Latest News > Fuel Cell R&D funding for Motorhomes

Mon, Nov 6th 2017

Press Release

On Behalf of Conrad Anderson Ltd and Adelan Ltd

We are very pleased to announce that Conrad Anderson Ltd (UK), Adelan Ltd (UK) and ZNB (China) have obtained funding for a 2 year UK Innovate project to further develop their solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) generator. The SOFC is fuelled by readily available propane. The latest project has been suitably titled “SofSol”. This further development follows on from the very successful initial 2 year collaboration between the two British companies in developing the SOFC stack project towards an initial production phase.

“SofSol“ will combine the fuel cell with a solar array to form a 3kw Solar-Fuel Cell-Battery Hybrid system ideally suited to off-grid applications like residential homes with no grid connection, mobile/temporary offices, worker welfare facilities, refugee housing, sail yachts, RV’s, emergency service vehicles, outside exhibitions/concerts and street market power.

The advantages of this type of power over traditional electrical generation methods is that SofSol is extremely clean with no NOX or particulate exhaust products, virtually silent less than (40db), and is very fuel efficient. The added advantage over and above any other type of fuel cell presently available is that it runs at the moment on ordinary Propane/LPG as opposed to either very pure methanol or Hydrogen. The SofSol unit will also run on Methane (Natural gas) or Hydrogen making it extremely versatile and future proof, able to adapt as new fuel infrastructure becomes available.

Both companies, Conrad Anderson and Adelan are based in Birmingham (UK) each with a long and outstanding pedigree in their individual fields. Adelan, is the longest running fuel cell company in the UK formed from a University spinout, its directors are IP and patent holders for this type of SOFC unit with 30 years of fuel cell experience and world experts in this field. Conrad Anderson has been in the vehicle electronics field for 20 years having expertise with vehicle auxiliary power units, off grid power systems and with manufacturing experience.
The potential market for this off-grid power unit is immense, with the Sofsol project being initially targeted at 200 million Chinese homes without grid connection. The same unit will be scaled for vehicle applications APU’s, sail boat battery charging, remote off-grid CCTV applications, etc. The further development and increase in stack size would also lend itself to electric vehicle range extension, increasing vehicle driving ranges and reducing lengthy battery charging times.

The present demand for clean energy and the proposed phasing out of diesel engines in cities to improve the air quality is causing just a few headaches in government offices around the world at the moment. This system is designed to be modular and scalable and will go some way to easing access to power while reducing air pollution.

Adelan Ltd
Unit 10 Weekin Works, 112 Park Hill Road,
Birmingham
B17 9HD
Please contact: Dr Michaela Kendall or Nahid Zahedani for further information: 0121 4278033
michaela@adelan.co.uk

Conrad Anderson Ltd
57 Sladefield Road
Birmingham
B8 3PF
Please contact: Steve Anderson for further information: 0121 2470619
steve@conrad-anderson.co.uk

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