In the United States (US) the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and Qnergy, Inc., a leader in pioneering solutions for the distributed methane challenge, have announced the completion of a three-year partnership resulting in the development of a stand-alone, hybrid NanoGrid Power Generation Package based on Qnergy’s PowerGen platform.
Ideal for electric vehicle (EV) charging, this hybrid technology creates an opportunity for a network of distributed, autonomous, resilient, and reliable charging stations powered by propane or other portable fuel.
We appreciated the opportunity to partner with Qnergy and bring together the clean and portable benefits of propane with the incredible reliability and low maintenance requirements of their PowerGen product. This combination creates a clean, efficient, resilient, and versatile solution to distributed power challenges, said Jim Bunsey, Senior Manager, Business Development at PERC.
Flex-fuel Stirling engine
Qnergy’s PowerGen series, driven by a unique, externally heated Stirling engine, is a thermal-powered generator, engineered to operate with minimal maintenance requirements while supplying grid-quality power.
Capable of operating on multiple fuel sources, including propane, natural gas, and carbon-neutral renewable fuels, the generator provides a resilient power solution that can be customized to meet a wide range of customer challenges.
The demonstration module can be made portable with a smaller liquified petroleum gas (LPG) tank, enabling customers to transport the system within a charging network, based on commuter charging demand.
First-of-its-kind demonstration
The partnership featured a first-of-its-kind demonstration of a Qnergy PowerGen NanoGrid module combined with a Parafour Innovations refilling station, which provided charging for multiple EVs or onsite propane tank refilling.
Qnergy uses the Parafour equipment to refill tanks for its small fleet of propane forklifts, but the equipment is dually capable of filling LP-equipped fleet or commuter vehicles.
The Qnergy PowerGen hybrid met key performance metrics while delivering configurable user power and energy.
Additionally, Qnergy PowerGen boasts low-NOx and CO2 emissions, far below US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements from a small propane-powered generator.
PERC has been an outstanding partner to work with, and their support and collaboration have been pivotal in identifying opportunities and achieving these breakthroughs. This technology is a testament to Qnergy’s ability to deliver customized products for the most unique customer situations. Implementation and continued development of these solutions are key to reducing emissions and building a more sustainable future, said Dr Ory Zik, CEO at Qnergy.
