Serene HT-PEM fuel cell systems from Advent Technologies have been supplied to BSZ Netz, a German-based division of TSG Transmission Systems Germany that specializes in the production and marketing of sustainable redundant power supply solutions throughout the European market.

According to the needs of its customers, BSZ will use Advent’s Serene 5kW methanol-powered fuel cell systems as a backup power source for a variety of portable power stations now incorporated into a mobile solution. These devices, which range in power from 3kW to 55kW and include fuel cells, battery packs, converters, controllers, and fuel tanks, will be used in the communications sector. Network, operations, and service providers for commercial and public communication networks are among BSZ’s principal clients.

Serene fuel cells from Advent have a substantially smaller environmental impact than conventional generator sets—about one-third that of a standard diesel generator—and are less disruptive to the neighborhood because of their low noise and vibration operation. The Serene fuel cells from Advent provide consistent power in a variety of geographic locations and environmental situations, including weather, ambient temperatures as low as -20 °C and as high as +50 °C, and they function in the presence of humidity and filthy air.

When used as a hydrogen carrier instead of hydrogen gas, liquid methanol makes shipping, logistics, and storage much simpler and dramatically increases operational safety. About 1,000 fuel cells fueled by methanol have been installed by Advent in various locations around the world. Many of these fuel cells have replaced diesel generators as an effective backup power source in the telecom and critical communications industries.