Patent ID: 8450022

Claim:
A method of generating hybrid energy utilizing a gas distribution system in which an extra-high pressure fuel gas is transported/distributed and then reduced to a lower pressure for a fuel gas distribution or transmission line, the method comprising: pre-heating the extra-high pressure fuel gas before it is reduced in pressure; using an energy recovery generator to reduce the pressure of the pre-heated extra-high pressure fuel gas to produce the lower pressure fuel gas and to generate an electrical output;using a fuel cell power plant to generate an electrical output, while generating said electrical output, using said fuel cell power plant to produce waste heat and making said waste heat available in said pre-heating step to be used in said pre-heating step to heat the extra-high pressure fuel gas without using combustion to provide any of the waste heat of the fuel cell power plant to pre-heat the extra-high pressure fuel gas; and combining the electrical outputs of the energy recovery generator and the fuel cell power plant to generate a combined electrical output; wherein the method is used with the gas distribution system in which the extra- high pressure fuel gas is transported/distributed and then reduced to a lower pressure for a fuel gas distribution or transmission line.