4.03.2000 ET

(CSRwire) Norske Shell, part of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, and Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation today announced the first demonstration of a unique solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power generation technology fuelled by natural gas, which could ultimately lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The demonstration is to take place in Norway.

A 250-kiloWatt plant will be installed in Norway and operated by Norske Shell to demonstrate that the carbon dioxide normally emitted in exhaust gases can be successfully recovered at low additional cost and with the highest electrical efficiency of any fuel cell type in the industry.

The technology being used is the result of a unique combination of the fuel cell developed by Siemens Westinghouse and carbon dioxide recovery technology from Shell Hydrogen. It follows a co-operative development agreement, announced last year, to develop and market this technology.

The intention is that this technology will be used to generate electricity from natural gas with all the carbon dioxide emitted being ‘captured’. In the oil and gas industry, the carbon dioxide can then be ‘sequestered’ in underground reservoirs. Smaller scale markets for carbon dioxide can also be served. For example, there could be special applications such as fish farms where carbon dioxide can enhance the growth of algae or agricultural greenhouses where it can enhance the growth of crops. An additional benefit of the technology is that nitrogen oxide emissions are extremely low (at less than 0.5-PPM) compared with other power generation technologies.
One of the early applications is likely to be offshore oil and gas operations, which require huge amounts of electricity. This is particularly important in Norway where 20% of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions come from its offshore activities.

“This new way of generating zero emission power offers great promise,” said Don Huberts, Chief Executive Officer of Shell Hydrogen. “And we are pleased to demonstrate this in Norway, one of the countries leading the world in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Norske Shell has already stated its intention to use such technologies in its offshore operations to help meet national targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The company is also actively investigating the possibility of utilising the high purity carbon dioxide produced in this project to support a fish farm project.
“This programme is an excellent example of how our SOFC technology can be used for even greater environmental benefit than has already been demonstrated,” said Nick Bartol, of Siemens Westinghouse. “This programme will give future power generators a climate friendly option that is not currently available.”

For test purposes this first demonstration unit will be placed onshore.

Siemens Westinghouse is developing SOFCs under an existing co-operative agreement with the US Department of Energy, administered by the National Energy Research Laboratory.

Notes

Shell Hydrogen is a global business consisting of separate companies and other organisational entities within the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of companies. Shell Hydrogen was set up in 1999 to pursue and develop business opportunities related to hydrogen and fuel cells and has its principal office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation is a Siemens Company headquartered in Orlando, Fla. Within Siemens’ global Fossil Power Generation business, Siemens Westinghouse is the regional business division for the Americas and operates engineering and manufacturing centres in North America. In the U.S. and Canada, the company also is responsible for the Industrial Turbines, Instrumentation & Control, and Hydroelectric business.