Integrated technology company Rheinmetall launched its newly designed and pilot-phase mobile green hydrogen production and storage platform at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo on September 21.

The turnkey and modular solution offered by Rheinmetall group subsidiary Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) in South Africa provides electricity for stationary and mobile infrastructure in civil and industrial settings, as well as for expedition and outdoor applications.

Suitable for use in undeveloped terrain, it does not require an external power supply as it is powered using as many as 112 solar panels that have been engineered into easily-packable modules and stored within a shipping container that also houses the platform’s solar charge controllers.

The pilot platform, which Rheinmetall has been developing for about a year, incorporates a 4 kW fuel cell and an electrolyser capable of 6 cm³ of hydrogen an hour.

Rheinmetall reports that its containerised solution comprises four standard shipping containers that can supply power for 30 to 40 households.

The concept is based on electrolysis technology, whereby water molecules are separated into hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity necessary for this is produced with solar panels, making it carbon dioxide-free.

Alternatively, wind and hydropower can also be used to produce the required electricity.

The green hydrogen produced in this way is gaseous, meaning that it can be stored indefinitely and transported globally.

In addition, mobile field hospitals can benefit from the platform’s ability to simultaneously produce oxygen while it is in operation.

With this hydrogen energy technology, Rheinmetall is not only expanding its civil sector operations as part of its hydrogen strategy, but the group’s plant engineering skills are being used in the pursuit of becoming an energy producer.

All the components of the modular system can also be combined into a fixed stationary system platform.

With larger mobile set-ups, the various processes, such as electrolyses and fuel cell power generation, take place in separate shipping containers.

However, the hydrogen production and fuel cell power generation modules can also be concentrated in a single container.

Mobile production of green hydrogen lends itself to industrial, private and expedition applications, while the production volume can be tailored to meet individual requirements.

As well as expanding Rheinmetall’s portfolio as an energy partner, the company’s new green hydrogen platform adds a further element to its hydrogen strategy by offering solutions for completely solar-powered energy production.

At its facilities in South Africa, Rheinmetall offers turnkey industrial solutions for renewable energy, extending from the initial concept to final commissioning, coupled with full lifecycle support, training and maintenance solutions.