissions often associated with power generation.”

GM considers that the fuel cell generators with outputs ranging from 60kW to 600kW could ultimately replace gas and diesel-burning generators with fewer emissions and lower noise and heat signatures at locations such as worksites, buildings, movie sets, data centres, outdoor concerts and festivals.

They could also back up or temporarily replace grid-sourced electricity for residential and small commercial enterprises at times of power disruption.

GM reports that multiple mobile power generator development projects are in process, including a demonstration of the technology as a mobile charging station for EVs, which is expected in mid-2022.

GM is partnering with Utah-based renewable solutions developer Renewable Innovations to create a trailer-based generator combining the respective companies’ fuel cell hardware and software and power integration and management systems to provide fast charging capability for EVs in places where there is only a temporary need for power.

The two companies also have collaborated on the Empower rapid charger, which can be readily installed at existing fuel stations and can DC fast charge up to four vehicles simultaneously.

Another demonstration led by the Electric Power Research Institute and funded by the California Energy Commission aims to show how hydrogen-based mobile power can help offset the loss of energy during the planned power shutoffs used to mitigate wildfires throughout the state.

Hydrogen fuel cells date from as far back as the mid-19th century but were significantly advanced with the Apollo lunar missions in the 1960s and particularly the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing. GM claims its Hydrotec as the first technology transfer from that space programme.