GreenTec Highlights Fuel Cell Technology

The company's research analyzed replacing the auxiliary power unit (APU) and ram air turbine (RAT) with a multifunctional fuel cell. In the Airbus model, the waste products from the fuel cell could be repurposed elsewhere on the aircraft: the inert nitrogen gas would replace halon-based fire suppression systems in the cargo hold, and could be used in the fuel tanks; the water produced could be funneled back to the plane's water supply system.

Ceramic Fuel Cells took the award in the energy category for its BlueGEN technology, a dishwasher-sized fuel cell "micro power plant" that runs on natural gas that can produce energy and heat for buildings. It can operate at up to 60% efficiency, and the company claims it could reduce CO2 emissions by 50%. Waste heat from the unit can also be recovered to provide 200 liters of hot water per day.

Another company we've written about before, e-volo, was also at the ceremony, and its VC200 Volocopter aircraft was suspended from the ceiling. The electric multicopter should be ready for manned flights later this year.

Source: Volocopter, Ceramic Fuel Cells