A mobile lighting solution, powered by the hydrogen fuel-cell, was seen at the Kennedy Space Center, when the Atlantis space shuttle was recently deployed into space.
A hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system developed by Sandia and several industry partners
The lighting solution, developed by Sandia National Labs and other industry partners, was deployed at the space shuttle launch site and was observed by members of the media, shuttle astronauts, and visitors. It was sponsored by Boeing in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
The hydrogen fuel-cell lighting solution is an efficient and clean alternative to conventional technologies that are powered using diesel fueled generators. It has a fuel cell that runs on pure hydrogen and results in zero-emission electrical power. The fuel cell generates electricity for a sophisticated Light Emitting Plasma solution in addition to producing a maximum auxiliary power of 2.5kW. The auxiliary power enables the fuel cell to power security metal detectors, public address systems, and power tools.
Researchers at Sandia Labs estimate that one hydrogen fuel cell-powered lighting solution offsets 900 gallons of diesel fuel and eradicates carbon-dioxide and nitrogen-oxide emissions completely. This enables the lighting system to be utilized in indoor locations.
The prototype of the lighting solution has been tested in various scenarios and has focused primarily on the airport, transportation, and entertainment sectors. Industry partners for the lighting project include Ovonic Hydrogen Solutions, Golden State Energy, Stray Light Optical Technologies, Lumenworks, Luxim, Altergy Systems, Multiquip and Boeing.