Canada’s Ballard Power Systems has sold a 175 kW biomass-powered fuel cell to a native American reservation in northern California.
The Ballard ClearGen PEM fuel cell system will be integrated with a biomass gasifier and syngas purification unit to form an integrated biomass-to-fuel cell power solution for the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe of Humboldt County.
The system will convert locally grown timber by-product feedstock into hydrogen-rich syngas, using pyrolysis gasification technology. This syngas will then be purified, resulting in a high-quality hydrogen stream, which will be used to power the ClearGen fuel cell system.
The plant will provide baseload power for the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe’s commercial enterprises, and by-product heat will be used to warm the swimming pool in an adjacent hotel.