ELSEVIER Applied Energy 51 (1995) 249-263 Copyright © 1995 Elsevier Science Limited Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0306-2619/95 $9.50 0306-2619(95) 00004-6 Electrolyser-Based Electricity Management R. G. M. Crockett, M. Newborough, D. J. Highgate & S. D. Probert Department of Applied Energy, Cranfield University, Bedford, UK, MK43 0AL A BSTRA CT A novel means for managing electricity, or energy supplies derived from electricity, is proposed. This is termed electrolyser-based management (EBM) and involves energy storage. The energy is stored as the chemical potential-energy of the hydrogen~oxygen-water reaction, with the input energy-conversion being performed by an electrolyser and subsequent regeneration to electricity via, preferably, a fuel cell. Proportions of the stored hydrogen and oxygen may be employed for combustion purposes, depending upon the application. Such a system has a unique energy- management capability in being able to provide a clean electricity-derived gas supply in addition to a managed electricity output. Furthermore, EBM systems, such as these, offer considerable scope for what can be broadly termed 'hydrogen economy' applications, CHP DSM EBM ESDM LNG LPG PEM PV RAPS SPE T&D ABBREVIATIONS Combined heat-and-power Demand-side management Electrolyser-based management Electricity supply-and-demand management Liquefied natural gas Liquefied petroleum gas Proton-exchange membrane Photo-voltaic Remote-area power supply/system Solid-polymer electrolyte Transmission and distribution 249