Fuel Cell Explained

The Enabler of Autonomous, Clean Power Anywhere

The Role of Fuel Cells in Hybrid Power

Silent, emission-free electricity that ensures uptime when solar alone can’t.

Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that generate electricity without combustion, eliminating harmful emissions and noise. In MOBISMART hybrid systems, solar power is always the primary source, but fuel cells step in as backup whenever solar production drops — at night, during extended cloudy weather, or through long northern winters.

At the heart of every MOBISMART trailer, container, and cabinet is a fuel cell stack. Here’s what happens inside:

Fuel + Oxygen Reaction — Methanol, propane, or natural gas combines with oxygen in a catalytic process.

Electricity — Produced instantly to recharge batteries and power critical loads.

Heat — Managed internally to optimize efficiency and cold-weather performance.

Water + Trace CO₂ — The only by-products, far cleaner than diesel exhaust.

Unlike engines, fuel cells have no combustion, no moving parts, and no noise. The result is clean, silent, maintenance-light power that can run for thousands of hours unattended.

Solar alone isn’t enough — In northern regions with low sun hours, solar-only systems cannot keep batteries charged through long winters.

Batteries alone can’t last — Batteries are excellent for short-term storage, but once depleted they need backup to recharge.

Diesel generators are obsolete — Noisy, polluting, and service-heavy, they’re increasingly incompatible with today’s sustainability and ESG goals.

Fuel cells provide the missing piece: a clean, automatic backup that recharges batteries when solar falls short. This is what enables MOBISMART’s hybrid systems to deliver continuous, autonomous power in any climate.

Fuel Cell Types

MOBISMART is fuel cell agnostic — we integrate the right technology for the load, location, and application.

DMFC

Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Output Range: 50–125 W

Fuel Type: Pure methanol cartridges

Compact and simple design

Best for lighter loads such as ZX300, WindCube, and small telecom sites

SOFC

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

Output Range: Up to 350 W continuous

Fuel Type: Propane or natural gas

Rugged, high-efficiency operation

Excels in cold climates and long-term deployments

HT-PEM

High-Temperature PEM Fuel Cell

Output Range: Mid-range modules up to 5 kW+

Fuel Type: 60/40 methanol/water mix

Fast startup and flexible output

Scalable: from telecom and security → to heavy-duty construction and industrial loads

Provides a diesel-free alternative at scale

Fuel Cells vs Diesel Generators

The modern replacement for legacy gensets.

Fuel cells are the modern replacement for legacy gensets: cleaner, quieter, more efficient, less maintenance. Where diesel burns fuel (CO₂, NOx, SOx, particulates), fuel cells generate silent power with no moving parts.

Category	Fuel Cells	Diesel Generators
Noise	Silent	Loud and disruptive
Emissions	Near-zero (no NOx/SOx)	High CO₂, NOx, SOx
Maintenance	Minimal, no moving parts	Frequent oil/filter service
Runtime	10,000–15,000 hrs unattended	Constant refueling required
Remote Monitoring	Yes — cloud dashboards	Rare / none
Sustainability	Net-zero aligned	High carbon footprint

Fuel Cells vs Batteries

More autonomy, less logistics.

Fuel cells generate power; batteries store it. Together they eliminate gaps in uptime: solar charges first, fuel cells top up batteries as needed.

Category	Fuel Cells	Batteries
Function	Generate electricity	Store electricity
Runtime	Continuous with fuel	Limited (finite storage)
Cold Climate	Reliable (SOFC, HT-PEM)	Capacity de-rates unless heated
Best Use	Long-term autonomy	Short-term bridging
Role in Hybrid	Recharge batteries	Supply instant load

Together, solar + batteries + fuel cells form the Trifecta of Autonomous Power.

MOBISUN-125 vs MOBISUN-350 — Which is Right for Your Wind Lidar?

Both the MOBISUN-125 (Methanol) and MOBISUN-350 (Propane SOFC) are engineered to keep ZX300 and WindCube Lidars running 24/7, even in harsh off-grid environments. But depending on your campaign length, location, and reliability needs, one may be a better fit.

Attribute

MOBISUN-125 (Methanol DMFC)

MOBISUN-350 (Propane SOFC)

Outlook

Output

50–125 W

50–350 W

Battery

10 kWh (4× AGM)

20 kWh (8× AGM)

Cold Climate

Contains water (freeze risk)

Water-free, reliable to –40 °C

Stack Life

~4,500–5,000 hrs

10,000–15,000 hrs continuous

Fuel Logistics

Methanol cartridges (M28)

Propane tanks (multi-month autonomy)

Best Fit

Short-term campaigns, moderate climates

Long-term, cold-climate deployments

TCO

Higher (stack replacements, cartridge logistics)

Lower (longer stack life, propane refills)

Key Takeaways

Both trailers power ZX300 Wind Lidar and WINDCUBE Lidar

Choose MOBISUN-125 for shorter projects where portability and methanol supply are convenient.

Choose MOBISUN-350 for multi-year, cold-climate, or mission-critical deployments where reliability and lower lifecycle costs matter most.

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MOBICARE: Remote Intelligence

Every MOBISMART fuel cell system is integrated with MOBICARE™ Remote Monitoring & Support:

24/7 dashboards for fuel levels, load, battery SOC, solar harvest, and fuel cell runtime
GPS tracking and automated alerts
Remote troubleshooting and predictive servicing to avoid unnecessary site visits

With MOBICARE, fuel cells become not just backup power, but part of a managed, optimized clean power solution.

Learn More About MOBISMART Technology

Clean, Autonomous Power — Anywhere

Fuel cells make MOBISMART’s Trifecta of Power — Solar + Battery + Fuel Cell possible. They replace diesel, cut costs, and guarantee uptime in the harshest conditions.

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Fuel Cell