BRISBANE, Australia, June 29, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Linc Energy the world leader in Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) technology, and AFC Energy , the world's leading developer of low-cost alkaline fuel cells, have successfully trialled hydrogen fuel cell technology to produce electricity at Linc Energy's Chinchilla Demonstration Facility in Queensland.
Linc Energy's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Bond said his company's exclusive agreement with UK-based AFC Energy for application with UCG and the delivery of an Alpha Unit Hydrogen Fuel Cell to the Chinchilla facility had been completed.
This is a major innovation and the first time that a hydrogen fuel cell has been successfully trialled with UCG, said Bond.
It represents a huge step towards the worldwide opportunity of combining UCG and alkaline fuels cells as a breakthrough technology for creating the cleanest possible power generation from coal.
Initial testing with the hydrogen fuel cell unit at Linc Energy's Chinchilla Demonstration Facility was performed following successful trials at AFC UK facilities of mock syngas of comparative composition to that generated at the Linc Energy facility.
The trial demonstrated the successful ability to generate clean electricity from alkaline hydrogen fuel cell technology from syngas derived from UCG operations.
What is so remarkable about this trial is that the fuel cell configuration was able to produce reliable and efficient clean electricity from a much lower percentage hydrogen content gas than other fuel cells require, said Bond.
This effectively demonstrates that combining the AFC Fuel Cell technology with hydrogen from Linc Energy's syngas produced from the world-class UCG at Chinchilla is a feasible route to achieve the ultimate in clean electricity from stranded, sub-economic coal, of which there is an abundance in the world.
This will unlock energy resources and provide energy security to nations in an environmentally sustainable and proficient manner.
When combined with our world-class Gas to Liquids operations and utilising the purified hydrogen as part of the synthesis gas clean-up processes in commercial operations, the hydrogen fuel cell is expected to produce even better results, said Bond.
Further trials will be carried out with the fuel cell system in the coming months however the promising results from this trial has enhanced AFC Energy's development of the next generation of hydrogen fuel cells for a commercial application, which Linc Energy aims to install at its Chinchilla Demonstration Facility.
Peter Bond CEO
Contact: Greg Meyer greg.meyer@lincenergy.com.au
SOURCE: Linc Energy
CONTACT: Greg Meyer of Linc Energy, greg.meyer@lincenergy.com.au
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