Areva and Schneider Electric have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at developing and implementing energy storage concepts based on hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Areva has a storage technology called the Greenergy Box, which integrates electrolysis with a fuel cell system, allowing hydrogen and oxygen from electrolysis of water to be stored during periods of low energy demand, and used to generate electricity in the fuel cell during peak consumption periods.

A Greenergy Box has been operating since 2011, connected to a 560 kW photovoltaic plant on the MYRTE demonstration platform in Corsica, and another will shortly be deployed with PV panels in La Croix Valmer (South of France).

Schneider Electric’s role is smart grid connection and energy management.