A hydrogen fuel cell power plant uses a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity for the power grid. They are larger in scale than backup generators such as the Bloom Energy Server and can be up to 60% efficient in converting hydrogen to electricity. There is little to no Nitrous oxide or Sulfur oxides produced in the fuel cell process, which is produced in the process of a combined cycle hydrogen power plant. If the hydrogen could be produced with electrolysis also known as green hydrogen, then this could be a solution to the energy storage problem of renewable energy.
Shinincheon Bitdream Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Plant
The Shinincheon Bitdream Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Plant in Incheon, South Korea opened in late 2021 that can produce 78.96 MegaWatts of power. It is one of the first large scale fuel cell power plants for the grid and not just as a backup generator. The plant will also purify the air by sucking in 2.4 tons of fine dust per year and filtering it out of the air. It will also produce hot water as a by-product that will be used to heat houses locally.
Cogeneration or combined cycle
Fuel cells produce a lot of hot water and a cogeneration or combined cycle could be used for further benefit or to produce more electricity with a steam turbine, increasing the efficiency to >80% using a Phosphoric acid fuel cell.
Water uses
Further studies are needed to see if the water is potable. Places that are dry and have water shortages could use the water for agriculture or other greywater uses.
High temperature electrolysis at nuclear power plants
High-temperature electrolysis at nuclear power plants could produce hydrogen at scale and more efficiently. The DOE Office of Nuclear Energy has demonstration projects to test 3 nuclear facilities in the United States at: