The Environment Agency Installs Fuel Cell at Woolston Weir Fishery
27 Sep 2011
UK independent fuel cell supplier UPS Systems has installed an
SFC EFOY Pro 2200 DMFC at the Environment Agency's Woolston Weir
fishery (pictured above). The installation will power a new eel
pass monitoring the endangered species' upstream journey to fresh
water. The fuel cell has been installed alongside two load-carrying
batteries hooked up in parallel (pictured below). The DMFC acts as
a charger to ensure the batteries are kept at optimum voltage at
all times. The system provides continuous power to a water pump
that oxygenates a holding tank where the eels are counted and
checked. It also powers a web cam and the telemetry system.
The number of young eels migrating into European rivers has
fallen to less than 5% of 1980s levels; the newly designed pass has
been designed to allow the easy movement of eels between stretches
of river, overcoming the potential obstacle that older-style flap
gates posed. With zero emissions and near-silent operation the
system won't interfere with the eels' natural habitat.
Images: UPS Systems
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