This will be the first demonstration of this energy storage system concept in the US, and will provide data on the dynamics of electrolyzers in a renewable energy system.

The project will involve testing two Proton electrolyzers, nominally rated for 7 kW and 60 kW of input power respectively, as a means of generating hydrogen from a local photovoltaic source. The produced hydrogen will then be injected into a simulated natural gas pipeline system at the National Fuel Cell Research Center. Storing renewable electricity as hydrogen or in the gas network for energy utilization later in the day, week, or month allows for minimizing the demand ramp in the evening as well.

To address large scale energy storage requirements, Proton has launched a new commercial megawatt (MW) scale electrolyzer platform, the M Series. At the 2 MW level, the new M Series provides a 13x increase in hydrogen production compared to other commercial PEM systems, Proton says. In combination with greater production capacity, the M Series reduces the capital cost per kilogram of producing hydrogen by over 50%.