Boeing has developed a "reversible" solid oxide fuel cell that stores energy from renewable resources, including wind and solar, to produce electricity. The U.S. Navy is now testing its ability to support the energy needs of military and commercial customers.

The fuel cell is innovative in that it can both store energy and produce electricity in a single system, making the technology “reversible.” The system generates, compresses and stores hydrogen. When the grid demands power, it operates as a fuel cell, consuming the stored hydrogen to produce electricity.

Boeing's reversible solid oxide fuel cell system in operation in Huntington Beach, California. Image credit: Boeing.This first unit was commissioned on the Southern California Edison power grid at Boeing’s Huntington Beach, California facility before being installed for further testing on the Navy’s "microgrid" at the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center in Port Hueneme, Calif.

The fuel cell product was developed using the company’s experience with energy systems for unmanned undersea vehicles, but Boeing says it can be adapted and customized for a variety of defense and commercial applications.