Abengoa Innovation has completed commissioning and FAT (Factory Acceptance Tests) of the Grasshopper project’s demonstration plant, which uses hydrogen fuel cells to produce sustainable energy.
The final milestone was the relocation of this pilot plant from Abengoa Innovation’s test facilities in Seville, where commissioning, start-up, and FAT testing were accomplished, to the Netherlands, where final testing will take place. In its final site, chlor-alkali plant surplus hydrogen will be used.
Abenewco, which now holds the major assets of Abengoa SA after its liquidation, reports that the pilot plant was transferred by land. At its final destination, SAT or Site Acceptance Tests (operational tests of the equipment supplied at the final location) will be performed, and once passed, the demonstration plant will be in operation for five years, providing significant information for improving and developing this type of facility.
The Grasshopper project builds a new generation of fuel cell power plants (FCPP: Fuel Cell Power Plant) that can generate energy and heat from hydrogen while emitting only water.
This project’s consortium includes Abengoa Innovation, INEA -Informatizacija Energetika Avtomatija, Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells Limited (JMFC), Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology BV, Polytechnico di Milano (Polimi), and ZBT.
The transfer of the Grasshopper pilot plant is an important milestone for Abengoa Innovation, since it opens the door to new advancements and reaffirms the company’s global leadership in this sector.
