The need for remote monitoring technology is growing, driven by legislative, environmental and operational forces that make continual data collection a critical matter for many organisations. However, while batteries, wind and solar may be suitable power sources in some cases, far-flung locations, intermittency and seasonal variation can make micro-renewables difficult to rely on alone. Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are one alternative in these circumstances.
In some sectors, legislation is driving the need for more remote monitoring technology. Water companies, for example, are now subject to Section 82 of the Environment Act, which mandates continuous monitoring of water quality up and downstream of storm and sewage overflow locations, with the data made publicly available. There are thousands of these sites across the UK, and many are remote. Failed data collection could result in large fines and visible gaps in reporting.
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The changing UK climate is also driving demand for remote monitoring devices. As the UK has become windier and wetter, it has experienced more flooding events. Authorities such as the Environment Agency depend on remote flood warning systems that collect and transmit real-time data from rivers and streams across the UK. Any gap in monitoring could mean delayed warnings and increased risk to communities downstream.
Other drivers for the uptake of remote monitoring solutions include operational efficiency, security and safety. Ultimately, if security, monitoring or maintenance teams can be replaced by remote equipment in some situations, workers can be kept out of hazardous environments and data gathering can be accelerated.
The challenges of existing solutions
The primary challenge facing any remote monitoring application is maintaining reliable, year-round power far beyond the grid. Small solar arrays, wind turbines and battery packs have often been used together to provide consistent power, replacing polluting diesel generators.
However, the intermittency and seasonal variation of renewables can cause power interruptions. Batteries can compensate when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing, but they cannot always be relied on for extended periods. That means data-gathering operations may cease unless maintenance teams make routine visits to replace batteries.
Visits like this can be an impractical and expensive burden for organisations such as water companies and regulators operating under constrained budgets and efficiency pressures. Battery replacement visits to just one remote monitoring site run by Wessex Water cost the operator £3,000 per winter. The expense increases with each location as sites become more remote or require specialist teams or vehicles to access.
The advantages of direct methanol fuel cells
There are, however, alternatives. Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are effectively a cross between a battery and a generator. Like a traditional generator, they actively produce power rather than simply storing it. But, like a battery, they do this by turning chemical energy into electrical energy without combustion or complex moving parts. This makes them efficient, reliable, low-maintenance and low-emission, producing only small amounts of exhaust gases in addition to water vapour.
DMFCs provide reliable, continuous power and can be used either as a primary power source or as backup power when combined with micro-renewables. As a primary power source, they can operate for long periods without refuelling, reducing the need, and therefore the cost, of routine site visits. When combined in a hybrid system, they can achieve runtimes of several months or more, potentially allowing utilities and other operators to reduce winter maintenance visits and focus resources elsewhere.
Integrating DMFCs into a hybrid remote power solution can also be relatively straightforward, whether using a ready-to-go product or creating a bespoke solution designed for the operational needs of the remote monitoring station. Such systems can monitor battery voltage and automatically engage the fuel cell to charge it, returning to standby when no longer needed. This helps ensure continuous data collection without unnecessarily degrading battery life.
Meeting data monitoring demand
As demand for remote monitoring continues to grow across multiple sectors, the limitations of some power solutions are becoming increasingly apparent. Direct methanol fuel cells offer one response to these challenges, delivering reliable, year-round power while helping to reduce operational costs and maintenance burdens. The technology is already used in remote and hazardous environments, from trackside on national railways to mountain-top locations in Antarctica, to support continuous power for critical operations.
Dr Lee Juby is CEO at Fuel Cell Systems.
