UN approves CDM methodology by POSCO Power for DMFCs

South Korea's POSCO Power has obtained approval from the United Nations for a new fuel cell clean development mechanism (CDM) methodology it developed on its own for the first time in the world in connection with the manufacture of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs).

POSCO Power says that the MCFC power generation system can reduce 1,648 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per megawatt annually, if natural gas is used as fuel. If a 2.8MW MCFC power generation system is installed, it would be possible to save about W110 million (approximately 53,000 GPB) through the sale of emission rights under the CDM each year.

As the country's first applied case, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and POSCO Power are jointly preparing to operate an MCFC power generation system at a fuel cell power plant that was dedicated in May in Nowon-gu, Seoul.  At the May launch, POSCO Power reported that the 2.4 megawatt plant is capable of generating sufficient electricity to supply 3,200 households and enough hot water to heat 1,000 households. The plant will be operated by the steelmaker's energy subsidiary POSCO Power for the next 15 years.  The steelmaker also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Seoul city government to expand the use of fuel cells in Seoul.  According to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, the country's capital plans to promote the use of hydrogen fuel cells to account for 30 percent of alternative energy sources used in the city by 2020.

POSCO Power has also reported that it will begin mass production of its balance of plant (BoP) components for MCFC power generation systems by dedicating a power plant stack in the second half of this year.

The company also recently ordered 30.8 megawatts (MW) of FuelCell Energy Direct FuelCell(r) (DFC(r)) modules and components.

http://www.koreaittimes.com/story/3940/posco-power-wins-un-approval-fuel-cell-mechanism

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/05/16/200905160037.asp

Source: Fuel Cell Today