Fuel cells with brains: How smart methanol tech is keeping remote mine sites running, quiet, and green - even when solar taps out or winter bites

What if the smartest way to power your remote mine site was silent, clean, low-maintenance - and already outsmarting diesel and solar in the field? For Chelsea Kovacs, business development manager at SFC Energy Canada, the answer lies in compact, intelligent fuel cell technology - specifically, direct methanol fuel cells that operate quietly, efficiently, and with minimal emissions.

During a recent Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)-hosted webinar, Chelsea offered a deep dive into how methanol fuel cells are enabling greater reliability and sustainability in industrial power systems. With over 110 million cumulative operating hours globally and more than 75,000 fuel cells deployed worldwide, SFC Energy’s solutions are no longer emerging—they’re proven.

“Our fuel cells act like smart, automatic battery chargers,” explained Chelsea. “They continuously monitor the voltage in your battery bank and cycle on and off as needed to prevent deep discharge. This keeps batteries at an optimal state of charge and extends their life, all without the emissions, noise or maintenance that typically come with diesel generators.”

Designed for the Demands of Remote Industry

Chelsea is based in Calgary, Alberta, where SFC Energy operates its Canadian production facility and North American service hub. The global company is headquartered in Germany and has additional offices in Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Grande Prairie and Edmonton.

“We’re proud to be one of the only profitable fuel cell companies in the world,” she noted. “That’s important because it signals to the market that our technology is not only real - it’s reliable and commercial.”

SFC Energy’s direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are particularly well-suited to mining, oil and gas, telecommunications, and rail applications in remote areas. These environments typically lack grid infrastructure, experience extreme temperatures, and require robust, standalone power systems that can run unattended for long periods.

“In Canada especially, solar alone doesn’t always cut it in winter months. That’s where our EFOY Pro Series Fuel Cells come in,” said Chelsea. “We typically pair them with solar arrays in hybrid systems - solar carries the load during summer, and the fuel cell steps in during low-sunlight periods to ensure uninterrupted uptime.”

Compact Power, Long Autonomy

The core of the solution is SFC’s EFOY Pro Series methanol fuel cells, available in models starting at 40W and scaling through 125W to 500W. For larger power demands, multiple units can be installed in parallel. The EFOY Pro 12,000 model, originally designed for telecoms, delivers 500W continuous output and can scale to 2.5kW. Beyond that threshold, clients can consider SFC’s hydrogen fuel cell line, which is gaining traction in Europe and is being piloted for North America.

One of the most compelling selling points of methanol fuel cells is their energy density and long runtime. Using just two M28 cartridges - each the size of a small gas cylinde - a 50W continuous load can be supported for 51 days without refuelling.

“That’s just from the methanol alone. When you factor in solar input, autonomy goes up even further,” Chelsea said. “You tell us your desired autonomy and how often you want to send someone to site - some clients want to refill just once a year—and we’ll size the system accordingly.”

Smart, Safe and Field-Proven

Unlike traditional diesel generators, DMFCs produce power through a chemical reaction rather than combustion. As a result, they emit only a small amount of carbon dioxide - comparable to a human exhaling - and are exempt from most fire suppression requirements.

“The methanol cartridges are engineered to be spill-proof and tamper-proof. You won’t get methanol on your hands.

Swap-outs take less than ten minutes, and there’s no need for commercial fuel trucks,” Chelsea said. “That simplicity is huge for remote operations.”

Fuel cartridges carry UN certification, meaning they’re approved for transport by helicopter or ATV. And with built-in Modbus TCP communications and a cloud platform, clients can monitor fuel levels and system health in real time.

“You should never get a call saying a site went down because a fuel cell ran out. Our monitoring tools give you the full picture,” Chelsea said.

To support adoption, SFC runs a free training initiative called the SFC Academy, aimed at equipping operators with everything they need to independently manage their systems. A 24/7 support line is also available at no charge.

Real-World Reliability

Chelsea shared several examples of how the technology is already delivering value in the field.

“One of our mining clients noticed their fuel cell was running unexpectedly during the summer months. When they visited the site, they discovered someone had stolen all the solar panels,” she said. “The fuel cell automatically took over the full site load, and operations never stopped. The only impact was slightly higher fuel consumption.”

This reliability makes the system ideal for critical infrastructure like security cameras, tailings dam monitors, repeater stations, and rail signalling. In one open-pit mine, a mobile fuel cell trailer is used to support visibility tools in blind zones where haul trucks move beyond the operator’s field of view.

“The trailer houses a solar array, retractable mast, camera and communications equipment—powered entirely by fuel cell. It’s moved wherever coverage is needed,” Chelsea said.

Another deployment involved powering geotechnical monitoring equipment in the Arctic, where temperatures can drop below −40°C.

“We placed the system in a Pelican case rated to −40, and it’s been running continuously. Our fuel cells are tested down to −60°C, so they’re truly built for extreme conditions.”

The Hydrogen Horizon

While methanol remains SFC’s dominant product in North America, Chelsea also outlined the company’s plans for hydrogen fuel cells, which deliver higher power (starting at 2.5kW per module and scalable to 50kW). These systems are ideal for backup and primary power at grid-tied telecom towers or off-grid installations with larger loads.

“The main challenge right now is hydrogen availability,” she admitted. “But the infrastructure is growing, and we’re working with partners to support on-site hydrogen production using electrolysers.”

Hydrogen systems produce only water vapour as a by-product and are silent, maintenance-light alternatives to diesel gensets.

“In Europe, we’re seeing deployments on autonomous rail networks. In North America, we’re getting ready to deliver our first proposals,” Chelsea said. “We have a demo unit in Calgary now, and we expect commercial rollout by the end of the year.”

A Cleaner Future, One Cartridge at a Time

Chelsea is optimistic about the role fuel cell technology will play in helping mining and energy companies meet their ESG goals without compromising performance.

“We are working towards a climate-neutral world,” she said. “These are proven, commercially available technologies that reduce emissions, reduce maintenance, and keep your systems online - even in the most remote, rugged environments.”

With intelligent design, scalable autonomy, and unmatched resilience, SFC’s methanol and hydrogen fuel cells offer a practical way to decarbonise and digitise off-grid operations - one smart charge at a time.