• +30 210 6603300
  • cres@cres.gr
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (RES)
HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES

Hydrogen along with electricity and biofuels will be an important energy carrier in the medium to long term. In the short term hydrogen will be produced by fossil fuels, but gradually it will be derived increasingly from carbon-free sources.

CRES is actively involved in the field of hydrogen as an energy carrier, considering hydrogen as a medium that will enable the storage of excess energy produced from RES that will allow an increase of RES penetration in the electricity and transport sectors.

Infrastructure:

Pilot unit for the production of hydrogen from wind energy

Pilot unit for hydrogen production from wind energy in the wind park of CRES in Keratea comprising:

  • a 25 kW alkaline electrolyser capable of producing up to 5 Nm3/h of hydrogen at 20 bar, with a purity of 99,98%
  • novel metal hydride storage tanks with a total capacity of 40 Nm3
  • a single stage compressor, compressing hydrogen from 10 to 220 bar
  • a hydrogen filling station
  • a central control and data recording unit
  • peripheral systems for cooling/heating water, compressed instrument air etc.
The unit is driven by a 500 kW Enercon E40 wind turbine.

The unit was developed in the context of the EC funded RES2H2 project (project site: www.res2h2.com) in co-operation with other partners including C. ROKAS SA (compressor, filling station) and FIT in Cyprus (metal hydride storage tanks).

Hydrogen based UPS

Hydrogen technologies based UPS comprising:

  • a 2,5 kW alkaline electrolyser capable of producing up to 0,5 Nm3/h of hydrogen at 17 bar, with a purity of 99,98%
  • innovative metal hydride storage tanks with a total capacity of 40 Nm3
  • oxygen storage tank with a capacity of 10 Nm3
  • a 5 kW PEM fuel cell
  • control and data recording system
The unit was developed in the context of the EC funded HELPS project in co-operation with other partners including Technicatome, France (fuel cell and control system).

Laboratory of RES&H2 technologies

RES & Hydrogen technologies laboratory, comprising:

  • a 2,5 kW alkaline electrolyser capable of producing 0.5 m3Η2/hr
  • a 2,5 kW PEM electrolyser capable of producing 0.5 m3Η2/hr
  • bioethanol reformer for hydrogen production
  • Gas analysers
  • Reverse osmosis deionizer
  • Compressed gas storage tank with a capacity of 47 m3 of hydrogen at 16 bar
  • Metal hydride storage tank with a capacity of 28 m3 of hydrogen at 5 bar and auxiliary systems for the control of temperature of the tank and appropriate heating system
  • a 5 kW ΡEM fuel cell
  • a 1.8 kW Alkaline fuel cell
  • Peripherals for the safety, control (including compressed instrument air) and data recording
  • Water chiller
The laboratory is being developed in CRES’s premises in Pikermi and will be ready in early 2007; it is funded through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness, Measure 4.5.

Optimisation of RES-H2 systems

Optimisation of RES-Hydrogen systems

  • Use of TRNSYS software and HYDROGEMS library for the optimization of autonomous RES-Hydrogen power systems
  • Use of HOMER software for modeling of RES-Hydrogen power systems
The above mentioned numerical tools were used in the market study for the introduction of hydrogen technologies in autonomous power systems, which was undertaken in the context of the EC funded project H-SAPS (www.hsaps.ife.no).

Other Activities:
  1. CRES is a member of the Greek Hydrogen Association
  2. the Head of Section is a member of the BoD of the Greek Hydrogen Association
  3. the Head of Section represents Greece in the Hydrogen Co-ordination Group of International Energy Agency
  4. the Head of Section participates in the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technology Platform of EC, as co-chair of the Hydrogen Production Group and member of the Implementation Panel
  5. CRES participates in the Core Group of the EC funded Roads2HyCOM project, which will contribute in the creation of the appropriate framework for the development of the first Hydrogen Communities
Hellenic Hodrogen Island:
CRES is leading an initiative of many Greek organizations for the realization of projects related to hydrogen production, storage and use in Milos island, which will contribute to the development of the first “Hellenic Hydrogen island”.
For more information click here (site in Greek).