Solvay has successfully commissioned its 1 MegaWatt (MW) industrial demonstration Fuel Cell at the SolVin plant in Lillo, Antwerp, Belgium. SolVin is a joint venture of Solvay (75 %) and BASF (25 %). It is a leader on the Vinyls (PVC) market in Europe and on the PVDC market worldwide.
The Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell converts coproduced hydrogen in the plant into electricity. It has generated over 500 MWh in about 800 hours of operation, which amounts to the electricity consumption of 1370 families during the same time frame.
This successful industrial scale-up project was realized in cooperation with WaterstofNet, the coordinator of the Project Hydrogen Region Flanders – South Netherlands. This project aims at developing know-how and projects about hydrogen applications in the region with a clear focus on sustainable hydrogen and early market applications, such as maritime, logistical and interurban applications, with maximum use of European technology.
The 1 MW PEM Fuel Cell is the first milestone in the project. It is also used by WaterstofNet for research and test programs to endorse implementation of Fuel Cell technology in the region.
Image: © WaterstofNet
- Solvay S.A., Antwerp, Belgium
- SolVin, Antwerp, Belgium
- WaterstofNet, Turnhout, Belgium
