PERC, Qnergy partner on power generation

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) and Qnergy completed a three-year partnership resulting in the development of a standalone, 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 charging stations powered by propane or other portable fuel. According to Qnergy, the PowerGen is capable of serving the needs of many distributed, small, prime-power loads without the complications associated with deploying typical grid technology at remote or standalone job sites.

“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,” says Jim Bunsey, senior manager of business development at PERC. “This combination creates a clean, efficient, resilient and versatile solution to distributed power challenges.”

Qnergy’s PowerGen series, driven by an 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 power solution that can be customized to meet a wide range of customer challenges. The demonstration module can be made portable with a smaller liquefied propane (LP) tank, enabling customers to transport the system within a charging network, based on commuter charging demand.

The partnership features a demonstration of a PowerGen NanoGrid module combined with a Parafour Innovations refilling station, which provides charging for multiple EVs or on-site 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. According to Qnergy, the PowerGen hybrid meets key performance metrics while delivering configurable user power and energy. Additionally, PowerGen boasts low-NOx and CO2 emissions, far below 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 opportunity and achieving these breakthroughs,” says Qnergy’s CEO, Ory Zik. “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 is key to reducing emissions and building a more sustainable future.”

Featured homepage image: tttuna/E+/Getty Images