Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, will demonstrate three 3kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells at nearby Brooks Air Force Base under a $500,000 contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. Each of the three natural gas-powered fuel cells provided by DCH Technology, Valencia, Calif., will power a base housing unit at Brooks.
The project’s primary objective is to install, operate, maintain, monitor, and report data on the fuel cells to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Secondary objectives include:
Familiarizing area Air Force personnel with fuel cell technology
Providing the basis for a fuel cell education program for St. Phillips College
Providing product feedback to DCH Technology on their fuel cell’s performance in the San Antonio climate