A hydrogen fuel cell generator makes electricity from hydrogen without burning it, so it runs quietly and the only emission is water. Unconventional Energy designs and makes these power systems from 1 kW upwards, built on our own air-cooled PEM fuel cell stacks of 500 W to 4.8 kW. They suit loads such as lights, cameras, sensors and telecom equipment far from the grid.
Three short steps, about one minute. We reply the same working day.
Updated 20 October 2026
A hydrogen fuel cell gives quiet power with no exhaust fumes at the site, and it refuels in minutes. Some people call it a hydrogen generator or a hydrogen powered generator: it uses hydrogen to make electricity, it does not make hydrogen. A PEM fuel cell turns hydrogen and air into electricity, heat and water. There is no combustion, and the only moving part is a fan.
There is no engine. The only moving part is a fan, so the generator runs quietly next to people and equipment.
No combustion means no exhaust fumes where you work. The only emission is water.
The energy is stored as hydrogen. Refuelling takes about two minutes instead of hours of charging. How long it runs depends on the load and the hydrogen on site.
At system level, our fuel cell systems keep full performance down to −20 °C. Values for a specific product come from our engineers.
A fuel cell generator pays off for small loads far from the grid, and where silence and clean air matter. For big loads or a site next to the grid, other options are usually simpler, and we will tell you so.
A fuel cell wins on silence, clean air at the site and fast refuelling. A diesel generator wins on familiar fuel and big loads. A battery pack wins on simplicity for short runs near a charger.
| Hydrogen fuel cell generator | Diesel generator | Battery pack | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | Quiet, only a fan moves | Engine noise | Quiet |
| Emissions at the site | Only water | Exhaust fumes | None |
| Refill or recharge | About 2 minutes | Minutes | Hours of charging |
| Runtime | Set by the hydrogen on site. Sized per job | Set by the fuel tank | Set by battery size |
| Cold weather | Full performance down to −20 °C (system level) | Works in the cold with winter fuel | Capacity usually drops in the cold |
| Moving parts | Only a fan | An engine that needs regular service | None |
| Critical raw materials | About 1/1000 of a lithium battery | Not compared | Baseline (lithium battery) |
| What you need on site | A hydrogen supply | Diesel deliveries | A charger and electricity |
| Best for | Small loads, silence, clean air, fast refuelling | Big loads, familiar fuel | Short runs near a charger |
General comparison. Runtime and noise depend on the load and the system, so our engineers give figures per site.
We supply fuel cell power systems sized for the job, and we help fit them into your equipment and site. The stacks inside are our own air-cooled PEM fuel cell stacks.
Complete power units for work that needs long runtime, fast refuelling and reliability in the field.
A fuel cell can work together with batteries or supercapacitors, which take the sudden load peaks.
We fit the fuel cell into your equipment and help carry it through the approvals it needs.
Designed and made in the EU. Over 96 % of our product content is European, with no critical components from outside the EU.
Our technology comes from Pragma Industries, the French fuel cell pioneer founded in 2004 in the French Basque Country. In 2026 its technology, patents and team became part of the Forking Future consortium. The work continues in Bayonne, France, as Unconventional Energy SAS. Meet the team behind the fuel cells.
A hydrogen fuel cell generator. It has no engine, the only moving part is a fan, and the only emission is water. Telecom masts and radio sites are among the uses it fits, especially far from the grid. Refuelling takes about two minutes.
A fuel cell generator is quiet, gives off only water at the site and refuels in about two minutes, but it needs a hydrogen supply. A diesel generator uses a familiar fuel and suits big loads, but it is noisy, gives off exhaust fumes and its engine needs regular service. The comparison table above shows the details.
The best one is the one sized for your load and the hours you need. Our fuel cell power systems start from 1 kW and are modular. Tell us the load, the hours and the lowest temperature on site, and our engineers size the system.
Not always. Many people say "hydrogen generator" when they mean a generator that runs on hydrogen, which is what we make. The same words are also used for machines that make hydrogen from water. Our fuel cell generator uses hydrogen to make electricity.
It depends on the load and on how much hydrogen is stored on site. Tell us the load and the hours you need, and our engineers will size the system. Refuelling takes about two minutes.
Yes. At system level, our fuel cell systems keep full performance down to −20 °C. Our engineers give the values for each product.
Hydrogen is a flammable gas, so the system must be designed, installed and checked with care. We have certified hydrogen safety skills in house, and we support the equipment safety audits and type approvals each application needs.
When the load is tens or hundreds of kilowatts, when the site needs high power day after day, or when the grid is close by. A fuel cell generator is best for smaller loads far from the grid, where silence, clean air or fast refuelling matter.
About 98 % of the system mass is reusable. Our fuel cells also use about 1/1000 of the critical raw materials of a lithium battery. For the end-of-life handling of a specific system, ask our engineers.
Need quiet power at a mast, a sensor site or a film set? Tell us the load, the hours and the place. Our engineers size the fuel cell system for the job.
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