Dantherm Power, a company of Ballard Power Systems offering backup power systems, will deliver a 150 kW fuel cell generator and related engineering services to Anglo American Platinum, a part of the Anglo American plc Group and the largest primary manufacturer of platinum in the world.
The fuel cell system is based on the DBX5000 backup power fuel cell system of Dantherm Power. It uses fuel cell stacks of Ballard Power Systems and will be shipped in the current quarter for installation at one of the South African mining operations of Anglo American Platinum.
The fuel cell generator’s power source will be hydrogen, produced in South Africa and will offer clean electricity at a lower cost. Fuel cell technology-based backup power systems provide numerous benefits compared to the traditional diesel generators and batteries, including longer operating life, minimum maintenance costs, superior reliability over a broad array of operating conditions and compact installation footprint, weight and size. They also decrease air emissions and noise and eliminate disposal problems.
The President and Chief Executive Officer at Ballard Power Systems, John Sheridan stated that this installation highlights the advantages and adoptability of fuel cell power systems in innovative vertical market applications. Anglo American operations will directly experience the capability of a fuel cell generator to deliver reliable and clean power at a mining site on a comparatively large scale, he added.