Cal State LA has partnered with RockeTruck, Inc. to develop a portable fuel cell generator that can be easily transported to deliver clean electric power when grid power is not available. RockeTruck is a developer and manufacturer of advanced power generation systems and components.
The Cal State LA-RockeTruck project is funded through a $345,000 grant, which is part of a $1.15 million Phase II grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. The STTR program is a government-funded grant that helps small businesses work with research institutions to develop new technologies.
“We are excited to continue our industry-academia collaboration with RockeTruck,” said David Blekhman, professor of technology and technical director of the Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility (HRFF) at Cal State LA. “This project focuses on deploying mobile hydrogen-powered generators during power shut-off events or disasters, such as the recent fires. This initiative is crucial for Cal State LA to better serve and benefit our communities.”
Blekhman is a co-principal investigator on this grant.
The Cal State LA and RockeTruck partnership was previously established through DOE’s Phase I grant to help design and develop the first prototype of a Mobile Fuel Cell Generator (MFCG), a mobile platform that produces clean electricity using a hydrogen fuel cell.
The first prototype MFCG system carries a fuel cell rated at 80 kilowatts (kW), along with a large hydrogen fuel supply, a small supplemental battery storage system, and power conversion and control electronics, on a customized 20-foot trailer designed and manufactured by RockeTruck.
During Phase II, Cal State LA and RockeTruck will work together to reduce generator size and weight so the generator will fit in the bed of a pickup truck—this version will be called MFCG Mini. The Mini will use a newer generation fuel cell and will carry a much smaller hydrogen fuel supply, supplemented with a significantly larger battery pack than the first MFCG prototype.
Phase II will include a demonstration of the MFCG Mini as a backup power source for hydrogen fueling at a site to be chosen with Cal State LA support.
Blekhman will work on this collaborative project with Masood Shahverdi, the grant’s co-principal investigator and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Cal State LA.
“Under the grant, the RockeTruck design will implement system upgrades to boost MFCG performance, while incorporating whatever additional features necessary to power the selected hydrogen fueling station,” said Shahverdi. “The enhancement will enable the MFCG Mini to be safely deliver power to such a facility, in the event of a grid power outage.”
Deploying innovative solutions and advancing transmission systems across the country are essential to building out a better grid that achieves the DOE goals to meet the growing demand for electricity and provide clean, reliable, secure, and resilient power to all Americans, with emphasis on Tribal nations, rural and remote communities, disadvantaged communities, and energy transition communities.
The HRFF at Cal State LA is recognized for actively engaging in research, demonstration projects, and community outreach. Blekhman indicates that “it serves as a research and training facility for Cal State LA students, the majority of whom come from disadvantaged communities in East Los Angeles.”
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
