Ceres Power

Ceres Power is a world leading developer of next generation fuel cell technology. 

Ceres enables the world’s most progressive companies to deliver clean energy solutions. Ceres’ technology includes fuel cells for power generation and electrolysers for green hydrogen. The company aims to change the way homes and businesses generate their electricity, reducing costs and lowering emissions. 

To develop new and efficient fuel cell modules, Ceres Power needed to embed a fundamental understanding of temperature measurement and control across the business. This is a challenge when developing low cost and lower emissions products. The more accurately the system temperature across the operating range can be controlled, the more efficient it will be.  

Working in such a highly specialised field, the company recognised the opportunity to develop their knowledge and expertise. A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) was the perfect solution. To help maintain their position as a world leader in an emerging market, Ceres worked with the our South East hub, University of Brighton, and their Centre for Automotive Engineering.

Enabling optimal product performance

To deliver this project, a KTP Associate was recruited to develop accurate temperature measurement and control mechanisms to optimise fuel cell module performance.

With support from an academic team with expertise in applied thermal engineering, led by Professor Rob Morgan, the KTP Associate, and Dr Farzad Barari, the team designed and constructed a test rig which was used to validate theoretical modelling on the factors affecting accuracy.

This information was then used to develop a mitigation strategy to inform guidelines for fuel cell system design and best practice, enabling the company to design a product with optimal performance. 

A commercial success

The project was highly successful, both technically and commercially and Ceres Power are now working with a new fundamental understanding of the accuracy of thermal loss. The new knowledge and understanding led to the development of design and calibration solutions which were successfully rolled out into live engineering programmes during the project, and embedded in Ceres Power’s new prototype technology.