2011-2012 Contest Description

Theme: Design a Combined Heat, Hydrogen and Power (CHHP) System for a University Campus Using Local Resources

The theme of the 2012 Contest is “Design a Combined Heat, Hydrogen and Power (CHHP) System for a University Campus Using Local Resources”. The Contest will challenge university-level students to plan and design an innovative CHHP system for their university campus. As a part of their entry, teams will develop a feedstock analysis, technical design, address safety and code compliance, identify end-uses on campus, conduct an economic and environmental analysis, and develop business, marketing, and public education plans for their systems.

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Registration for the 2011 - 2012 Hydrogen Student Design Contest has closed.

Important Documents

2012 Hydrogen Student Design Contest Official Rules and Guidelines
(Last Updated: November 1, 2011)

2012 Hydrogen Student Design Contest - Energy Savings and Environmental Analysis Guidelines
(Last Updated: November 1, 2011)

CHHP Design Basis

Webcast Slides FCE

Background

Global demand for energy continues to grow while countries around the globe race to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and GHG emissions by implementing policy measures and advancing technology.

Clean and renewable energy can be produced from many sources, and even use existing materials for energy generation. One such pathway is using wastewater, animal and organic waste, or landfills to create biogas for energy production. Biogas is a product of anaerobic digestion of any organic material, and yields 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas if vented into the atmosphere, but can also be used to substitute fossil fuels to produce energy. The cleanest way to generate energy from methane is by utilizing a fuel cell, which does not cause significant emissions or noise, unlike combustion systems. Furthermore, modern carbonate fuel cells can produce not only electricity, but also heat and hydrogen.

Hydrogen-powered technologies are a very promising alternative to weaning supplies of fossil energy and are becoming more common. Hydrogen, when produced from renewable resources, provides a clean, emission-free and environmentally friendly fuel.

The transition to hydrogen as a fuel is advancing, but a number of key questions are still unsolved, including the well-known challenge of infrastructure development. According to the Electric Power Research Institute, “the primary obstacle to [hydrogen vehicle] implementation is the perceived infrastructure investment cost associated with building and operating hydrogen fueling stations during the early market penetration years of hydrogen vehicles.” In other words, which should come first—the hydrogen vehicles or the stations to fuel them?

Hydrogen has also the potential to serve as a storage medium for the power grid and be utilized when demand is highest, reducing strain and thus a more stable electric grid.

A solution may present itself in the broader distribution of CHHP plants at viable sites that have a significant organic waste and wastewater production, such as commercial-scale sites such as hospitals, college and university campuses, reducing energy and organic waste disposal costs or providing additional revenue through the sale of the products. Using locally sourced, already available resources, CHHP plants can provide three important products: electricity to power the campus, a thermal energy for heating/ cooling purposes and hydrogen for transportation, back-up power or other needs. This on-site approach to hydrogen production advances hydrogen infrastructure technologies that will accelerate the use of this renewable fuel.

Contest Sections

Note: The official rules and guidelines provide detail on each of the following sections. Click here for the rules and guidelines >>

1. Energy Flows and Resource Availability Study
   In order for the CHHP system to be run at peak capacity, an assessment of available feedstock and energy flows needs to be performed. In this task, teams need to identify the type and source of the feedstock to continuously run the CHHP plant, and the energy conversions that take place.

   The feedstock analysis should include the amount of locally available feedstock, e.g. wastewater, landfill gas or organic matter for the production of biogas. A graphical representation of the sourcing of the feedstock and conversion processes is encouraged.
   

2. Technical Design
   There are many elements to consider when designing a CHHP system for a college or university campus. Key elements include the feedstock-fuel conversion, treatment, fuel cell power plant, and end-product use design.
   
   All teams must use the specifications of a DFC system developed by FuelCell Energy (DFC 300, 1500 or 3000). Teams must consider that biogas and landfill gas have a lower heating value than natural gas.
   
   Power and heat delivery and hydrogen production, compression, storage, and delivery elements of the system need to be carefully planned. All relevant local, national, and model codes and standards should be taken into account when siting the system.

3. Energy End-Uses on Campus from CHHP System
   In this section, teams must specify the uses of the three end products power, heat, and hydrogen.
   

4. Safety Analysis
   In this section, teams must show how their system design will operate safely and maintain the safety of the surrounding environment.  Teams shall describe how safety concerns and applicable codes have been addressed for their CHHP system. Safety equipment and operational safety, as well as public perception of safety, are included.
   

5. Economic Analysis and Business Plan
   The teams will complete an economic analysis of the system that includes capital costs, operating costs, and maintenance costs. The project team should determine the cost of electricity and heat produced, and dispensed hydrogen ($/kg) based on the economic analysis. The team should also determine the market price of their CHHP system and develop projections for future market growth. For all costing analyses, teams must use documented sources.
   

6. Environmental Analysis
   Teams should clearly explain the environmental impacts (positive and negative) of the design. For example, if biogas is used as a feedstock, the amount of organic waste reduced should be provided. Detailed information on this section are given in this document >>.
   

7. Marketing and Public Education Plan
   Students will create a marketing and education plan to build customer interest in their designed system. 
   
   Optional: We encourage teams to create a 30 second ad (video) for their design. The ad needs to feature the proposed system design in a recognizable manner. The video ad will not be part of the judging process, but will be published on the contest website and other social media outlets.