Fuel cell technology which uses solar power to create hydrogen, has been tipped as the next viable resource of energy for the future, according to sources in the Middle East.
Fuel cell technology is already being looked at and developed as a means of power for a number of applications, with such systems also capable of reducing the need for an energy grid and enabling buildings to produce their own power.
Speaking at a conference in Dubai, Derrick Hong, general manager of Singapore based CPG Facilities Management commented, $quot;In Singapore we are starting to use fuel cell technology with hydrogen gas. Solar power is used to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen.$quot;
$quot;The resulting hydrogen is then used to power fuel cells, which can provide energy for a building. The Middle East has the perfect conditions for solar power, so it is a viable alternative to hydrocarbon fuels,$quot; Hong added.
However, Hong also stressed the need for facilities managers to carry out appropriate building energy management and ensure the smooth operation of such an efficient approach, $quot;It’s important that facilities managers perform correct energy auditing to see where energy is being used and where it is being wasted. And new technology such as heat recovery should be used when available to reduce operating costs, while saving the environment at the same time,$quot; he added.
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