Set to be carried out at NREL’s Flatirons Campus in Arvada, Colorado, the 1MW system integrates multiple Toyota fuel cell modules into a larger system to provide responsive stationary power, supporting the DOE’s H2@Scale vision for clean hydrogen.

The Toyota fuel cell generator comes as part of the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy System (ARIES) megawatt-scale hydrogen system being designed and commissioned at NREL’s Flatirons Campus.

Comprising of a 1.25MW PEM electrolyser, 600kg of hydrogen storage, and a 1MW fuel cell generator, ARIES provides a platform to demonstrate direct renewable hydrogen production, energy storage, power production and grid integration at megawatt-scale.

The project follows on from a previous NREL demonstration which used an automotive fuel cell to power a data centre. The partners have said the planned Toyota-based system will generate approximately 15 times more power, capable of direct current and alternating current output.

NREL researchers hope to push the operational boundaries of the fuel cell system to identify performance limitations and degradation, generating real-world data to aid with development of future applications.

H2 View understands research and development will also include assessing how the system performs when integrated with energy storage and renewable energy generation systems.

Christopher Yang, Group Vice-President of Business Development for Fuel Cell Solutions at Toyota, said, “Achieving carbon neutrality requires all of us to explore new applications of zero-emission technology, including how that technology will integrate with other systems, which the project with NREL will identify.

“The application of our modules in deployments of this magnitude shows the scalability of Toyota’s fuel cell technology, whether it is a single fuel cell module for one passenger vehicle or multiple systems combined to power heavy-duty equipment.”

Daniel Leighton, Research Engineer at NREL and Principal Investigator on the project, added, “We will study the scaling of PEM fuel cell systems for stationary power generation to understand what the performance, durability and system integration challenges are.

“This fuel cell generator system also creates a new megawatt-scale fuel cell research capability at NREL.”

In July (2022) Toyota deployed a stationary fuel cell system to power the iconic Marvel Stadium sign and coaches’ box in Melbourne, Australia, during an Australian Football League (AFL) match.

Read more: Toyota demonstrates the power of hydrogen at the Marvel Stadium during AFL game