GenCell @Dtech 2024: Reinforcing Utilities with Hydrogen-fueled DERs

Distributech 2024, the largest utility event in North America, represented a great opportunity for the GenCell team this year. Starting with an invitation to our co-founder and CBDO Gil Shavit to lead a session in the DER for Reliability track at the Technical Conference, GenCell engaged a meeting room to host executives from leading U.S. utilities to review our expanding value proposition and invited colleagues from our U.S.-based partner in the utility space Turtle to join us in discussions around the compelling use cases in which many utilities are showing interest.

GenCell has garnered extensive experience collaborating with early adopter utilities along their journeys to adopt innovative hydrogen technologies to ensure resilience in even the most challenging climate conditions. Seeing growing demand for hydrogen-fueled technologies alongside availability of funding, GenCell arrived at Distributech 2024 to demonstrate to leading electrical utilities our diverse range of zero-emission, uninterrupted power solutions. Our portfolio includes GenCell® REX grid modernization and substation resilience solutions as well as GenCell® EVOX DER and microgrid solutions supplying supplementary power for EV charging, long-duration independent backup power for facilities as well as portable power solutions for emergency response and disaster recovery.

Dtech started off on a high note thanks to the chance to meet with the heads of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Energy team. Following our acceptance to the exclusive AWS Clean Energy Accelerator 3.0 in 2023 GenCell gained access to leading AWS partners and customers as well as to their valuable business mentoring program, culminating in the opportunity to participate in the AWS Innovation Showcase at COP28 in Dubai. The AWS Energy ecosystem lets us jumpstart the rollout of our resilient EVOX solutions at selected U.S. utility sites.

On the second day of Dtech, GenCell was proud to sponsor a session in the DER for Reliability track explaining to representatives of leading utilities how resilient hydrogen-fueled DERs maximize reliability of microgrids. Faced by more frequent and severe climate disruptions, utilities have been looking for innovative technologies to improve resilience. Some early adopter utilities partnered with GenCell initially to leverage hydrogen fuel cells to maximize substation resilience. GenCell delivered its fuel cells with embedded GEMS management software and system interoperability that gradually expanded in scope and functionality to provide full visibility of resilience status everywhere across the utility’s network.

As the number of distributed fuel cells increased and improved resilience across the T&D substation network, they indicated to these utilities how fuel cells could also play a role in microgrids and DERs, forecasting and stabilizing integration of renewables and supporting the grid as localized generation during outages. So from starting by enhancing grid modernization with substation resiliency solutions for innovation-ready utilities, GenCell also gained the experience and expertise, cybersecurity certification and compliance with utility standards that has well prepared and qualified GenCell to take part in the expanding DER market for U.S. utilities.

So what is the relationship between substation resilience and hydrogen-fueled DERs?   Smart, open-minded utility engineers recognize that they can leverage the longevity, durability and weather resistance of fuel cell technology to meet additional challenges such as the need to transition to sustainable transportation, including expanded EV fleets, community-based e-mobility and EV-based emergency response. The session went on to show how in locations where the grid infrastructure has not been upgraded for EVs, hydrogen-fueled DERs can be rapidly deployed to fast track level 3 charging capability, just as in dense locations with peak power demand, DERs can contribute to business and charging infrastructure resiliency for a variety of use cases, including optimized EV fleet adoption, community resource projects, and disaster recovery.

Outside of his session, Gil Shavit had ample time to meet up with leaders from a variety of utilities to gain deeper understanding of their climate resilience challenges. He captured some of these discussions for the GenCell Podcast; we welcome you to visit our podcast channel on Spotify to listen in:

To listen to the episode featuring Andrew Higgins discussing regulations, grid infrastructure and the impact of innovative technologies on utility operations, click here.

To listen to the episode with Eric Helin exploring how utilities avoid “pilot fatigue” and succeed in deploying innovation to scale, click here.

Dtech afforded us an amazing opportunity to share with utilities our vision for GreenFSG: Green Fuel – Store – Generate, green circular power economies delivering uninterrupted zero-emission power anywhere.  By incorporating robust, weather-resistant hydrogen fuel cell technology in distributed hybrid microgrids wherever needed, utilities can make a significant step towards achieving end-to-end zero emissions anywhere. Combining zero-emission fueling, storage, and generation of power wherever needed, GreenFSG ultimately eliminates expensive fuel transport costs, ensuring utilities deliver customers a more resilient, zero-emission energy future.