Charging system for electric transport systems

1 . A charging system comprising:

a fuel cell system for generating power for an electric transport system, the fuel cell system comprising: a plurality of hydrogen fuel cells for power generation, the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells forming at least one fuel cell stack assembly;

a fuel processing system connected to the at least one fuel cell stack assembly and configured to receive an input material comprising a natural gas and produce hydrogen fuel for the at least one fuel cell stack assembly of the fuel cell system;

a coolant flow line connected to the at least one fuel cell stack assembly and configured to circulate a coolant material to the at least one fuel cell stack assembly; and

a charging component comprising at least one charger comprising an electrical coupling configured to couple the fuel cell system to the electric transport system so that electrical power can be transferred from the fuel cell system to the electric transport system,

wherein the fuel cell system provides the electrical power to the electric transport system without requiring access to an electric grid,

wherein the charging system operates in a water balance with no consumption or discharge of water, and

wherein the charging system has a land footprint of less than 60 m2/MW.

2 . The charging system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the at least one fuel cell stack assembly comprises from about 1 to about 50 hydrogen fuel cells.

3 . The charging system according to claim 2 ,

wherein the charging system comprises from about 1 to about 10 fuel cell stack assemblies that each comprise from about 1 to about 50 hydrogen fuel cells.

4 . The charging system according to claim 3 ,

wherein the fuel cell stack assemblies are each configured to provide an electrical power to the electric transport system ranging from about 30 kW to about 3,000 kW.

5 . The charging system according to claim 3 ,

wherein the fuel cell stack assemblies are each configured to provide a voltage to the electric transport system ranging from about 30 volts as direct current to about 3,000 volts as direct current.

6 . The charging system according to claim 1 ,

further comprising at least one storage tank for storing hydrogen as fuel for the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells.

7 . The charging system according to claim 6 , wherein the hydrogen is produced from at least one of a natural gas processing plant and a water electrolysis plant.

8 . The charging system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

photovoltaics configured to convert light into electricity; and

DC batteries connected to the photovoltaics through an electrical connector configured to transport the electricity produced by the photovoltaics to the DC batteries for storage,

wherein the DC batteries are connected to the electric transport system through another electrical connector configured to provide the electrical power to the electric transport system.

9 . The charging system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the charging system comprises an even number of fuel cell stack assemblies arranged in pairs and in a parallel configuration, each fuel cell stack comprising from 1 to about 50 hydrogen fuel cells, and

wherein each pair of fuel cell stacks provides about 600 volts as direct current to the electric transport system.

10 . The charging system according to claim 1 , wherein the electric transport system comprises at least one of an automobile and a watercraft.

11 . A vehicular charging system comprising:

a fuel cell system for generating power for an electric transport system, the fuel cell system comprising: a plurality of hydrogen fuel cells for power generation, the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells forming at least one fuel cell stack assembly;

a fuel processing system connected to the at least one fuel cell stack assembly and configured to receive an input material comprising a natural gas and produce hydrogen fuel for the at least one fuel cell stack assembly of the fuel cell system;

a coolant flow line connected to the at least one fuel cell stack assembly and configured to circulate a coolant material to the at least one fuel cell stack assembly; and

a charging component comprising at least one charger comprising an electrical coupling configured to couple the fuel cell system to the electric transport system so that electrical power can be transferred from the fuel cell system to the electric transport system,

wherein the fuel cell system provides the electrical power to the electric transport system without requiring access to an electric grid,

wherein the charging system operates in water balance with no consumption or discharge of water, and

wherein the charging system has a small land footprint of less than 60 m2/MW; and

a container configured to house each of the fuel cell system and the charger, wherein the container is mobile.

12 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 11 , wherein the container is an automobile comprising an engine, a plurality of wheels, and a drive system, the automobile configured to transport the vehicular charging system from one position to another on land.

13 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 11 , wherein the container is a watercraft comprising a hull and a propulsion system, the watercraft configured to transport the vehicular charging system from one position to another on water.

14 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 11 , wherein the electric transport system comprises at least one of an automobile and a watercraft.

15 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one fuel cell stack assembly comprises from about 1 to about 50 hydrogen fuel cells.

16 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 15 , wherein the vehicular charging system comprises from about 1 to about 10 fuel cell stack assemblies that each comprise from about 1 to about 50 hydrogen fuel cells.

17 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of:

the fuel cell stack assemblies are each configured to provide an electrical power to the electric transport system ranging from about 30 kW to about 3,000 kW, and

the fuel cell stack assemblies are configured to provide a voltage to the electric transport system ranging from about 30 volts as direct current to about 3,000 volts as direct current.

18 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 11 , further comprising at least one storage tank for storing hydrogen as fuel for the plurality of hydrogen fuel cells.

19 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 11 , further comprising:

photovoltaics configured to convert light into electricity; and

DC batteries connected to the photovoltaics through an electrical connector configured to transport the electricity produced by the photovoltaics to the DC batteries for storage,

wherein the DC batteries are connected to the electric transport system through another electrical connector configured to provide the electrical power to the electric transport system.

20 . The vehicular charging system according to claim 11 ,

wherein the vehicular charging system comprises an even number of fuel cell stack assemblies arranged in pairs and in a parallel configuration, each fuel cell stack assembly comprising from 1 to about 50 hydrogen fuel cells, and

wherein each pair of fuel cell stack assemblies stacks provides about 600 volts as direct current to the electric transport system.