Powercell has developed an efficient method of supplying the fuel cell with hydrogen. Previously, the problem was how to store and distribute the hydrogen that is used to charge the fuel cell. The focus was on avoiding storage of large quantities of hydrogen since it can easily form what is known as oxy-hydrogen, a gas that is highly explosive.

Powercell has developed and patented a unit known as a reformer that is coupled directly to the fuel cell. The reformer generates the hydrogen gas that the fuel cell needs to produce electricity. To do this, the reformer in its turn requires fuel. This may be obtained form a variety of biofuels such as biogas, ethanol, methanol, DME (dimethyl ether) or biodiesel, but if necessary the reformer can also convert conventional fossil diesel or petrol into hydrogen.

The reformer continuously produces exactly the amount of hydrogen that the fuel cell combusts, so Powercell’s technology avoids the need to store large quantities of hydrogen. The fuel cell and fuel reformer are linked to each other in a single unit known as the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) – which in simple terms is a complete electricity generator.